To the Editor:

In spring 2012, something unexpected took place: An established and much respected Republican senator with some 40 years of elected service to her state and nation had had enough of political gridlock in Congress.

Announcing this as the basis for her saying “Enough,” she chose not to stand for re-election as the senior senator from Maine.

When Angus King completed his second term as governor, many asked him if he would run for some higher political office, and his answer was a strong and consistent No. But that was before Olympia announced her exit.

Enter former Gov. Angus King, running as an independent, as he had for governor.

Born and raised in Virginia, he had several careers in Maine as a successful lawyer, entrepreneur, TV program host, two-term governor of Maine, then distinguished lecturer at Bowdoin College, and board member or partner of several respected corporations.

As the campaign progressed, we heard the buzzsaw vitriol that spewed from the negative ads of out-of-state superPACS, millions of dollars aimed at tearing apart the reputation of Angus. But Angus did not fold to the tyranny of negatives, distorted facts and outrageous lies. Resolutely and calmly, he refuted these attacks, showing his essential qualities of integrity, courage, confidence, openness, capacity to listen and, when he disagreed, to do so with consummate civility and reason.

I rarely have met someone who possesses two qualities that define his character and illustrate what Maine and the nation have in Angus King joining the U.S. Senate.

These qualities do not often occur together in any one person.

The first is authentic humility, not the self-deprecating avoidance of denying one’s skills and gifts, but an honest recognition of these as instruments of effective service.

The second is a genuine sense of humor, not just to laugh at or tell a joke, but not to take oneself too seriously and to appreciate the absurdity of so much we do take too seriously.

Angus King is a person for the times and a man for all seasons.

Robert P. Patterson
Topsham