Eisenhower's appearance on MSNBC commenting on her
endorsement of Obama is exactly the kind of support
that Dems need to win against McCain in the GE.
There was no swooning, trivial remarks, etc. Just mature,
thoughful discussion of why serious republicans like her
could rally to the Democratic side under an
Obama leadership.
Very persuasive.
Her endorsement below.
[h2]
Why I'm Backing Obama
[/h2]
[b]By Susan Eisenhower
Saturday, February 2, 2008
[/b]
Forty-seven years ago, my grandfather Dwight D. Eisenhower bid
farewell to a nation he had served for more than five decades.
In his televised address, Ike famously coined the term
"military-industrial complex," and he offered advice
that is still relevant today. "As we peer into society's
future," he said, we "must avoid the impulse to live
only for today, plundering, for our own ease and convenience,
the precious resources of tomorrow. We cannot mortgage the
material assets of our grandchildren without risking the loss
also of their political and spiritual heritage. We want
democracy to survive for all generations to come, not to
become the insolvent phantom of tomorrow."
Today we are engaged in a debate about these very issues. Deep
in America's heart, I believe, is the nagging fear that our
best years as a nation may be over. We are disliked overseas
and feel insecure at home. We watch as our federal budget
hemorrhages red ink and our civil liberties are eroded. Crises
in energy, health care and education threaten our way of life
and our ability to compete internationally. There are also the
issues of a costly, unpopular war; a long-neglected
infrastructure; and an aging and increasingly needy
population.
I am not alone in worrying that my generation will fail to do
what my grandfather's did so well: Leave America a better,
stronger place than the one it found.
Given the magnitude of these issues and the cost of addressing
them, our next president must be able to bring about a sense
of national unity and change. As we no longer have the
financial resources to address all these problems
comprehensively and simultaneously, setting priorities will be
essential. With hard work, much can be done.
The biggest barrier to rolling up our sleeves and preparing
for a better future is our own apathy, fear or immobility. We
have been living in a zero-sum political environment where all
heads have been lowered to avert being lopped off by angry,
noisy extremists. I am convinced that Barack Obama is the one
presidential candidate today who can encourage ordinary
Americans to stand straight again; he is a man who can salve
our national wounds and both inspire and pursue genuine
bipartisan cooperation. Just as important, Obama can assure
the world and Americans that this great nation's impulses are
still free, open, fair and broad-minded.
No measures to avert the serious, looming consequences can be
taken without this sense of renewal. Uncommon political
courage will be required. Yet this courage can be summoned
only if something profoundly different transpires. Putting
America first -- ahead of our own selfish interests -- must be
our national priority if we are to retain our capacity to
lead.
The last time the United States had an open election was 1952.
My grandfather was pursued by both political parties and
eventually became the Republican nominee. Despite being a
charismatic war hero, he did not have an easy ride to the
nomination. He went on to win the presidency -- with the
indispensable help of a "Democrats for Eisenhower"
movement. These crossover voters were attracted by his pledge
to bring change to Washington and by the prospect that he
would unify the nation.
It is in this great tradition of crossover voters that I
support Barack Obama's candidacy for president. If the
Democratic Party chooses Obama as its candidate, this lifelong
Republican will work to get him elected and encourage him to
seek strategic solutions to meet America's greatest
challenges. To be successful, our president will need
bipartisan help.
Given Obama's support among young people, I believe that he
will be most invested in defending the interests of these
rising generations and, therefore, the long-term interests of
this nation as a whole. Without his leadership, our children
and grandchildren are at risk of growing older in a
marginalized country that is left to its anger and divisions.
Such an outcome would be an unacceptable legacy for any great
nation.
[i]
Susan Eisenhower, a business consultant, is the author of four
books, most recently "Partners in Space: US-Russian
Cooperation After the Cold War."
[/i]
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
