Quotes of the Year: 2015

Quote of the Year : "A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP"
-Leonard Nimoy

Quote of the Year (Runner Up): "America has shown to me as an immigrant, that it is the land of opportunity. And I appreciate America so much and this is why it was so important for me to give something back. And we have to keep it the #1 country in the world. So I want to say thank you to America; that you have given me everything that I have."
-Arnold Schwartzenegger

And the rest...
"As I write this, it is not clear that I will ever play guitar again."
-Bono

"What we've said all along, and have been called bigots for it, is when there's this many bad apples, there's something wrong with the orchard."
Bill Maher on Islam

"The interesting thing about Mulder is nominally he is law enforcement but he never solved one case in nine years. So he’s the worst F.B.I. agent of all time."
-David Duchovny

"Fuck you Eddie Van Halen."
-Sammy Hagar

"Whatever you think of Reagan, you have to admit, he had a black belt in badassery."
-Brad Meltzer

"It was all this contemporary music geared for that audience, and it was so disappointing listening to it. Really weak songwriting, insipid vocals and productions. It was really discouraging. I was sorry to hear that. You're waiting for something to happen, musically. You're waiting for some great thing. Like every generation or every decade seemed to have that big thing that carried it through. There's nothing now, at least in rock."

-Alex Liefson

"I felt like I was in a period-piece sometimes. Because I could hear echoes or
sensations of Connery or of Roger, which I didn't try to censor; I'd just allow
them to come in."
-Pierce Brosnan

"Some people think it's a genius album, but I think it's a mishmash of rubbish, kind of like '(Their) Satanic Majesties.'”
-Keith Richards on Sgt. Pepper's

“I’m the only one to separate Siamese twins.”
-Ben Carson

"Calm people live. Tense people die."
-Adam Savage

“Don’t be a slave like I was.”
-Carrie Fisher

Greatest baseball movies

1. Field of Dreams (1989)
2. The Natural (1984)
3. Bull Durham (1988)
4. Pride of the Yankees (1942)
5. The Sandlot (1993)
6. Eight Men Out (1988)
7. A League of Their Own (1992)
8. The Winning Team (1952)
9.  Major League (1989)
10. Bad News Bears (1976)

Grover Cleveland Alexander: Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1938

Grover Cleveland Alexander

Born: February 26, 1887

1907: Signs first pro contract

1910: Sold to Phillies

Debut: April 15, 1911 (Phillies)

1911: Led league in wins (28), shutouts (7), complete games (31), and innings (367) as a rookie

1915: Won Triple Crown (31 wins, 241 strikeouts, 1.22 ERA)

1915: Phillies won the pennant; Alexander wins a game in the WS. Phillies would not win another postseason game until 1977. Philadelphia lost the World Series to Boston.

1916: Won Triple Crown (33 wins, 167 strikeouts, 1.55 ERA)

1917: Sold to Cubs after season

1918: Drafted and shipped to France for World War I

1918: Cubs win Pennant; Lose World Series to Boston

1920: Won Triple Crown (27 wins, 173 strikeouts, 1.91 ERA)

1926: Sold to Cardinals mid-season

1926: Cards win Pennant

1926 World Series: Won Complete Game victories in Game 2 and 6

1926: World Series Game 7- Came out of the bullpen with bases loaded and 2 outs to face Tony Lazzeri. Cards led 3-2. Alexander struckout Lazzeri ending the threat. He finished the game and did not allow a run. It was one of the World Series’ great moments.

1928: Cards win the Pennant; swept by Yankees in World Series

1930: Returned to Phillies, but excessive drinking led to an end of his big league career

Final Game: May 28, 1930

1931-1938: Pitched for the House of David

1938: Elected to Hall of Fame (3^rd Ballot)

1950: Attended World Series between Yankees and Phillies

Died: November 4, 1950

1952: Ronald Reagan starred as Alexander in The Winning Team

Accomplishments:
1926 World Champion

Triple Crown: 1915, 1916, 1920

373 wins (3^rd All Time)

