February 15, 2008
I dislike lists and I also dislike prioritizing. So this message could be very short, but it won't be.
I am going to identify some descriptions/traits by reviewing the characteristics of previous Presidents. I will not go all the way back because we need a contemporary person for contemporary problems. Bear with me.
Harry Truman. Military background; Senatorial experience; Vice President;
Tough; Gruff; Strong Opinions; Quiet Faith; Happily married man; Good Father; Made tough decisions (Steel strike and Atom Bomb); Saved Korea; Fired Douglas Mac Arthur; Gave us the Marshall Plan to facilitate the recovery of post war Europe. Fought like mad for reelection. Saw Richard Nixon for what he was.
Dwight Eisenhower. Military background extraordinaire; Tough; Surrounded himself with good men; disliked Richard Nixon; Mature. Just a good man out of the Mid West who rose to greatness at a time that his country needed his steadying hand. Originated and began building the Interstate Highway System.
John Kennedy. Military man; incapable of self discipline; rotten husband; apparently a good Father; played the Catholic Card for all its worth. Died too early to be accurately judged, but the Cuban Crisis gave us a little insight into his potential.
Lyndon Johnson. A phony military man. Good politician; Misguided on Viet Nam; Enlightened on the Country's need at his time; cowardly in that he ran away from seeking reelection. Loved Texas.
Richard Nixon. A Liar; Sneaky; probably a good Father; Surrounded himself with too many people like himself; Opened relations with China; had too many dark corners to his mind. A Liar.
Gerald Ford. A good man in the right place when we needed him. Did the right thing for the Country with his pardon of Nixon which probably cost him the election. A veteran of WW II and had so many of the traits of that generation which are sadly missed in our Country today.
Jimmy Carter. Military man whose education at the Naval Academy just didn't take. Man of Faith, Good Husband. A pencil pusher mentality who just could not see the big picture. Biggest contribution--he served only one term.
Ronald Reagan. Until Bush 43 the most unfairly ridiculed man of this group; A military man (non combative). Brought the USSR to its knees; Redefined Conservatism; strengthened our Armed Forces. Showed the Air Traffic Controllers who was the boss; Man of Faith; Good husband; probably could have been a better Father. He, more than anyone else, educated the public on the economic benefits of lower taxes. He could have done a better job of controlling the Budget.
George Bush. A really decent Patrician; Good husband and Father; well trained for the job (as Vice President, Ambassador to the UN and China and as head of the CIA). Couldn't resist the false allure and pressure for higher taxation and paid the price. Has comported well as a Former President.
Bill Clinton. Brilliant but with character defects big enough to drive a Mack truck through; Rotten husband; Good Father; Man of "showboat" Faith. A Liar. Of him it can be said that his money grubbing years of post Presidency confirmed the worst evaluations of him even by those who did not like him then. A great orator even to this day.
George W. Bush. Come up with you own list. For me it is too early to have a proper perspective. In one sentence--He has confused me completely and wasted eight years.
This is As I see It. Draw your own profile from the above, select and vote.