Ike Plus Eight

To the Editors:

I write in response to Professor Anderson’s letter [NYR, January 21]. In it he berated Ronald Steel for saying there had been only three presidents, besides Eisenhower, who served two full terms. Anderson found six. Somehow he ignored James Monroe and Ulysses S. Grant. Steel replied that he had intended to say “only three presidents since the Founding Fathers.” I am not sure if young James Monroe qualifies as a “founding father” (perhaps a “founding younger brother?”) but Grant certainly does not. Thus, we now have eight presidents (besides Ike) who made it through two terms.

Paul Finkelman

University of Texas

Austin, Texas

Ronald Steel replies:

This revelation, alas, makes Ike seem even less remarkable.