.642 career winning %

2.56 ERA

1.121 WHIP

90 Shutouts (2^nd All Time)

Won 20+ games: 9 times

Won 30+ games: three times

Led the NL in wins: 6x

Win % Leader: 1915 (.756)

ERA Leader: 4x

Games Start Leader: 3x

Complete Game leader: 6x

437 Complete Games

Shutout Leader: 7x

IP leader: 7x

300+ Innings: 9x

5190 Innings Pitched

Strikeout leader: 6x

200+ strikeouts: 4x

2198 Career Strikeouts

Postseason Record: 3-2, 3.56 ERA

Quotes of the Month: February 2011

Quote of the Month: “If Charlie Sheen outlives me, I’m gonna be really pissed.”


-Chuck Lorre

Dumb Quote of the Month: “All my people love me.”

-Moamer Gadhafi

And the rest…

“Blame Nicki Minaj for females calling themselves Barbies knowin’ they look like a Build-a-bear. “

-?

"There are not any plans to erect a statue to RoboCop. Thank you for your suggestion."

-Detroit Mayor Dave Bing

"100 years after president Reagan's birth, it is worth remembering that the Cold War didn't just end. It was won."

-Donald Rumsfeld

"God didn't create all men equal, Smith and Wesson did."

-Top Shot

"'They may be talking about democracy but they don't know what they're talking about and the result will be extremism and radical Islam.'"

-Hosni Mubarak on Barack Obama

"We cannot deter it. We cannot negotiate with it any more than an iceburg or a great white. I refer to the debt - the new red menace, this time consisting of ink."

-Mitch Daniels

“The Obama agenda is over.”

-Mitch McConnell

“Death to the dictator.”

-Iranian Protestors

“I take my hat off to myself.”

-Carmelo Anthony

“I for one welcome our new computer overlords.”

-Ken Jennings

“My mother was a great Pirates fan. She knows we’re in trouble, so she went upstairs to get some help.”

-Chuck Tanner (1979)

“The problem is -- and dare I say this -- it doesn't look like Michelle Obama follows her own nutritionary, dietary advice. And then we hear that she's out eating ribs at 1,500 calories a serving with 141 grams of fat per serving, yeah it does -- what do you mean, what do I mean? What is it - no, I'm trying to say that our First Lady does not project the image of women that you might see on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, or of a woman [professional baseball player] Alex Rodriguez might date every six months or what have you. I mean, women are under constant pressure to look lithe, and Michelle My Belle is out there saying if you eat the roots and tree bark and the berries and all this cardboard stuff you will live longer, be healthier and you won't be obese. Okay, fine, show us.”

-Rush Limbaugh

"Duke was a fine man, a terrific hitter and a great friend - even though he was a Dodger.”

-Willie Mays on Duke Snider

"They picked a fight with a warlock."

-Charlie Sheen on his feud with CBS

Presidential Songs: Ronald Reagan

President Reagan did not have any real campaign songs. He did try to use John Mellencamp's "Pink Houses," but the artist protested. Mellencamp vehemently opposed Reagan's policies.

Pink Houses:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOfkpu6749w&ob=av2e

Since Reagan is credited with ending the Cold War, perhaps this would have been a better Mellencamp selection:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PErUiAyVoGc

Previous Winners: Men of the Decade (1900-1999)

1900s- Albert Einstein: Something about relativity...

1910s- Henry Ford: Assembly line and $5 day set up the 20th century.

1920s- Babe Ruth: People had disposable income for the first time and spent it on sports.

1930s- Mohandas Gandhi: The Salt March and non-violent protest inspired MLK and helped India gain independence in 1948.

1940s- Franklin D. Roosevelt: Turned the weight of American power on the Germans and Japanese militarists. Essentially saved the western civilization.

1950s- Laika: First dog in space. I like dogs.

1960s- Apollo 11: We really need to return to the moon and set up colonies before the Earth becomes too populated.

1970s- No one!: What a crap ass decade this was.

1980s- Ronald Reagan: Bed time for Communism.

1990s- Steve Yzerman: The decade was a "holiday from history." Steve led the Wings to two Stanley Cups (1997-1998) and broke the curse.

