WASHINGTON -- The clouds were like ribbons across the sky, edged in pink and gold, as more than 3,000 men, women and children sat quietly, excitedly on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. It was Sunday morn, and it was Easter.When the sun broke above the horizon, voices lifted, "Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens and earth reply, Alleluia!"Those in attendance were black, white and every other color that people come in. The music was lively, and the spirit was willing. It was a day for good news and joyful celebration.How wonderful to be in Washington at an event where no one was attacked, where political parties were not castigated, where politics itself never came up. This city does not often sing such music from its majestic steps, but on Sunday it did about something of greater majesty than all else. The dawn could not have been more spectacular.

Lugar enters presidential race

ITAL This begins a periodic look at some of the candidates for their party's nomination in 1996. UNITAL

On Wednesday, in front of Market Square Arena in downtown Indianapolis, Sen. Richard Lugar will announce that he is running for president. In a field of larger names and more fiery speakers, Lugar will try to distinguish himself as the "serious candidate," who can best pull the country and world together and lead."I want to be president because I think this is an unparalleled opportunity for the United States to lead the world," Lugar told the Washington Post. "We are in a unique position to be able to pull together our friends and sometimes our enemies, to forge the alliances, the arrangements. This is something I believe I can do."

Without question, Lugar has an impressive resume. Born into an Indiana farming family, he has worked hard in the private sector. He excelled in school and was awarded a Rhodes scholarship to study at Oxford University in England. There, in contrast to the current Rhodes scholar in the White House, Lugar not only attended classes, but he earned a degree in politics, economics and philosophy (Clinton, you may or may not know already, did not pass his courses at Oxford). In another contrast to the man who now holds the job he wants, Lugar also volunteered for the Navy while at Oxford, serving part time at a military headquarters there. He later served as an intelligence officer at the Pentagon before returning to Indiana and his family's farm and manufacturing business.

In 1964 Lugar began his journey into politics by running and being elected to the Indianapolis school board, where he became a high-profile advocate of desegregating the school system. He led the school board in developing a magnet school plan at a time when other communities were exploding in racial conflict. In 1967, he was elected mayor of Indianapolis. One of his major accomplishments was the successful consolidation of the city and county governments, which has often been cited as the foundation for Indianapolis' economic boom, which started in the late 1960s and has continued until today.After failing in his bid for the U.S. Senate in 1974, Lugar was elected with 59 percent of the vote in 1976. Since then, he has established himself as a straight-speaking conservative who appears more moderate than he is. Expert at foreign affairs and farm issues, he is well-regarded by colleagues on both the left and right. Last year, he became the first Indiana senator ever to be elected to a fourth term.

Lugar has been interested in a place on the Republican presidential ticket for many years. This year, instead of waiting for someone to ask him to be a vice president, he has decided to run for the top spot himself. He will have several obstacles to overcome, foremost being name recognition. But his greatest hurdle may be articulating a vision for the future rather than just listing the accomplishments of his past. He has taken the first step on this quest by outlining a tax overhaul plan that would abolish the federal income tax and dismantle the Internal Revenue Service. In their place he would enact a national sales tax of about 17 percent.

Whether Lugar can get anyone's attention remains to be seen, but he is worthy of notice.

Jon K. Rust is a Washington-based writer for the Southeast Missourian.