Babe Ruth Quotes

This quotation illustrates an interesting phenomenon in American Presidential Politics. There have been Democratic Presidents (FDR and Obama are the most glaring examples) for whom there was vituperative hatred and derision from the conservative Republicans who would frequently refer to them as Socialists and would believe that they were trying to lead the country on the path to socialism. The Presidents always stated that they were opposed to socialism, but to little avail with their conservative haters. But the socialists of the times and even the left wing of the Democratic Party not only did not see them as socialists, but were not very supportive or complementary of their skills and capabilities. Roosevelt reveled in the situation and “welcomed: their hate. Obama was more of a public centrist who tried to avoid the president getting involved in the extreme partisanship of the day.

The ride was the 1933 inaugural where the outgoing President rode down Pennsylvania Avenue with his successor. Roosevelt had tried to engage Hoover in conversation and Hoover refused. For years after that FDR used to tell the story and would imitate Hoover with grunts and facial contortions.

Patton always believed that Eisenhower wanted to be President. At the beginning of the war Patton was much senior to Eisenhower, but President Roosevelt promoted Eisenhower above many more senior generals. Eisenhower thought Patton the best fighting general in the army, but a public relations and administrative problem. Several times when he had gone too far, Eisenhower reprimanded him but kept him in his command position. After the fighting was over, Patton became the military governor of part of Germany and was not as successful at peacekeeping and nation building as he was at fighting. Eisenhower was convinced that Patton would destroy himself and get fired by the army command and the President if he continued as governor. Patton confused Eisenhower’s prudent and politic demeanor with the allies as a lack of courage. And Patton could never get over the fact that Eisenhower and never commanded an army fighting in the field. He was jumped to Supreme Allied Commander, in a very bold and brilliant stroke by FDR who passed over many senior generals.

After Harry Truman stated that certain civil rights protests were communist inspired in 1960, his former Secretary of State requested that he restrain himself on this subject. The allegations of a communist conspiracy had arisen from the FBI’s chief, J. Edgar Hoover.

Commenting on his selection of Dan Quayle as his Vice-Presidential running mate:

This is one of the FDR quotations, which his opponents then, and many conservatives later, characterized as “class warfare.” This type of accusation has in part protected business leaders and those who control wealth from public accountability. Similar business leader resentment was levied against President Obama when he criticized the Bankers and Wall Street leaders whose behavior, in great part, was the cause of the economic meltdown and recession of 2008.

Richard M. Nixon was, even before the Watergate scandal very disliked as both a politician and a person. However, this was one of the first major public figures who castigated Nixon, the man, in a major public address. Many followed, In this collection there are many more insults to Richard M. Nixon than any other politican.

Dewey had been the Republican Presidential Candidate in 1948. Although he and the Republicans were the overwhelming favorites, Dewey lost to Harry S Truman. In 1952, Dewey was a major supporter of Robert Taft for the Presidency. But other Republicans including Dirksen wanted Dwight D. Eisenhower as the candidate. Dewey had given a rousing speech telling the Party to nominate Taft. Dirksen then responded. Such a public rebuke of a former standard bearer was considered very insulting. However, Dirksen was saying what most Republicans believed. Despite an intense effort by Taft and the very conservative wing of the Party, Eisenhower was selected as the nominee and he won the Presidency.

The two insulting adjectives are used very rarely these days, but they were in common use at the turn of the end of the 19th century. “Briefless” when applied to a lawyer connoted little intellectual substance, as the important facets of a case are usually in an attorney’s briefs. “Jackleg” described a unprofessional, shoddy person with no standards of excellence. Eg. A person who made do with a temporary jack to hold up a large piece of furniture rather than a proper leg. These were very insulting terms at the time.