Grades: First Year for Every President Since FDR

Here are the grades for every president's first year since FDR. The rationale for each grade is listed next to the name. If there are questions, google the terms or ask. Also, some events have a greater significance, so even if a president has a nice achievement or a dunderheaded move, it can be canceled out by something else. Interestingly, I gave Clinton a higher mark than many of the people in his administration for his first year...

Obama is not included.

I used January 20 as the end date for the accidental presidents.

FDR: A (New Deal)

Truman (April 12, 1945-January 20, 1946): A (Potsdam, Ended WWII,UN)

Eisenhower: A (Ended Korean War, Kept most of New Deal, Earl Warren)

JFK: D (Bay of Pigs, Alliance for Progress, Peace Corps, Berlin Wall, Failed summit, Space Program, Inaugural Address)

LBJ (November 22, 1963-January 20, 1965): A (Kennedy Assassination, Civil Rights Act, 1964 Election. Beginnings of Great Society)

Nixon: C (Inaugural Address, Bombing Cambodia, Beginning of Vietnamization, Silent Majority speech)

Ford: (August 9, 1974-January 20, 1975): A-(WIN Program, Nixon Pardon, Healer-in-chief)

Carter: C (Draft dodger pardon, Carter VS. Congress)

Reagan: A (First Inaugural Address, Tax Cuts, Assassination Attempt, Air Traffic Controller’s Strike, Confrontation, Defense Buildup, Sandra Day O‘Connor)

Bush 41: C (Panama, Fall of Berlin Wall)

Clinton: D- (FMLA, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, NAFTA, Travelgate, Troopergate, Whitewater, other assorted scandals, Waco, Somalia)

Bush 43: A (Tax cuts, 911, Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind, Withdrawal from ABM Treaty and Kyoto, Overthrow of Taliban and War on Terror, Ground Zero Speech, 911 Address to Congress)

Greatest Movie Scenes #41-50

41. Put your lips together and blow-To Have and Have Not (1944):  Lauren Bacall was 19 years old when she made her debut in this film. Wow. Simply wow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY4zkWUTvQM

42. A boulder- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): Ford did the stunt himself. Although not a real boulder, it still could have seriously injured him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgnlu-kpdOs

43. The parachute- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977): This might be the greatest Bond movie stunt. The British flag on the parachute was a nice touch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaEU_A405zA

44. Laser- Gold finger (1964): This might be the most iconic Bond scene. Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr. Bond. I expect you to die.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wyp909mQPM

45. The Indianapolis- Jaws (1975): You’d think Robert Shaw (Quint) served aboard the Indianapolis. This scene immortalized the experience of that crew during the Second World War.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nrvMNf-HEg

46. The Conversation: Pacino meets De Niro- Heat (1995): This is the scene fans waited 20 years for and neither actor disappointed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYSzx_zy-98

47. The Battle- Gladiator (2000): How did the Romans conquer the world? Watch the opening scene in Gladiator. Although not completely accurate, the scene demonstrates superior Roman discipline, technology, and tactics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=331clHFsnpY

48. Win one for the Gipper- Knute Rockne: All American (1940): Even if Reagan had not become president, this scene would have been remembered. Reagan’s political career turned it into legend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIHNUt1gw7A

49. Fredo goes fishing- Godfather II (1974): Michael Corleone proved completely heartless when wacking his brother and then blaming his death on drowning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7oms_hG-Pc

50. Kong vs. airplanes-King Kong (1933): Kong was not the villain in this Depression-era film. Instead, it was the capitalists and those that wanted to conquer nature.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dytJJrpxwDw

Presidential Legacies: 1969-1989

The Johnson Administration’s folly in Vietnam led to Republican Executive Branch dominance for the remainder of the century. The Cold War continued and the Republicans were enlisted to end it and fix an economy damaged by the Great Society. The presidents between 1969 and 1989 battled recession and Russians. In the end, both were conquered.

Richard Nixon benefited politically from Lyndon Johnson’s downfall. His political career was dead. However, he worked hard in 1966 and became the Republican nominee in 1968. Once in office, Nixon worked to thaw the Cold War and end the Vietnam conflict. It took almost four years for the Vietnam War to end. The North Vietnamese refused to negotiate in good faith through much of Nixon’s first term. They finally came around when it appeared he would be re-elected.

