Lee Atwater: The rest of the story

"It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with truth, but it is a truth that the country...can learn on my dime.”

If only politicians today would learn the most important lesson of life from Lee Atwater.

In 1990 Atwater was the chairman of the Republican National Committee. Before then, he was a political adviser to Republican U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush. He also loved to play the blues on guitar.

Atwater was the ''pit bull'' of American politics according to a Nov. 3, 1990 Chicago Tribune article. ABC’s John Martin said Atwater would be remembered for his dirty politics.

Dirty politics has been a part of America since its founding. The political battles during the 1800s are legendary. But during the 1980s, Atwater was a merciless political operative and a win at all cost master of propaganda and media manipulation.

In the ’88 presidential race, Atwater produced the infamous Willie Horton political ad. It made Democrat candidate Mass. Gov. Michael Dukakis look soft on crime and easy on rapists and murderers. As governor, Dukakis’ enacted a furlough program for prisoners. Horton, who was serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole for murder, committed violent crimes while on leave from prison.

Atwater made rapist Willie Horton a household name and Bush went from a 17-point deficit in the summer to winning 40 states.

But this is the rest of the story.

On March 5, 1990, at the height of his political career, Atwater suffered a seizure. Doctors discovered a brain tumor. The fear of death sent Atwater on a quest to find God. Wikipedia says he converted to Catholicism.

Atwater said Harry Dent, a former Special Counsel to President Richard Nixon who became an evangelical lay preacher, spent 10 hours with him, praying, counseling and reading the Bible. “It did me more good,” Atwater said at the time.

Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship and author of 30 books including his best-selling book, “Born Again,” later visited Atwater at Dent’s urging and, according to one informed source, “led Lee to the Lord.”

Political columnist Cal Thomas quoted Atwater as saying, “I have found Jesus Christ. It’s that simple. He’s made a difference and I’m glad I’ve found Him while there’s still time.”

Evidence of Atwater’s heart transformation was demonstrated in his final months as he wrote letters of apology to his political enemies.

“I don’t hate anybody anymore,” said Atwater. “For the first time in my life, I don’t hate somebody.”

Two months before he died, Atwater gave his last speech at a Washington luncheon for political and business leaders. His body was decimated by the cancer and medical treatments. His wheelchair was rolled to the mic and summoning what little strength he had he bellowed, “I love Christ” and the room erupted in a standing ovation.

Thomas said, “Atwater never gave a shorter or more profound speech.”

Atwater died March 29, 1991 at age 40. New York Times’ Michael Oreskes wrote, “Friends said Mr. Atwater spent his final months searching for spiritual peace.”

But Thomas said that wasn’t true. “He found spiritual peace, which was the object of his search.” Thomas recalled a phone call to Atwater; “The first thing he said was, “Pray for me.” Thomas said, “I said I would and then started to ask him a question.” But Atwater interrupted, “No, pray for me right now, Cal.” Thomas did and said Atwater’s reaction, “told me this was a different man from the one I had known.”

The spiritual transformation of Lee Atwater is hard to find online today. That’s because, as Thomas wrote in a 1991 column, “Like most in politics, most in journalism cannot understand, and worse they don’t want to.”

Atwater said, “The 80s were about acquiring wealth, power, prestige. I know. I acquired more wealth, power and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty… It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime.”

If only this ‘Truth’ was learned by more people today, America would be a much more moral, forgiving and peaceful place.