The saddest word

Jeez, thanks Rep. Dingell:

After the town hall meeting was over — and he had listened to a couple of hours of questions about timed traffic lights, nuclear power and the possibility of impeaching President Bush — Mr. Dingell sat down in a dark area behind the stage. I asked him whether Mr. Gore, who has been both a Dingell nemesis and ally at various times, had been right for all those years he was pointing out what was happening to the earth’s climate.

“I think a cold statement on that point would be yes,” Mr. Dingell replied.

And would it have been easier to solve the problem if we had started earlier?

“What’s the saying? The saddest words in the English language — ‘might have been.’ ”

Aren't leaders supposed to, you know, lead?