“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.”

John F. Kennedy

Hmmm. Now put this quote into the context of the 2016 US Presidential Election. Hard to do, isn’t it?

Politics has always been a partisan game. We know that – especially in the primary season when the target demographic is particularly partisan.

But wouldn’t it be refreshing to have a candidate who claimed to be the president of everyone. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to have a leader who used his or her language to signify an end to politics and partisanship as usual and attempt to be the president of every single person – even those he or she doesn’t agree with?

I want a Democratic president who will actively court Republican opinions.

I want a Republican president who will actively court Democratic opinions.

I want someone to say, “Enough of the division.”

Stop vilifying Wall Street executives, immigrants, conservatives, atheists, Republicans, Chinese, Christians, Muslims, oil companies, EPA, …

There’s always someone to attack. Someone to disagree with. Someone to threaten with a lawsuit. Someone to make fun of.

Yes, we will have differences, but a true leader will sit down in the middle of people with whom he or she disagrees and will engage them in thoughtful and respectful conversation. They won’t throw verbal bombs which simply entrench people further into their biases. That’s mainly what I’m hearing from most of the leading candidates from both parties. They are trying to divide and conquer. It’s too bad.

I’m looking for the candidate who wants to unite, who wants to engage, who wants to understand differences so change can occur that benefits us all. It’s not about the poor vs. the rich or the immigrants vs. the citizens or the Christians vs. the Muslims. This election is about the American people. All of them. Each one has a voice and deserves to be heard.

So who will be the president of every single person and not just their own narrow constituency?

That’s who I’m interested in.

I’m sorry to say it, but I just don’t think there are many JFK Democrats in leadership positions anymore.