My favorite President is Abraham Lincoln. He was not a perfect man, but he remained resolute during a difficult time in our country's history.
Could he get elected today? I do not know. He had a high squeaky voice. He was prone to depression. His wife, Mary, had a bad temper. They were both candidates for Prozac. Now a physician has written a book with the premise that Lincoln had a genetic defect he inherited from his mother. This defect of chromosone 10 results in MEN2B, a rare form of cancer that affects hormone producing glands, such as the thyroid or adrenal glands. The writer, John B. Soto, contends that Lincoln would not have lived much longer than the date he was assassinated. Of course, not everyone accepts Soto's diagnosis. But today all kinds of rumors would probably abound about such an unusual man. He was self taught and he spoke his mind. Let the chips fall where they may. He could sway a jury as a trial lawyer. He could move an audience to tears with his oratory. He could use humor to persuade. But his personal problems in the modern world would get a lot of media attention.
An example of Lincoln's humor is this criticism of his inlaws; the Todd family. Lincoln said that God only needed one d, but the Todd family demanded two. The Todd family thought Lincoln was an unworthy match for Mary because he was so poor. Yes, today's media would find plenty about Lincoln to discuss. But the fact remains Lincoln was a brilliant man who led our nation during a defining moment in time. No wonder President Obama is attracted to him.
I wonder which Presidents my Fiddler Kin admire. I wonder if they will share their thoughts.
Getting physical
-
Training sessions have been going really well these past few weeks. I
swim, lift, and run on my own (or with the masters swim team) during the
week, and o...
12 years ago
4 comments:
Lincoln's a good one, Honor. I like your topic. :)
I'm also a fan of FDR, particularly after reading The Worst Hard Time, a non-fiction account of the people who stayed during the Dust Bowl. I think FDR's visionary plans for reviving the nation during the Depression and Dust Bowl are inspiring.
I think people who lived through the worst hard times really admire FDR. He inspired hope in people so they thought they could make it. Your grandparents and great grandparents on the Fiddler side always praised FDR when the talk turned to politics. They also liked Harry Truman. Both men made a lot of tough decisions. One time Grandpa Fiddler drove the family to Independence, Mo. just so we could drive by the Truman home. He stopped in front of their house and honked the horn. Nobody came out. I think Grandpa was disappointed. I believe your maternal grandparents were life long democrats. The last person Grandpa voted for was John Kennedy. Grandpa believed the conspiracy theory about the assassination and never trusted politicians or the government again.
Wow--thanks for sharing these interesting stories about my grandparents, Honor. I can picture Grandpa Fiddler honking his horn in front of the Truman house. I can also picture him flying down Johnson Drive at 50 mph in his caravan while Andy and I screamed in delight, and my dad hung on for dear life in the middle seat.
Post a Comment