The Way I See It

Note: John THIS is NOT the Homage.

Madaline Albright, my personal hero, has a knack for hitting the nail right on the head. Yesterday, in the Post's In The Loop column, Al Kamen noted the possibility of Albright going for a second round as secretary of state, should Hillary move back into that rinky-dink shack on Pennsylvania. To steam the argument, he referenced her quote on the side of a milk carton, occasionally topped with a hint of coffee. (You may know it as Starbucks.)

"There have been rumors for many weeks now that former secretary of state Madeleine Albright is positioning herself to take another tour in that post should Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) become president.

Then there was the publication of Albright's new book, with the title "Memo to the President Elect: How We Can Restore America's Reputation and Leadership." Then she appeared center-stage, to Clinton's immediate right, after last week's Iowa caucuses. (Still trying to figure out how that happened, given the Clinton claim to be the embodiment of change. And what was Gen. Wesley Clark doing standing next to Albright?) Then there are those Starbucks coffee cups with sayings from various prominent people. No. 287 is Albright's famous observation: "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."

So we called to ask: What's up with the rumors? And this is what she said, through a spokesperson: "I loved being secretary of state. It's a job you don't have twice. The only person who held it twice was Daniel Webster, and I am not Daniel Webster."

However, while the java settles, the message I'm talking away from it is this: There may be a special place in hell, but there is a special place in heaven for people who do help other people, gender need not apply.

Having said that, it is very rare to find a member on the vip list for that club. For the past 11 months, I have been honored to know someone who fits the bill. Lets be fair, I rouse from my slumber at o'dark hundred to take my seat at the bottom of the totem pole everyday and I love it!

I love it for thousands of reasons, but one of the outstanding ones is that I have an extremely exceptional work dynamic - I know my boss will go to bat for me...period. Whether it is defending me to another feisty anchor, highlighting my work behind the scenes, yelling at yippy producers to answer their own phone calls, or in a particularly extraordinary case, fight for a very generous job promotion, knowing that he was sacrificing a member of his morning team.

Damn John, not only is there a special place in heaven for you next to Mona Shaw, Andy Rooney, and my Grandma Goose, when I finally cave and marry the football player, (don't worry he'll be a minor leaguer!) you can bet four spots are blocked off for the Matthews family at the mickey table front and center.

When you're not fighting to defend yourself in the work place, it is amazing how much more creative and productive you are. John understands this, making his a superb manager. That's probably why his team does the same for him - without a blink. That's leadership! Madeline would be proud!