A Campaign Code of Ethics

What Presidential candidates Clinton, McCain, and Obama should and should not do from now until November.by Bruce Weinstein, PhDThe campaign for the White House, which seems to have been going on forever, still has some months to run, and it's possible the nastiness, squabbling, and irrelevancies that have characterized this campaign—and too many before it—will get worse. This pettiness isn't just unpleasant or unfortunate; it's unethical, because it detracts from a meaningful debate about the issues that truly matter.I therefore propose a code of ethics for the candidates to follow. Everyone—we citizens, the political parties, the democratic process, and the candidates themselves—will win if the candidates take this code. The proposed guidelines are rooted in the five fundamental principles of ethics: Do No Harm, Make Things Better, Respect Others, Be Fair, and Be Loving. These principles are the bedrock not just of our democracy, but of all civilized societies, cultures, and religions. This code, therefore, makes sense not just for this election, but for all future ones as well.1. Tell the truth. Warren Beatty's 1998 film Bulworth was a satire based on the apparently ridiculous idea that a candidate would suddenly decide to be completely honest. But why should this be the stuff of comedy and fiction? Shouldn't we demand honesty from the people who are vying for the most powerful political position in the country and, possibly, the world? Perhaps we're so accustomed to hearing distortions of the truth and politicians are so used to saying whatever it takes to get elected, that no one cares about the truth any longer.But the truth still matters. When a candidate is asked a question and the public has a right to know the answer, the candidate should tell the truth. Period. If he or she doesn't have an answer, the candidate should be forthright about this fact. It is a sign of strength, not weakness, to admit that one doesn't always have all the answers at the ready.2. Take responsibility. Senators Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain have each said things that weren't true. Whether these statements were based on faulty memory or the intent to mislead, voters rightly expect each candidate to take responsibility for his or her mistakes. Saying "I misspoke" does just the opposite.3. Rise above the fray. Yes, the public should know about the blunders each candidate makes, but it's the media's job to inform, and the candidates should avoid the temptation to pile on or prolong the story. When a reporter asks for a comment on an opponent's latest gaffe, the candidate should refuse and instead focus on his or her proposed policies.4. Criticize the argument, not the person. Personal attacks  are not only disrespectful, but also self-defeating. Polls show that voters are fed up with negative campaigning. What people want is a clear and straightforward account of what the candidates are going to do about our flagging economy, a public school system in disrepair, the lack of affordable health care and insurance, a housing crisis that shows no signs of abating, and the other issues of real significance.5. Listen. The energy that candidates devote to refining their message, giving speech after speech, and analyzing what the competition is doing will grow more intense as we get closer to Election Day. It is more important than ever that they do the opposite, too: listen. Not to what the pundits are saying, what the polls claim, what the campaign team suggests, or what the party is demanding, but to what citizens are saying.Very few people ever say: "Thanks for talking to me." But they do say: "Thank you for listening." Leadership is, to a large degree, listenership. A side benefit, of course, is that voters who feel a candidate truly hears what they're saying tend to vote for that candidate.6. Don't make promises you can't keep. Candidates usually promise the world to get elected and then quickly abandon those promises once in office. But it doesn't have to be like this, and in our information-saturated era, where every utterance is recorded and preserved forever, it is not in a candidate's own political interests—or the country's—to make a pledge that will eventually become fodder for Jon Stewart and The Daily Show. From now until November, candidates should avoid making promises they aren't likely to keep.7. Spend fairly. There is a saying: "How you do anything is how you do everything." Spending campaign cash judiciously is both fair to donors and indicative of how a candidate will treat the federal budget. Besides, most of the campaign cash isn't even the candidate's to begin with, but other people's money. The way a candidate regards his or her campaign purse speaks volumes about what voters can expect for the economy if that candidate becomes President. The allocation of scarce resources is a matter of fairness and thus ultimately an ethical issue, not merely a legal or political one.8. Remember what the campaign is about. The race is not about acquiring power for its own sake, or becoming famous, or being ensured of a lasting place in history. It is about making a difference in the lives of others. I can't recall another time in my life when so many people in this country have been in so much pain, and it behooves all of the candidates to avoid what former Senator J. William Fulbright called "the arrogance of power." The Latin roots of the word "compassion" mean "to suffer with," so the successful candidate should keep in mind that the highest purpose of the Presidency is to serve the people, and part of that is easing their suffering.9. Take a break. Ethics isn't just about how we treat other people, but about how we treat ourselves, too. Going for months without a single day off shows a profound lack of respect for oneself and is not something to be worn as a badge of honor. How can we trust that a candidate will look after the country properly if he or she doesn't look after him or herself?10. Lose well. Only one person will become the Democratic nominee for President, and only one of the two remaining candidates will be elected. This means that two of the three current contenders will lose. How they lose will say much more about their character than winning. Will they accept defeat graciously? Will they be generous of spirit to the victor? Will they continue to devote their time, energy, and considerable resources to making a difference in the lives of others, as they have pledged to do if elected? Anyone can win well. It takes a person of great moral character to lose well.As the campaign grinds on, it will become ever more tempting for candidates to narrow their focus on what it takes to win the election. Winning, of course, is the objective. But what is the goal? If it is to turn this economy around, to help people afford homes of their own, to improve the quality of education, and to ensure that everyone who needs health care will be able to afford it, then campaign ethics must be a primary concern, not an afterthought.Originally published on businessweek.com - April 17, 2008Bruce Weinstein is the corporate consultant, author, and public speaker known as The Ethics Guy. He has appeared on numerous national TV shows and is the author of several books on ethics.