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Tuesdays with Franklin
When FDR arrived, the sunlight was already reflecting off the perfectly polished silver coffee pot sitting in the center of the table. He greeted his tablemate heartily. “Good morning, Dick. What’s that you’ve got there?” he asked, pointing to a round red object...
The New Nixon’s Man in Taipei
This Saturday, I had the pleasure to observe the presidential elections in Taiwan. The country’s fourth direct presidential election, it was a historic moment seeing the Kuomingtang (KMT) return to power in a landslide victory after eight years in opposition to the...
Nixon and Race
Senator Obama's Philadelphia speech has prompted a New York Times article on how politicians talk about race. It includes an attack on President Nixon: Race did not disappear entirely from presidential campaigns; it went under cover. It lay buried in code phrases...
We Call This Friday Good
This is the time of year when Bach's Passions (St. John 1724 and, particularly, St. Matthew 1727) are performed around the world --- from Boston to Auckland. The St. Matthew Passion has inspired artists as different as Pier Paolo Pasolini (who considered casting Jack...
The Last Doughboy
For many in the United States, Great Britain, and Ireland, March 17 this year was just another St. Patrick's Day. But in France it was a day for a more somber commemoration, as French president Nicolas Sarkozy oversaw a ceremony at the Hotel des Invalides to mark the...
Saint Patrick’s Babe in the Morning
John Taylor has already noted Pat Nixon's birthday yesterday (16 March), and its celebration at the Library. It came to be traditionally celebrated the next day and the story was told that after her birth late on the 16th, her father exclaimed, "She'll be St....
Can’t We All Just NOT Get Along?
Geraldine Ferraro’s impolitic commentary regarding Barack Obama has been widely covered and discussed. But in the rush to examine the really juicy part of her monologue, you know – the stuff about race – something else the 72 year old former congresswoman said is...
Tuesdays With Franklin
The sun had just risen over the Pearly Gates when RN threaded his way through the already crowded dining room. As always, the silver was gleaming and the glasses were sparkling and the napery…….everyone wondered how they managed to fold the starched linen napkins,...
Choosing a Veep
Many people are offering John McCain advice about a running mate. Various candidates would purportedly tip swing states into the McCain column, or improve his appeal to women and minorities. Maybe. LBJ did help JFK win Texas in 1960. But aside from that one case, it...
New York Times Endorses Nixon
Those who have not seen the New York Times editorial page today may be interested in the paper's editorial on Russia's elections, "Putin's Mini-Me (Or Not?)." Broadly speaking, the Times editors express concern over Russian democracy and wonder whether Putin's...