Why Every President Sucked...

I recently received an email from Eric Olsen, a marketing writer and consultant. He seems like a brilliant chap. One of those guys that's good at everything... he appears to be very successful in life and in career. The reason he contacted me... is because he's also a musician and historian at heart. He's taken his musical talents, mixed them with some wit and cynicism... and he's put together a compilation of songs with the theme that every President has not met expectations.

His website: WhyEveryPresidentSucked.com has the intent of ridding our society of the search for the perfect president. It won't happen.

There is a lot of truth to what he's saying... but there are also some things I might argue...
For example, in his song about Lincoln Eric states through his lyric...

"the sad thing is
for the cost of the war
you could have bought and freed
every slave you’re fighting for..."

But Lincoln didn't want to free the slaves. He wanted to preserve the union. Buying all the slaves from the Southern plantations would not have done anything to mend the divide between North and South. The south was fighting for preservation of their culture. Preservation of their economy, their way of life. The slave owners would not have allowed anyone to buy their freedom in mass numbers like that.

Overall the idea is brilliant... This can undoubtedly be used in the classroom. Choose an era or a president and show the song and the lyric in class. Discuss. Find the faults, find the truths, find the reasons why the President "sucked". I know the kids will love this. Have them make their own songs... Send them to Eric, I'm sure he'd love to hear them.

Each president has a short summary of the imperfect event or happenings that work as the theme for the song, as well as the lyrics for better understanding.

Below is his 'Why JFK Sucked' song... with lyrics.

"The CIA sent 1,500 Cubans to Cochinos Bay
Exiles armed and ready to revenge of Fidel

And to mimic a natural uprising
Defeating Castro’s communizing ways

And the deal was that the U.S. had their backs
If things would go awry
Awry they went, but no one came

Where was JFK
Who promised he would save the day

the bay of pigs
it was a big
disaster for America
rather than an uprising
everything came down
Where was JFK
Who promised he would save the day

And to save the little pretty face he had left
he had to pay Castro $53 million to get the prisoner’s back
Where was JFK
Who promised he would save the day"

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10 Greenest Presidents

It was only a matter of time before a list like this surfaced. Many administrations did excellent work in promoting environmental and sustainable causes. These are the 10 best.

1. Teddy Roosevelt - Comes as no surprise... He's the original Environmentalist
2. Jimmy Carter - he was always more of a humanitarian than an executive anyway...
3. Thomas Jefferson - Louisiana Purchase and Lewis and Clarke did a lot for his ranking.
4. Bill Clinton - With Gore over his shoulder, you'd expect some change...
5. Richard Nixon - he made the list of Presidents with the worst environmental record too...
6. Franklin Roosevelt - Civilian Conservation Corps... part of the New Deal
7. Abraham Lincoln - established the US Department of Agriculture (USDA)
8. Lyndon Johnson - protected 9 million acres of land with the Wilderness Act
9. Woodrow Wilson - oversaw the creation of the National Park Service... (Teddy's idea...)
10. John Kennedy - had his guys look into the effect of pesticides and chemicals... laying groundwork for the EPA.

To read more about each President and their contributions go to the Daily Green
http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/greenest-presidents-460808 - You can also see a list of the Presidents with the worst environmental policy...

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Election Day: November 4, 2008: Quotes & Votes

With today's election in the balance, I thought these quotes, from past presidents, to be appropriate. I don't care who you vote for... as long as you vote.

Happy Election Day!

"The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter." - Dwight Eisenhower

"The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all."- JFK

"I hope that no American will waste his franchise and throw away his vote by voting either for me or against me solely on account of my religious affiliation. It is not relevant." - JFK

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." - John Quincy Adams

"The vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men." - Lyndon Johnson

"Voters quickly forget what a man says." - Richard Nixon

"When a fellow tells me he's bipartisan, I know he's going to vote against me." - Harry Truman

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For more quotes from these presidents and others, please visit http://ushistorysite.com/president_quotes.php

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The Great Debates: Kennedy v. Nixon

October 21, 1960 marked the date for the fourth and final debate between presidential hopefuls, John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

The world's first televised presidential debate took place just over a month prior on September 26.

I think we're all familiar with the circumstances surrounding these oft discussed events. Besides being the first televised presidential debate, many credit these debates as the events that would change the way we looked at the president for years to come and helped put Kennedy over the top in his defeat of Nixon. The debate gave national exposure to Kennedy, who was a relatively unknown senator, and helped him to go on to win the election by a narrow margin.

