Eisenhower advocated a variety of strong actions which he had never taken when he was president. Maybe this was just the pattern of former presidents; maybe it reflected how much the circumstances had changed on the ground.
Nancy GibbsIf the Presidents Club had a seal, around the ring would be three words: cooperation, competition, and consolation. On the one hand, the presidents have powerful motivesโpersonal and patrioticโto help one another succeed and comfort one another when they fail. But at the same time they all compete for historyโs blessing.
Nancy GibbsOn a normal day, we value heroism because it is uncommon. On Sept. 11, we valued heroism because it was everywhere.
Nancy GibbsIf you want to humble an empire it makes sense to maim its cathedrals. They are symbols of its faith, and when they crumple and burn, it tells us we are not so powerful and we can't be safe. The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, planted at the base of Manhattan island with the Statue of Liberty as their sentry, and the Pentagon, a squat, concrete fort on the banks of the Potomac, are the sanctuaries of money and power that our enemies may imagine define us. But that assumes our faith rests on what we can buy and build, and that has never been America's true God.
Nancy Gibbs