President Eisenhower was asked if there should be a military parade to show off its might.....

[riversedge]

I agree with President Dwight Eisenhower on a military parade for a draft dodger. Even if it was free, which it ain’t.

— Dave (@spaceblatt.bsky.social) 2025-05-03T01:52:55.054Z

[3catwoman3]

1. Damn right!

Ike would be horrified by everything about TCF.

[highplainsdem]

9. It's a fake quote, though experts say it represents his attitude. See reply 8.

[3catwoman3]

12. Thnx for the info.

Michael Beschloss is very impressive. We always enjoy listening to him.

[highplainsdem]

15. I like Beschloss, too.

[magicarpet]

2. Of course President Eisenhower did,...

.... not have the ego of ten Titanic luxury ocean liners like the Orange Menace has. Narcissistic to the core - dripping from every pore.

[Emile]

3. Here is what President Eisenhower said.

[Martin Eden]

5. The last decent Republican president

I was born during his 2nd term.

[GB_RN]

7. Not Even A Real Republican.

Ike registered as one, just to facilitate running for President. He was more of a Democrat: supported Social Security, and called it the “third rail.” And paraphrasing him, said that any political party that tried to eliminate it, was destined for the trash heap.

[Martin Eden]

10. He could have exerted stronger leadership against McCarthyism

My parents voted for Stevenson. Of course, the Democratic Party had its own moral dilemma with the Jim Crow "Solid South" which began its shift away from the Party of FDR with the 1948 Dixiecrats of Strom Thurmond.

[highplainsdem]

17. The term "third rail" for Social Security started with a Tip O''Neill aide in 1982, according to Wikipedia. But

Eisenhower did warn about the political stupidity of any political party touching it, most famously in a widely quoted 1954 letter to his brother.

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third_rail_(politics)

That Eisenhower letter:

https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/letter-to-edgar-newton-eisenhower/

Now it is true that I believe this country is following a dangerous trend when it permits too great a degree of centralization of governmental functions. I oppose this–in some instances the fight is a rather desperate one. But to attain any success it is quite clear that the Federal government cannot avoid or escape responsibilities which the mass of the people firmly believe should be undertaken by it. The political processes of our country are such that if a rule of reason is not applied in this effort, we will lose everything–even to a possible and drastic change in the Constitution. This is what I mean by my constant insistence upon “moderation” in government. Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance, and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history. There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things. Among them are H. L. Hunt (you possibly know his background), a few other Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas. Their number is negligible and they are stupid.

The last four sentences there - starting with "Should any political party..." - are the most widely quoted.

[highplainsdem]

16. It's a fake quote. See reply 8.

[UTUSN]

4. K&R

[Mr.Bee]

6. DOGE:

There's your waste, fraud, and abuse!

[highplainsdem]

8. FAKE EISENHOWER QUOTE, but a real quote from Michael Beschloss PARAPHRASING what

Eisenhower's attitude toward Soviet-style parades was.

PLEASE check quotes in memes before posting them.

All it took to check this one was googling

eisenhower military parades

and this Politifact article showed up as the first result.

https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2019/jul/03/viral-image/did-eisenhower-say-military-parade-would-make-us-l/

The meme has been circulating since at least early 2018, when news of Trump’s idea for a military-themed parade in the nation’s capital was circulating, Snopes.com reported at the time.

The fact-checking site noted that it was actually a quote from historian Michael Beschloss, author of the book "Presidents of War", in an interview with NPR’s "All Things Considered" on Feb. 7, 2018.

-snip-

Beschloss points to the 1950s, when Dwight D. Eisenhower was president and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev presided over large military parades showing off the latest in Soviet military might. Beschloss says some in the White House approached Eisenhower, himself a decorated military general, suggesting the U.S. do the same, to show off American might.

"Eisenhower said absolutely not, we are the pre-eminent power on Earth," Beschloss says, recalling Eisenhower's response. "For us to try to imitate what the Soviets are doing in Red Square would make us look weak."

The Eisenhower Presidential Library's communications director also searched for the quote but couldn't find it.

The Snopes page on this was the third result from that search.

[Wiz Imp]

11. So Beschloss says Eisenhower said it

How is that a fake quote?

[highplainsdem]

13. It isn't a quote. They're words Beschloss came up with himself to express Eisenhower's attitude,

basically summarizing it. Giving his own view of it. There's no evidence Eisenhower said it.

[Bobstandard]

14. It means he said something like the quote

A quote recounts exactly what someone said. Bechloss says that Eisenhower once said something similar. No one can find an actual quote of him saying that. On the other hand, the quote so often cited in error appears to describe his sentiment accurately.