Nixon who had been on the campaign trail that day appeared tired and un-shaven to the television audience. While Kennedy appeared to be polished and well rested. It's been said that those that listened to the debates on the radio declared Nixon the winner, while those that watched on television gave the victory to Kennedy.

It's a testament to the power of perception and image, and truly helped to shape the personae an American presidential candidate needs to address.

I've always said that because of this, a great candidate like Lincoln would not have made it as president in the television age. His awkward appearance and cracking voice would not translate well. And despite his great oratory abilities, it would be too difficult for the American people to overlook his appearance.

Here are two great resources to discuss these historical debates in class:

http://www.museum.tv/debateweb/html/index.htm

http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/jb/modern/debates_1

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RFK, Sirhan Sirhan and the Woman in the Polka Dot Dress; 40 Years Later

It seems as if my blog has been Kennedy-centric of late. But for good reason.

Today, June 5 marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Robert Kennedy. Coincidentally, it comes one day after Barrack Obama wins the Democratic nomination for President, a position RFK would most likely have gained, and won.

It comes several weeks after some bizarre comments made by Hillary Clinton referencing the tragedy. When asked why she hadn't conceded a race that, for all intents and purposes, has been decided for months she replied:

My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it.

What's even stranger is that this is not the first time she referenced RFK's death in association with her stretching the primary through June. Here are her comments from a March 6 interview with Time:

TIME: Can you envision a point at which--if the race stays this close--Democratic Party elders would step in and say, "This is now hurting the party and whoever will be the nominee in the fall"?

CLINTON: No, I
really can't. I think people have short memories. Primary contests used to last
a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn't wrap up the nomination in
1992 until June. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing
particularly unusual.

Are you kidding me? You're right Hillary. Primaries lasting through June is not particularly unusual... but your comments are. I'm sure she was apologetic the first time she said it, and I know she doesn't mean any harm to Senator Obama, but I thought she would have learned from her mistakes. She's always appeared to be a very intelligent and calculating woman but I'm not exactly sure how these comments in particular passed through her filter.

I'm happy they did because it makes this blog post come full circle back into the present.

The Assassination

The movie Bobby is a great portrayal of the entire event. Even though you know what happens the movie sets up the suspense very well.

The Woman in the Polka Dot Dress

So who exactly is the woman in the polka-dot-dress? Several witnesses to the shooting told police they saw Sirhan Sirhan talking to a man and a woman in a polka-dot dress before the incident. This combined with an LAPD sergeant's report that he overheard a woman wearing a polka-dot dress say "We shot Kennedy." This mystery woman, disappeared in the chaos as the crowd dispersed before the police officer could react. Many believe this woman may have hypnotized Sirhan Sirhan brainwashing him and convincing him to kill Kennedy. This theory was quickly dismissed by police. So where is this woman now? Where was she then? Nobody knows who she is, or if she ever even existed.

Conspiracy?

Despite this confusion, we are certain of one thing. Both Robert Kennedy and John Kennedy were killed by two very unstable men. Though what is not certain is whether these deaths are related or are they part of a larger conspiracy. Did Sirhan have accomplices? Did Oswald have accomplices? Are they mob related? Were there more than one shooter in both assassinations? Will we ever know the truth of either of the Kennedy assassinations?

Some information:

The Freedom of Information Act at least gives us the ability to see the results of the investigations, though we can't possibly judge the validity of them. Here is a link to the FBI report on the assassination of RFK: http://foia.fbi.gov/foiaindex/rfk.htm

For more information on the RFK assassination and other California assassinations, read the book California Justice by David Kulczyk. It has short histories of nearly 35 California lynchings and shootings.

I can't say this is the best read in the world, and it's definitely not for everyone, but it does work if you're into old style lynchings and posses and bar room brawls turned into shootouts.


Where's Sirhan now?

He's still in prison. He's been eligible for parole 13 times (as of June, 2008) and has been denied each time.

RIP RFK

Here's the eulogy of Bobby Kennedy, presented by his brother Teddy.



Fun Facts:

It is rumored that in true Kennedy fashion, as RFK lay dying on the kitchen floor at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, he uttered his last words: "Is everyone alright?"

The lead investigator for Robert Kennedy's assassination was Assistant Police Chief Daryl Gates, who later would become Chief of Police of the LAPD during the Rodney King incident and the riots that ensued after the verdict.

