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« Oscars? What Oscars? | Main | My Pyschic Encounter with Jack Ruby »

February 01, 2008

Comments

Danny,
Another great post. God love ya. I've been an admirer of Truman since I first heard the quote, on being asked what would be the first thing he did on returning to Independence after leaving the White house and he replied "Take the grips back up to the attic."
That we should have such humility in the White House again!
Steve

I'm a geek for all things Presidential myself. Of course, I may not be able to tell you where they stood on this issue or that one, but, I can sure tell you their kids names and who married who, etc.

Love this post.

Great post and great images to go with it. Thanks

Sue Katz

Don't forget Theodore Roosevelt Jr., who was a brigadier general and died of a heart attack in France following the Normandy invasion.

More on Truman and his humility upon leaving office, although this is not directly connected with presidential children. When asked how he felt about stepping down, he reportedly said, according to my Dad, who was a great admirer of Truman, "I'm stepping up. Yesterday I was a public servant. Today I'm a private citizen." I've tried to substantiate this quote, but have so far been unsuccessful.

I got my first degree at the University of Kansas in the early eighties. Once, on a whim, I drove to Independence, Missouri to see the Truman library. It was closed. I then drove to Delaware street and past the Truman home. Bess was alive then. I was stunned at how unassuming it was, just like the quintessential "grandmother's house" from a hundred children's stories. It really looked more like the home of a former haberdasher (which it was) rather than that of a former president. Across the narrow street was a miniscule bungalow where the dedicated secret service men spent their long days (doing what, God only knows) while the former First Lady puttered around her doily-strewn home. Meanwhile, here in Dallas, a large swath of land has been cleared of condos to make way for the Bush library (insert joke here) near the campus of SMU. It is an accepted fact that George and Laura will also make their home here. Something tells me it will be neither charming nor grandmotherly.

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