The war’s end coincided with two major Nixon diplomatic coups. He became the first president to go to China. This opened China to the United States, set in motion their economic renaissance, and isolated the Soviet Union. The Russians felt threatened and isolated by the U.S. and China. As a result, they welcomed Nixon’s diplomatic overtures. Détente has been criticized by the right, but there was no way for Nixon to know that the Soviet Union would collapse in his lifetime.

While Nixon was racking up the accomplishments, his administration became immersed in the Watergate Scandal. Basically, a group of White House operatives broke into and bugged Democratic Headquarters. The Johnson Administration bugged the Nixon Campaign, so this was nothing new. However, word of the break-in made it into the papers. Nixon made the mistake of attempting to cover it up. He should have fired those involved immediately and claimed ignorance. Instead, he waged war on the press. Events steam rolled and he was forced to resign.

Gerald Ford took over for Nixon. Initially, Ford was very popular. However, he pardoned Nixon and that popularity collapsed. The president from Michigan decided it was best to get beyond the Watergate Scandal. He wanted the country to heal and move forward. Ford did not want to put the country through the agony of a trial. Additionally, Nixon’s health declined dramatically and some worried the former president would not survive a trial. So, Ford pardoned Nixon and that cost him the election of 1976.

Ford lost to Jimmy Carter. Carter was an inexperienced nobody in 1975. In 1977, he was president. Carter’s tenure was marked by disaster. He refused to work with Congressional Democrats. Carter did not see much of a difference between them and Nixon. Then, the economy collapsed. Unemployment and inflation each hit double digits. The country’s confidence was gone. On July 15, 1979, Carter went on national television and chewed out the country. Carter called it a “crisis of confidence.” However, Carter’s tone was that of a fire-and-brimstone preacher and it fell flat. At the end of the year, Iran kidnapped 52 Americans and held them hostage. This paralyzed the Carter Administration even further. The economy and Iran Hostage Crisis cost Carter the White House.

Carter left America searching for a white knight. Ronald Reagan literally came out of central casting. Reagan won two massive electoral victories. Upon taking office, it appeared his economic policy was D.O.A. Then, John Hinkley Jr. tried to kill him in an effort to impress Jodie Foster. Hinkley failed on both accounts. This was a turning point. Reagan got his economic policies through congress. The economy continued to struggle for a time before exploding. By 1984, it was “Morning in America.” In his first term, the economy turned around. In his second term, he would face down the Russians.

During his first term, Reagan had little diplomatic contact with the Soviets. The Soviet leaders kept dying. Additionally, the Russians had been trying to expand in a fashion similar to the Nazis before World War II. By the early eighties, the Soviets had invaded Afghanistan, declared martial law in Poland, and stepped up their proxy wars against American allies. People questioned whether democracy could survive. In response, Reagan began a massive arms buildup. The plan was to outspend the Russians. He succeeded.

By 1985, the Soviet economy was strained. By 1989, it had completely collapsed. The Soviets had overextended and now had to try and keep up with the American arms buildup. The Reagan arms buildup was only part of the reason. The other factor was the new Soviet Premier, Mikhail Gorbachev. Gorbachev attempted to reform the Soviet economy. He did not want to end communism. However, socialism is failed economic theory. Under Gorbachev's socialist reforms, the Soviet economy, and with it the military, collapsed. The Soviet Union itself ceased to exist in 1991.

In 1989, it looked like anything was possible. Communism was collapsing around the world. Dictatorships were on the wane. The world economy was expanding. Freedom was expanding. Would things continue to improve and would mankind enter into some new enlightened phase or would mankind blow it?

Greatest American Bracketology Elite 8

Elite 8
Early America
1. George Washington- vs. 2. Thomas Jefferson- (Washington wins; had a big lead and held on)

Antebellum through Civil War
1. Abraham Lincoln vs. 3. Andrew Jackson- (Lincoln landslide)

Recon through WW2
7. Theodore Roosevelt- vs. 12. Albert Einstein (TR landslide)

Modern
1. Martin Luther King Vs. 2. Ronald Reagan (King wins; Reagan led, King took a big lead, Reagan rallied, but fell just short.)

