I've been thinking a lot about the arc of
Leon
Panetta's career in the days before the
Center for National Policy honors him with the
2012 Edmund S. Muskie Distinguished Public
Service Award. Among the Secretary's many
contributions and achievements, there are five
that stand out as exemplifying the leadership
qualities and dedication to service that we
will
recognize
on Thursday.
1.
Standing up for Civil
RightsMany of Secretary Panetta's
current admirers do not realize the extent of
his involvement in the civil rights struggle in
the early 1970s. Working as a legislative
assistant Panetta played a role in the creation
of landmark civil rights legislation and then
became responsible for protecting these
liberties as director for the
U.S.
Office for Civil Rights. However, Panetta
often clashed with the administration of
President Richard Nixon over the pace and
effectiveness of the implementation of these
laws, and ultimately resigned his position.
This early demonstration of Panetta's moral
compass set the high standards by which he
would be judged—and judge himself—throughout
his entire career.
2.
Establishing the Monterey Bay Maritime
SanctuaryAs
member
of Congress representing his home state of
California, Panetta ushered through legislation
to protect and preserve the Monterey Bay and
coastline. With approximately 3 million people
living within 50 miles of what would become the
Monterey
Bay National Marine Sanctuary, Panetta
sought to safeguard a precious resource that
both supports livelihoods and protects a
fragile ecosystem. An environmental steward who
was ahead of his time, Panetta's aspirations
transcended Capitol Hill's day-to-day in order
to create something lasting not only for this
generation, but for many generations to
come.
3. Balancing the
Federal BudgetAt a moment when
compromise is often equated with surrender, the
example set by Leon Panetta as a strong and
principled conciliator has never been more
relevant. As director of the Office of
Management and Budget, he developed the package
that balanced the federal budget for the first
time in nearly three decades. This 1998
achievement was monumental at the time, and
appears all the more impressive in retrospect.
Working to bridge the divide between a
Democratic executive and a Republican
legislature, Panetta rose above partisan
politics and achieved a rare feat that served
the greater good and—unfortunately—has not been
repeated. At last count, Panetta's was the last
balanced budget in 42 years.
4.
Ending Osama Bin Laden's Reign of
TerrorAfter nearly a decade of
hunting the world's most wanted terrorist
without a serious lead, the CIA's reputation
was at risk. As CIA director, Panetta
revitalized the agency's image by relentlessly
pursuing leads and evidence on the al-Qaeda
leader's whereabouts. Panetta's presence in the
iconic photographs of the
White
House situation room during those final,
tense moments belies his central role in
planning the mission that
delivered
justice for the victims of the September
11th attacks.
5.
Repealing DADTAt the helm of
the Defense Department, Panetta wasted no time
in tackling some of the military's most complex
challenges. The repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell
(DADT), the policy that forbade gay and lesbian
members of the armed services from disclosing
their sexuality, loomed especially large. In
Panetta's eyes, the opportunity to close this
chapter of American history would bring his
career full circle. As a young man, Panetta
broke through barriers that denied American
citizens their civil rights. Now, as one of the
nation's preeminent leaders, Panetta saw the
continuation of those efforts in rescinding
DADT, which
removed
one of the last barriers preventing all
Americans from serving the
nation.
PostscriptAccomplishments in
the shadowy worlds of intelligence and national
defense often remain unknown. In time we will
surely learn of further contributions that Leon
Panetta has made on issues like containing
Iran, crafting a holistic cyber-security
policy, stabilizing fragile states like Yemen,
or preserving a defense budget that marries
fiscal responsibility to the prerogatives of
our national security. These may not surface
for 5, 10, or 15 years, but rest assured,
behind-the-scenes Leon Panetta is ensuring the
U.S.—and the world—is a safe place. It is
therefore safe to say that the final chapter on
Leon Panetta's legacy has not yet been written.
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