Posts Tagged Politics

Courtesy of Slate:

This fall brings us two high-profile biopics about American presidents: Spielberg’s epic Lincoln, out this Friday, and Hyde Park on Hudson, which stars Bill Murray as FDR. This got us wondering: Which presidents have been portrayed on the silver screen the most?

We went to IMDb and tallied every portrayal of an actual American president in the history of the movies—including direct-to-video releases, animated films, and shorts. The movie president didn’t have to appear as the president to be included: Ulysses S. Grant, for instance, has often been depicted in his pre-White House years, and William Henry Harrison has only ever been portrayed on screen as the governor of the Indiana Territory and as a U.S. Army General fighting American Indians. (Which is more than his grandson can boast: The part of Benjamin Harrison has been played just once, and it was uncredited.)

We did not, by the way, include cameos by presidents playing themselves, or the cinematic use of archival footage. An actor or voice-actor had to be playing the man to get counted. And we did not count television portrayals.

The results? Lincoln blows away his presidential peers, with nearly twice as many depictions as the father of our country, who comes in second. On the other end of the spectrum, John Tyler, James Buchanan, and Warren G. Harding have, as far as we can tell, never been portrayed on film (not counting the recent online short, “John Tyler: Getaway Driver”). There’s still hope for them, though, as William Howard Taft could explain, if he wasn’t dead: Taft had to wait almost a century before someone played him in 2005’s The Greatest Game Ever Played.

Aisha Harris, Natalie Matthews-Ramo and Katie Kilkenny, “Presidents in Movies: The All-Time Leader Board,” Slate.com, November 8, 2012.

”If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?”

- President Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States

A list of random Presidential facts

• Only 1 president, James A. Garfield, was ambidextrous.
• 5 Presidents who sported a beads: Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, Benjamin Harrison and James Garfield
• 4 Presidents who were assassinated: Abraham Lincoln (1865), James A. Garfield (1881), William McKinley (1901) and John F. Kennedy (1963)
• 8 Presidents were born in Virginia: Thomas Jefferson, William H. Harrison, James Madison, James Monroe, Zachary Taylor, John Tyler, George Washington and Woodrow Wilson.
• Of the 50 states, 29 have never been the birthplace of a president.
• William Henry Harrison had the longest inaugural address at 8,578 words, while the average number of words used in the 54 inaugurals was 2,364 words.
• Only 1 president, William Henry Harrison, had a grandchild who became president.
• Only 2 presidents had children that became presidents: John Adams and George H.W. Bush.
• Ronald Reagan, at the age of 69, was the oldest president to take office.
• John F. Kennedy was the youngest president on taking office at the age of 43. Additionally, at the age of 46, was also the shortest-lived president.
• The longest-lived president, at the age of 93 years and 165 Days, was Gerald Ford.
• William Henry Harrison had the shortest presidency at 32 days. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in office for 12 years, 1 month and 8 days, making his presidency the longest.
•  At 335lbs, William Howard Taft was the heaviest president.
• The shortest president, at 5’4”, was James Madison, while 6’4” Abraham Lincoln was the tallest.
• Of the 44 presidents, only 31 graduated from college.
• 34 presidents had sisters.
• 42 were married and John Tyler had 15 children, the most out of all the presidents.
• 15 presidents served as wartime presidents.

Abby Haglage, “By The Numbers: Presidential first and mosts-from tallest to fattest,” Newsweek, Fall 2012, 56-57.

Photo Credit: Wellstone.org

“If we don’t fight hard enough for the things we stand for, at  some point we have to recognize that we don’t really stand for them.”

- Paul Wellstone, U.S. Senator from 1991-2002

On 20 July 1917, Secretary of War Newton D. Baker, blindfolded, drew the first draft number in the lottery to be called up: Number 258. Those drafted were to serve in the American forces during World War I.

The National Archives

Presidential Campaign Buttons from 1940-2008, I particularly like the third “Loser” button from 1944 and the third “Winner” one from 1952.

Source

”My esteem in this country has gone up substantially. It is very nice now when people wave at me, they use all their fingers.”

- President Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States

Ralph C. Lincoln, left, is a distant cousin of the Great Emancipator, President Abraham Lincoln.

Ralph C. Lincoln, the assistant manager at Vitamin World in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, looks strikingly similar to a very famous American – the 16^th U.S. President – Abraham Lincoln. The resemblance is uncanny. Ralph is actually a distant cousin to the late President. The extent of their familial relation is both complicated and far removed which makes their physical similarity even more fascinating.

Source

President Taft (In Office: 1909-1913)

President William Howard Taft (27th President of the United States) was the last president to have facial hair while in office. In essence, we have gone almost a century with presidents not sporting a beard, moustache or goatee. What has this country come to?!

Susanna “Dora” Salter became quite famous, both nationally and internationally, in 1887 when the townspeople of Argonia, Kansas elected her as the first woman mayor in the United States. She was also the first woman to be elected to any political office in the U.S. At the time, she was only 27 years old.

Leading up to the election, the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (of which Salter was a member of) fought to keep prohibition a prime issue in the city’s elections. This angered some of the townsmen who believed women should stay out of political issues. As a joke, some decided to put Salter’s name into the running. They chose her because, not only was she an officer in the WCTU, she also lived within the town’s limits and was eligible for office.

Salter was shocked when she found out she was a candidate, but agreed to accept the office if elected. The Republican Party in Argonia agreed to back Salter in order to show “those fellows who framed up this deal a thing or two.” The WCTU also went against their own caucus nominee to support Salter. She won with a two-thirds majority. Instead of embarrassing Salter and the members of the WCTU, the men had inadvertently elected the first woman mayor. Even Salter’s husband, who initially was upset at the possibility of his wife holding a political office, joked about being the “husband of the mayor.”

