Rachel Hunt’s moving tribute at her father’s funeral Friday reflected a key to how he led so successfully.

The Lieutenant Governor began by talking directly to – and about – the audience:

“You are the people who helped make North Carolina the great place it is today.”

That’s something Governor Jim Hunt routinely did in his speeches.

He’d praise people there for what they’d done, even to the point of exaggeration.

It was his way of lifting up an audience – and then enlisting them in the cause at hand.

Some politicians – especially one whose name doesn’t deserve to be on the same page with Jim Hunt’s – talk on and on about I, me, mine.

Hunt talked about you and I, us, and what we can do together.

Rachel told the crowd, “My prayer for all of you all here today is that you have one person in your life who is your biggest cheerleader, as my dad was for me.”

We did have that cheerleader, Rachel.

It was your dad.