"My father was somewhat to the right of Genghis Khan"

This quote by Lawrence Eagleburger is a funny method of saying that his father was a really conservative person. It suggests that his father was very stringent and had a strong sense of right and wrong. He was not scared to take a tough stance on concerns and was not afraid to stand up for what he believed in. Genghis Khan was a powerful and callous leader who was understood for his strong sense of justice and his determination to take definitive action. By comparing his daddy to Genghis Khan, Eagleburger is suggesting that his dad was a strong leader who was not afraid to decide and was willing to do whatever it required to do the job. This quote is a funny way of revealing admiration for his dad's self-control and his desire to stand up for what he believed in.