Links to more facts: http://flag.blackened.net/daver/misc/rfk.html

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The Election of 1960: MLK and The Kennedys

Obviously, the main event of the 1960 Presidential election was the first televised debate between two presidential candidates. No doubt, that is a milestone achievement and deserves further examination. However, this entry of the 1960 Election will focus on Martin Luther King and his role in the election.

King who always stays neutral, "in order to maintain a nonpartisan posture" and to be to be able to look objectively at both parties at all times", is a man of conviction and stuck to his word despite both John and Robert Kennedy working feverishly to help release King from jail, who was ultimately arrested for driving with a suspended license.

The Kennedy's made phone call after phone call demanding that Martin Luther King not stand trial. They even phoned Dr. King's wife, Coretta Scott King, to comfort her and let her know that they were handling the situation. A classy move. A political move, but still a respected one. And except for the whole moonshine thing (it's how the Kennedy's got their fortune), and the rumors of adultery (Mattress Jack) and the whole Chappaquiddick thing, the Kennedy's are a class act.

So, was it the Kennedy's idea to make the phone call? Were they really that concerned and that proactive? The story continues...

For some reason Nixon's press secretary didn't want Nixon to get involved and blocked any calls about the situation. Had Nixon and his advisors handled this situation differently the election may have gone his way.

Coretta Scott King, six months pregnant and very scared that her husband would be killed in a southern Atlanta jail, called Harris Wofford, an advisor to Kennedy. She called him because she had heard that he had previously tried to release King from jail.

Wofford then proceeded to call Sargent Shriver, Kennedy's brother-in-law (he married Eunice, for those that know the Kennedy family), to ask him to get Kennedy to call Mrs. King. (Side note: Sargent Shriver is Maria Shriver's father, which makes him Arnold Schwarzenegger's father-in-law.)

Kennedy, who had been waiting for Georgia's Democratic governor Ernest Vandiver to handle the matter, promptly called Mrs. King.

Mrs. King, very pleased with the call, told Martin Luther King, Sr. (MLKs father). MLK Sr. then announced that Kennedy's "concern" was enough to make him leave the Republican party and vote for Kennedy.

This move helped shift the African American vote decisively in Kennedy's favor and just may have won him the election.

MLK Jr. remained bi-partisan, but his father's pull was enough to swing the African-American vote in the Kennedy's favor.

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The Quotable John F. Kennedy

Today would have been JFK's 91st birthday.

To commemorate his birth, I've included some quotes from one of the great orators.


"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution
inevitable."


"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on."



"Too often we... enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought"

"Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."

"Things do not happen. Things are made to happen."


For more quotes go to: http://ushistorysite.com/kennedy_quotes.php

Or for John F. Kennedy lesson plans go to: http://ushistorysite.com/jfk

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Survey Results: Who is the Best President since 1950?

Put down your pencils. The polls are now closed.

The readers of USHistorySite.Blogspot.com have spoken... the best President since 1950 (from the choices given) is... William Jefferson Clinton.

This is Clinton's first Survey Victory and came as kind of a surprise to me. With 33% percent of the vote he narrowly edged out Ronald Reagan who received 29% of the vote.

Here are the full results after 72 votes:

Harry Truman - 11% (8 votes)
Dwight D. Eisenhower - 5% (4 votes)
John F. Kennedy - 20% (15 votes)
Ronald Reagan - 29% (21 votes)
Bill Clinton - 33% (24 votes)

Despite his impeachment trial, in 1998 and 1999, Clinton's approval rating still ranked among the best in history at 73%. He ended his term with an approval rating of 68%. And according to Wikipedia, (I know... not the most reliable source) his final rating is higher than that of any other departing president since approval ratings began more than seventy years earlier.

Why was his approval so high?

How about 8 years of relative peace and prosperity. A good economy leaves people happy. Nobody can doubt his intelligence, and how he used his intelligence to be the best fiscal leader we've had in a long, long time. This rationale could be the same reason Ronald Reagan ranked so high.

Thank you to all who contributed, and more importantly to those that commented and opened up a dialogue. I'd like to hear from more of you concerning the results. Does this surprise you?

To get it started - here is my grandfather's reaction

I just reviewed your survey. It seems to me that the answers were progressive. By that I mean young people with very little knowledge of past history voted the current appeal.They knew little or nothing of Truman and Eisenhower. I wouldn't say IKE was a good President,but he could have run on any ticket and been elected. He was that popular.It would be the same for Colin Powell. It's unfortunate that we are faced with our present dilemma. The good ones don't have national appeal and the ones with national appeal are awful. They are supported by young liberals who would have been better to serve Army time to open their eyes. GP

I welcome thoughts on GPs comments as well...

