Ike's Bluff

Donald Rumsfeld had an interesting philosophy. He often said that sometimes the solution to a small intractable problem, was to create a much bigger problem or crisis which would, he thought, often make the bigger problem easier to solve.

In some ways Dwight Eisenhower, our 34th President, subscribed to a similar idea. In order to avoid fighting small wars, which he was totally opposed to, he created the bluff of the potential for a much bigger nuclear Armageddon. In so doing, he helped set the country on a path to prevail in the Cold War. Now, award winning journalist Evan Thomas looks at Ike's unique talents in Ike's Bluff: President Eisenhower's Secret Battle to Save the World.

My conversation with Evan Thomas:

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Why we still like Ike

We've spent some time lately talking about the 70's. Today we go back even further. When once asked about the impact of the French Revolution, former Chinese Premiere Chou En-lai said it "was too soon to know." Certainly the scope and impact of history is always evolving. So too is the reputation of the thirty-fourth President. Originally thought to be modest, in the wake of the Kennedy excitement of the early 1960's, history has come to appreciate the calm, no drama approach of the Eisenhower Presidency and what it actually accomplished. Looking at today's leaders, a well seasoned grown up might look pretty attractive.

Veteran journalist Jim Newton, takes a look at Eisenhower: The White House Years.

My conversation with Jim Newton:

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