Slog Comments
Return of the President
20
Stephen Colbert excerpted from America (The Book) on Warren G. Harding...
"The reasons why he sucked are many and, to be truthful, have been widely catalogued in the annals of presidential history. So, with your indulgence, I'd like to focus instead on the intensity of his sucking.
Warren G. Harding was a worthless piece of shit. Fuck him. His presidency was a taint, not just in the sense of a "stain on the office," but literally a taint -- the anatomical area between the anus and the testicles."
I hate Warren G. Harding."
Gosh, I love America (The Book).
"The reasons why he sucked are many and, to be truthful, have been widely catalogued in the annals of presidential history. So, with your indulgence, I'd like to focus instead on the intensity of his sucking.
Warren G. Harding was a worthless piece of shit. Fuck him. His presidency was a taint, not just in the sense of a "stain on the office," but literally a taint -- the anatomical area between the anus and the testicles."
I hate Warren G. Harding."
Gosh, I love America (The Book).
19
What about a novel published several times? Every time the author feels like adding something, he could push it out as a new e-book. People who'd already got it could download the update. People who had purchased the physical version could think of them as collector's items.
18
Yeah, like Americans roday would ever vote for an obese presidential candidate. As if.
Similarly, of course, Lincoln could never make it into office with a beard. It's all about the visuals, people! (Cf. Warren G. Harding, whose sole qualification for office was "how presidential he looked." Didn't work out well.)
Similarly, of course, Lincoln could never make it into office with a beard. It's all about the visuals, people! (Cf. Warren G. Harding, whose sole qualification for office was "how presidential he looked." Didn't work out well.)
17
T. Roosevelt picked Taft as his successor but was dismayed when Taft abandoned TR's progressive stance toward big business. So much so that TR ran against him as a third party candidate (Bull Moose) when Taft sought a second term. This handed the election to Woodrow Wilson.
15
@ 14, FDR's presidency prompted the term limit amendment. Serving no more than two terms was a tradition established by Washington, and only FDR ran for more. I forget what number amendment it is, but it was passed and ratified during Truman's time.
13
America (The Book) has a great little sidebar annotation. Something along the lines of, 'Taft was our first and only president to have also served as a supreme court justice. He was also our fattest president. Guess which distinction Americans bring up more often?'
Gosh, I love America (The Book).
Gosh, I love America (The Book).
11
President Taft answered the question of "What is Whiskey?" in December 1909. The question came about because of the Pure Food and Drug Act that went into effect in June of '06. The Taft Decision determined what makes a straight bourbon whiskey and a straight rye whiskey, and what could be called "blended whiskey" and "imitation whiskey". The Taft Decision made grain the requirement and blocked the use of molasses which is the main ingredient in rum. Of course some changes have come along, like bourbon must be aged in new barrels (1938) and bourbon is a US product (1964). Essentially the Taft Decision is the reason our Stranger Staff's can enjoy their Maker's Mark. And, I can raise my glass of Four Rose Small Batch. Cheers! http://www.gobourbon.com/index.php?optio…
10
@8 I think if FDR came back to life and wanted to run again I'm pretty sure term limits would be a pretty easy hurdle to overcome. :)
8
@6
There are term limits to consider, but maybe there's a loophole somewhere in the mechanics. We need someone well-versed in both constitutional law and time travel.
There are term limits to consider, but maybe there's a loophole somewhere in the mechanics. We need someone well-versed in both constitutional law and time travel.
7
@4: "...you can gulp it down in a mid-length plane ride, and then completely forget you ever read the thing during the mid-length plane ride back"
I'd say that sounds exactly like Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.
I'd say that sounds exactly like Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter.
3
A real time publishing is a fascinating concept and one that I would buy into... not much different than say a Steven Colbert or Jon Stewart. Otherwise, I really have no motivation to pick up this book.
2
He went on to become the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. And there's more, but since you have a perceived lack of interest in history I feel no need to enumerate them.
1
Are there any allusions to Taft's accomplishments* during his first go at the job, or anything he did back then? Increasingly it seems like his only meaningful legacy in popular memory is being The Fattest President.
*did he actually accomplish anything? besides eating and getting stuck in bathtubs? i don't know, see above paragraph
*did he actually accomplish anything? besides eating and getting stuck in bathtubs? i don't know, see above paragraph
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