John H. Chafee was a GOP statesman

If any man seeks for greatness let him forget greatness and ask for truth and he will find both. -- Thomas Mann

John H. Chafee of Rhode Island exemplified gentleman-statesman. The sudden passing of one of the Ripon Society's most distinguished members on Sunday, Oct. 24 leaves the U.S. Senate with one less compassionate, intellectually honest voice. His courtly manner embodied the pragmatism, compassion, and common sense of the classic Yankee New Englander.

Chafee had just celebrated his 77th birthday. His legendary energy, optimism, and sincere personal warmth won him many friends. People often found him fun and refreshing, especially during tense legislative battles.

Ironically, the weekend of his death, business leaders in Boston planned to name him "New Englander of the Year" at a special dinner.

During World War II Chafee fought in the Battle of Guadalcanal. He later returned to the military to fight in the Korean conflict. A graduate of Yale University and Harvard Law School, he started his political career in Rhode Island's House of Representatives. In 1962, in a heavily Democratic state, the Republican became governor winning by just 398 votes. He served for three two-year terms. In January 1969, President Richard Nixon tapped him to serve as secretary of the Navy.

In 1976, he began his career in the Senate. In 1994, he won re-election with 65 percent of the vote. He was the only Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Rhode Island in 68 years. Five years later he announced "it's time to come home."

Earlier this year, Chafee decided not to seek a fifth term.

The legendary Republican leaves a sterling Senate legacy. He expanded Medicaid to improve health care for low-income children. He pushed through low-income housing credits to give the economically disadvantaged an opportunity to own a home. He advocated for the developmentally disabled by getting them out of mental institutions and into caring community settings. Long before Vice President Al Gore or many of today's Republicans worried about the environment, John Chafee was talking about global warming and proposing legislation as governor and as a federal lawmaker for cleaner water, oceans, and skies. And of course Chafee delivered for his state with jobs.

Proudly, Chafee wore his Ripon Society membership on his sleeve. He crusaded tirelessly for centrist/progressive Republican principles in a party that had become intoxicated by the political correctness of conservatism. His insistence that the nation always be above the best interests of the Republican Party often put him at odds with the most strident, dogmatic GOP partisans.

Chafee, while giving Bill Clinton a public tongue-lashing for his conduct with a young intern, voted to acquit the president. Conservatives were not happy with him, even though all members of the Senate were supposed to vote their conscience and not their party.

He often pricked the conscience of the ideological right by championing environmental and social justice issues. Chafee gave social conservatives political indigestion for advocating a very progressive policy toward gays in the military that went beyond "don't ask, don't tell." And his spirited efforts to help President Clinton overhaul health care made some conservatives hiss at him like cobras.

Chafee often reminded conservatives that it wasn't a hand-out he wanted to give to people in need, but a hand-up. He repeatedly demonstrated that centrist/progressive Republican philosophy did work as summarized by Gov. Thomas E. Dewey's motto: Government could have both a head and a heart; it could be both progressive and solvent; and it could serve the people without becoming their master. Chafee not only fought and succeeded at protecting the most vulnerable in society with new and expanded social programs, but he was also a key architect in the bipartisan balanced budget plan.

As is customary when someone of Chafee's stature passes on, tributes were made throughout the nation. But even by Washington standards, where nay-sayers and cynics are a dime a dozen, the number of accolades and the passion in which they were made by Democrats and especially conservative Republicans was unprecedented. Throughout his career in public service, Chafee made a sincere effort to find the truth. And by doing so John H. Chafee found lasting greatness.

Paul Peter Jesep, New Hampshire based writer and commentator, is a national vice president of the Ripon Society. He may be reached at www.jesep.com.