Is Barack Obama Like Dwight Eisenhower?

December 29, 2008 RSS Feed Print

By Michael Barone, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Many writers, including me, have compared George W. Bush to Harry Truman. In my Creators Syndicate column for this week, I compare Barack Obama to Dwight Eisenhower. Apt?

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Dwight D. Eisenhower,
Barack Obama

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No. Eisenhower served his country.

Jon Wilson of TN 8:14AM January 16, 2009

I would disagree in that Carter did not win with a large margin, certainly not one as large as Obama has won.

The important question is whether that margin was a personal triumph like Eisenhowers, meaning that electorate as such is still as ideologically conservative as it was ideologically liberal in Eisenhower's day, which was probably the real reason for Eisenhowers moderation and bipartisanship.

In that sense, Obama as Eisenhower is probably the best a conservative can hope for.

sebastian 8:44AM January 03, 2009

I expect more from Barone, who I have been reading for years. Obama not campaiging in-person for Martin is the evidence? And just who is the annointed one distancing himself from ... How about Hilda Solis, Luis Gutierrez and other far-left open-border ethnic activists? And historically-speaking, unlike Obama IKE actually accomplished important things before he was elected president. Americans will discover that Obama's change pablum rings hollow and then we'll see about his ratings.

Dave of MD 2:56PM December 30, 2008

Michael Barone

Michael Barone

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Michael Barone is a senior writer for U.S.News & World Report and principal coauthor of The Almanac of American Politics. He has written for many publications—including the Economist and the New York Times.

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