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Who is the Best President since 1950?

I was in New Orleans for a few days on business. Learned a bit about the history of NOLA, did some work with Habitat for Humanity, putting on siding for Charles (the home owner) in the Upper 9th Ward (one of the most devestaded areas), spent some time at a conference, strolled Bourbon Street and bought a book about the Battle of New Orleans from a bookshop where William Faulkner used to live. A good week for site seeing, but a bad week for posts.

That said, I've added a new USHistorySite Survey...

The question is: Who is the Best President since 1950?

Harry Truman

Dwight D. Eisenhower

John F. Kennedy

Ronald Reagan

Bill Clinton

You can find it in the margin on the right. I'll leave it up until I get 50 votes or more...

Let me know your comments after you vote? Why did you choose JFK? Tell me why you think Carter should have made the list. Is Bill Clinton deserving? The forum is now open...

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An Officer and a President: The Military Service of Our Presidents

One of our President's seven main duties is that of Commander in Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces. Essentially the be-all-end-all of every major military decision. From the signing peace treaties with Britain in the late 1700s to the decision to remain in Iraq in 2008, the President is the highest military authority.

This being said, serving in the military is not a pre-requisite to become President, although more than half of our Presidents have done so.

In these times of change, Republican front-runner, John McCain's military background is being seen by some as a competitive advantage. And if elected it could very well impact his decision making. A recent article on McCain in Newsweek highlighted this fact and also took a closer look at six presidents who's military service have had a particular impact on them. According to historian Michael Beschloss)

George Washington
Top Military Rank: General
Active Service: American Revolutionary War, French and Indian War
Branch: Virginia Militia, Continental Army

After successfully winning the Revolutionary War, Washington knew Britain still posed a serious threat, and thus signed an unpopular treaty with Britain protecting the United States from British invasion.

Andrew Jackson
Top Military Rank: Major General
Active Service: American Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Creek War, First Seminole War
Branch: Continental Army, United States Army

Known to many as the guy on the $20 dollar bill, Andrew Jackson learned a great lesson from standing up against and defeating the monstrous British Army. It gave him the courage to take on other big foes like the U.S. Bank. Although it also gave him the confidence to stomp out the innocent Cherokees and force them to move West, killing over 4,000 Cherokees on the Trail of Tears.

Theodore Roosevelt
Top Military Rank: Colonel
Active Service: Spanish-American War
Branch: United States Army

Victory in the Spanish-American War made Roosevelt a national hero. He snowballed this fame into a successful political career, catapulting him to President. Roosevelt definitely used his personality to his advantage and for that is one of our most popular Presidents. His victory in the war, giving the US control over Puerto Rico, Guam and the Philippines also set the stage for American Imperialism impacting much more than just Teddy's Presidency.

Roosevelt was also the only U.S. President to receive the Medal of Honor (awarded posthumously in 2001).

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Top Military Rank: General
Active Service: Stateside service during World War I, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during World War II, military career lasted from 1915 to 1952.
Branch: United States Army

Like Roosevelt, it was Eisenhower's military prowess that sprung him to Presidency. But it was Ike's time in Europe where he learned that Presidents usually inflated the national budget. When pressured by the Pentagon to increase the budget for the defense war chest, Eisenhower refused and kept a well balanced budget.

John F. Kennedy
Top Military Rank: Lieutenant
Active Service: World War II
Branch: United States Navy

Kennedy's service in World War II gave him the critical thinking skills to realize how one problem could cause another and another. This undoubtedly gave him the decision making skills and the mind-set to handle the Cuban Missile Crisis as calmly and as successfully as he did.

George H.W. Bush
Top Military Rank: Lieutenant
Active Service: World War II
Branch: US Navy Reserve

Big Bush was a pilot. His aviator experience made him knowledgeable about the risks associated with war (He was shot down and lost two of his crewmen). Some believe this encouraged him to support the Powell Doctrine, which states that a list of questions all have to be answered affirmatively before military action can be taken by the United States.

Though there are only six presidents highlighted in the McCain article, there are several other's who's time in the military impacted their presidency. I've taken the time to do some of my own research to find them.

