Two score years and six days ago, I was brought forth on this continent. Before I perish from the earth, I better start posting again. So on this Presidents Day, it seems altogether fitting to discuss memories of past American chiefs and the inspirations of today's aspirants.
Having been born on Lincoln's birthday, I have always felt close to good old Abe. He was the automatic choice for "favorite president" during my youth. However, it was my portrait of Gerald Ford, honored with an all-too-temporary place in the Southeast Elementary School display case, which was the crowning achievement of my career in the visual arts. I recall giving an immediate response to my father's dinner table query in 1980 that revealed my belief that the Egypt-Israel peace accord was Jimmy Carter's greatest feat. I was in 7th grade science lab when rumors emerged that Ronald Reagan had been shot -- but that he was okay because his Secret Service guys just made a big pile on top of him. Ah, the memories.
Now we have a new crew of wanna-be's. But who are their favorites? I refrain from researching the question and will just conjure up some guesses and present them in order of each candidate's likelihood of becoming a future favorite of some kid born on a particular date in 2008.
38% chance of election -- Senator Barack Obama (August 4): So what would be more attractive to our newest phenom? The inspirational rhetoric and generation-changing symbolism of Kennedy or the inspirational rhetoric and similar body-type of Lincoln? I will not fathom a guess. But I will say that there have been but thirteen presidents in history with more letters in their first name than in their last. Interestingly, seven of those have been elected in the last 100 years and four in the last forty. I surmise Obama would pick Woodrow Wilson over George Bush (either of them).
34% -- Senator John McCain (August 29): It is well-known that McCain reveres Theodore Roosevelt. Aside from anything else of import he might accomplish should he be elected, McCain's greatest potential achievement would be to correct the gross mis-interpretation of Roosevelt's phrase "bully pulpit." I'll admit I'm an (extreme) amateur with respect to this (and any other) historical question. Yet, having read enough of and about Teddy, I know that he used "bully" as a synonym for "great" and not for "someone who beats up smaller kids on the playground." TR was undoubtedly a modernizer of the presidency and he thought of his bully pulpit as a really slick soapbox, not a tool for kicking dirt on the weaker ones. Besides, he liked to do his tough talking with his stick.
25% -- Senator Hillary Clinton (October 26): If her favorite is not her husband, things are worse even than we dare to think. Though I'm giving her lower odds to win than her two most serious foes, Clinton does have on her side the fact that more presidents (6) have been born in October than in any other month. Of note, October 26 was also the birthday of Francois Mitterand and Leon Trotsky. Also, Clinton was born on the same exact day as Jaclyn Smith. Three angels watching over?
3% -- Other -- Mayor Michael Bloomberg (February 14), Ralph Nader (February 27), Newt Gingrich (June 17), Rep. Ron Paul (August 20)...You (?): So who is your favorite president?
This made me laugh out loud. My fave: Long, Lanky Lincoln. It's bully for the Republic that you're posting again!
Posted by: Mary | February 20, 2008 at 09:05 AM