Over the years, many people have asked how – and why – I became so interested in Winston Churchill, Britain’s wartime leader. It is not a well-hidden attraction. I have written articles for the International Churchill Society, of which I am a member. My collection of books by and about Churchill, including some first editions, is not insubstantial. Above my office computer is a framed copy of The Times of London the day he died (January 24, 1965). I have numerous pictures, memorabilia, and ephemera about The Great Man (as the Brits capitalize him). I have quoted him at the end of my Business Journal columns more often than anyone else. In fact, I quoted him regarding community service (“You make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.”) while accepting the much-appreciated Harmon Ballin Community Service Award at VICA’s Annual Meeting earlier this month. I have visited his ancestral home, Blenheim; his personal retreat, Chartwell; his gravesite, a modest country graveyard in Bladon; and many other locales related to his life. Here’s the story: A number of years ago, I abandoned my business for a summer and attended Cambridge University. I took several classes on World War II, including one on Churchill. For that latter class, I had to write a paper on Winston, and being in the public relations field, elected to write a paper entitled “Winston Churchill: England’s Greatest PR Man.” It had occurred to me that Churchill indeed, almost single-handedly, kept his nation in the fight when no one else opposed Hitler and the Nazis. Until the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into the war, the English fought on against a Europe completely overrun by the Germans. He gave speeches in Parliament and on the radio. He visited his troops around the world. He was on the scene after almost every German bombing raid over London during the Blitz. He charmed President Roosevelt and both Houses of Congress. He assured the English that not only did he believe in them, but he convinced them to believe in themselves. Is that not being the consummate public relations professional? Man of the century He drank a lot; he smoked a lot; he berated his generals; he was rude to his secretaries; he possessed a formidable temper; and yet, his countryman voted Churchill the Greatest Englishman of the 20th Century. Winston was not unaware that his words and his language played a major role in defeating Nazism and Fascism. In a speech to the British Parliament on his eightieth birthday, Churchill gave credit to the people – and a bit to himself – when speaking of the war: “The nation had the lion’s heart. I had the luck to give the roar.” What a concept: A leader, who by dint of pesonality, hard work, and dedication, helps his people overcome adversity and seemingly dire circumstances. Does Los Angeles need such a leader? Does Los Angeles have such a leader? Do we deserve such a leader? Some would argue that such a role is the Mayor’s prime responsibility. Antonio Villaraigosa is well-spoken, has a good vocabulary and can express himself well. He has promised to be “L.A.’s Number One Salesman.” He talks the talk of economic development; of reducing or eliminating business tax; of simplifying permitting and other bureaucratic hindrances; and of making this a business-friendly city. Whether he has achieved, or even made significant strides, in addressing and resolving those issues is open for debate, but one certainly doesn’t sense that the business community of Our Valley and the rest of the city feel that the Mayor understands the issues, has a plan for resolving them, and is willing to do what it takes to achieve victory. Shades of gray True, in Churchill’s time, things were in black and white; today’s world is a dizzying array of shades of gray. Still, are we getting the very best that our Mayor has to give us? On December 7 (how appropriately, Pearl Harbor Day), the Mayor gave a speech to the Public Policy Institute of California in Sacramento in which he excoriated the teachers’ unions as the greatest obstacle to progress in education: “Over the past five years, while partnering with students, parents and non-profits, business groups, higher education, charter organizations, school district leadership, elected board members and teachers, there has been one, unwavering roadblock to reform: UTLA union leadership.” And then he said, “At every step of the way, when Los Angeles was coming together to effect real change in our public schools, UTLA was there to fight against the change and slow the pace of reform.” Pretty gutsy talk from a former union man, a legislative advocate for the California Teachers Association and an organizer for UTLA. Is our Mayor finally willing to become a true leader by telling the people the truth, by identifying the real villains in a piece rather than defending those who have supported his campaigns in the past, and speaking out loudly and clearly for the truth? After this speech, the Mayor would benefit from reading Churchill’s words from 1930: “To every man there comes … that special moment when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a special thing unique to him and fitted to his talent. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the work which would be his finest hour.” This is the Mayor’s moment. We hope he will seize it. A statesman is he who thinks in the future generations, and a politician is he who thinks in the upcoming elections. President Abraham Lincoln Martin Cooper, President of Cooper Communications, Inc., is Immediate Past President of the Los Angeles Quality and Productivity Commission; Founding President of The Executives; Vice Chairman of the Boys & Girls Club of the West Valley; and a member of the Boards of the Valley Economic Alliance and of the LAPD’s West Valley Jeopardy Program. He is Past Chairman of VICA and Chairman of its Board of Governors; and Past President of the Encino Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at [email protected].