Ulysses S. Grant

Top Military Rank: General

Active Service: Mexican War, Civil War

Branch: US Army

We all know Grant received world-wide fame for leading the Union Army to victory in the Civil War. But, Grant was fighting a war of attrition. Compared to General Lee, he had a larger, better equipped, and better fed army and wasn't afraid to watch men die. That said, he'd win his battles based on sheer numbers. This doesn't take away his unbelievable strategy at Vicksburg, but it did effect his presidency.

Experts, traditionally view Grant as a President in the bottom quadrant of US Presidents, mostly because of his tolerance of corruption. Grant would often tolerate financial and political corruption among top aids, seemingly unaware of the consequences to those that were being cheated. Though an honest man, Grant appears to have no heart when it comes to the well-being of others.

Jimmy Carter

Top Military Rank: Lieutenant

Active Service: World War II

Branch: US Naval Academy

Carter, had originally planned to make the Navy his career making Chief of Naval Operations his ultimate goal and believed that submarine duty was the fastest route to get there. Carter thought nuclear power would be increasing in submarines and he wanted to be where the growth was.
Carter did post-graduate work, studying nuclear physics and reactor technology for several months in 1953. This followed Carter's first-hand experience as part of a group of American and Canadian servicemen who took part in cleaning up after a nuclear meltdown at Canada's Chalk River Laboratories reactor.

His studies and experience helped Carter to understand the power of nuclear technology, knowing that the same science that could keep a submarine submerged underwater for months at a time, could undoubtedly do a lot of damage when used in weaponry. Thus Carter's knowledge of nuclear physics led him to the Strategic Arms Limitations Talks (SALT), which was a treaty aimed at reducing the number of nuclear arms produced and maintained by both the United States and the Soviet Union.

Richard M. Nixon

Top Military Rank: Commander

Active Service: World War II

Branch: US Navy Reserve

While working in the supply corps on several islands in the South Pacific, Nixon who is "not a crook", banked a large sum of money, which in turn helped him finance his first campaign for congress.

Harry S. Truman
Top Military Rank: Colonel
Active Service: World War I
Branch: US Navy Army/Army Reserve

Truman's eye-sight was terrible, and he reportedly secretly memorized the eye chart to pass the test to be enlisted in the Missouri National Guard, where he served from 1905-1911. He rejoined the Guard during the onset of WWI. The War brought out Truman's leadership qualities where he quickly rose to the rank of Colonel. This made possible his political career in Missouri and in turn to the Presidency.

Incidentally, between Truman and Teddy Roosevelt, there were no presidents to serve in the military. This was a run of 6 presidents, and 36 years between them. Taft, Wilson, Harding, Coolidge, Hoover, and finally Franklin Roosevelt, were the 6 in succession not to serve any military duty.

On the opposite side, Bill Clinton, was the first not to serve since FDR. This was a run of 9 presidents and 40 years between them. And although military experience can be very important for the character of the president, it is not, and shall never be a pre-requisite.

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The Antiques Roadshow Takes A Closer Look at American History

While aimlessly flipping the channels a few nights ago, which doesn't happen as much as it used to now that we've upgraded to DVR, I stopped on the Antiques Roadshow.

This show always intrigues me with the background and history associated with each item. The appraisers are often times extremely knowledgeable in history and will associate the piece and how it was made with the era from which it came. To me, this makes the show very much worth watching.

But this night of the Antiques Road Show became especially enjoyable when they focused on a political sign from the 1840 election brought in by a man who inherited it from his family. The story goes that his great-grandmother, had made the sign in support of James K. Polk. The banner was appraised at $5-7,000 at auction.

His father's grandmother, was related to Abraham Lincoln. "One branch of the Lincoln family produced a gentleman by the name of Abraham," he told appraiser Catherine Williamson of Bonham & Butterfields in Los Angeles. "And the other branch of the family produced me."

I find it curious that during that era women weren't allowed to vote. But in the true democratic fashion, this woman decided to take the time to hand paint letters onto a banner which was approximately 15 by 6, using stencils. This was her way of campaigning.

Her favorite, Polk eventually did win the election on his platform of territorial expansion. He favored the annexation of Texas and the acquisition of the entire Oregon Territory, which at that time was shared with Britain. He was also pro-slavery. Polk was obviously the democratic nominee.

On the other hand Clay, representing the Whigs, had lost elections in 1824 and 1832, was against expansion and was anti-slavery. I've always been a big fan of Henry Clay, mostly because he was a man of strong convictions. He was never willing to give up. Known as the Great Compromiser his skill in negotiations staved off the Civil War twice in in 1820 with the Missouri Compromise and again with the Compromise of 1850. He also ran for president 5 times.

