for not pulling rank to get tickets to a sold out movie. His gentlemanly behavior is in stark contrast to that of former veep Al Gore. He once sent his secret service detail to "ask" a friend of mine to leave his seat at a movie in D.C. "because you are sitting where the vice-president would like to sit." For all you residents of the D.C. area, the proper response to a request like that is "well, then, the vice-president can just come over and ask me himself."

Another mensch: Ruth Bader Ginsburg. I once stood behind her waiting to be seated at a local theater production. She didn't try to cut the line, didn't have especially good seats, and otherwise didn't act like she was entitled to special treatment because of her position.