Our Last Two Presidents

Kinda weird, isn't it?

(Image created by smallislander, flickr)

The Best & Worst U.S Presidents

In honor of President's Day, C-SPAN has released a survey that ranks the best and worst U.S. Presidents in history. I generally agree with their rankings although I think John F. Kennedy is a bit overrated and some time needs to pass in order to accurately judge George W. Bush's legacy.

According to C-SPAN, here are the top U.S. Presidents:

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Theodore Roosevelt
5. Harry S Truman
6. John F. Kennedy
7. Thomas Jefferson
8. Dwight D. Eisenhower
9. Woodrow Wilson
10. Ronald Reagan.

And the worst (from bottom up) :

42. James Buchanan
41. Andrew Johnson
40. Franklin Pierce
39. William Henry Harrison
38. Warren G. Harding
37. Millard Fillmore
36. George W. Bush
35. John Tyler
34. Herbert Hoover
33. Rutherford B. Hayes

Remember, although Barack Obama has assumed the 44th presidency, only 42 men served as president before him. Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms and is, therefore, considered to have had two presidencies. You can view the complete rankings of all U.S. Presidents here.

A Stressful Presidency

Who says being President of the United States doesn't take a lot out of you? Here are photos of President George W. Bush upon entering office in 2001 and at present.

President Bush and the Shoe Thrower

In case you haven't heard, an Iraqi journalist decided to show his displeasure towards our Commander-in-Chief by hurling both of his shoes at him in the middle of a press conference during a surprise visit to Iraq the other day. To most of us in the West this seems to be bit of an odd way to express oneself. We're used to people throwing pies or fruit & vegetables, but shoes?!

Within Middle Eastern cultures, shoes hold greater significance than in the West and represent something much more than just what we put on our feet. In fact, even showing the sole of one's foot is considered unacceptable in polite society. So when this Iraqi sought to demonstrate his contempt for the U.S. president, he did so with that which he thought would be most offensive -- his shoes.

Apparently President Bush didn't get the memo because he didn't seem that offended by it. He was as cool as a cucumber as he stood at the podium and dodged the first shoe and then like Keanu Reeves in the Matrix, slid out of the way of the second. In commenting after the incident, the President didn't seem shaken or troubled by what had happened. He actually seemed more bothered by the attention that was being given to it. I guess after eight years of being in office he has developed some pretty thick skin.

It is no secret that I don't agree with some of our country's policies in the Middle East in recent years. However, President Bush's comments were spot on when he indicated the very fact that this incident had happened was an indication of progress in the country. Open dissent is a sign of freedom and democracy. Had Saddam still been in power and this journalist disagreed with him, do we think he'd even still be alive after a stunt like that? In any case here's the video and some of President Bush's comments afterwards. (Please click here if the video player doesn't show up.)

Help Send our President to Africa

President and Mrs. Bush will be spending the next week on the continent of Africa as he seeks to continue to keep a focus on relief for the HIV/AIDS crisis on the continent. Richard Wolf is quoted in USA Today as saying,

"The United States has spent $18.8 billion from 2004 to 2008 to help reverse the scourge of HIV infection and AIDS in more than 100 countries. Most of the money has gone to 15 hard-hit nations, including 12 in Africa. With little fanfare, nearly 1.5 million people have received lifesaving treatment. Today, the president and first lady Laura Bush are scheduled to leave on a six-day trip to Africa intended to highlight the program as it comes up for renewal in Congress. The trip will focus attention on what some experts say is Bush's greatest achievement as president."

In order to keep Africa a priority, the ONE Campaign has started a petition that will sent to the 2008 U.S. presidential candidates urging them to commit to visiting Africa during their first term. I just signed the petition and encourage you to sign it as well here. Thanks!

Technorati Tags: president bush, africa, one campaign

Jenna Bush on the Ellen Show

Jenna Bush, the President and Mrs. Bush's daughter, was recently a guest on the Ellen DeGeneres show. Ellen asked her if it was easy to just pick up the phone and call her dad. Jenna indicated that it was, so Ellen suggested they give him a call right then. Here's what happened...



If the video player doesn't show up, you can view it here.

Technorati Tags: ellen degeneres, jenna bush