Discussion: McKinley Presidential Library 'Really Excited' People Are Talking About McKinley Presidency

Obama got to her too!!!

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" it set the precedent for foreign policy into the 20th century and the 21st century. "

Sadly, true.

Rumor has it that Ted Cruz is vowing that, if elected, he intends to rename the Lincoln memorial the Reagan memorial and the Washington Monument the Jefferson Davis Monumentā€¦

My husband, who grew up in Ohio, said he doubts many Ohioans even know McKinley was born there.

I grew up in WNY and do remember from history class that he was assassinated in Buffalo. The city built a monument to him afterwards.

Maybe Ohio would like to borrow it.

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Taft was appointed Governor-General of the Philippines by McKinley, and then TR became president after the assassination. TR and Taft were already great friends (See Doris Goodwinā€™s ā€œThe Bully Pulpitā€ā€¦), with Taft only later becoming TRā€™s Secretary of War (and thus subsequently annointed as his successor president). (CORRECTED per ozziecat, below. Thanks, oz)

However, THE book to read is ā€œThe Imperial Cruiseā€ by James Bradley. It is a surprising take on our history, not what you might have expected from the author of ā€œFlags of our Fathersā€. For those familiar with ā€œFlagsā€, Bradley came to write ā€œCruiseā€ because he wanted to understand why his father came to have to go ashore at Iwo Jima in the first place in WW2 against the Japanese. His research in this compelling, slim book puts it at the doorstep of Roosevelt.

Hereā€™s a related post I made on the topic a couple of years ago in the context of the just-out movie, ā€œAmerican Sniperā€, and waterboarding by our Army in the Philippines:

Fabulous book. Later, I noted that James Bradley, the son and author, had written another book exploring American relations with the Japanese and Asia. I had thought he would be critical of the Japanese based upon his fatherā€™s experience. (A notable moment in Fathers is when he invites his dad to go to Japan with him as part of his research for the book, and his father declines, saying, ā€œNo son, I donā€™t think Iā€™ll be making a (pleasure) trip to Japan.ā€ This was an attitude shared by many Pacific Theater veterans, at least via my experience with my WWII veteran uncles).

Anyway, the 2nd Bradley book, ā€œThe Imperial Cruiseā€, is about Teddy Rooseveltā€™s presidency and the trip to the Philippines post our colonial acquistion after the war with Spain.

Few people know how we suppressed the Philippine goal of independence then and there. (And, American use of water-boarding is not newā€¦as an ā€œenhanced interrogationā€ technique).

Highly recommended: http://www.amazon.com/The-Imperial-Cruise-Secret-History/dp/B007MXCB6Y

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Small point, Charles W. Fairbanks was TRā€™s VP in the 1904 election. He was picked by the ā€œbosses,ā€ although TR preferred Robert R. Hitt for the position. Taft stayed on in the Philippines, but also served as TRā€™s Secretary of War (as they rather more truthfully called it then).

I do look forward to reading the Bradley book.

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Meanwhile, The curator for the Millard Fillmore presidential library told TPM:

ā€œMeh.ā€

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Ohio native here. Mark Hanna (his campaign manager; model for Karl Rove) is historically more remarkable than McKinley.

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ā€œKenney cited his role as commander-in-chief during the Spanish-American War, which she said, was the first time the U.S. went to war on foreign soil.ā€

I guess Libya (1801), Canada (1812) and Mexico (1846) donā€™t count.

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Republican heads implodingā€¦

Thanks! Iā€™ll check it out.

McKinley, who rose to brevet major in the Civil War, at least didnā€™t promise a ā€œhumble foreign policyā€ as the armchair warrior who chose war did.

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Itā€™s going on my bucket list, thatā€™s for sure.

You are absolutely correct. TR wanted him for the Supreme Court. Taft demurred, but then came to serve TR as Secretary of War.

I believe Taft holds the distinction of being the only president with no prior elective office on his resume.

Of course it was really William Randolph (ā€œRosebudā€) Hearstā€™s war. And we all now live in that fat Trogā€™s world.

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As many as the MacArthur in downtown Norfolk, VA?

McKinley- Remembered more for a War than anything else. One of the most colorless Presidents, eclipsed only by men like W.H.Harrison and Chester Arthur. McKinley is remembered for is his selection of Roosevelt as his Vice President.
(An attempt by Party Bosses to shunt TR OUT of mainstream politics and into a useless job. See Hanna, Mark.)

As to the Mountain, Denali sounds much more handsome and rugged, like the place itself.
Renaming the mountain was part and parcel of while men trying to suppress native culture,

McKinley Arches---------------nice touch.

Interesting that the librarian cites the first true imperialist acts by the US as a positive. McKinley was also a true believer in protectionist tariffs, a big no-no for present-day Ohio Republicans. Mckinley was responsible for the premeditated war with Spain over Cuba, then annexed Puerto Rico, Guam, Wake and the Philippines in the process. As an aside, he forced the annexation of Hawaii by whites against the wishes of that independent state. The resulting US-Philippine war of independence was a textbook example of white racist atrocities against rebel and civilians. Ohio should be proud.

ā€œThe mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation.ā€ - W Mckinley

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From the first BORG President who put the US onto the path of Imperialism:
ā€œThe mission of the United States is one of benevolent assimilation.ā€ ā€”Wm McKinley