Today, February 22, besides being Ash Wednesday is George Washington’s birthday — his real birthday, not “President’s Day” when we celebrate his birthday. Before February ends It might be appropriate to get all this president stuff out of the way. We’re currently on our 44th president, but there are lots and lots of comparisons, and interesting and amazing facts about our presidents. We’re all familiar with the comparisons and similarities between Kennedy and Lincoln. I figure any group of 40 or 50 people would produce about the same amount of “amazing facts,” but it’s kind of fun to look at the people that have run our country from the beginning…
Earlier I mentioned that Barack Obama is our 44th President — that’s true, but there actually have been only 43 people that have occupied that office. Grover Cleveland was elected twice (nonconsecutive terms) and is counted as our 22nd and 24th president.
The most common religious affiliation among our presidents has been Episcopalian: second place goes to the Presbyterians. The oldest president at the time of inauguration was Ronald Reagan, who was 69; the youngest was Kennedy, age 43. The youngest man to become president (not elected) was Theodore Roosevelt who was 42 when he took over after McKinley was assassinated.
The only time the nation was run by a president and vice president that were not elected by the people was when Vice President Spiro Agnew resigned in 1973 and Gerald Ford was appointed to fill the Vice Presidency by President Nixon. Nixon resigned the following year, making Ford president — he then appointed Nelson Rockefeller as vice president.
Four presidents have been assassinated while in office: Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy. Kennedy and Howard Taft are the only presidents buried in Arlington Cemetery.
Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Jackson, Grant, McKinley, Cleveland, Madison and Wilson are portrayed on US paper money. Lincoln, Jefferson, Franklin Roosevelt, Washington, Kennedy and Eisenhower are portrayed on US coins.
The term “First Lady” was first used in 1849 when President Zachary Taylor called Dolley Madison “First Lady” at her state funeral. Most First Ladies, including Jackie Kennedy, supposedly hated the label.
Eight presidents never attended college: Washington, Jackson, VanBuren, Taylor, Fillmore, Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, and Cleveland.
So — we’ve had quit a list of characters in the White House and we’re getting ready for the process of electing someone for that office once again. I’m afraid I fall into the category of those that just don’t see anyone in the race that sparks my enthusiasm. I think its always taken a special person to be president, and obviously the job’s becoming harder all the time. What’s the hardest part of being president? I can’t say that I know, but I think George Washington came pretty close to nailing it when he said, “Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.”
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