Shoulda been a tweet (but Twitter sucks)
I haven’t fact checked this. I’m not going to fact check it. The fact that it seems 100% plausible is the point. I don’t doubt it for a second, and I’m always critical/skeptical of the media. It was probably a bad time to start watching Netflix’s The Tiger King.
Still here? What happened to common sense, pragmatic, effective leaders? Where have they gone? Eisenhower wasn’t a saint. I’m rusty on my history, but he made some bad calls. Still, I think in this situation he would have followed some sound leadership practices.
Eisenhower: OK, I’m not an epidemiologist. I know that we can and will make it through this. So, I’m going to delegate the message and planning to the experts. I’ll amplify their voice when necessary. We have a lot of capable captain…governors…who know their units…I mean states. I’ll provide timely guidance from the top, let them execute, and make sure they have what they need to get the job done. My bad cop XOs…I mean staff…will help identify the governors who could use some more mentoring.
Instead, we have a guy who is telling his number 2 not to call governors who don’t treat him well and argues that governors need to be more appreciative. Are you kidding me? Eisenhower would have grabbed his Secretary of State, gone into a quiet room, poured a couple of whiskeys (not sure if he drank, not the point), and dropped a few F Bombs about Governor So and So. He would have then gotten on TV or the radio and addressed the mission and reassured the people. A president, a mature, capable president, does not let people get under his skin and throw tantrums.