General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: How Republicans used to be: [View all]DFW
(54,056 posts)He understood that the job was one of service to the nation, and not a perk the nation granted to him. Also--he understood that the onus was upon HIM to do good, and it was the right and the duty of the nation to call him out if he did wrong.
"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President, or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
The only post-WWII Republican who even had a whiff of understanding this was Eisenhower. I think, ironically enough, that Bob Dole, as president, would have understood this as well, even though I am VERY glad we never had to find out.
Calvin Coolidge was (to my very biased way of thinking) far too beholden to the God Squad for me to admire him too much, but he did have his head screwed on straight about a few issues. He came out once with a quote that came close to mirroring TR's quote above:
When a man begins to feel that he is the only one who can lead in this republic, he is guilty of treason to the spirit of our institutions.