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Dear Hunter,

As we head full-steam into the normal hectic post-summer pace, I wanted to share with you two of my recent Forbes columns about issues which have weighed on my mind (as on the minds of most) of late. Two years ago I gave a speech in Davos about where America was headed as we were about to inaugurate Donald Trump. I hearkened back to memories of the “old days” (something we senior folks are wont to do) and conjured up memories of how I felt in 1968 when Richard Nixon was elected president. I was a University of Chicago undergraduate witnessing a tragic war in Vietnam, the assassination of Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, an unraveling of America’s race relations with many of our cities in flames, and a degree of popular unrest and civil disobedience not seen in my lifetime. And I observed then that the Trump presidency might end as the Nixon presidency did…..or could surprise in a positive way much as the Reagan presidency did for many.

Last year when I returned to Davos I lamented that one year into the new presidential term it was looking more like we were trending toward a Richard Nixon ignominious end than a relatively felicitous Reagan reign. Yet, many of my friends (especially those abroad) were still “hopeful” things would turn out well. Perhaps they were not subjected to the same daily bombardment of shocking revelations, or perhaps they just assumed as long as the US economy was strong, they would be fine. But by now everywhere I go abroad and at home (admittedly I do not travel in normal Trump circles or territory) the tide appears to be turning with public opinion data showing a growing majority of Americans beginning to doubt the path we are on will, in fact, “make America great again”.

I share with you two of my recent Forbes columns reflecting on this question of where America is headed. The first, “How Can We Fix America [ https://info.atkearney.com/email_handler.aspx?sid=c1e99684-41e3-4b64-9904-6fdcd3641605&redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.forbes.com%2fsites%2fpaullaudicina%2f2018%2f07%2f10%2fhow-can-we-fix-america%2f%231cc77e345efc ] ,” reviews some of the most important insights coming from the three-year assessment of “America@250” examining how the US might look in 2026 on the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Republic. I sadly conclude that we are trending in a way that will not allow us to realize the inspiring possibilities before America, no matter how much Americans might wish for such a positive outcome.

The second piece offers my views on the essence of the John McCain legacy [ https://info.atkearney.com/email_handler.aspx?sid=c1e99684-41e3-4b64-9904-6fdcd3641605&redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.forbes.com%2fsites%2fpaullaudicina%2f2018%2f08%2f30%2fthe-mccain-legacy%2f ] . John was someone I got to know and work with when I was Joe Biden’s legislative director and he was working in the US Navy Senate liaison office before he entered politics. Many say he died too soon, referring not to his age (81), but rather to the deep need to hear his voice of experience, civility, reason and principle at this point in US history. However, John’s memory (and the moving tributes to him being offered by those he touched) is provoking a national dialogue on what we must demand of our leaders going forward. Hopefully, this dialogue his death prompted will be sustained and may be even more powerful than anything he might have instigated while he was alive and well.

Thank you for letting me share these insights with you and for your willingness in return to share freely your own wisdom and ongoing friendship.

Warm regards,

Paul

Paul A. Laudicina

Chairman, Global Business Policy Council

Partner and Chairman Emeritus, A.T. Kearney

A.T. Kearney, Inc.

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