I blush to admit that my knowledge of Madison was not extensive. Of course I knew he was one of the authors of The Federalist and was considered the father of the Constitution. And, yes, I did know a bit more than that. I wasn’t completely ignorant. But, like many of my generation, growing up I had paid more attention to the likes of Marx and Marcuse. They were the cool guys. The Founding Fathers were people you had to study to pass a test, fogeys in wigs who took snuff and had elaborate handwritings....
In Cheney’s telling, you see why he made the choices he (Madison) did and in almost every case you agree — at least I did. What you see most, in Madison and Jefferson, is that in the end character is king. It’s who you are that determines things or, as Reagan famously said, “People are policy.”
That is why I am not one of those who gets overly head up over whether someone is a Tea Partier or a RINO. In fact, I’m not much for the terminology, which largely puts me to sleep. I prefer to take a step backwards and look at the person. I want someone who is psychologically and intellectually prepared for the unexpected, because none of us knows what the future will bring....
◼ Lynne Cheney's James Madison: A Life Reconsidered Available at Amazon
