. >> two times, tried to get robert taft the republican nomination. and it was interesting in 1952, eisenhower was the nominee and he was coming into ohio just before he got to ohio he had been in a state where the campaign was chaotic. he likes ordering us and if you are a rape list candidate things moved along on schedule and after he came to ohio things move just like that and they became best friends, facts president eisenhower, one of the people who implored bliss to become national chairman in 1965. so when richard nixon wouldn't come to the meetings, putting the party back together, had eisenhower call him so he was bliss's enforcer. >> the way you described him it sounds like he was a precursor to ronald reagan's big ten. >> he was very conservative himself but he knew in new york city a very conservative guy couldn't get elected mayor so he needed to win in 1965, i talked to john lindsay's top political aide. this guy called and said this is ray bliss, because can i call you right back? thought somebody was pulling his leg. he called the numb

. >> he had a tough fight getting the republican nomination because robert taft represented the hardthe republican party. they slugged it out a little bit. but in '52, eisenhower, of course, gets the nomination. >> for president of the united states, dwight david eisenhower. [ cheers and applause ] >> as his running mate, ike chose someone to balance the ticket, senator richard nixon of california, young and fiercely anti-communist. >> ♪ you like ike ♪ i like ike ♪ everybody likes ike ♪ for president >> eisenhower, facing his democratic opponent, adlai stevenson, won in a landslide. >> so help me god. >> on inauguration day, eisenhower came walking down. and i said, "mr. president, may i take a picture?" the flashbulb didn't work. he stopped. and he said, "fix the flashbulb and take the picture." and i did. this was a very kind and caring man. >> 1953 beckoned. ike had run world war ii. but he'd never held office before. america held its breath and wondered what would happen next. st. jude continues to advance by increasing cure rates in childhood cancer, because we have the resource

he was friends with eisenhower and robert taft also very behind the scenes. >> there was always a littlebit of tension between eisenhower and taft did he try to bridge that? >> that's a good .2 times he tried to get them the nomination and as you just said he lost both times. and was very disappointed that in 1952 eisenhower was the nominee coming into ohio just before he got there where the campaign was a arctic he liked orderliness. things moved right along on schedule and they became fast friends and went to gettysburg and they implored bliss to become national chairman 1965. so then when nixon would not come to the meetings he would have eisenhower call him to put the party back together. he was the enforcer. >> earlier it sounds like he was a precursor to reagan. >> yes. he said he was very conservative himself so he needed to win 1965 and i talked to john lindsay top political aide guy called to say this is ray bliss. he did not believe him because he is conservative and said can i call you back? he thought somebody was pulling his leg so he called the number back and said it is re

robert taft was competing with eisenhower for the republican nomination of 1952 and there were very radical elements on the outside, too. but ike likability was enough of the forced to carry them over the top, his sheer popularity and prestige as a general who had helped lead us to world war ii. he gets the nomination but that reference to eisenhower as a moderate is very pointed. you can see through the bush family the progression in republican politics and in prescott bush yet this northeastern moderate pro-business republican, very moderate on social issues, particularly compared to today. he would be almost a liberal compared to most voters today. and he is sort of becoming an anachronism by the time release of the senate in 1962. george h. w. bush is a hybrid of sorts. he's part northeastern republican like his father and is part of a westerner who has slightly more conservative beliefs. but the conservative wing of the party never quite trusts george herbert walker bush like they do reagan. it proves to be his undoing in 1992 when he violates his no new taxes, tax pledge. and radical