But back to the task at hand...

You can see the whole appraisal here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200702A10.html

Who knew the Antiques Roadshow was so Web 2.0. They have archived every appraisal they've done on TV and created a pretty cool search engine to find them too.

I tuned out after that, but was a little upset that I didn't continue watching. What came next was from the personal archives of the White House photographer for JFK.

"I was in Dallas during the horrible assassination," he told appraiser Francis Wahlgren of Christie's in New York as he recounted the details of that day. Once he realized Kennedy had died, he got on the plane with Lyndon Johnson and Jacqueline Kennedy and photographed Johnson's swearing-in ceremony.

The value of that photograph, autographed by LBJ, was $50,000, while a signed photo of the Kennedy family was appraised at $25,000.

And apparently this was THE episode to watch for american history aficianados as a Civil War Henry Repeating rifle was also appraised.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200702A34.html

References:

Article about Antiques Roadshow - http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080126/LIFE/801260301/-1/archives

Missouri Compromise - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missouri_Compromise
Compromise of 1850 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compromise_of_1850

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The Obligatory: Lincoln / Kennedy Coincidences

Having a US History blog without the obligatory coincidences between the assassinations of Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy, is like having a little league game without a parent who complains about the ump. You know its coming, you don't want to hear it, but still you find some joy in knowing that it still exists.

I think that most of us have seen this list. It is continuously passed around via email on an endless cycle and will inevitably land in your inbox every year or so, like it did in my inbox this afternoon. My Grandfather sent it to me. And despite how many times I've seen it, and how many times I've looked up the facts to debunk it, I still read each and every word.

Continue reading to the bottom for a link to the debunking of the list.

Mr. Miley, my 10th grade US History teacher from William Tennent High School in Warminster, PA introduced me to this phenomenon. As an open minded high school sophomore I thought it was one of the more interesting things I've ever learned. Mr. Miley was a JFK assassination buff and spent a significant amount of time on the subject. Unfortunately, this and The Jungle by Upton Sinclair are about the only things I remember from that class. I didn't start to appreciate US History until college. And I owe most of this to Dr. Paul Zbiek from King's College in Wilkes-Barre. He lectured by telling a story, and he would plan the classes well by leaving us with cliffhangers. It was great to watch his passion for the Civil War.

Back to the topic at hand...

I've been familiar with these "coincidences" for a while. And I don't think I can really continue this American History blog without getting this entry out of the way so that I can reference it later.

So here it goes... Here are the coincidences

Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846. John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860. John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960.

The names Lincoln and Kennedy each contain seven letters.

Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.

Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.

Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both were shot in the head.

Lincoln's secretary, Kennedy, warned him not to go to the theatre.

Kennedy's secretary, Lincoln, warned him not to go to Dallas.

Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners.

Both successors were named Johnson.

Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln, was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.

John Wilkes Booth was born in 1839.

Lee Harvey Oswald was born in 1939.

Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are comprised of fifteen letters.

Booth ran from the theater and was caught in a warehouse.

Oswald ran from a warehouse and was caught in a theater.

Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.

So that's the list.... Some of the similarities are kind of eerie, I don't doubt that. Let me continue by giving you the origins of this list.

A short while after JFK's assassination in 1963, this list surfaced and has been continuously reprinted and circulated since. And for good reason. It makes for interesting fodder. However, several of these entries are misleading or just flat out wrong. The majority of the coincidences are simply that, coincidences and should not be tied to any spiritual or karmic motives. If our president in 2o60 is assassinated, I might reconsider this statement.

And often times, this one is added:

A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe, Maryland. A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.

The Debunking:

To start, I've personally done some research about the last coincidence and the first thing that jumps out is this. Marilyn Monroe died in August of 1962. Kennedy was shot in November of 1963. Monroe was dead for over a year before the assassination. Do I even have to go on?

No. But I will. Currently, there is no town named Monroe, Maryland. Though there is a Monroe Gardens, Maryland, so this one might be possible.

#2

John Wilkes Booth was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald was born in 1939.

This is wrong. Just take a look at any John Wilkes Booth Bio to find out that he was born on May 10, 1838. See it here and here.

And because I couldn't say it better myself, please find a link to Snopes.com where someone has already taken the time to debunk many more of these claims.

I welcome any other facts and information...

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