When I was born Dwight Eisenhower was President and he held that office until I was six years old. Of course, had no political views during these years, probably wasn't sure who the President was until about 1959 when that rich, liberal JFK began his journey to office. I really didn't know what rich or liberal was then just going on what I heard from my family.
I liked what I saw from this young President, his beautiful wife, his kids (about the ages of me and my brother) plus, I had never heard until then about a family so large, lived in such wealth and did so many fascinating things. I remember how those around me didn't approve on his stand on segregation plus, although very young,knew of our President and Marilyn Monroe. I was in the third grade when my teacher announced that our President had been assassinated and her telling us that she saw the twinkle of some of our eyes, what was that all about? I remember the events of the next week and my ensuing life became a study of the Kennedy family. If he had lived I think he would have, hands down, been the greatest Democratic President of my life time. No one else has come close.
LBJ, bless his heart, was thrust into office at such a horrible time in our country. Don't need to elaborate on the events that changed the course of history during his span. Still, young and not savvy to the way of the world, I think his greatest accomplishment was Lady Bird and her crusade on anti-littering. I have to say this is my favorite "First Lady" platform of my time.
We got a Republican again in '68 in Richard Nixon. I was old enough to know that if Bobby Kennedy had not been killed, history as we know it would have been changed. Still not up on the political scene in my early teens knew that the adults around me were thrilled about this new President so all was well. That is until 1972.
I missed voting for the first time that year by a few weeks but it would have been for Nixon. That's just what I knew. The next few years showed me how disappointed I could be by a President's actions. Watergate, impeachment and resignation were something new for my generation. Heck we only knew of assassination.
Gerald Ford seemed like a nice enough guy. He fell down a lot, did the best he could but, like Johnson, thrown into the role. His wife too was a asset. How many first ladies have a world renowned rehab center named after them? Not sure, but was this the launch of rehab facilities?
Of course, as history dictates, if one party screws up the trust of the Presidency, it is certain that in the next election the next party will prevail even if they don't have a strong candidate. 1976 and Jimmy Carter. A really good, Christian guy with the best intentions but a President these traits don't make. The next four years were not the most glowing for our country.
Again, this performance brought about a change in command. One that will go down as an extreme highlight of my life. Of course, Ronald Reagan had nothing to do with the birth of my children through his years in office, but his strong command brought about gains and dreams for a strong future. I loved everything about this man, he was not perfect but about as perfect as a President could get. At his re-election I actually ran to the polls to cast the first vote before I went to work. I sincerely thinks he deserves a spot on Mt. Rushmore or a place on a coin or paper bill. Plus, a bonus for me, he was once an actual movie star.
President Reagan was so strong that after eight years in office his predecessor could only be someone of his endorsement. Enter George Bush. Certainly not Ronnie but, again, a great guy and Barbara was every one's Mom and Grandma. He did a quite admirable job but as Americans tend to grow restless he didn't make it to his second term.
I must say I have more respect for Bill Clinton than I did in '92. Back then he was perceived as a Kennedyesque solution to what was ailing the country at the time. Overlooked were his confirmed affairs while a married man and the shady dealings such as White Water. He was handsome, played a mean sax, a baby boomer and his campaign song was one of Fleetwood Mac. His wife didn't sit home and bake cookies. Obviously, he was what so many felt our country needed. Personally, his policies disrupted our once idyllic life. Plus, it was quite difficult to explain to a pre-teen what he and Monica did in the Oval Office. He got through his eight years in spite of all this and when it was over Americans barely were ready for a change.
George W. Bush, as we all know, was the second of a son who followed his Father to the presidency. Agreed, not the sharpest knife in drawer but a good, moral man with great intentions. It wasn't his fault that the most massive attack on American soil took place within nine months of him taking office or that the most devastating hurricane ever ravaged New Orleans a few years later. These events came at a time when we were allowed access to his every action through this miracle of technology we all have at our finger tips. Unfortunately, our county seems to want to blame all their troubles on this one man. He made it through eight years and again voters decided "It was time for change".
We elected our first African-American President who could read the hell out of a teleprompter. To me a true African-American is Condoleeza Rice or Colin Powell, not someone whose Mother is as white as I am. His silvery tongue captivated me in the beginning when my only option was an elderly man with a soon to be rising star running mate. I will forever be an Elephant so I made my choice. The country is in a worse state than I ever remember and after forty years of gains the race card keeps surfacing.
So now the trend is going back to the conservative side. I pray that someone will appear that can actually lead us back to the "Good Old Days".
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