Just too popular
Richard Nixon has received more votes than any other person in American
history. His three Congressional terms, two terms as Vice-President, his
narrow defeat by JFK in the 1960 presidential, his run for the
California Gubenatorial, his first election to the Presidency in 1968
and his landslide deafeat of Geroge McGovern (the largest in
Presidential history until that time) makes Nixon the most voted for
American politician ever.
Getting away with it
Did you know that a vice-president got away with murder? Aaron Burr, who
was Jefferson's VP, shot and killed Alexander Hamilton on July 11,1804
in a duel. The men decided on the duel based on insults exchanged over
political issues. Burr was charged for murder in New Jersey, but the
State never pursued to convict him on the grounds that 'civilized
nations' do not treat dueling deaths as 'common murders.'
At the White House
When the White House (President's residence) was constructed it was
built of freestone a form of sandstone that is very porous and is highly
susceptible to water damage, so the masons sealed the stone with a wash
of salt, rice and glue. It was the building's first coat of white paint;
soon it would be nicknamed the 'White House'.
JFK Relations
John F. Kennedy had a sister, Rosemary, who was mentally retarded. She
had a lobotomy, at that time not known to be that bad. She is still
living and is eighty-five years old.
A bright spark
Woodrow Wilson is the only U.S. president to this day to receive an
earned Ph.D. His degree was in History from Johns Hopkins University.
Apathy
Zachary Taylor, the 12th president of the U.S. didn't vote until he was
62 years old and didn't even vote in his own election because he was a
soldier & moved so often he couldn't establish legal residency until he
retired.
Unusual Pet
President John Quincy Adams owned a pet alligator which he kept in the
East Room of the White House.
Mount Rushmore
The four presidential heads of Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and
Theodore Roosevelt were sculpted on Mount Rushmore in South Dakota by
Gutzon Borglum who had completed a colossal bas-relief of Confederate
heroes on the face of Stone Mountain in Georgia. Work began in the
summer of 1927 and dragged on for 14 years, its cost escalating to $1
million. He died in 1941 shortly before it was completed. His son
oversaw the final work.
On the economy
Thomas Marshall (1854-1925), U.S. Vice-President, once remarked “What
this country needs is a good five-cent cigar.” Will Rogers (1879-1935),
American Humorist retorted “Our country has plenty of good five-cent
cigars, but the trouble is they charge fifteen cents for them.”
Ronnie the spy?
Ronald Reagan was the only president to have ever worn a NAZI uniform.
(He wore it as an actor in a movie) |
