Peter G. Fitzgerald '82

A U.S. senator on the art of politics

"I was very impressed by RonaldReagan. I remember watching the 1980 primary debate in the basement of the SAE house. For a young Republican, that was an exciting time."

"I have to thank my fraternitybrothers for never speaking to the press about our escapades."

"Ancient history offers many morelessons for kids who are interested in government and politics than government or political science courses. Politics isn't a science; it's an art."

"I'm fascinated by Senator Robert Byrd's theory on ancientRome. He traces its fall to the days when it was a republic and the senate ceded too much of its authority to the executive."

"My advice to a student interested in public office: If you're a Republican, run in a Republican state. Being one of only two Republicans in statewide office in Illinois—and the only Republican in the U.S. Senate representing a major urban area—is tough."

"I probably view pristine wilderness as a more precious resource than do people who come from where there's a lot of it."

"You learn more from your defeats in politics than you do from your victories."

"There's a great opportunity to do good things in the Senate. One senator can do an awful lot. I don't see the appeal of serving as a representative. The rank and file have been neutered by House rules."

"The electorate is appropriately skeptical of the political process. People need to challenge and question their public officials."

"Some special interest groups work with prominent members of the media. I'm not sure the public is aware that even people in the media have conflicts of interest."

"Mayor Richard Daley was very appreciative after I freed up federal money for the Chicago waterfront. I told him I hoped, in' the spirit of nonpartisan politics, he would let dead Republicans vote along with dead Democrats.

"I haven't kept up my ability to read Greek and Latin, but I did read a recent biography of Cicero."

"President Bush's best quality is his personality. He remembers all the representatives' and senators' names and he's very friendly."

"Bush's proposal to cut taxation on dividends will do more to reform corporate governance than any law in 75 years. We're going to return to an old-fashioned way of judging the profitability of corporations: how much money they actually earn and pay back to their shareholders."

"Investigating Enron as a member of the Senate Commerce Committee was the thing I've enjoyed most. I was able to use experience gained in the private sector for the public good."

"The problem with CEO compensation is stock options

something my fellow alumni in Silicon Valley don't like to hear. Options abuse was the root cause of the corporate scandals we've seen in the last year. President Bush could have come out stronger on reforming corporate governance right after Enron, WorldCom and Adelphia."

"The downside of politics is that it's so all-consuming. After I got to the Senate I could see why the average age was around 60; their kids were already grown. Being in Washington for votes five days a week and traveling through your state on the weekend makes it hard to be a good father or a good husband."

"I really loved campaigning. It's a lot of fun. But I don't like fundraising. Funding my own campaign was the only way I would have done it."

"The saddest part of politics for me came when I was considering a second term. People came in asking for an appropriation from the federal government, then a half hour later called my campaign office and offered to hold a fundraiser. People in Washington are very comfortable playing that game. I could not and would not."

"I have no idea what I'll do after my term ends. President Wright was my professor for two history classes. If he wants to invite me to teach at Dartmouth, I'm a phone call away."

CAREER: Elected to U.S. Senate in 1998 as first Republican from Illinois in 3 o years, spending almost $12 million of his money on the campaign; Illinois state senator, 1993-1998; Chicagobased attorney, 1986-1993 EDUCATION: A.B., Latin and Greek; Rotary Scholar, Aristotelian University in Greece, 1982-1983; J.D., University of Michigan, 1986 PERSONAL: Resides in McLean, Virginia, and Inverness, Illinois, with wife Nina and son Jake, 11