Sweet 16: Greatest American

Early America
1. George Washington vs. 5. James Madison (GW wins)
2. Thomas Jefferson vs. 3. Alexander Hamilton (Jefferson wins)

Antebellum through Civil War
1. Abraham Lincoln vs. 13. John Quincy Adams (Lincoln wins)
2. John Marshall vs. 3. Andrew Jackson (Jackson wins)

Recon through WW2
1. FDR vs. 12. Albert Einstein (Einstein wins)
6. Henry Ford vs. 7. Theodore Roosevelt (TR wins)

Modern
1. MLK vs. 4. Dwight Eisenhower (MLK wins)
2. Ronald Reagan vs. 14. Richard Nixon (Reagan wins)

Media Bias: 1980-1992

The Media declared open season on Ronald Reagan from the time he won the GOP nomination. They were excited at the chance of bringing down another president, but were also frantic about destroying and discrediting Reaganism. Almost immediately, they were blunted by John Hinkley Jr. Hinkley attempted to assassinate President Reagan. Reagan survived and was able to push through his economic stimulus package. After what they deemed an appropriate waiting period, they pounced.

Throughout Reagan's eight years, the press alternated their portrayal of the president. Sometimes he was a kindly dolt. Other times, Reagan was a criminal mastermind. At the same time, they attempted to demonstrate the failure of Reagan's policies by finding people that fell through the cracks. They'd portray the worst case scenario as the reality for the masses. Their efforts failed and Reagan remained popular. Desperate, in 1987, the press and some Democrats attempted to criminalize policy differences.

When the Iran-Contra Scandal broke, the press did its best to drive Reagan from office. When Oliver North testified before Congress in his marine uniform and Reagan fessed up, the scandal dissipated and Reagan's popularity began to rise. Congress later repealed the Boland Amendment which made almost everything moot. (The amendment was probably unconstitutional to begin with).

After failing to destroy Reagan, they went after Reaganism. The press attacked the Republican nominee, George H.W. Bush and campaigned for Governor Michael Dukakis of Massachusetts. Dukakis was everything the press wanted. He was an eastern elite and an unrepentant liberal. George H.W. Bush was a moderate and an eastern elite himself (more so than Dukakis), but he was Reagan's veep. 1988 would be one of the dirtiest campaigns of all time and the press was partially responsible.

The media accused Bush of wimpiness. Bush responded by engaging in a shouting match with Dan Rather. Then, the Republicans used the media to their advantage. This always drives the press nuts. Negative ads flew every couple of minutes in key states. Dukakis did face a tough question during the debates, but his answer came across as disingenuous. Bush won in 1988 and the press seethed.

The press could not take on George H.W. Bush for much of his first term. Bush was extremely popular until early 1992. The economy slowed and the press intentionally exaggerated the downturn. They took their cue from the Democratic nominee, Bill Clinton. Clinton was not their first choice. Originally, Clinton was seen as a hillbilly good old boy. The press preferred Mario Cuomo of New York. Cuomo should have run, but didn't. The other candidates in the Democratic field included Jerry Brown and Paul Tsongas. The press made fun of Brown. He was from California and they dubbed him "Governor Moonbeam." The press loved Paul Tsongas. He was from Massachusetts and was a cancer survivor. They openly attacked Clinton until he won the nomination. Then, it was all quiet on the western front.

Media images could not be more stark. Bush was old, tired, and out of touch. Clinton was young, vigorous, and hip. When Bush made the mistake of looking at his watch during a debate, the press ran the clip over and over (Michael Dukakis thought it was unfair). When the Iran Contra prosecutor indicted key figures in the scandal days before the election, the press had an orgy. When news that the recession had ended came out days before the election, the press sat on the story until the day after the election.

Prior to 1980, media bias was based on class and status. After Reagan's rise to power and the shift from the Great Society to Reagan's Society, the press shifted. Republicans followed Reagan's lead, and the press ran to the Democrats. Strains in that alliance would appear during Bill Clinton's term as president.

