Posted on 02/20/2010 6:17:25 AM PST by tsmith130
WASHINGTON — Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig, who served Republican presidents and ran for the office himself, has died.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
No surprises there. He was a soldier. He was a warrior. He was a Patriot. He was a republican. Thus, the enemy too the press of the Soviet left.
Most of the comments here are about Gen. Haig’s comments on the day Reagan was shot. I watched the press conference on TV and I didn’t in any way take it as a “coup attempt.” I will admit, however, that I was pretty much distracted; I was a senior at Indiana University at the time, and IU was scheduled to play the University of North Carolina for the NCAA basketball championship that night. We were worried the game would be cancelled.
The game went on, IU won, and I have a reproduction of the Bloomington Herald-Telephone in my office with both stories on the front page.
In a tense time when so many people had so many concerns, some serious and some petty, Haig’s comments about being in charge until Vice President Bush returned were reassuring, not threatening. Our press treated Gen. Haig shamefully, not at the moment but afterward. By his actions, it was clear that Gen. Haig didn’t intend a “coup.” But the press went on with their hysteria anyway.
I think I still have an Al Haig for President button from from the 1980 Iowa caucuses.
Rest in peace Mr. Haig.
I know you will be treated better in Heaven than you were down here.
And, it’s the high school under fire today for the computer-gate scandal of spying on its own students through their laptops. Lower Merion High School.
James Rosen noted on Fox this morning that we deserve a good biography on General Haig, and I wholeheartedly agree. Let’s hope that a reputable author takes up that project soon. I’ll gladly buy a first edition for my library.
Haig gets far too little credit for holding the Country together during the Nixon resignation, the smooth transition to the Ford Administration, and for helping to arrange the pardon for Richard Nixon. Many people, including many people here at FR, feel that move was a horrendous breach of Justice, but in fact both the resignation and the pardon spared the Country a true Constitutional crisis had the Watergate affair proceeded to an actual impeachment. Coming on the heels of Vietnam, and at the height of the Cold War, many postulate whether the Union could have survived.
A very controversial man, but people who never attempt great things are never controversial...Al Haig attempted and accomplished too many great things to list here, and the fact that he was controversial means he will be long remembered as a central figure of the 20th Century.
ROFL! Surely no tinfoil was required, but a thinking brain was to properly undrestand the context of what he said.
But then, some of us had at the time and continue to have today a more critical eye towards what the media chooses to report.
RIP.
Back in the mid-80s I was at a luncheon in NYC where Haig was the guest speaker. He was highly entertaining and made fun of himself... mostly the “I’m in charge” thing (it was still fresh). He had people laughing about it. Seemed like a nice guy, too.
Prayers for his soul and for his family’s comfort.
That surely puts our current state of the union in perspective...
Thanks for posting that. Damn editing by the Dems goes way back.
Leni posted the tributes of this national hero in her post below yours.
It was not a “stupid comment”. He was responding to a question asked of him by the press during a time of crisis and was attempting to calm everyone.
He was crucified for it by liberals who intentionally misrepresented it then and now.
So this is how you judge a man? I'd love to hear some of the things you or your family may have uttered that erased every positive accomplishment of theirs.
Therein lies the problem. The media's contemporaneous accounts were nothing more than a cheap attempt to smear Gen. Haig. They did not give any context - the fact that Haig was attempting to rein in the chaos in the room; no context that the question he was answering concerned who was in charge in the WH, not the line of presidential succession. It was a cheap attack that has been repeated countless times since against anyone who doesn't share the media's collectivist philosophy.
If you watched what happened, then followed it with a concentrated dose of the media's "analysis", then it's no wonder you have reached the conclusion you have. However, it doesn't change the fact that General Haig was a patriot; he was in no way trying to usurp control of the government, and he was unfairly maligned for trying to restore order to a chaotic situation.
The only regrettable aspect of the situation is the fact that he didn't say things in a way that was bullet-proof to the media's spinning. But, alas, he didn't have the use of a teleprompter like today's Great Communicator. }8^D
I’m with you. I was a fan of Sec. Haig.
I just lament the double standard around here.
Nevertheless, he was a good man. A genuine patriot.
Losing the last generation of men.
“In fact, if you read my remarks correctly, you will realize that what I was saying is that his life and accomplishments were ERASED (by his own lips, btw) by an incredibly stupid comment.
My comparison to Obama refers to disinterest in the rule of law, and the rules in general. And I stand by those comments; I fear we’re about to see them on steroids.”
This is nonsensical, stupid even. I can’t fathom how there is a line between General Haig and Barak Obama anywhere any way.
Even then, the media had a template. He was military, and the military will always use a crisis to take control, or so their thinking goes. Compare and contrast with today’s civilian leadership, especially the two who currently hold Haig’s previous White House posts.
I respectfully disagree with you.
I think, that in his effort to calm the nation, he used a rather unfortunate choice of words, at a moment when stability was required. His remarks produced IN-stability! Should a man be condemned forever for such a thing? Of course not. Especially not a man with his background of service to this nation.
That said, not one freeper has answered my question:
What if HRC had done and said the exact same thing?
Test in peace good Sir!
Say hi to Ronnie for us, tell him we miss the dickens out of him!
You’re very welcome :-)
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