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President Eisenhower’s granddaughter Susan Eisenhower tells Alan why she is supporting President Obama.
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Susan Eisenhower president of the Eisenhower group which should provide the -- to cancel on political business and public affairs project.
Was appointed to the National Academy of Sciences standing committee -- international security and arms control.
We -- three years fellow at Harvard's JFK school biggest name Eisenhower rings a bell it's I associate that with Republicans usually in my make no mistake here.
No actually I think you believe it's an element had been certainly my grandfather -- You you could say that you it was the first president that moderate Republican -- In many ways and in fact and did many things at today's Republican Party would not do like the highway system for example.
He was that he was a Republican that probably could not get the nomination in today's Republican Party could.
Well I think it would be very tough a -- that he.
It's -- he had been the war hero when he was sent to the 1940s and -- that's not the case but he certainly actually in his downtime.
Had quite a struggle with certain elements of the time party.
But he would say they cannot figure to be able to.
Override them I think we've got a very different situation today.
-- one note about your grandfather which as he appointed or nominated Earl Warren to the Supreme Court.
That the former governor California -- responsible for brown -- board of education and many of the progressive.
Decisions as Supreme Court made in that decade and again what an unusual pairing with -- Republican president and the Warren court right.
Well nominee.
One that the administration appointed.
Most of the progressive judges -- the -- that desegregated later -- and you remember this in nineteen.
57.
The administrations -- -- -- 101 airborne division that desegregated central high school in Little Rock, Arkansas.
So there's quite a record there and of course I'm very proud of it.
I think the Republican Party today.
It's actually a party is itself -- isn't.
In the Eisenhower administration.
It was so much more oriented towards the northeast and central plains.
There's nothing that says that coming from the self.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Unfortunately.
You know we're in a situation where we've got red states and Blue States and not many purple states -- -- find this rather distressing.
Develop.
That you left the Republican party for years ago your lifelong member he became an independent.
What was the thinking behind that.
Well I think -- sort of felt like party left me.
I think it's very very important for -- Republican candidates to.
Try among themselves to build a strategy to figure out how to rebuild moderate wing of the party but this is very difficult because where a -- -- about.
Twenty years ultra conservatives.
Individuals has taken over the local party council's.
And so there is really a systemic change in the party which I -- -- addressed.
So you -- you supported Barack Obama for years ago when you are supporting him again.
This year you -- at odds with members of your family for example and other party members who aren't too happy with -- your name associated.
Win the Obama administration.
I'd I think I'm known quantity isn't and so I'm foreign affairs expert I've worked on energy security issues are.
For years and -- I'm known to be -- now I have registered independent but also quite independent.
My family actually falls in a couple of categories.
None of them are political politically active help -- my mother teaches.
And my sister and interior designer so I'm I'm leave Washington Eisenhower who tends to be.
And involved and mostly public.
And as -- an expert on foreign affairs and the notion that we've seen the right wing over the last few weeks trying to make.
Libya and been Ghazi an issue in this campaign.
When it seems at variance with what the actual facts are in the ground and that the president there's no cover -- no scandal that's gonna drive you crazy.
Well principle I think there is.
A reason to.
I think very seriously about the fact that we should not turn any of this -- -- Political football here during this campaign appearances a highly.
Sensitive issue -- classified information involved.
There are.
You know information.
Gathering still under way there may be investigations some points.
It's broader than just what's going on but the point is this it is you know we let national side down.
When we turn this into political football act one have already spoken out strongly mountains.
Score that's amazing and -- try to use it against Barack Obama of course the closing days of the campaign on foreign policy though it's certainly hard just make the case that Mitt Romney.
Has a better record because he has no record.
And as soon himself over the little over this campaign not to be in sync -- or understand.
Cornish pars but even he's insulted most recently the Italians.
-- fourth at the British during the Olympics and he seems to.
Not have a grasp of what we need to do to interact with the rest of the world.
-- -- -- couldn't get in and Terry argued that he could learn some diplomatic skills in other words what to say and what not to say that what concerns me.
Is that I don't think he has an equal pull off the -- on foreign affairs may take somebody like -- to Eisenhower he's had.
-- supreme allied commander during world war two and actually had a personal philosophy about how you actually address international affairs.
Actually President Obama had.
A lot of experience.
Not only living overseas -- also.
Interacting.
On the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
-- he's got he's got some grounding in the -- people want to complain that he didn't have much experience when he came into office he's got.
Four -- really solid credibly years.
Behind and so I think the -- of Fairfield.
It's a slam dunk for the president.
And I have spoken up on that too I've written about it on my web site and I feel very strongly that.
We need to understand that it sure jobs it's very very important issue in this country.
But -- foreign affairs can't turn sour and become.
Huge.
Mistake that could cost this country daily.
You're born just before your grandfather became president did you get to know much at all.
Well I didn't I knew very well actually I was.
I didn't almost -- married by the time he died and had many many opportunities to interact with them because my -- let live situation to.
-- his property in Gettysburg Pennsylvania and so I feel very fortunate to have had that approach.
Do you think he'd be saying about today's Republican Party.
Well I think -- be deeply concerned about the fact that.
You know the campaign has has been a pretty rugged -- here -- it's been strong bonds slams and short on facts.
And he always talked about it rigorous pursuit of the facts.
You -- seeing some examples of this in the campaign recently where.
The truth is -- -- -- out there for instance around the automobile.
Industry -- -- And I'm I'm just concerned that.
-- ordinary voter would be you know complicity by this exercise and that he would like that at all.
I think furthermore.
Where the president really get the bad rap that is absolutely and there is around the deficit spending sure that this is very high.
That so called stimulus plan was really about a stabilization plants.
And huge part.
So called.
Stimulus money.
-- What was directed towards.
Bush era tax -- And also saving us state local government from bankruptcy.
My third 37% of them that stimulus package were tax cuts and -- Exactly so how they can pin this on what what he was really doing lies conceding to the Republicans on this point.
I think since this is national amnesia.
Actually rather frightening proportions.
And I think it's probably too late in the game should be.
Hammering on this but -- been some really excellent things written force magazine.
-- the -- posted.
Recent analysis says where all the money went during this period.
And that Barack Obama cannot be accused.
Will -- Doing what his opponents say he's done.
So I support the president and I think he and -- -- there all sorts of reasons why.
All of America would have liked to have seen much greater progress the last three years but let's face it it took its twenty something years.
To get into this mess and it's gonna take -- -- to get a.
Susan Eisenhower thank you very much -- and it was -- appreciated very much.
Well.
Thanks thanks for your time Susan Eisenhower in addition to her own accomplishments of course the granddaughter of president Dwight Eisenhower.