Media Bias: 1963-1980

The press loved Massachusetts aristocrat John Kennedy. When he died and was replaced by a (gasp) Texan, it was yet another politician without the right pedigree. As a Texan, Johnson was another outsider. He was a pretender to the throne and a vulgar man. He had a ranch. LBJ was everything the press hated. They turned on him the first chance they had. The press even printed pictures of LBJ holding his dog up by its ears. It reaffirmed their image of Johnson as a vile and uncultured man. In 1964, the press pulled for the Republican Rockefeller. However, the GOP nominated Barry Goldwater. Goldwater was worse than Johnson, so they went after him with full fury. Goldwater lost and then the press went back to criticizing Johnson. When Georgetown burned during the urban uprisings, someone told LBJ that Georgetown was on fire. Many press insiders lived there. Johnson's responded "I've waited 35 years to hear that!" The press helped drive him from office.

They also helped drive Richard Nixon from office. Had Nixon been an insider, they would have ignored Watergate. But, Nixon defeated good establishment liberals in his run for the house, the senate, and the presidency. He also brought down Alger Hiss. What drove them the craziest was his use of media to get his message across. Whether it was the “Silent Majority” speech or the trip to China, Nixon used the press images for favorable coverage while reporters seethed. The press never forgave him for that.

Nixon’s successor, Gerald Ford, came from Michigan. He even graduated from the University of Michigan. The press accepted him at first, but quickly went after him. Ford pardoned Nixon to get Watergate behind the country. The press began to work to undermine his presidency. They portrayed Ford as dimwitted and clumsy. Press coverage of Gerald Ford can be summed up with the headline: Ford to City: Drop Dead.

The press sided with Ford’s opponent, Jimmy Carter, in 1976. Carter was not Nixon. He was also a feel good story. The press played up Carter and attacked Ford (Ford did help doom himself with a debate gaffe). Carter made some silly mistakes in the press when he admitted he lusted in his eyes, saw a UFO, and by claiming to have been attacked by a killer rabbit (not making this up). Carter’s novelty disappeared quickly. The press enjoyed making Carter’s brother look like a fool. When all was said and done, Carter was another outsider. He was from Georgia. The press hoped he’d be one of them, but he wasn’t. The press did not rally to him until Ronald Reagan became the Republican Nominee.

The New Right scared the press. They were the ultimate outsiders. These Goldwater-ites were everything the press was not. They were not East Coast. They were not Ivy League. They were not Elites. They distrusted government. They distrusted power. They distrusted liberalism. The press pumped the candidacy of George H.W. Bush. Bush failed. Reagan won the GOP nod. They attacked Reagan as dumb, unsophisticated, and simple. They claimed he’d start World War III and civilization would end with a Reagan Presidency. The press went nuts. Then, Reagan won. The Reagan Revolution changed the dynamic. The press changed its tone and went after Republicans and gave Democrats a free ride. The GOP epicenter was no longer the East Coast. It had moved to the heartland while the Democratic epicenter remained elitist. The press sided with the East Coast while the GOP sided with the heartland and the blue collar voter.

The Greatest Inaugural Addresses

I have read every Presidential Inaugural Address from Washington to W. I have seen every Inaugural Address from Kennedy to W (Thank you C-Span). So, here is my list of the five greatest addresses and four honorable mentions...They are arranged chronologically.

1. Thomas Jefferson (1801): Jefferson tried to heal wounds caused by a decade of intense partisanship. People think today's politics are hyper-partisan. However, the 1790s were worse. As Obama has been doing, Jefferson attempted to reach across the aisle and proclaimed one American nation with the refrain, "We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists."

2. Abraham Lincoln (1865): The partisanship of Jefferson's time was intense, but not as intense as the 1850s. By 1860, compromise was not possible and war broke out after Lincoln's inaugural in 1861. Speeches do not have to be long to be good. Lincoln's second address was short and to the point. He wanted to heal the nation, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."

