This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, Sept. 9, 2011 - Former U.S. Sen. John C. Danforth, R-Mo., says he's flattered by those who want him to consider running for governor in 2012, but he's already picked a candidate: Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder.
"I am all for Peter Kinder. I've known him since he was a schoolboy,'' the senator said, adding that he will campaign for Kinder if he's asked.
And whether other Missourians opt to support Kinder or not, Danforth says he hopes they make their decision based on the lieutenant governor's stands on the issues -- and not his acquaintance 17 years ago with a stripper, or her more recent accusations.
"I think we have overdone it in combing through people's pasts,'' Danforth said in a telephone interview Friday, shortly after he'd made some similar points in an interview on KMOX radio(1120 AM).
"Most people have something in their past that they would be humiliated about if it got into the public domain,'' Danforth said.
"Maybe there's a few saints out there,'' Danforth continued, but he added that most public figures and candidates would fail the test of "total perfection'' that some may unrealistically seek to impose.
"The Kinder campaign is an opportunity to show to the public 'we are not these sanctimonious people' " when it comes to judging those seeking office, Danforth said. "I think we've got to make a stand."
The question should be "Do we have smart and able people?' " he said. "Not snooping through the garbage bins."
Danforth recalled an earlier case. "I've seen somebody totally destroyed, although he bounced back, in the Clarence Thomas thing," he said. The senator was referring to the raucous confirmation hearings in 1991 over the nomination of Thomas -- Danforth's former aide -- to the U.S. Supreme Court. With Danforth's help, Thomas weathered accusations of sexual harassment and was confirmed.
The accusations against Kinder, Danforth went on, appeared not to be serious and should not overshadow his record of achievement.
"Peter is smart, he's hardworking, and his heart's in the right place,'' Danforth said. "I admire Peter Kinder. He really been an active lieutenant governor."
Danforth did not mention Kinder's rival -- Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat -- emphasizing that his point was to defend and promote Kinder.
Danforth recalled that Kinder, as a youth and young man, used to drive him around Cape Girardeau when Danforth -- who was public office for almost two decades --was in the region.
Danforth said he last talked to Kinder a couple weeks ago, when the lieutenant governor was calling prominent Republicans to gauge their support during the height of the controversy.
What did the senator say? "Hang in there," Danforth said.
Although he is prepared to do some campaigning in 2012 for Kinder and others, Danforth said he is more focused at the moment on non-political matters, notably various efforts to rebuild Joplin, Mo., which was hit by a devastating and deadly tornado May 22.
Danforth also is active in the new John C. Danforth Center for Religion and Politics that his family helped set up and endow at Washington University.
Noting that he just turned 75, Danforth said he is enjoying life a great deal. But he has no plans to return to politics as a candidate.
He allowed that he did take notice of the new Facebook page-- "Draft Jack" -- that admirers have set up to encourage Danforth to consider running for governor.
Danforth laughed as he recalled that, last he looked, only 250 people -- "maybe 260" -- had registered on the page that they "liked'' the idea of his candidacy.
"It's nice to think that out of 6 million Missourians, there's 250 who remember who I am,'' Danforth said.
Actually, Danforth can take solace that the count at midnight Friday had grown to 271.
