Comparing Presidents Reagan and Eisenhower

"Comparing Presidents Reagan and Eisenhower." Paul Kengor compares the styles of Reagan and Eisenhower, challenging the traditional comparison of Reagan with Franklin D. Roosevelt. He finds striking similarities between the two Republicans, not only in ideologies and policies but also in personalities, manner, and perceptions. Nevertheless, various policy differences separated the two men: Eisenhower warned against large defense increases and tax cuts, while Reagan promoted them. Eisenhower was the last modem president to have submitted balanced budgets, while Reagan presided over (some would argue created) exploding deficits. While Reagan challenged the notion of what government should do, Eisenhower did not. Reagan, unlike Ike, was a great communicator. Yet, the two men also had much in common. Both were extremely popular with the American public. Each exited office with poll ratings above 60 percent. In part because of their personal popularity, both were reelected in landslides against liberal opponents. Both had a personable style that allowed them to relate effectively with foreign leaders. The public and media perceptions of each were that they were lazy, but these disparaging views may have minimized the effort each devoted to the job. The two, however, were not identical. Kengor argues that they differed as to the possession of a strongly held set of inner beliefs: Reagan is depicted as having them, while Eisenhower is pictured as lacking them. In terms of analytic strategic thinking, Eisenhower was sharp, Reagan was sometimes more fuzzy. In management styles, Eisenhower was detail oriented and hands-on; Reagan was hands-off, avoiding detail. Both then were pragmatic in their approach to office management. Both delegated, but for different reasons: Reagan delegated as part of his hands-off management style, while Eisenhower delegated to keep the White House as a carefully conceived apex of a complex organizational structure designed to avoid inundation in details. Kengor concludes that the styles of these two presidents greatly affected their administrations. Reagan, the less effective day-to-day manager, seemed more the visionary. Ike was a better manager and was often imaginative in private, but more cautious in action. Both shared an inner self-confidence that allowed them to shrug off the disparaging views of the media and academics and proceed according to their agendas.