Queen of Hearts

1954: Winston Churchill, Charles, Anne (WSJ)

The world spins on, but days after her death Queen Elizabeth II still commands space on front pages and magazine covers and lead minutes on broadcasts.

And deservedly so.

She has been in the public eye since the day she was born, her life spanned nearly a century, and she conducted herself throughout with dignity and refinement. Her first Prime Minister was Winston Churchill, and her 15th was Liz Truss, whom the Queen appointed two days before she died.

Hers was a life of pomp, circumstance, and privilege, yet few would view that as acceptable payment if it meant perpetual responsibility and never-ending scrutiny.

It's difficult to put into words what she meant not only to Britons but her admirers around the world. From an American-British citizen:

2022: Liz Truss (WSJ)

Queen Elizabeth’s great gift was her ability to maintain that affection over so many decades, many of them very difficult for her country. She did this by being constantly present in the nation’s life without ever seeming overbearing, and by taking care to stay out of politics.

This allowed her to ask for, and receive, the love of her people without demanding of them the impossible—toleration for a suffocating presence or assent to political positions they might not share.

Peggy Noonan:

She wanted to be a queen the country adhered to and was proud of, so she maintained dignity. She knew her role. She didn’t show moods or take sides, never tried to win the crowd, didn’t attempt to establish a reputation for wit or good nature. She was in her public dealings placid, as a great nation’s queen would be.

...The great of Britain have been talking for years about how sad it will be when she departs. They’re about to be taken aback by how deep and pervasive the mourning is.

I shall not look upon [her] like again.---Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 2

Let's Vote Already

I watched parts of the second Presidential debate, read the transcript, and listened to some of the post-debate spin by supporters of each who said their candidate won. Both men got their points across, and neither said anything that would hurt their candidacy.

I wish we could vote already--yes, we can cast an absentee ballot by mail, but going to the polling place is part of the American civic experience--since I find it hard to believe that there are many Americans who truly haven't made up their minds. Let's get on with it.

Further thoughts:

The instant-polls seem to be saying that President Obama won, but not overwhelmingly. That result is okay, I suspect, even to his detractors. As President he represents everyone, and another embarrassingly bad performance wouldn't help the national self-esteem.

Debating is a specialized skill that doesn't have much to do with good decision-making, the leadership of the armed forces, the selection of competent people (especially judges), or getting legislation passed. Neither, for that matter, is fund-raising.

Political junkies can recite the history of changes to Governor Romney's health care positions or to the Obama Administration's statements on Libya, but the rest of us, probably sensibly, don't choose to spend our lives that way. It's probably unfair that our votes count just as much as those who spend their lives studying issues, but that's the system we've got.

Two quotes from Winston Churchill:

The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.