3. Franklin Roosevelt (1933): FDR reassured a nation deep in despair by promising "that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself." Compared to the dour Herbert Hoover, this was a breath of fresh air. Additionally, with improvements in technology, we can see and hear FDR's speech today.

4. John F. Kennedy (1961): JFK's inaugural was a call to arms for a new generation. It was a message of hope. Mankind can eliminate poverty and other social problems. Liberty will spread. America's good words would be transformed into good deeds. Kennedy also challenged Americans to "ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country."

5. Ronald Reagan (1981): Reagan always performed for his audience. After four years of the Carter Malaise, and almost 20 years of bad luck, divisions, and disasters, Reagan had come on his white horse to set things right. Reagan promised a new beginning. As a result of leftist policies, the economy was shattered and America's prestige abroad at an all time low. Like today, solutions to problems does not come from government. Instead, America's problem was government.

Honorable Mentions:

1. Andrew Jackson (1829): Jackson's election marked the beginning of a new age. (It also led to the greatest party in American History as the White House got trashed). Jackson's address was similar to Reagan's. Liberty is more important than government expansion.

2. Abraham Lincoln (1861): The South left the Union. How would Lincoln respond? He attempted to alleviate Southern worries, but he also let it be known that states can not leave the Union. He asks Southerners to be patriots and appeals to their "better angels."

3. Benjamin Harrison (1889): Harrison was known to be "icy." He was not very likable, but he managed to get elected. Despite his inability to be warm and fuzzy, he gave a pretty good address. It was a celebratory unity speech.

4. Richard Nixon (1969): Nixon came back from the abyss to win the presidency in 1968. During his exile, he became an expert in foreign affairs. Like Kennedy, he appealed to something bigger than himself. It was a "Summons to Greatness." Nixon pushed for a peaceful world. He asked Americans to seize the opportunity for greatness. It was time to end war, "The greatest honor history can bestow is the title of peacemaker."

Happy New Year!!!

Happy 2009!

Just a quick look back...(it's what I do)...

1 year ago: Hillary Clinton was the certain Democratic nominee for President.

5 years ago: The Boston Red Sox won their first World Series since 1918.

10 years ago: Bill Clinton escaped removal from office after being impeached.

20 years ago: The Bay Area suffered a monster quake that collapsed the Bay Bridge.

25 years ago: Ronald Reagan won a massive re-election victory.

50 years ago: Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and The Big Bopper are killed in a plane crash.

100 years ago: William Howard Taft becomes president. Theodore Roosevelt goes big game hunting to avoid sharing the spotlight.

150 years ago: John Brown raided Harper's Ferry, Virginia trying to start a slave revolt. It helped lead to the Civil War.

250 years ago: The Seven Years War ends on the battlefield (diplomatically, it would be a few more years)

