Ike Offers Not to Run for President:

[JTFrog]

I have been looking at past presidential draft movements. Not many were successful. However, this story about Ike struck a deja vous nerve so to speak.

--snip--

Ike was an immensely popular leader, but he firmly rejected the overtures of both major political parties to become a candidate for the presidency. Still, the overtures kept coming and the articles speculating on his future kept appearing. Ike knew that in the nineteenth century General Sherman faced a similar situation and replied with the following message: “If nominated I will not run; if elected I will not serve.”

Should he send such a message and end the discussion? He decided he would if he could ensure that the nation would not abandon collective security and retreat into fortress America. He had to be certain the Republican Party would line up behind a reconstructed Europe, defended by troops from all of the NATO allies. That, he knew, was the best line of defense for the United States. So he set out to maneuver Robert Taft into the internationalist camp.

General Eisenhower wrote out a Sherman-type message and then convened a secret meeting with Senator Taft at the Pentagon. He told Taft that he was ready to declare his absolute refusal to participate in presidential politics if Taft would commit to the principle of collective security for the defense of Europe. But Taft refused. He would not budge from his isolationist, fortress America position. After Senator Taft left the meeting to return to Capitol Hill, Ike tore up his “Sherman” message and dropped the pieces in the waste bin.

Eisenhower went on to win the nomination and the presidency in 1952. We can only wonder what would have happened if Taft had agreed and Eisenhower had quietly withdrawn.

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http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/stories/Ike-offers-not-to-run.htm

Mr. Gore has talked of meetings with our presidential candidates, however, he has yet to endorse anyone. I wonder how similar his story is to Ike's. I wonder if he's picked a Taft to make an offer to. There are so many parallels here that I found it a fascinating read.

[MannyGoldstein]

1. And, Ike Was A Flaming Liberal

If he ran today, he'd be considered a left-wing kook.

http://blueworksbetter.com/EisenhowerFlamingLiberal (my blog)

[JTFrog]

2. I'm all too often

reminded of that by my mormon republican brother. He is stuck in the past. He believes that his party is still represented by men like Ike. Needless to say, political discussions get a little heated during the holiday visits.

[Vidar]

3. President Douglas MacArthur--hypothetical answer to the OP's final

question: "We can only wonder what would have happened if Taft had agreed and Eisenhower had quietly withdrawn."