Yes, "The Duke" fully earned his nickname: he was the truest of American icons, conveying our values to the world better than anyone else that we know, even to this day. He was also a sensible thinker who spoke his mind with straightforward ideas, beautifully delivered, and always with a natural sense of moral integrity.
Take a look at this amazing interview of John Wayne by Phil Donohue so mesmerized by Wayne's clear thinking and simple truths that he can't bring himself to interrupt him with the sarcastic mutterings or innuendos one expects these days from a liberal anchor!