Alexander Haig is dead at age 87. This man was "old school" and can be called nothing if not a real American hero.
Now, before Ryan or anyone else has a chance to call me "revisionist" in my opinion based on past criticisms of Haig, I will say that I think he has said some pretty dumb things over his 50+ years of public service... but this man's career clearly shows he was a hero and a patriot first, and a "dumby" second.
Exemplary service record in Korea on MacArthur's staff, and a battery of medals and awards while serving with the "Big Red One" in Vietnam (including the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart) show the man was a real soldier. He earned four stars and served as Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He had a key position on the White House staffs of four US Presidents, and earned Master's Degrees from both Columbia Business (MBA) and Georgetown (International Relations) universities.
His confusion as to the order by which Presidential succession is followed was more hype than reality, though, and his biggest mistake during the Reagan assassination attempt was to offer any reassurance at all. His role with Reagan's Cabinet was SoS... but I think his background in command and control made him flash back to his role as Chief of Staff and that was what prompted him to claim that he was "in control" after Reagan was shot and Bush was out of the country.
He gets a lot of flack from his time as Nixon's Chief of Staff, but seeing as how he took the job AFTER Halderman was forced to resign, I can't simply assume Haig was in the Watergate "loop" can I? He did his job, clearly to the best of his abilities, and served his President well. Well enough, in fact, to get left in his position for the initial phases of the Ford Administration, too.
I was really not a fan of his '88 run for the GOP nomination. I clearly recall his reference to Bush as a "wimp" during that debate in '87... and I am convinced that this is what cost him the nomination. There is no clearer example of someone who was far too much in the habit of speaking his mind rather than saying what needed to be said... and that is death to a politician in the modern era.
I don't think he would have made a good CIC... but he made a damn fine General, and he left a record of national service that is a model for future generations to admire.
Rest in peace, General.
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I wanted to add that every article and news story you read right now says he worked with THREE Presidents (Nixon, Ford and Reagan), but that forgets that he was SACEUR, NATO Supreme Commander, and CiCUSEUR during the entirety of the Carter Administration, meaning he had routine and regular face time with Jimmy and his Staff. I don't want it forgotten that Haig had the kind of record and personality that impressed Democrats as well as republicans.
I don't disagree with any of that. Haig was not a good politician and, in my book, that's a good thing. He was, however, a great leader of men and served his country well.
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