Harry
posted in General |HARRY
Harry Truman was never accused of being a high brow intellectual. To the contrary his critics were fond of describing him as a “two bit ward-heeling politician from Kansas City”. However, historians include Harry among our greatest Presidents even though he entered the White House at a distinct disadvantage. Seems that Franklin D. Roosevelt hadn't briefed him on many of the State secrets in war time dealings with Winston Churchill and Joe Stalin. Things like winning WWII and what to do after the war.
During his years in office, Harry had to make some major decisions — like dropping the A-bomb to end WWII, The Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan and even firing Gen. Douglas MacArthur. He scored an “A” on all of them. I became a Harry fan when he called a New York Music Critic a sonofabitch for his caustic comments about the singing skills of Harry's daughter, Margaret. Harry never backed off, and this incident contributed to the saying, “Giv'em hell, Harry”. My kind of guy.
Considering background and education, it isn't easy to compare George Bush with Harry, but some comparisons are right on. George is not highly articulate, but he is a straight talker and relates well to the man in the street. He is light years away from “Slick Willie”. Like Harry, George doesn't shy away from big decisions like the Iraqi War and he has no hesitation in challenging issues such as the abolition of death taxes and the termination of double taxation on dividends. Similarly, he is willing to tackle the Social Security sacred cow by urging individual accounts. Maybe Congress will shoot down these efforts, but not withoput a fierce contest from George.
Virtually everyone I have encountered in recent days gave a big “hoo-ray” for George landing on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln. Now I see that Sen. Robert Byrd of WV has described the landing as a flambouyant publicity stunt. Tough words from the Senate's King of Pomposity. If I were George's Campaign Manager, I would show both film clips in one ad – George's landing and Byrd's intemperate comments – followed by a short political dig, “Thanks, Bob, for keeping us on the front page”.