Good Things Come In Threes

I had this date circled on my calendar for a while.

Sitting on the back deck of the Anglers' Club, enjoying lunch with three former chairs of the Republican National Committee does not happen every day. Motivated by a sense of duty, these true political giants have helped shape American politics for the last 50 years.

They are statesmen, attorneys, lobbyists, businessmen, philanthropists, fathers, and grandfathers, and they smoothly jumped from topic to topic and from national figures to international leaders with ease.

It was clear that each had their own unique style. It was clear that each was passionate and thrived under pressure. But more importantly, it was clear they loved Nantucket.

“It’s my favorite place in the world. I spent time and enjoyed the Hamptons, but once I returned to Nantucket about 15 years ago, it was over," said Ken Mehlman, who was the 62nd chairman of the RNC and campaign chairman for President Bush’s 2004 re-election campaign.

Born in Baltimore and presently living in New York City, the Harvard Law School grad was George W. Bush’s White House political director, worked on the Bush-Cheney election team as National Field Director, and is presently a partner, global head of public affairs, and co-head of global impact at KKR & Co. Inc.

Frank Fahrenkopf was the longest-serving Republican National Committee chairman in the 20th century (1983 - 1989) under President Ronald Reagan. Known for his legal acumen and his work as a co-founder of the Commission on Presidential Debates, today Fahrenkopf is most proud of his efforts at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston.

“If you haven’t been, it is a must-see. We educate the public about the unique role of the Senate by promoting civil debate," said Fahrenkopf, who bounced around the island before settling in town and has been a frequent commentator on Crossfire, Meet the Press, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox News, and Inside Politics.

“You can thank my wife, Suzanne," said Jim Nicholson, who served as the Republican National Chair during the Clinton administration from 1997 through 2000.

“We honeymooned in 1967 at the Moby Dick cottages," continued the West Point grad who served in the Army for eight years in Vietnam as a paratrooper and Army Ranger, earning the Bronze Star, Combat Infantryman Badge, Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Meritorious Service Medal, and two Air Medals before retiring from the military in 1991 as a Colonel.

“In my haste, I forgot to reserve a car reservation on the ferry so we had to park in Hyannis and we rode bikes everywhere on the island," said the former Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Unites States Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican) who now lives on Vestal Street where “Nonna and Nonno” run Camp Nicholson for their eight grandchildren during the summer.

Once the introductions were done, it did not take long for me to figure out it was best to just listen.

Lindsey Graham, Tim Walz, J.D., weapons of mass destruction, Tim Scott, Barack Obama, Bush, the Vatican, Hillary, Iraq, Newsome, Shapiro, and Trump… these names and places weren’t dropped to impress, but they represented colleagues and mentors, rivals and adversaries, hot spots and holy ground, all of which were on the table.

On Trump:

“If you look all the way back at Neilson ratings of The Apprentice and watched Trump’s public appearances, today he brings a celebrity status and an ‘every person appeal’ from way back, but some in the mainstream media haven’t been able to see that connection," said Mehlman.

“I have known Trump for about 40 years. I have always had a good relationship with him, and remember, he wasn’t always a Republican. He debated Hillary very well and buried Biden, and it was clear no one in the Democratic Party could go toe to toe with Trump for 90 minutes. The Democratic Party still has not recovered from the Biden debate and the Harris loss. They splintered, which historically is not something they do, and Trump has dominated ever since," offered Fahrenkopf.

“As Chair, I met Trump several times before he became President. It took a while to warm up to him. At one point, he offered me Mar-a-Lago for a fundraiser, and I sat with him at a recent Army-Navy football game. Once he solidified the Republican base while increasing his popularity with traditional Democratic constituents such as the Hispanic vote, independents, and labor, I knew he was on the path to victory," offered Nicholson.

On the Democratic nominee in 2028:

Newsom? “No way. He’s a strong political athlete, but he has to deal with the California situation. He won’t survive the primary”.

