Before he balanced the budget and left his mark in the White House, Leon Panetta was focused on transforming the sheep pasture in his backyard into a nine-hole golf course. It was from humble beginnings on the Monterey Peninsula that the son of Italian immigrants evolved into one of the brightest political minds of our time.

From Congressman to White House chief of staff for President Bill Clinton, the Carmel Valley resident’s life has always been about giving back. The Santa Clara graduate is best known for his work balancing the budget in the 1990s, but today his mission may be even greater. The father of three founded The Panetta Institute at California State University-Monterey Bay with his wife in an effort to inspire people to become involved in public service.

Outside of the office, the affable 68-year-old is as easy to talk to as he is brilliant. While the backyard golf course he designed as a teenager no longer exists, he still has a passion for the game. President Clinton’s former golf partner now relishes the opportunity to enjoy the occasional afternoon nine-hole round at Quail Lodge with his dog.

-Hilary Howard

How did growing up on the Monterey Peninsula shape you?

My entire life was formed by the Monterey area. I was born and raised here. I grew up in the fishing industry, grew up with the coastline and grew up in golf and Bing Crosby and the Crosby tournament. I went to grammar school with Bing Crosby’s youngest son, Lindsay Crosby. I remember walking through the Crosby house in Pebble Beach and attending the golf tournament in its early stages. All of those experiences have made me who I am today.

What motivated you to get involved in politics at Monterey High School?

I think it was a combination of things. My parents were immigrants and they always said it was important to give something back to the country because of the opportunities it gave them. Public policy was something that interested me in grammar school and continued in high school where I was vice-president and president of the student body. All of that ultimately led to the political science degree I got at Santa Clara. Obviously, the two years I spent in the Army additionally made me understand what service to the country was all about.

What gave you the impetus to get back into politics in the mid 70s?

I had politics in my blood. When I came back (to California) I started getting involved with Democratic politics locally and was elected to the central committee. I was asked to run for Congress because I had spent time in Washington on federal policy. So I thought about it and as someone who was born and raised in Monterey I knew the area and the issues involved, and I thought I might be able to win. My wife worked a lot with me – and it was one of those campaigns where we spent a lot of time walking parades, walking various Congressional housing areas passing out brochures and balloons. I think we spent about $185,000 on that campaign. But in the end it was successful.

Was it hard to leave California politics when President Clinton asked you to become part of his Cabinet?

Yes. After 16 years in Congress representing this area, I knew I was going into a bigger stage by virtue of going to the White House. At the time I was very interested in budget issues because I thought there was a real chance we could take some steps to reduce the deficit, something they’re not paying much attention to these days. The president seemed intent on that and I thought it was a tremendous opportunity. I certainly didn’t regret leaving California, but when I announced to the district that the president had asked me to join the Cabinet (director of the Office of Management and Budget) I wanted the district to know that whatever I did in Washington I would still have the Monterey Peninsula uppermost in my mind. Even though they had a new congressman, they also had someone in the White House who would be thinking about the interests of this area.

You were asked to take over as White House chief of staff when re-election was in question and the White House was in turmoil – was it a tough decision?

It was a decision I had to think about because I was involved with an economic plan that we were able to get through. I was dealing with the Congress on budget and appropriations issues, and I had a very good team at the Office of Management and Budget. When I was asked to go to the White House I was nervous because not everything was operating very well and I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. In fact I said to the president that I thought I could serve him better as director of the Office of Management and Budget. He said something I will never forget. He said, “You may be the greatest OMB director in history but if the White House is falling apart nobody is going to remember you.” So I ultimately decided to take that challenge.

Describe the experience of working in the White House.

It’s a tremendous experience. It’s not easy – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You are suddenly immersed in all the challenges and crises that face the country. You have to make sure you are able to hold the White House staff together as a team. I’ve often said the best training I had for becoming chief of staff is not so much political as it was being in the Army, because running the White House is like being in a battlefield. You have a mission you are trying to achieve, but you’re taking a lot of incoming fire. As a son of immigrants, you never think you would have that opportunity. It was a very inspiring place to be.

Typically, chiefs of staff and press secretaries have short terms of service – why is that?

You are really devoting your life to the job. I remember telling President Clinton when he first asked me to become chief of staff that I’d do it but I will take you through the re-election in ’96 and then I’d like to come back to California. I knew I was going to work very hard at the job but I also knew that there was a point you lose your effectiveness. The president asked me after the ’96 election if I would stay on as chief of staff and I told him I really wanted to get back to my hometown in Monterey. Working in the White House is a one-of-a-kind adventure but there is a point where you can lose two things. You can lose your humanity because you are in a very different setting ¾ you have a lot of power and attention. You can also lose your effectiveness because you don’t relate as much to what people outside the White House experience.

What were your first impressions of President Clinton?

