Thurmond should retire

The state will need someone to consistently represent its interests

A poll released last week shows that a majority of South Carolina's Republican voters think U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond should not run for re-election. They're right. It's not age discrimination or ingratitude to a man who's helped lead the state through most of this century. It's common sense. No one can cheat mortality forever, not even Strom Thurmond. The state's senior senator is in good condition now - his mind and his body are sharp. But two facts should stand in the way of his attempt to seek re-election: the fact that he is 93 years old and the fact that U.S. Senate terms are six years long. It is highly unlikely that Thurmond would be capable of serving until the end of the next term, when he would be 100 years old. It is more likely that Thurmond would become incapacitated or even die before 2002. A politician should not run when it is unlikely that he will be able to serve out his term. It is true of lawmakers who run for re-election, knowing that they will seek higher office before their term is over. And it is true of politicians who cannot reasonably expect their health to last. Strom Thurmond has given much to South Carolina. The gratitude this state feels toward him is reflected in the number of government buildings, schools and even lakes named for him. But now it is time for Thurmond to give something else to South Carolina. He must sacrifice his own desire to stay in the Senate to give this state a chance to select a senator who will represent us into the next century. These are crucial times for this nation. The debates in Washington that seem to center on numbers in the budget actually concern what type and size of government we want. These issues cut to the heart of our future. South Carolina will need a senator who can effectively and consistently represent our needs and values in Washington. Thurmond has always effectively represented our values, changing and growing with the times as the people of South Carolina have. But at this point, we must sadly question whether he will be able to consistently represent us for six more years. If Thurmond runs for an eighth six-year term, the voters of South Carolina probably will elect him again. It is likely that, despite his age, Thurmond will again be the best choice offered to voters. But he deserves to retire gracefully, and the state deserves a senator who can fulfill his term. If Thurmond bowed out of the race, it would open his seat up to all who might serve in the Senate, allowing voters to choose from a wide choice of successors.

THURET.IRE