Eisenhower's son: Why I will vote for John Kerry for President

[veggiemama]

<snip>

THE Presidential election to be held this coming Nov. 2 will be one of extraordinary importance to the future of our nation. The outcome will determine whether this country will continue on the same path it has followed for the last 3½ years or whether it will return to a set of core domestic and foreign policy values that have been at the heart of what has made this country great.

Now more than ever, we voters will have to make cool judgments, unencumbered by habits of the past. Experts tell us that we tend to vote as our parents did or as we “always have.” We remained loyal to party labels. We cannot afford that luxury in the election of 2004. There are times when we must break with the past, and I believe this is one of them.

As son of a Republican President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, it is automatically expected by many that I am a Republican. For 50 years, through the election of 2000, I was. With the current administration’s decision to invade Iraq unilaterally, however, I changed my voter registration to independent, and barring some utterly unforeseen development, I intend to vote for the Democratic Presidential candidate, Sen. John Kerry.

The fact is that today’s “Republican” Party is one with which I am totally unfamiliar. To me, the word “Republican” has always been synonymous with the word “responsibility,” which has meant limiting our governmental obligations to those we can afford in human and financial terms. Today’s whopping budget deficit of some $440 billion does not meet that criterion.

<<

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=44657

[speedoo]

1. Just one more replican with a well known name making some sense!!

eom

[enough]

2. A useful post, something to send to wavering republicans.

Thanks.

[Leilani]

3. What a wonderful editorial!

Well worth reading, to hear from an old-fashioned Republican.

[molly]

4. Another wise and responsible person

[demnan]

5. In his last address

Eisenhower warned us about people like Bush.

[RussBLib]

6. There really are some reasonable Republicans!

I was beginning to wonder. Too bad none of them are in my family.

[AlabamaYankee]

7. And from the Union-Leader, no less

Not too long ago the Manchester Union-Leader was probably the most rabid right wing rag in the country. I know the publisher died and it's toned down, but it's still a surprising source.

This one's going out to my family.

[Cocoa]

8. key word...

Sen. Kerry, in whom I am willing to place my trust, has demonstrated that he is courageous, sober, competent, and concerned with fighting the dangers associated with the widening socio-economic gap in this country. I will vote for him enthusiastically.

[EndElectoral]

9. kick..Kerrry MUST get this into his ad campaign..HUGE!!!!

[indepat]

10. Every reasonably knowledgeable Republican who loves his country more than

his party/ideology has reached the same conclusion IMHO.

[Pale_Rider]

11. A powerful endorsement for true republicans ...

... and deserving of an old-fashioned Democratic kick!

:kick:

[atre]

12. An ad featuring Republican endorsements might be particularly effective

"Hey, my name is Ronald Reagan, Jr., son of former President Ronald Reagan. Even though I am a Republican, I whole-heartedly endorse John Kerry for President."

"My name is John Eisenhower, son of former President Dwight D. Eisenhower. I too am a Republican, but because I value fiscal responsibility and sane foreign policy, I also endorse John Kerry for President."

"I am Norman Schwarzkopf, and I led the first war in Iraq. Because the Bush Doctrine makes us less safe from foreign threats, I will not cast my vote for George W. Bush."

[depakid]

13. Something worth sending to my Bushbot sister

I usually don't bother with her anymore- but something like this might actually allow her to get over the hump and admit she's been had.

[Merlin]

14. Wonder if he still looks almost exactly like his dad.

I haven't seen him in 30 years. Back in '72 I fought the PA Jaycees to allow a Democratic retired colonel backing McGovern to speak at their state convention which was featuring John Eisenhower backing Nixon. It took me 45 minutes to coerce their 2 dozen member board of directors to allow equal time, but they finally did.

John Eisenhower was a well spoken guy trying his best to defend Vietnam and Tricky Dicky. Sounds like he has moved to the responsible center.

If he looks like his dad, JK had better get him on TV.