Book Review: Ike and Dick-Portrait of a Strange Political Marriage
In Ike and Dick: Portrait of a Strange Political Marriage, former Washington Post reporter Jeffrey Frank tells the story of the lengthy relationship, both political and personal, between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his vice-president (and later President) Richard M. Nixon. In a concise 346 pages (concise when one considers the subject matter), Frank explores these relationships from their commencement in the early 1950s, when Eisenhower, a five star general and war hero, considers a political career and takes notice of Nixon, the up and coming bright young Congressman from California, who has made a name for himself in the fight against communism. The complexities of this relationship are explored throughout the Eisenhower presidency, Nixon's unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1960, Nixon's years in the political wilderness, his re-emergence on the national political scene, to his election as president and the early stages of his presidency.
In the acknowledgements section of the book, Frank says that he tried to be fair to his subjects. It is difficult to assess whether or not he succeeds in this goal. Clearly he is critical of Eisenhower for his treatment of the loyal Vice-President Nixon, who is often called on to do his master's dirty work (battling the rabid anti-communist Senator Joseph McCarthy on behalf of the administration, firing Eisenhower's Chief of Staff Sherman Adams, and embarking on lengthy and sometimes dangerous political junkets to Asia, Russia and South America on behalf of the administration.) Even when Eisenhower suffers a serious heart attack and Nixon skilfully keeps the government running without making himself look like a usurper, Eisenhower remains unwilling to admit Nixon into his inner political circle, or into his circle of friends.
When Nixon makes a run for the Presidency in 1960, Eisenhower is slow to offer support or praise for his loyal understudy. A callous remark by Eisenhower to the press is sloughed off as "facetiousness". (In the campaign, a reporter asked Eisenhower for a major policy idea of Nixon's that Eisenhower adopted, which was met with the response "if you give me a week, I might think of one.") Frank paints a vivid picture of how former Army General Eisenhower fails to pay more than lip service in expressing his appreciation for all that former Navy Lieutenant Nixon has done, which Frank makes the case for being a considerable amount.
Even when both men are out of office, Eisenhower maintains a superficial friendship with Nixon, while continuing his reluctance to see Nixon as a viable presidential candidate. The relationship between the two forms a new connection when Nixon's daughter Julie and Eisenhower's grandson David become a couple, later to marry.
Throughout his vice-presidency, and his time out of office, Frank describes Nixon as possessing good political sense and judgement, biding his time, mending fences in a divided Republican party (even a half-century ago, there were tensions between moderate and ultra-conservative Republicans) and playing the part of the elder party statesman. But with Nixon's election to the presidency in 1968, Frank tells the reader about a paranoia and strangeness that seemed to set in almost immediately following his victory, long before Watergate. He describes the continuing respect, bordering on the desire to please, that Nixon harbors for Eisenhower even as the General's health begins to decline and it becomes apparent to all that Eisenhower is in the twilight of his life. The culminates in a sadness when Eisenhower passes away, and Frank makes the case that the sadness is rooted not so much in affection as in regret over Nixon's inability to crack the inner circle of Eisenhower's friends as well as the failure to earn the old man's affection.
Unlike many biographers, Frank highlights many of his subjects' worst characteristics, though he also showcases many of Nixon's strengths, especially as displayed prior to Nixon's presidency. No one who reads this book will accuse Frank of hero worship of his subjects. Many will debate whether or not he has been fair in some of his criticism, although the author quotes from a remarkable array of credible and high-placed sources. His knowledge of what went on behind the scenes is very impressive.
This is a book that will be greatly enjoyed by those who have an interest in political history, especially in the era between the end of the second world war and the beginning of Watergate, the fifties and sixties. Those with a strong admiration for Eisenhower will enjoy it less, yet for they may gain some insight into the man and into his thinking in the midst of an era of significant transition: a time of fear of communist aggression, nuclear war, the struggle for civil rights and the Vietnam war. The author is able to tackle these significant issues and be explanatory and informative without being verbose, and also have an opinion, but not necessarily an agenda. I found this book to be a pleasure to read and recommend it, especially for the reader with an interest in history who is either without strong political ideology, or who is able to suspend those feelings in order to become a fly on the wall of history.
In the acknowledgements section of the book, Frank says that he tried to be fair to his subjects. It is difficult to assess whether or not he succeeds in this goal. Clearly he is critical of Eisenhower for his treatment of the loyal Vice-President Nixon, who is often called on to do his master's dirty work (battling the rabid anti-communist Senator Joseph McCarthy on behalf of the administration, firing Eisenhower's Chief of Staff Sherman Adams, and embarking on lengthy and sometimes dangerous political junkets to Asia, Russia and South America on behalf of the administration.) Even when Eisenhower suffers a serious heart attack and Nixon skilfully keeps the government running without making himself look like a usurper, Eisenhower remains unwilling to admit Nixon into his inner political circle, or into his circle of friends.
When Nixon makes a run for the Presidency in 1960, Eisenhower is slow to offer support or praise for his loyal understudy. A callous remark by Eisenhower to the press is sloughed off as "facetiousness". (In the campaign, a reporter asked Eisenhower for a major policy idea of Nixon's that Eisenhower adopted, which was met with the response "if you give me a week, I might think of one.") Frank paints a vivid picture of how former Army General Eisenhower fails to pay more than lip service in expressing his appreciation for all that former Navy Lieutenant Nixon has done, which Frank makes the case for being a considerable amount.
Even when both men are out of office, Eisenhower maintains a superficial friendship with Nixon, while continuing his reluctance to see Nixon as a viable presidential candidate. The relationship between the two forms a new connection when Nixon's daughter Julie and Eisenhower's grandson David become a couple, later to marry.
Throughout his vice-presidency, and his time out of office, Frank describes Nixon as possessing good political sense and judgement, biding his time, mending fences in a divided Republican party (even a half-century ago, there were tensions between moderate and ultra-conservative Republicans) and playing the part of the elder party statesman. But with Nixon's election to the presidency in 1968, Frank tells the reader about a paranoia and strangeness that seemed to set in almost immediately following his victory, long before Watergate. He describes the continuing respect, bordering on the desire to please, that Nixon harbors for Eisenhower even as the General's health begins to decline and it becomes apparent to all that Eisenhower is in the twilight of his life. The culminates in a sadness when Eisenhower passes away, and Frank makes the case that the sadness is rooted not so much in affection as in regret over Nixon's inability to crack the inner circle of Eisenhower's friends as well as the failure to earn the old man's affection.
Unlike many biographers, Frank highlights many of his subjects' worst characteristics, though he also showcases many of Nixon's strengths, especially as displayed prior to Nixon's presidency. No one who reads this book will accuse Frank of hero worship of his subjects. Many will debate whether or not he has been fair in some of his criticism, although the author quotes from a remarkable array of credible and high-placed sources. His knowledge of what went on behind the scenes is very impressive.
This is a book that will be greatly enjoyed by those who have an interest in political history, especially in the era between the end of the second world war and the beginning of Watergate, the fifties and sixties. Those with a strong admiration for Eisenhower will enjoy it less, yet for they may gain some insight into the man and into his thinking in the midst of an era of significant transition: a time of fear of communist aggression, nuclear war, the struggle for civil rights and the Vietnam war. The author is able to tackle these significant issues and be explanatory and informative without being verbose, and also have an opinion, but not necessarily an agenda. I found this book to be a pleasure to read and recommend it, especially for the reader with an interest in history who is either without strong political ideology, or who is able to suspend those feelings in order to become a fly on the wall of history.