I had met him a few times as chairman of the Budget Committee. We had some conversations ¾ he was interested in education and trying to get funding for education. But it wasn’t until Arkansas where we really got to meet. We met for almost two hours on budget issues. I have never met anybody in politics that was as bright as he was in terms of his ability to understand issues. He grasped it very quickly and he understood the problems. He is someone who obviously has a very good way of engaging you. He is not somebody whose eyes glaze over ¾ he looks at you. I was impressed with his mind and his thoughtfulness and I was impressed with his personality. Obviously the country felt the same way.

Your thoughts on Clinton’s legacy?

There is no question that history is going to reflect on two presidencies during that time. One was very successful not only in terms of what he did with the economy but his relationship with the world, the achievements in education and trade and in dealing with issues relating to health care – the human issues that are so important. I think he did very well. I think the other presidency is always going to be a shadow in terms of what happened during the second term. I think history will ultimately have to judge which presidency was more important.

What was the incentive for you and your wife to create the Panetta Institute?

We wanted to inspire people to get involved. We just completed a course yesterday where we bring all the student-body officers here from the California State University system for a course on leadership. We have a congressional intern program where we bring students here for two weeks and train them and send them back to the California delegation in Washington. We pay for all of it to try to give them a unique experience because I believe that if you put people in those positions, it might light a candle. We’ve got a Masters program on public policy. We’ve got an America Reads program that my wife runs to try to get tutors into the school to help teach how to read, and we’ve got the lecture series program as well – all of that is dedicated toward trying to inspire young people to get involved. One of the major problems is that neither the candidates who run for president nor the major parties are really doing a lot of outreach into the younger generations.

What is your opinion of President Bush and his administration?

I thought that when he came into office with his experience in Texas he seemed to have the ability to work with both Democrats and Republicans. And he talked about being a compassionate conservative so I thought he might be able to heal some of the wounds. Instead, I think the divisions in this country have gotten worse. Because parties are not working together and the president has not been working with both parties, I think the crises we have faced in this country have gotten worse. I just finished this book by Doris Kearns Goodwin on Lincoln and one thing that Lincoln brought to the presidency was a focus on what he thought was best for this country. And it wasn’t always popular. He had to take a lot of hits both from his own party as well as the opposing party, but he never lost sight of what was important for this country. I think that’s what presidents need to do.

When did you start playing golf?

I first started when I was stationed here at Fort Ord. I played Bayonet and none of the trees had grown – they had just laid out the course at that point. Before that, we had a farm in Carmel Valley and I remember getting an old set of clubs. I actually laid out a little golf course in the sheep pasture in back on a hillside when I was in high school. I put a hole in one place so I could use a wedge. It was a little nine-hole course; it was goofy. But the first time I played a real golf course was when I was in the Army.

How would you describe your golf game now?

Not much better. When I first went back to Washington as a legislative assistant, I would play maybe once or twice a year. When I was in the Congress, I would play twice usually during a break or a vacation. When I got into the White House, the president loved golf, and he always wanted somebody to be with him and so I played with him. So my game has gotten a little better. Like any golfer, by no means is my game where I would want it to be.

How often do you get to play now?,/

I’ll play two, maybe three times a month. I’ll go out and play Monterey Peninsula Country Club or I’ll play Quail Lodge or even Rancho Canada. My brother plays twice a week so every once in a while I will go play with him at Del Monte. What I do more often – if I can get out of here at 4:00 – I will take my dog to Quail and put him on a cart, and the two of us will play nine holes. So that’s kind of fun – he loves it.

Does President Clinton take as many mulligans as reported?

(Laughs) Yes he does. When I first went out with him I think he put three balls down and then when I got up, he let me hit three balls as well. He did a lot of that. He hits the ball well but it sometimes takes him a few shots off the tee to get it right.

How was President Clinton as a golf partner?

He really liked to go out (to play). He enjoyed company, he enjoyed being with people. Because of his great mind, he is one of those people that is into every new instruction that comes out. He then tries to translate it to you, so when you are playing he will give you tips…“Stick your butt out, bend your knees, do this or do that.” There was a time when I said, “just be quiet and let me hit the damn ball.”

Do you get nervous on the first tee?

I still get nervous on the first tee. I have been invited to play in the AT&T and I won’t do it; I don’t want to be embarrassed. I remember going out there once and I took Jesse Ventura, who was here for one of the lecture series, and Clint Eastwood. We played Pebble Beach the weekend before the U.S. Open. They were not going to let us on but Clint being one of the owners was able to get us on. We played it the Monday of the U.S. Open which was great. With that group you immediately draw a crowd and you get up to the first tee with a crowd around and I’m thinking what a great opportunity to show what a fool I am. The answer is yes.

Would you like to see another course built within Pebble Beach?

Since this area is such a treasure in terms of the golf opportunities, I would rather see a golf course as opposed to 150 more houses.

This article was filed under NCGA Golf Magazine.
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