Dr. Steve Hudson Addresses Motivated Students at American University

Dr. Steve Hudson Addresses Enthusiastic Students at American University

On September 8th, Dr. Hudson had the privilege of addressing students at American University.  Here is an excerpt from his speech.

"I'd like to tell you a little about me.  I'm about as far from being a politician as one could get.  I'm an eye surgeon, and attorney, and a Naval commander, but I have no experience in elected office.  However, I do have life experience, and I know a little about public service that I learned from my mentors.

Let me tell you about some of the people who have inspired me.  When Hurricane Katrina hit, I was glued to the TV set worrying about the people of New Orleans and Mississippi.  My wife, Lori, came in to the room and said "why are you just sitting there....why don't you go do something about it?"  Extraordinary!  I realized that I had the skills to "do something about it."  So I loaded up my jeep with medical supplies and gasoline canisters strapped to the top, and I drove from Pennsylvania to Baton Rouge, where I set up a field hospital in an abandoned Kmart building.  I worked in MED-1, the acute care unit.  We saw hundreds of patients from all walks of life who had lost everything.

I met one young doctor who was very energetic and was intently focused on helping the injured.  He and I worked side-by-side, and I was truly impressed with him.  What was shocking was, I found out that this doctor had lost his home in the storm and could not find his wife.  He didn't know whether she had been evacuated or injured or worse.  Yet he felt compelled to help others amid his own personal tragedy.   That is the true nature of public service, and it's what Governor Palin means when she says that we should act with a "servant's heart."

I remember thinking to myself that this young doctor would make a great soldier or marine.  Jumping in when the going gets tough against all odds for duty and Country.  Mission accomplishment.  I'm reminded of another one of my friends, CDR David Tarantino, a Navy medical doctor who crawled through the burning rubble of the pentagon on 9/11 to save lives.  He put people first before his own personal safety.  I personally would love to see these two heroes serving us in Congress, because they have what it takes to serve: selflessness.

Their heroic events are impossible to match, but we can all strive to be like them.  That's the way I want to be.  As a medical doctor and surgeon, I put my patients before personal gain.  As a future Congressman, I'll put people before politics and power.  Leadership over partisanship.  We need to get back to our core values of Country, family, and community service, and I hope that you'll help me.  When government is broken, people from all walks of life need to "go do something about it" just as my wife encouraged me to do in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  That's why we're all here today, and I'm proud of each and every one of you for the active role you're taking in securing our future."