HAIL TO THE CHIEFS

Monday, February 19^th,  we celebrate President’s Day. It is a time to reflect on the achievements of all our presidents and, in particular, say happy birthday to George Washington (February 22^nd) and Abraham Lincoln (February 12^th ).  Many focus on the economic influence of this three-day weekend - a time of special deals and sales, especially on cars. While I can’t tell you which car to purchase, I can offer some erudition learned from the 45 men who have attained the highest office.

Whatever you think about our current or past presidents, there is no refuting it is a difficult post to obtain. The legal requirements are outlined in Section 1 of Article 2 of the U.S. Constitution:

“No person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”

Hence, if you are 35 or older, were born in America and have lived here for at least 14 years, you’re eligible to run for office. If you want to win, however, you may consider these political statistics and pointers.

Consider a law degree. Twenty-six of the last forty-five have been lawyers.

Start raising money - a lot of money! “Obama for America” the fundraising phenomena that powered Obama’s ascent to the presidency raised 650 million by Election Day. This enabled him to out advertise and out-staff the McCain campaign by about 2 to 1. Although Clinton raised more money, 1.4 billion to Trumps 957 million, he was still able to secure the presidency.

Get strategic. Popularity is not enough. You’ll need to win the majority of Electoral College votes, not the popular vote. There are 538 electoral votes, and you need 270 of them to become president. Since the official election on November 8^th, Trump has won 61,900,651 popular votes. However, 63,620,704 Americans voted for Hilary.

Join the military. A whopping 36 of our 45 presidents have served. Donald Trump, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton did not. Nor did any president from 1909 (Taft) to 1945 (Roosevelt). Roosevelt was, however, very much involved in World War I. He served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy in France. And, he was our president during most of World War II. John Quincy Adams did not serve but certainly saw first-hand the horrors of the Revolutionary War. At the tender age of eight, he and his mother Abigail Adams witnessed the Battle of Bunker Hill. Years late he wrote,

“-- I saw with my own eyes those fires, and heard Britannia's thunders in the Battle of Bunker's hill and witnessed the tears of my mother and mingled with them my own, at the fall of Warren a dear friend of my father, and a beloved Physician to me.”

His father, John Adams, was the chairman of the Continental Congress Board of War from 1776 to 1777 and our second president from 1797 to 1801.

Needless to say, Commander-in-Chief is no job for the weak. You will need heart, brains, and a very big pocketbook to become president. Once elected, you will need all three of these assets and much more to navigate the colossal task of running the country.

GREAT MEN WITH GREAT PASSION

Long before they won the highest office, American presidents were trying to win the hearts of their favorite fair maiden. In honor of both Valentine’s Day and President’s Day, let’s look at the softer side of a few of our more romantic Commanders-in-Chief.

Letters were lifelines for Abigail Adams who was forced to endure long periods of separation from her husband John. For over three decades they shared their political concerns and professed their love for each other through the mail. As was the custom of the time, they adopted pen names. John wrote ardently to his Diana, the Roman goddess of the moon, often addressing the letters “Dear Miss Adorable.” In a letter dated April 20^th, 1763, he sounds more like a lovesick teenager than a Revolutionist. “I begin to find that an increasing affection for a certain lady, (you know who my Dear) quickens my affections for everybody else…”

It would seem that Letitia Christian had a somewhat formal courtship with her future husband and 10^th president, John Tyler. He once wrote to a friend that Letitia was always so “reserved and modest” that he did not dare to kiss even her hand until a few weeks before the wedding. Once he had won her heart, he relayed his delight for the acquisition. ”To think of you and to write to you are the only sources from whence I can derive any real satisfaction...Indeed, I do esteem myself most rich in possessing you.”

Woodrow Wilson courted Edith Galt while still mourning the death of his first wife.  They were married soon after they met and their quick courtship scandalized Washington society. That didn’t stop his heartfelt praise, “You are more wonderful and lovely in my eyes than you ever were before; and my pride and joy and gratitude that you should love me with such a perfect love are beyond all expression, except in some great poem which I cannot write.”

Harry Truman was smitten with Bess Wallace from the moment he laid eyes on her in Sunday school. He doggedly pursued her for seven years. His love letters, like his politics, were very straightforward. “I suppose that I am too crazy about you anyway. Every time I see you I get more so if it is possible. I know I haven’t any right to but there are certain things that can’t be helped and that is one of them. I wouldn’t help it if I could you know.”

Lyndon Johnson was so taken with his “Lady Bird” Claudia Taylor that he proposed almost immediately. His love-struck countenance is evident in a concise correspondence written one crisp Washington, DC day. “This morning I’m ambitious, proud, energetic and very madly in love with you.”

Ronald Reagan frequently wrote letters of love to his wife, Nancy. She especially looked forward to the ones she received on their anniversary. This is from his letter to her on March 4, 1983. “Still this is the day, the day that marks 31 years of such happiness as comes to few men. I told you once that it was like an adolescent’s dream of what marriage should be like. That hasn’t changed…I more than love you, I’m not whole without you. You are life itself to me. When you are gone I’m waiting for you to return so I can start living again.”

Contact Margaret Lavin at elementarydays@gmail.com.