Hail to the Chief

I was in kindergarten during the 1980 US Presidential election. In school, we were to draw a picture of who we would vote for (were we of legal voting age). Well, the night before this particular assignment, I had watched a special on TV with my grandmother: "Bob Hope for President." Being an impressionable 5 year old, I guess I didn't understand that it was merely a variety show for entertainment purposes; I truly believed that Bob Hope was running for President. So as my kindergarten friends drew their pictures of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, I drew Bob Hope.





I don't know if it was because of the giant picture of Bob Hope as my presidential candidate of choice posted at parent-teacher night, but since that time my parents have always gone out of their way to make sure that I knew my American History. February breaks that other kids spent skiing, we spent in Washington DC visiting the White House, Lincoln Memorial, and Smithsonian Institution. We visited Mount Vernon, Monticello, and FDR's mansion at Hyde Park during my childhood, and I always got books about the Presidents and First Ladies as souvenirs. By the time I was in 4th grade, I fancied myself quite the presidential scholar. I loved knowing mildly trivial things, such as Grover Cleveland's status as the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms or the bizarre notion that Eleanor Roosevelt's maiden name was Roosevelt (and her real first name was Anna). Wanting to know more about the Presidents fed my interest in US History, and led me to attend a weeklong stay in Washington called Presidential Classroom where high school students learned all about the nitty-gritty of running the US government.

I studied American Government at the University of Virginia, mostly because I was fascinated by all of the courses available about the Presidency. I never wanted to go into politics, I just loved how alive the subject made me feel. (And yes, my favorite Walt Disney World attraction is the Hall of Presidents.)

Since then, I have visited Presidential museums from Key West to Quincy, still loving the new knowledge received at each location. Since I'm in Boston, and I've always been particularly interested in the presidency of John F. Kennedy, I recently started training to be a volunteer docent at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum.

My presidential obsession can be a neat party trick (give me a number between 1 and 44, I can give you the President, as well as the corresponding First Lady), but it's also something that gets me excited. Is that so wrong?