Pres. Hinckley has most clout

LARRY KING: We only have about a minute and a half. What is the role in the society of a leader of a sect? What is your role? You're the leader of a major religion?

PRESIDENT GORDON B. HINCKLEY: Yes sir.

KING: What's your role?

PRESIDENT HINCKLEY: My role is to declare a doctrine. My role is to stand as an example before the people. My role is to be a voice in defense of the truth. My role is to stand as a conservator of those values which are important in our civilization and our society. My role it is to lead people. — Excerpt from "Larry King Live," CNN, Sept. 8, 1998.

President Hinckley drew acclaim for appearing on King's show in the fall of 1998. That day, Mark McGwire broke the all-time home-run record in St. Louis and President Hinckley chatted sports with the talk show host. He answered tough questions about LDS Church issues — about the history of blacks in the church, about polygamy and church doctrine.

His accessible, unapologetic manner demonstrates a new forwardness for LDS Church leaders, Elder Maxwell told the Deseret News. "The Hyde Park experience; visiting with an (English) publisher (who was misrepresenting the LDS faith); going on ("60 Minutes") with Mike Wallace, or the Larry King show. . . . He does well with the media. He is not afraid of them. He respects them but is not afraid.

"He connects the past with the present," Elder Maxwell said. "I think that helps explain his impact."

"He spoke at my father's funeral. That was a nice story. I called him up and said my father died and would he consider speaking at the funeral. And he said yes. He didn't go through his calendar or anything. He just said yes." — Joe Cannon, reflecting on President Hinckley and his own father's death in 1991.

At a recent gathering at this spring's LDS Church women's conference, teenagers sang their prophet's praises.

"I consider him to be like a hero to me," said Christina Larsen. "I like the way he cares about the youth, encouraging them to do better."

"He seems to have a pure love for everybody," said Natalie Ekstrom, "no matter what."

But President Hinckley's savvy extends far beyond the twinkling eyes and folksy, grandfatherly gestures.

He established the first public affairs committee in the church. He served as its first chairman and has a phenomenal understanding of how government and politics works, said Marcus Faust, son of President James E. Faust, second counselor in the church's First Presidency.