Biography on Dwight D Eisenhower

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Alonzo L Hamby, When Ike Took Charge; Eisenhower was a political moderate often in search of a "middle way," a vigilant Cold Warrior aware of the strengths and limits of American power. Wall Street Journal, Oct 20, 2011.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB ... 28681738593242.html
(book review on Jim Newton, Eisenhower: The White House years. Doubleday, 2011)

Note:
(a) Dwight D Eisenhower
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_D._Eisenhower
(1890-1969; president of Columbia University 1948-1953; NATO Supreme Commander 1951-1952)

Quote:

"The Eisenhauer (German for 'iron miner') family migrated from Karlsbrunn, Germany to Switzerland in the 17th century due to religious persecution, and a century later came to the United States. A misspelling in official documents changed their name

"All of the boys were called 'Ike,' 'Big Ike,' "'Little Ike,' or (in Dwight's case) 'Ugly Ike' during their lives, but the nickname's origin is a mystery; by World War II only Dwight was still called 'Ike.'

(b) The review quoted "blue eyes of a force and intensity singularly deep."

singular (adj):
"2: distinguished by superiority : EXCEPTIONAL <an artist of singular attainments>
3: being out of the ordinary : UNUSUAL <on the way home we had a singular adventure>
www.m-w.com
(c) Robert Taft
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Taft
(1889-July 31, 1953; of the Taft political family of Cincinnati; US senator from Ohio 1939-July 31, 1953; senate majority leader Jan 3, 1953-July 31, 1953)
(d) Adlai Stevenson II
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adlai_Stevenson_II
(1900-1965; Governor of Illinois 1949-1953; received the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 1952 and 1956; both times he was defeated by Republican Dwight D Eisenhower)
(e) For cranberry pesticide scare, see Delaney clause
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaney_clause
(The Delaney Clause was invoked in 1959 by the Secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare when the cancer-causing herbicide aminotriazole was discovered on cranberry plants in Oregon and Washington (see Cranberry scare of 1959). Taking place the week of Thanksgiving, the announcement was referred to by many in the cranberry industry as "Black Monday" − sales plummeted, even though many government officials attempted to defuse the scare by declaring their intention to eat cranberries anyway. This episode is regarded as one of the first modern food scares based on a chemical additive.)
(f) disputatious (adj):
"1a : inclined to dispute
b : marked by disputation
2: provoking debate : CONTROVERSIAL"
(g) The review also says "Ike was the chief formulator of American foreign policy * * * His more ideological secretary of state, John Foster Dulles, rates scarcely a nod as a policy maker."

rate (vt):
"3: CONSIDER, REGARD <was rated an excellent pianist>
* * *
5: to have a right to : DESERVE <she rated special privileges>

It is definition 5 in this context.