"Yankee Doodle"

Alright, in the interest of full disclosure... My girlfriend loves Gone With the Wind and has told me that I must watch it, making it more like an assignment. I'm sure I'd like it if it was something I chose to watch. Also, she and I both thought the answer to the first question was 1960's Kennedy vs. Nixon.

What is up with the Google brand lately? Last week I couldn't get on to any of the blogspot blogs and today Youtube is slower than any site on the entire Internet. Yes, I checked.

I'll have another post later this week on the glory that is Extreme. Or not. I mean, there will be a blog posting, but... well, you'll see. Let me just say I have roommates, and I love them. But I hate the way I don't get everything I should on the day I should.

Alright here are the answers to the Presidential quiz.

1. 1952 Eisenhower vs. Adlai Stevenson was the last time neither big party nominated a previous President or Vice. In 1956 Ike ran again, in '60 Nixon was Ike's VP, in '64 Johnson ran again, in '68 Nixon ran again, in '72 Nixon again, in '76 Ford was Nixon's VP, in '80 Carter ran again, in '84 Reagan ran again, in '88 Bush was Reagan's VP, in '92 Bush ran again, in '96 Clinton ran again, in '00 Gore was Clinton's VP, in '04 Bush ran again. In the case of the 1952 election, Truman, who was eligible to run again, declined, so the Democrats looked around. The VP was considered too old at 74. Other candidates were favored, but eventually they chose Adlai Stevenson, even though he reportedly told people no. The Republicans selected WWII hero Eisenhower. The same two men faced each other 4 years later. Something that hadn't happened since the election of 1900.

2. A poorly worded question at best, but that's what I get for not having an editor. I meant to ask which President had enlisted but never attained an officer's rank. Gotta give some credit for thinking outside the box to Hemisphire, but Grant actually went to West Point, so was never an enlisted man. James Buchanan was a private during the war of 1812, and was never promoted. 15th President of the United States, a bachelor, and consistently rated in the bottom 5 as far as "all time rankings" lists. So let's just move on from this blunder of a question.

3. Bush 41 it is. George Herbert Walker Bush was 19 when he was flying. He also got more than a few medals; he got shot at and shot down a lot. The man saw a lot of combat, and ran the CIA and yet, will most likely be remembered for "No New Taxes" and being a President and father of a President who both went to war against the same guy.

4. Taft-FDR. Presidents 27-32 1909-1945 So that means WWI and II not to mention a lot of other things as well, were all presided over by men with no Military experience.

5. I thought this was an interesting question. Nixon, while Eisenhower's VP cast 8 tie breaking votes. Bush the first only cast 7. The number one VP who cast tie breaking votes and then went on to be President, is also the VP with the most tie breaking votes ever, with a record 29 (some sources say 31) votes than will most likely stay a record, the first Vice President, and second President of the United States: John Adams.

6. Maren really knocked this one out of the park. Wilson graduated with a PHD in political science before working at four different colleges and becoming governor of New Jersey. Can you imagine either party nominating a college professor now?

7. Federalist and Whig and... Democratic-Republican. Sort of the Anti-Federalist party.

8. I can't believe no one got this. I guess you are all better people than me. I always wanted one. Wilson. Woodrow Wilson was on the $100,000 bill, which was only in print for 6 years.

9. Ford is a good guess. But he was fifth shortest in office, serving out 895 days. The second shortest was indeed Garfield. Killed in his first year, and only serving 199 days in office. I think he gets remembered an awful lot for someone who served less than 200 days. I blame the fat tabby who loves lasagna.

10. As far as assassinations go, it sounds like everyone knows Kennedy and Lincoln, the other two are McKinley and Garfield. Garfield we already talked about, McKinley died after he was reelected. In an odd twist, his VP from the first term had died of heart failure and was not replaced until Teddy Roosevelt was sworn in after the reelection. We were without a VP for over a year. The Constitution had no provision for replacing the post until after Kennedy was killed. Had the assassin struck during that time, well, therein lies a story. The VP, Hobart, died in late November 1899; the speaker of the house had retired in March. A new one was sworn in in December, but Speaker David Henderson was born in Scotland. William P. Frye was President pro tempore of the Senate during that time. Had the Assassin struck early, this man would have become President. As for the list who died in office: William Henry Harrison, who died in a month, Zach Taylor, who died in 16 months, Harding who only served 29 months, and FDR who served longer than any other US President.

11. Ford it is, died December 26 2006 and buried January 3rd 2007

12. Taft. He was born in Ohio, but due to the fact that he was President and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

13. 1888 is correct! Harrison lost the popular vote but won the Electoral Congress, four years later Grover Cleavland was elected to his second term, a non consecutive term. The only time in US history that ever happened. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn met on set. I still get some of the songs stuck in my head, but that's the Sherman Brothers for you.

14. John Quincy Adams was President when Stephen Foster was born and Lincoln was President when he died.

15. James Madison was President when Chopin was born, and Zach Taylor was President when he died.

16. Harvard is correct. Two Addams', two Roosevelts and a Kennedy.

17. Nixon was President, for a few more months anyway. Aaron broke the record in April, and Nixon was gone in August of 1974.

18. Johnson it is! Hemisphire is really shining on these sports related ones.

19. Right all around with FDR. It came out in 1939.

20. Anthony Hopkins in Nixon is also correct.

Good strong showing at the end there for Hemisphire. Plus he found this gem of a video.

Also, If you have the time, check out this video. It includes the trailer for the Disney movie with the long name I mentioned earlier. It's after Davy Crockett.