Comments on: Wingers In My History (Mount Vernon Edition)

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:47:05 +0000

When we took our older son on a visit to Washington, D.C. a few years ago (when he was nine), we visited the Lincoln Memorial. I asked him if he knew who the statue was of, and he replied promptly, “A man who was almost as great as Martin Luther King!”

I’d give a lot to know what both Lincoln and King would have thought of that. . .

By: Parthenon

Parthenon — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:27:27 +0000

This post reminded me of Al Franken’s theory from “Lies and the lying liars who tell them -” Conservatives love America like a child loves his mommy, while liberals love America like a spouse loves their spouse. Or something like that.

Washington was undeniably remarkable. Perhaps a bit less so than Lincoln, but only by a hair. It certainly does them injustice to talk about them as though they were demigods. Lincoln probably had the clap, for instance. Got it on a visit to a brothel with his buddy Joshua Speed. Any less of a great president for it? Not a bit. I’d recommend Joseph Ellis’ biography on Washington (”His Excellency”) to you, OW, if you get the time. It’s an easy, excellent read.

By: Mrs. Tarquin Biscuitbarrel

Mrs. Tarquin Biscuitbarrel — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:58:17 +0000

On my first trip to Mount Vernon, bringing along some college friends from out of town, Mr. College Friend and I noticed that in the historic kitchen, some plastic bananas and pineapples were on display. Now, I know that the pineapple is a traditional symbol of hospitality, but what was with the bananas? The docent was so mad when we asked her about them–in front of a huge bunch of tourists–that she nearly bust the buttons of the basque of her period costume trying to keep her temper. Evidently it had never occurred to her that the bananas were out of place!

By: anotherbozo

anotherbozo — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 13:33:07 +0000

My visit to Sagamore Hill was an additional reminder that you don’t go to a former president’s estate to get an objective view, Oliver. A third cousin or so led the tour through Teddy Roosevelt’s Long Island home and you would have thought TR was a god. Of course he was incredibly accomplished (he wrote 30 books, for example), but the tour was not the time to point out his belligerent and jingoistic foreign policies, etc.

This was worthwhile, too, though, no question. Where else can you see stuffed rhinoceros and tiger heads?

By: Jaim

Jaim — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:20:25 +0000

Turns = terms

By: Jaim

Jaim — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 05:19:39 +0000

Well put O-dub. I think one of his most important legacies was stepping down after two turns when he could have stayed president for as long as he wanted.

When I taught Washington to high-schoolers, I always began by asking them if it was possible for a great general to have lost so many more battles than he ever won. Then I’d go on to explain that simply keeping the Continental functional due to the lack of supplies and the horrible morale was an achievement in itself, and then of course, Trenton.

I also love Mount Vernon because my sister go married there, in the banquet hall at least.