"The Presidents of My Generation"

Monday is “President’s Day” in America. This day has been established to honor the Office of the President of our great nation.

We have had Forty-four Presidents, starting with George Washington, up to our current President, Barack Obama. Four of our Presidents were murdered in office: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy. One President resigned: Richard M. Nixon.

The earliest President I remember is Harry S. Truman; he was in office while I was in kindergarten. He wasn’t on television very much, of course most families didn’t have televisions back then anyway. Harry was the President who decided to use atomic weapons to end WWII. It took quite a bit of courage to make that decision, but it probably saved many American soldiers’ lives.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was after Harry, and he was faced with two recessions and the “Cold War” against the Soviet Union. Ike believed that business could work its way through the recessions and he was proved right, as America flexed its muscles and became the driving force in the world’s economy. America fulfilled the dreams of many during the Eisenhower years.

Jack Kennedy followed Ike, and America entered the years of “Camelot”. The young and handsome President was like an American prince that inspired America to great achievements, until an assassin stole his life in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. I was a sophomore in high school, and I remember it like it was yesterday.

Lyndon Johnson followed JFK, and he became the face of the Viet Nam War to many Americans. He also declared a “War on Poverty”; neither war was a resounding success for LBJ. He was only elected to one term, choosing not to seek reelection in 1968.

Richard M. Nixon was next in office, and his pledge was to end the Viet Nam War. After his election, Viet Nam dragged on into his second term; meanwhile, he became entwined in the Watergate Scandal. The scandal was his downfall and he resigned in disgrace.

Gerry Ford was next; he was never elected to office, and his presidency proved divisive and bland, as our economy began a fight against runaway inflation.

Jimmy Carter took the reins after Ford, and proved himself to be the most inept President America has had the misfortune to elect. Fuel prices skyrocketed, and jobs were invisible, plus we had the Iranian Hostage Crisis, which couldn’t have possibly been handled worse. Jimmy was a one termer when he was destroyed by Reagan in a landslide.

Ronald Reagan took over a nation in dismal shape and went about repairing four years of destructive policies, and rebuilding American strength and prestige around the world. He is lauded today as one of our nation’s finest Chief Executives.

George H.W. Bush followed Reagan; he was a one termer who was defeated by his own words “Read my lips, no new taxes”. Unfortunately, he had to tax, and he lost his bid to remain President.

William Harrison Clinton, two terms with economic prosperity and questionable morality in the Oval Office. He is still a popular figure, even with his checkered past. America can be a forgiving nation, although they didn’t give Nixon much of a break.

George W. Bush, a man who was a victim of his own integrity, followed what he believed was the best interests of America and was castigated by the press at every turn. He was Commander in Chief after the murderous attack in New York on 9-11, and he handled it with grim determination and resolve. In my opinion, history will be much kinder to President Bush than his contemporaries have been. He did and does still conduct himself with Presidential dignity.

Barack Hussein Obama, our current President, our first black President, and a man who has been surrounded with controversy from his first day in office to the present has policies that have been questioned by people on both ends of the political spectrum, even to the point of questioning his eligibility to hold the office. Although he was very popular immediately following his election, he is now at low ebb with the American people. It will be very interesting to see what the will of the people will be in November of 2012.

These are all the men I have seen in the Oval Office, the most difficult job on earth. Regardless of politics, we must respect all those who choose this grueling test of a man’s metal, and the patriotism it takes to hold this responsibility. Prayers should go to anyone who sits at that desk; he holds America’s future in his hands.

(This is my last blog until Tuesday; see you then.)