February 19, 2012
Thanks Mr. Prez - for making us laugh
Every third Monday in February Americans honor the legacies of our presidents by enjoying a much-needed day off - or by taking advantage of zero percent interest and buying a new car. We remember our respected forefathers like Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln and all they did for our country - while signing the paperwork on that new car.
And then we fast forward to the faux pas that have become the legacies of many of our more recent commanders in chief.
And so, for this Presidents' Day, I give you some of the most memorable "oops" moments of the past two-plus decades:
Mainers will always have a soft spot for George H.W. Bush. Especially Mainers who love that foot-stopping, hand-clapping country music. Seems like they have something in common with Kennebunkport's most famous summer resident, who in 1991 shared this with the world: "When I need a little advice about Saddam Hussein, I turn to country music." (I'll wager a guess that the Dixie Chicks never made it on to his Walkman.)
During his four years in office, Bush Sr. had many meetings with foreign dignitaries. Many required translators - for a variety of reasons:
George Bush Sr: "Fluency in English is something that I'm often not accused of." President Vladimir Putin: "Huh?"
Of course, knowing about H.W.'s struggles with words (read more here) makes it a bit harder to fault his son W for saying things like: "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" during a stop in South Carolina in 2000. Or: "I am here to make an announcement that this Thursday, ticket counters and airplanes will fly out of Ronald Reagan Airport" while in D.C. in 2001. Take cover everyone! (Read more from W here.)
Bush Sr. didn't exactly have a master of the English language to bounce things off of with potatoe fan Dan Quayle posing as his VP and giving chalkboard fodder to the Dems: "I am not part of the problem," he once stated. "I am a Republican."
And Republicans, apparently, are no fools. Especially in Tennessee. Er ... Texas. No, wait ... Tennessee.
W. Bush took plenty of heat when his VP, Dick Cheney, shot Harry Whittington, a 78-year-old Texas attorney, while participating in a quail hunt on a ranch in - you guessed it - Texas. But at least Cheney didn't have it in for Santa Claus.
President Clinton will be remembered for cigars, not having sex with interns and never inhaling. Whatever his faults while in office, we can assume he was better at math than the man currently in the Oval Office.
Sounds like a long, strange trip. But then again, as President Obama's right-hand man Joe Biden put it: ''If we do everything right, if we do it with absolute certainty, there's still a 30% chance we're going to get it wrong.''
Good advice if you're not quite sure about that brand new car.
About
Karen Beaudoin is a member of the MaineToday Digital team and the proud owner of a cat on Prozac. And another cat not on Prozac.Karen can be contacted at kbeaudoin@mainetodaydigital.com
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