The Greats

Just beneath the "Saviors," there are the "Greats." These five presidents redefined the presidency, the national interest, or the nation itself. None of them were perfect, but they all stood heads and tails above the rest. What separates them from the saviors is the lack of mortal danger the nation faced. What separates them from all others is their force of will which changed the nation in some way. Again, these are in chronological order.
1. Andrew Jackson (1829-1837): Jackson embodied the "common man." Andrew Jackson took up the mantle of universal (white) manhood suffrage and made it his cause. During the 1820s, suffrage expanded dramatically and Jackson rode the wave to Washington. As president, he expanded the office's powers while decentralizing the government. He usually won his battles. He even paid off the national debt. His advocacy of the little guy has been a standard Democratic battle cry long after they abandoned the little guy. Although, his handling of the Bank War and the withdrawal of funds led to his censure and Indian Removal is a major stain on his record. Overall, Jackson's policies of small government, strong central authority, and support for the average citizen led to this period being labeled "The Age of Jackson."
2. Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909): TR's policies and beliefs had a profound impact on the country (and his cousin Franklin). The only side he took during labor disputes was that of the consumer. He was also the first president to advocate consumer protection. While president, he balanced the extreme right and left and steered a middle course. On the international level, he was the first American President to be considered an equal with the Europeans. He even won the Nobel Peace Prize for arbitrating the end of the Russo-Japanese War. Even more than his predecessor, Roosevelt pushed America's place in the world. He sent the US fleet on a world tour to demonstrate American power and built the Panama Canal. It was Roosevelt and his Big Stick Policy that turned America into a World power following the Spanish-American War.
3. Harry S. Truman (1945-1953): While TR turned America into a player on the world stage, Truman turned the player into a leader. This transition occurred during World War II under FDR, but following the war, most people expected America to turn inward again. Instead, Truman went on a crusade against Communism. He rebuilt Europe, established NATO as a defensive alliance, and promised to stand up against Stalin and the Commies wherever they were in the world. This led to the Berlin Airlift, Marshall Plan, Truman Doctrine, and Korean War. Harry Truman initiated the Containment Policy to keep the Communists hemmed in. This policy was (more or less) followed by America until the late 1970s. Truman's policy, followed by his successors, probably helped save many in the world from communist dictatorships.
4. Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961): Ike? Am I kidding? No. Eisenhower has been slowly inching up the presidential rankings for the last decade. His solid, no frills leadership in the 1950s was exactly what people wanted. When Russia detonated their a-bombs, people knew they would not mess with the US with Ike in the White House. When Sputnik was launched, Ike stopped a panic. When a mob went after children trying to desegregate Little Rock Central High School, Ike sent in the military to protect them. When people began to look at Vietnam, Ike said it was not worth the time. When people wanted out of Korea, Ike went to Korea. On top of all of this, Ike built the national highway system that made modern America. With the highway system, Americans created the suburbs. Indeed, Ike belongs on this list.
5. Ronald Reagan (1981-1989): When Reagan took office, the Soviet Union was waging proxy wars all over the globe, had invaded Afghanistan, there were hostages being held in Iran, and unemployment and inflation combined were at about 25%. When Reagan left office, the Soviets were on the vergeof destruction, had lost the war in Afghanistan, the hostages were returned home the minute Reagan assumed office, and unemployment and inflation were under control and continued to fall for another generation. Some credit Gorbachev with many of the changes. Although it is true he opened the USSR up politically, his economic reforms designed to reinvigorate communism failed as the pressure the US placed on them came to bear. The end result, America was the world's only super power. TR would have been proud.

Revolution!!!

Jimmy Carter was a failure. He had the worst presidency since James Buchanan (1857-1861). Inflation and unemployment combined to make the "misery index." The misery index was around 25%. He was challenged by Ted Kennedy for the nomination. This challenge wounded Carter as Reagan's challenge wounded Ford in 1976. On top of this, Carter looked weak as Iran kidnapped 52 Americans and held them for 444 days. They would not be released until Carter left office.
Carter's challenger was the former governor of California. Ronald Reagan had led an insurrection against the Republican establishment. He stood for small government and lower taxes. His personal charisma and message was formidable and Carter knew he was in trouble. As a result, the Democrats attempted to paint Reagan as a warmonger as they did to Barry Goldwater in 1964. They failed. Reagan's charm and Carter's incompetence overcame any misgivings people had. When a rescue mission to free the hostages in Iran crashed in the desert killing the rescuers, Carter was toast. Reagan won in a landslide.
Four years later, Carter's Vice President, Walter Mondale, won the Democratic nomination and promised to raise taxes. Mondale's running mate was the first woman to run on a major party ticket. Unfortunately, Geraldine Ferraro's husband had IRS issues and was rumored to be tied to organized crime. Reagan was personally popular and the economy was the strongest peace time economy in history. Reagan won in the mother of all landslides. He won 49 states. The key moment came during the debates. Reagan looked old and lost in the first debate, but in the second debate, he was on fire. When the age issue arose, Reagan said he would not exploit Mondale's youth and inexperience for political gain. The election ended that night.
Reagan would serve two full terms and is now considered a near-great or even a great president by Republicans and Democrats (albeit begrudgingly) alike. He led a revolution that reverberates to this day and has led at least one imminent liberal historian to dub the era, "The Age of Reagan." Jimmy Carter is still alive, formed Habitat for Humanity, and has recently lost his mind. Walter Mondale is no longer with us.