Woodrow Wilson vs. Calvin Coolidge

[Rockefeller GOP]

A pro-business fiscal conservative who was strongly in favor of anti-lunching and other civil rights legislation vs. a racist segregationist who governed as a fiscal liberal?  An absurdly easy choice.

Coolidge (R)

[Rockefeller GOP]

A pro-business fiscal conservative who was strongly in favor of anti-lunching and other civil rights legislation

Did Coolidge actually succeed in passing any anti-lynching or civil rights legislation though? As far as I know, the only race-based legislation that he signed while President was the blatantly racist Immigration Act of 1924.

He publicly called for it, but as usual, all efforts would be killed by Democrats in Congress.

[Rockefeller GOP]

MOP, yes I think there's absolutely a difference.  Just because the other party obstructed Coolidge's pro-civil rights goals does not equate him to an open segregationist...  Also, thought I'd drop these here:

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/05/calvin-coolidge-civil-rights-pioneer-91065_Page2.html

http://blog.independent.org/2009/12/13/not-so-silent-coolidge-and-civil-rights/

[Rockefeller GOP]

This forum's hatred of Wilson is bizarre.

As a Republican, please tell me what there is to like.

[Rockefeller GOP]

MOP, yes I think there's absolutely a difference.  Just because the other party obstructed Coolidge's pro-civil rights goals does not equate him to an open segregationist...

No, Coolidge was not on the same level as an open segregationist. I guess that my point is that if someone has more in common with Wilson's approach to government than with Coolidge's, but is troubled by Wilson's racism (as any modern observer should be), it isn't necessarily worth it to vote for Coolidge on account of that one issue, given that, whatever his personal feelings, the latter did no more to improve the rights of African-Americans in real terms than Wilson did.

Fair enough.  I guess I was thinking along the lines that in a campaign between the two in some hypothetical realm, I'd find Coolidge's rhetoric on the issue appealing.

[Rockefeller GOP]

This is pretty easy. Sure, Wilson had plenty of flaws, but he's responsible for a lot of progressive legislation, while Coolidge caused the Great Depression.

Yeah, all by himself!  And FDR fixed it all by himself, huh?