knowledge
One commenter on Jim’s previous post complains that Jim left William Henry Harrison and James Garfield out of his list of worst Presidents, arguing that there’s “consensus” about their ineptitude.
Well, first, let’s cue the Mediocre Presidents Song!
Garfield was shot four months into his term, lingering helplessly for several weeks after that. Harrison died after thirty days in office. Is thirty days enough to determine the quality of someone’s achievement as President? Hey, the whole internet knows exactly what to think about Sarah Palin’s past, present, and future, and no one had even heard of her seventy-two hours ago. Thirty days is, like, TMI.
[UPDATE: Art Deco points out that I’ve got the wrong Harrison. Totally messes up my joke. “Six months, is, like TMI” works almost as well, though, doesn’t it? Well, we report, you decide.]
[UPDATE 2: Maureen says I had the right Harrison after all. Dammit.]
I think he may have been referring to Benjamin Harrison.
— Art Deco · Aug 31, 05:09 PM · #
I’ll ask it this way then. Given that both had executive experience as generals, can an argument be made that they would have been great presidents? I’m just curious.
— CHART · Aug 31, 05:17 PM · #
Given that both had executive experience as generals, can an argument be made that they would have been great presidents?
I doubt it, but I can’t imagine anyone making an argument like that. Certainly Jim was arguing nothing of the kind.
— Alan Jacobs · Aug 31, 05:57 PM · #
You had the right Harrison the first time, though Benjamin Harrison is arguably more memorable for installing electricity in the White House than for any domestic reforms. And he was afraid of the lamps.
— Maureen · Aug 31, 06:56 PM · #
Palin fatigue syndrome.
— Freddie · Aug 31, 07:41 PM · #
Don’t feel bad, Freddie. You fought bravely. Few could have held out as long as you did.
— Alan Jacobs · Aug 31, 09:11 PM · #
William Henry Harrison may have become an old windbag by the time he was elected, but he was more than just a successful General. He was like Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin to the Native Americans. In fact, Putin’s move into Georgia has made me think about him a lot. Harrison bungled his first big treaty, the one in 1804. The U.S. kept what it got in that one, but he hadn’t yet learned how to play the psychological game. He was a lot smarter by the time of the Treaty of 1809, having learned how to use “diplomacy” to get what he wanted. In 1811 he picked a time when Tecumseh was distracted with other activities, moved his army to within a stone’s throw of Prophetstown, then let Tenskwatawa attack, Georgian style. Harrison then fought back and defeated him, like Putin beat Georgia, and was able to claim the moral high ground of self-defense. Later, when Harrison was elected to the presidency, Daniel Webster claimed credit for editing all the references to Roman consuls out of his inaugural address. But Harrison talked too long, caught cold, and died.
— The Spokesrider · Aug 31, 11:10 PM · #
Harrison also wrote a very interesting letter to Simon Bolivar, mentioned in David Slavitt’s finely weird poem “William Henry Harrison,” which you may peruse here.
— Alan Jacobs · Sep 1, 08:37 AM · #