For the better part of my 60 years, politics and politicians have been of great interest to me. My work history has afforded me the opportunity to meet, speak and, on some occasions, dine with politicians from all over the United States.

Many of those discussions involved issues about which the politician and I had a difference of opinion. On every occasion, however, those politicians conducted themselves with professionalism and class. I put this information forth simply as a qualifier for my opinion about the seemingly lack of thought that goes into the things that are being said by our current governor.

I know that it would be unrealistic of me to expect Paul LePage to serve out the rest of his term in office without answering questions from the media, but, because of the lack of professionalism and polish he has displayed thus far, one can only hope.

Certainly, his conduct, which has placed Maine and therefore its people in the national spotlight, would prevent me from placing him in the same category with the type of politicians I spoke of earlier.

Should he continue to speak with such total disregard for tact, he will find himself, I fret, being compared on a national level to the likes of such politicians as Sonny Bono, Jesse Ventura and Al Frankin.

In the future, when the governor fails to come up with a tactful response to a question, he would do well to remember the words of Abraham Lincoln: “Better to remain silent and thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

If LePage doesn’t care about himself, then he should do it for the good people of Maine.

Stanley B. Short Jr.

Pittsfield


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