Salter’s term was uneventful even though her election generated media interest from all around the country. After her term was up, she declined to seek reelection. She was paid one dollar as compensation for her service. Salter lived the remainder of her life in Norman, Oklahoma where she kept her interest in religious and political issues, but never again sought elected office. She died on March 17, 1961, two weeks after her 101st birthday.

Biography

”I am glad that the only person whose ratings fell more than mine last year is here tonight - great to see you, Jay Leno. I’m also glad that I’m speaking first, because we’ve all seen what happens when somebody takes the time slot after Leno’s.”

- President Barack Obama, at the 2010 White House Correspondents’ Dinner

The Pledge of Allegiance written in the hand of its author, Francis Bellamy.

The pledge of allegiance is as iconic to the United States as the flag and the founding fathers, however, it may be surprising that the pledge is neither as old as the flag, nor was it written by a prominent or influential founding father. Instead, it was created by Francis Bellamy, a Rome, New York resident in 1892. Bellamy, an editor for the educational publication, The Youth’s Companion, wanted the country’s public schools to commemorate that year’s Columbus Day by reciting a collective verse.

“Bellamy Salute” (Mental Floss)

Appearing in the September 8^th issue of The Youth’s Companion, the pledge was recited by an estimated ten million schoolchildren Bellamy’s original pledge read: “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands – one nation indivisible – with liberty and justice for all.” Bellamy also included that the pledge should be accompanied with a salute. Starting with a military salute and end with the arm extended towards the flag.

At a signal from the Principal the pupils, in ordered ranks, hands to the side, face the Flag. Another signal is given; every pupil gives the flag the military salute — right hand lifted, palm downward, to a line with the forehead and close to it. Standing thus, all repeat together, slowly, “I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands; one Nation indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.” At the words, “to my Flag,” the right hand is extended gracefully, palm upward, toward the Flag, and remains in this gesture till the end of the affirmation; whereupon all hands immediately drop to the side.

The Youth’s Companion, 1892

“Students salute the flag during pledge of allegiance at P.S. 116 Elementary School, New York City in 1957. The Pledge was first used in American public schools on October 12, 1892.” (Fox News)

He originally intended for the pledge to be recited once, but its popularity turned it into an annual Columbus Day tradition. Soon, it became a daily recitation. During World War II, the salute was seen to resemble the Nazi salute too much. So, at the end of 1942, on the request of President Roosevelt, Congress enacted a law adopting the “hand over heart” stance.

The wording of Bellamy’s pledge has been adjusted twice over the years. In 1923, “my flag” was changed by the United States Flag Association into “the Flag of the United States of America.” It was not until 1954, under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, did the religious addition of “under God” become part of the pledge. Bellamy’s daughter objected to this addition and stated that her father was against changing the “my flag” stanza and would not want “under God” inserted as well.

Charles Panati, Panati’s Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things, New York: Harper, 1989, 250-251.
Historic Documents

The proposed Republic of Tri-Insula

In early 1861, New York City explored the idea of seceding from the Union to form the independent republic of “Tri-Insula,” composed of Manhattan, Staten Island, and Long Island. “Tri-Insula” is Latin for “three islands.” However, the public thought the idea was too radical and the “three islands” stayed in the Union.

The Atlantic

Photo Credit: Brady-Handy Photograph Collection (Library of Congress)

Robert Smalls was born on Ashdale Plantation on Lady’s Island, South Carolina. As a descendent of Guinea slaves, Smalls was hired as a deckhand on the CSS Planter, an armed Confederate military transport in 1861. He served under Brigadier General Roswell Ripley, commander of the Second Military District of South Carolina. Smalls was promoted to pilot of the Planter within a year.

On May 12, 1862, the Planter’s officers decided to have the crew spend the night ashore. In the early morning hours, Smalls, then 23, commandeered Planter. At that time, the ship was loaded with weapons and equipment for the rebel forts. Along with seven of the eight enslaved crewmen, Smalls stopped by a nearby wharf to pick up Smalls’ wife, children and twelve relatives of the other crewmen. They sailed towards the nearest Union blockading ship, Onward, with a raised white flag. Dressed in a captain’s uniform, Smalls reported shouted, “Good morning, sir! I have brought you some of the old United States’ guns, sir!”

Regarded as a national hero in the north, Smalls and his associates were given prize money from President Lincoln for their efforts and information regarding rebel locations. Smalls continued to fight in the Civil War for the Union and became the first black captain of a United States vessel. After the war, he learned to read and write and participated in the drafting of South Carolina’s state constitution. Smalls went on to serve five terms as a U.S. Congressman representing South Carolina. He moved back to Beaufort, South Carolina and served for nearly 20 years as U.S. Collector of Customs and lived, as the owner, in the same house in which he had been a slave.

Further Reading
The Atlantic
Robert Smalls on the Biographical Directory of the US Congress
RobertSmalls.org

Hand-colored lithograph of Sioux chief Esh-Tah-Hum-Leah visible from the waist up; he is wearing feathers in hair and has two braids, a scarf around his neck, and blanket over his right shoulder. Photo Credit: Star of the Republic Museum/The University of North Texas

“Your coming and asking me for my country makes me sad, and your saying I am not able to do anything with my country makes me still more sad.”

- Sleepy Eyes, Sioux Chief, July 19, 1851