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Generals as President
Aired September 17, 2003 - 15:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Wesley Clark is just the latest in a long line of generals to try their hand at running for president.
But our Bruce Morton reports that these military leaders have had a mixed record when it comes to being successful.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Generals as president?
Well, America have elected 10 of them, starting, of course, with George Washington, who had to convince some backers he didn't want to be a king, a problem none of his successors have faced. Worst decision by a general who won? Probably William Henry Harrison's. He delivered a very long inaugural speech in the rain, fell ill and died just days after his term had started.
They don't all win, of course. George McClellan, a Civil War Union general, ran against his commander in chief, Abraham Lincoln, in the middle of that war and lost. Dwight Eisenhower won in 1952. He was the hero of the Normandy invasion, of course. But Douglas MacArthur, who led U.S. forces in the Pacific, was on primary ballots in 1944, '48 and '52 and didn't win.
It's different. Generals give orders and expect to be obeyed. Presidents have to deal with 535 egos in Congress, with critical Washington reporters and pundits, and so on.
TOM MANN, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Being a general is probably not the perfect experience for those governing responsibilities. But, in some cases, it is. General Clark, for example, had to hold together a very fractious coalition dealing with political leaders and diplomats, as well as military officials, when he was NATO commander in Kosovo.
MORTON: And sometimes, those old habits of command come in useful. Dwight Eisenhower as president once got a question at a news conference he really didn't like.
His face turned red. You could almost see the five stars suddenly sprout on his business suit. And he snapped at the reporter, "Sit down." The reporter, not normally a timid soul, sat. I'll bet Mr. Bush wishes he could do that.
Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WOODRUFF: I would bet.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 17, 2003 - 15:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Wesley Clark is just the latest in a long line of generals to try their hand at running for president.
But our Bruce Morton reports that these military leaders have had a mixed record when it comes to being successful.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BRUCE MORTON, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Generals as president?
Well, America have elected 10 of them, starting, of course, with George Washington, who had to convince some backers he didn't want to be a king, a problem none of his successors have faced. Worst decision by a general who won? Probably William Henry Harrison's. He delivered a very long inaugural speech in the rain, fell ill and died just days after his term had started.
They don't all win, of course. George McClellan, a Civil War Union general, ran against his commander in chief, Abraham Lincoln, in the middle of that war and lost. Dwight Eisenhower won in 1952. He was the hero of the Normandy invasion, of course. But Douglas MacArthur, who led U.S. forces in the Pacific, was on primary ballots in 1944, '48 and '52 and didn't win.
It's different. Generals give orders and expect to be obeyed. Presidents have to deal with 535 egos in Congress, with critical Washington reporters and pundits, and so on.
TOM MANN, BROOKINGS INSTITUTION: Being a general is probably not the perfect experience for those governing responsibilities. But, in some cases, it is. General Clark, for example, had to hold together a very fractious coalition dealing with political leaders and diplomats, as well as military officials, when he was NATO commander in Kosovo.
MORTON: And sometimes, those old habits of command come in useful. Dwight Eisenhower as president once got a question at a news conference he really didn't like.
His face turned red. You could almost see the five stars suddenly sprout on his business suit. And he snapped at the reporter, "Sit down." The reporter, not normally a timid soul, sat. I'll bet Mr. Bush wishes he could do that.
Bruce Morton, CNN, Washington.
(END VIDEOTAPE) WOODRUFF: I would bet.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
