The headline reads “World Awaits as Euro Leaders Gather for Summit.”
Are you kidding me, a summit? T
hese European wannabe leaders couldn’t hold a candle to what history recalls as the Summit.
I’m referring to 1959, when five guys who didn’t have a high school diploma between them converged on Las Vegas. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop, also very well know as “The Rat Pack,” created a moment that has lived for over fifty years, having been memorialized on film, CD, DVD, and even replicated by touring companies and stage shows.
Six months from now, how many people will remember what this week’s European summit was all about?
The Europeans will spend a few closed-door hours arguing, debating, and still, after two days, accomplish nothing. Then, they’ll emerge smiling and report progress.
The Rat Pack, however, knew exactly what their mission was all about. By day, they were to create a film entitled “Ocean’s 11,” the heist of Vegas by an ex-airborne unit of World War II.
By night, they were to give two performances at the Sands Hotel and deliver the best show their collective talents could offer. Hidden in every performance was a subtle attack on racial segregation and bigotry.
Unlike today, when we dance PC around the issue, Sinatra et al. attacked it head-on.
The Summit had many goals, not the least of which was to have a good time, and that they did, from morning, noon, until night. And the next day, they started all over again.
For weeks, their pace was relentless, but the focal point was to always give their best performance.
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In addition to having fun, the Summit was required to make a movie that needed to have great box office appeal. Mission accomplished.
They had to entertain the patrons to a memorable evening. Mission accomplished. Finally, the Summit had to make the squares feel cool and persuade the cool cats to feel even cooler. Mission really accomplished.
Some will say that this week’s European summit will be earthshaking and very consequential. I don’t disagree.
However, by simply measuring goals accomplished, this week’s summit will melt away like all the others, while the Summit will continue to be remembered for its legendary status.
Sinatra, Martin, Davis, Jr., Lawford, and Bishop proved that talent can overcome any adversity. Unfortunately, those lessons have been lost on Rajoy, Hollande, Monti, and Merkel.
The adversity of the European Union is very real and can only be overcome by talented people who understand the reality of the situation.
Unfortunately, the world is in very short supply of people like that.
Ahhh, 1959, now that was a true Summit.
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