Was Dwight D Eisenhower a good republican?

[cabraverde]

I was talking to an older friend of mine (life long dem) and he was saying that Eisenhower may have been a republican but he was a good man and a great president. This was the first and only time I ever heard a good word spoken about someone who had an R in front of their name.

This convo came about because I came across a 1972 Eisenhower silver dollar moon landing un circulated solid silver proof coin.

[leftofthedial]

1. almost as good a republican as the clintons

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. His Interstate highway system was a good thing

Vietnam, not so much.

[Bucky]

4. When Ike sent advisors to Vietnam, they really were advisors.

Remember that he's the guy who ended the Korean muddle that Truman got into--altho truth be told the muddle part of Korea was more MacArthur's fault for crossing into Chinese territory. But when you're president (and a grown up) you eat whatever mistakes your subordinates make.

Another feather for Ike was how he handled Little Rock.

[Rambis]

3. He said this...

“In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.”
Farewell Address, January 17, 1961

And these...

“I believe that continued deficit spending is immoral.”
Congressional Testimonial Dinner National Guard Armory, Washington, DC, June 1, 1961

“Excessive centralization is a never-ceasing threat to our democratic future.”
World Conference on Local Governments Washington, DC, June 15, 1961

“There can be no such thing as Fortress America.”
State of the Union Address, January 9, 1959

[Deep13]

5. Yah know, the Lounge is really for non-political topics. nt

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. He wasn't that great at golf.

But he did it enough to be considered almost a "lounger".

[Westegg]

6. He DID warn about the "military-industrial complex"...

..in one of his last (maybe his final?) speeches. So you could say he was prescient. I don't have the text of the speech in front of me, but as I recall he was quite sincere in his warning. As a life-long military man, he was well-positioned, circa 1960, to see the dangers ahead. And-- oh yeah-- turns out he was right. I wouldn't call him a "great president," but it's my understanding that he was a "good man." Cheated on Mamie, though, right? Or am I thinking of FDR and Eleanor? Well, I'll say this: I don't think Nixon ever cheated on Pat.

[cabraverde]

8. Thank you for the great replies, I apreciate the kindness

I am kind of going through a bit of a deliema now. I have always been democrat and progressive, I have had many friends (very good people and great friends) who are republican. I had always just thought that the differences of opinion made good points of debate and considered it all in good fun. But recently there has been what seems like a true hatred for people who think differently.

when I first came here to this site I saw all the posts about how evil republicans are, and I thought it was pretty funny and all just good natured ribbing. Now I realize its not just kidding around its true unwavering hatred.

I just really want to know if I have been wrong all this time, and they truely are all evil and I just did not realize it.

It looks like teh concensus is that Ike was not "evil"...are there any others who are not "evil"

[Westegg]

9. Keep coming back./NT