He’s No Nixon

[Valin]

Weekly Standard:

 

WILLIAM KRISTOL

5/21/13

 

The thoughtful Carl Cannon has written a piece, "Richard Milhous Obama," concluding that our current president has more in common with our 37th than President Obama's partisans would like to acknowledge. The estimable Victor Davis Hanson has weighed in, defending against liberal dissents the proposition that "Nixon Is a Fair Comparison" with Obama.

 

I protest. Will no one stand up for Richard Nixon? Richard Nixon was a combat veteran, a staunch and brave anti-Communist, a man who took on the liberal establishment and at times his own party's as well, a leader who often thought for himself and had the courage of his convictions, a president who assembled a first-rate Cabinet and one whowhile flawed both in character and in policy judgmentusually tried to confront the real problems and deal with challenges of his times. Richard Nixon led neither the country nor his own administration from behind.

 

(Snip)

 

And so I feel obliged to rise to Richard Nixon's defense, and to say, with all due respect, to our current president: Barack Obama, you're no Richard Nixon.