Gawain 0 #26 September 13, 2005 QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteColin Powell is far too smart, and has seen too much during his time as Secretary of State, to want to be president. True.. But he would be a great one.. Ya think? Eisenhower wasn't a great president. He just looks that way compared with the last few we've had. Why wasn't Eisenhower a good President in your view? I didn't say he wasn't good, I said he wasn't great. Do you see anyone carving his face on a mountain? Okay, why wasn't Eisenhowever a "great" President? Because Eisenhowever (sic) was more of a whatever. Doh!! Okay, seriously, I wasn't alive during his Presidency, but I know of some of his initiatives, and thought they were better than "good", if not "great". He was active in evolving our doctrine of "defensive containment" of the USSR to a more proactive approach. He created NASA, enacted the Interstate Highway Act, even enforced the Supreme Court decision regarding desegregation of schools (AR, 1957 for example). What's your take?So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 2,151 #27 September 14, 2005 OK, Eisenhower signed the 1958 act creating NASA, but the heavy lifting was done by Lyndon Johnson() after the USA had been embarrassed by Sputnik during the Ike presidency. He "contained" the Soviets but USSR became a superpower during his presidency. He totally screwed up relations with Khruschev with the illegal U2 overflights (which he lied about), leading to the worst relations with the Soviets of the post-war period, which might be considered the proximate cause of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Economic growth from 1952 - 1960 was anaemic. His inteference in the internal affairs of Iran (in 1953) led to the festering resentment that we still feel today. In the last couple of years of the presidency he suffered serious loss of effectiveness due to ill health. On the + side we did get NASA, the interstate highway system, an end to the Korean war, and no WWIII. So overall I don't consider him great.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
livendive 8 #28 September 14, 2005 Quoteof course Powell is a leader not a politician so he simply isnt electable. The reigning party structure and its cronies wouldnt have enough control over him... I think a McCain/Powell ticket (or vice versa) would win by a landslide. I don't know of anyone the Democrats could put up that would stand a chance. Blues, Dave"I AM A PROFESSIONAL EXTREME ATHLETE!" (drink Mountain Dew) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andrewwhyte 1 #29 September 14, 2005 Powell will be 71 next election day; I don't know McCain's age but it's about the same. Despite their atributes their time has come and gone. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
