Comments on: Civil War 2.0 may turn governors into presidents

By: McGehee

McGehee — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 21:33:40 +0000

Cal13, even if they can’t begin collecting signatures yet, whoever wants to recall Gov. Walker can certainly get started organizing. Has that happened?

At all?

By: bknysh

bknysh — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 16:53:48 +0000

Several years ago I did a study of the Civil War for a childrens’ education site, kidport.com. I learned a lot about how economics, politics and human nature can come together in both good and bad ways. You didn’t mention that the Civil War created another President. He was President Jefferson Davis. Just because someone is on what they think is the path to presidency, doesn’t mean they are on the right path. Bryan Knysh, editor Kidport.com.

By: Cal13

Cal13 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 02:32:29 +0000

Mr. Pethokoukis, the fact that you take at face value the right-wing lie that unions are a major factor in state budget shortfalls makes your “analysis” worthless.

You’re also ignoring the fact that polling both in Wisconsin and nationwide shows that Scott Walker’s attempt union-busting is a political loser. He’s not just going to be a one-term governor, it looks likely that he’ll be a one-year governor, since that’s how long Wisconsin voters have to wait to stage a recall election.

By: dedred1960

dedred1960 — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:23:21 +0000

Governors have a good shot, especially if they show up with some fiscal responsibility credentials. Obama’s budget was a sad joke. His cuts always suffer in an order of magnitude compared to new spending. As O sides with unions against taxpayers, my hope is the historic distrust of government will be rekindled and sweep these amatuers away.

By: TheUSA

TheUSA — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 23:46:54 +0000

This is not new news. Former governors have been running the oval office for a while now. George H. W. Bush only won because he rode Reagan’s curtails.

By: Sykora4417

Sykora4417 — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:42:58 +0000

Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Johnson, Benjamin Harrison, Rutherford Hayes, and Chester Arthur were all presidents who were civil war generals.

By: publius1787

publius1787 — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:40:19 +0000

Other Civil War Generals were:

James Garfield- Major General
Rutherford B. Hayes- Major General
Benjamin Harrison- Brig. General
Andrew Johnson- Brig. General
Chester A. Arthur- Brig. General

Brig. Generals were mainly political appointees, but held the rank of General nonetheless.

By: McGehee

McGehee — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:37:44 +0000

“The rank of general” may be misleading. Certainly in the vernacular that includes all general officers regardless of how many stars. Technically none of the Union’s general officers in the Civil War were full generals. Grant was a lieutenant general by the time of Appomattox.

Hayes was a brigadier general brevet major general); Garfield was a major general. Chester Arthur held a political appointment that came with the rank of brigadier general.
Benjamin Harrison was a brigadier general.

The big surprise to me is Andrew Johnson, who as military governor of Tennessee in 1862 held the rank of brigadier general. I had not been aware of that.

Grover Cleveland paid another man to fill his slot in the draft, and William McKinley never made it to general rank. All subsequent presidents were either too young to serve during the war or not born yet.

By: RCBaker

RCBaker — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:28:58 +0000

In addition to Grant, Hayes, Garfield and Benjamin Harrison were all Union generals who saw combat.Chester Arthur commanded a desk, but held the rank of general in the New York militia. Cleveland didn’t serve and McKinley rose from private to major. Who’s the sixth? Good column though. There’s a reason great presidents DON’T come from the US Senate.

By: Elektrobahn

Elektrobahn — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 20:48:12 +0000

Mr. P: With due respect to a Jeopardy champ, I can’t think of any Civil War general aside from U.S. Grant who was elected president. Who were the other five?

P.S. Stand-up column, as usual.