The Progressive Moderate

Dwight Eisenhower, they say, is not a politician. But last week he took care of himself against attacks by two politicians, Republican Joe McCarthy and the new Democratic national chairman, Paul Butler.

At his news conference Ike said he would not reply to McCarthy's attack, that he would not engage in personal quarrels. What effect would a McCarthyite third party have on the Republican Party? Said Ike: "I have no crystal ball." He turned deadly serious and thumped the desk for emphasis as he continued: "If people want to split off ... that will have to be their business . . . The great mass of the people of the U.S. want intelligent, and what I would call a group of progressive moderates handling their business, and that is exactly what I am working for."

Some of Eisenhower's friends, who have been urging the President to roll up his sleeves and trade blows with McCarthy, noticed to their surprise that the aloof Eisenhower tactic had worked: Joe had been given enough rope and it went to his political neck.

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