A.O.C. and Bernie? “Way too radical…”

“Recent nominees of both parties - Clinton, Trump, Obama, Bush 43 - have all challenged existing ideological orthodoxy. The question for Democrats is who can do this in 2028?” said Mehlman.

“I agree. The far left won’t like it, but a crazy, radical agenda simply won’t work," added Nicholson.

On a dark horse for the Democratic side:

“Wes Moore of Maryland and Andy Beshear of Kentucky will probably run, but my sleeper pick is Rahm Emanuel. He’s been a Congressman, Mayor of Chicago, Ambassador to Japan, and White House Chief of Staff. Right now, he’s saying what the Democrats need to pivot to. He makes me think of Clinton in ‘92," offered Nicholson.

Fahrenkopf and Mehlman spoke very highly of one candidate, and that was Gina Raimondo. The Harvard grad, Rhodes Scholar, and former vice-chair of the Democratic Governors’ Association was also Rhode Island’s 75th governor.

“Gina is brilliant and a moderate, and was Biden’s Secretary of Commerce. She would have done far better than Biden and Harris. Keep an eye on her," suggested Fahrenkopf.

On trade and Europe:

“Energy is critical," said Mehlman.

“If you study history, nations that have and can access sources of energy can survive and thrive. Europe came to rely too heavily on Russia. That’s been a huge mistake and hasn’t helped the environment, while one of Trump’s primary goals is to enhance our energy superpower status."

“Trump’s economic theory is that the United States is the largest market in the world. In addition, we offer military protection and stability. Trump believes that, given these factors, if you want access to our markets and protection, you should pay," he continued.

Nicholson chimed in: “Europe’s share of the world’s GDP has decreased more than 10 percent in the last 20 years. They have created too many giveaways and they don’t have the money to pay for it, so they keep raising taxes, tying themselves in a knot. Their outlook is not good. Say what you want about Trump, but he has completely changed the narrative and direction of the U.S. economy for the better, and everyone around the world knows it. As they say, ‘The U.S. innovates - China imitates - and Europe regulates'."

Some random nuggets:

• “Clearly, Vance is the front-runner and he’s now the finance chairperson of the RNC, but Trump’s endorsement will be critical."

• “Immigration will always be a focal point, but we need to seal our borders and go after the bad apples…”

• “Even the NY Times reported that 30 states showed a drop in registered Democratic voters, while there has been an increase in over 4 million registered Republican voters. That tells me the Democratic Party is in trouble."

After over two hours, it was time to get the check. Ken was off to the Berkshires, then Australia, France, and the UK on business. Frank has a couple more weeks on-island but is staying busy serving on 11 public company boards, while Jim hopes to sneak in another round of golf after shooting an 85 at Miacomet this summer.

Nicholson, a deeply religious man who is often found at St. Mary’s Church, stayed awhile longer, and we talked about his time as the Ambassador to the Vatican. It was especially moving listening to him talk about his four years in Rome.

“I presented my credentials to the Pope, John Paul II, two days after the 9/11 attack on the US. It became more of a briefing than a cordial first meeting. The Pope was a great man of peace, and he was deeply troubled by the killing of so many innocent people and was visibly grieving," recalled the former Ambassador.

Jim continued: “48 hours after the attack, the C.I.A. had already connected the dots to Afghanistan. We said a prayer together, and then the Pope turned to me and said, ‘We have to stop people who are killing in the name of God.' This was very helpful to us in building a coalition to go with us into Afghanistan."

It was a moment Ambassador Nicholson will never forget and a sobering reminder to me, who got a two-hour glimpse into the seriousness of world politics.

The four of us talked about getting together next summer. Clearly, there will be plenty to discuss between the midterms in full view and Trump’s agenda in its second year.

With a couple of possible dates already circled on my calendar, I look forward to it because, regardless of party affiliation, it will be an honor and a privilege.