Here’s what Obama had to say about Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States (1877–1881), via Politico: “One of my predecessors, President Rutherford B. Hayes, reportedly said about the telephone: ‘It’s a great invention but who would ever want to use one?’” Obama said. “That’s why he’s not on Mt. Rushmore.” “He’s looking backwards, he’s not looking forward. … Read More
Too Soon?
I think this is a little TOO politically correct: The Gettysburg Museum & Visitor Center bookstore has removed bobblehead dolls of Lincoln-assassin John Wilkes Booth clutching a pistol, The (Hanover) Evening Sun reports. The newspaper says the figurines were pulled this weekend after a reporter began making inquiries about them. The Sun, quoting an email from the Gettysburg Foundation, says its president, Joanne Hanley, … Read More
Tennessee Tea Party Wants To Whitewash History
At a press conference, two dozen Tea Party activists presented their proposals — I’m sorry, their “demands” — for the new state legislative session. Among them are sweeping changes to school materials. Like this: The material calls for lawmakers to amend state laws governing school curriculums, and for textbook selection criteria to say that “No portrayal of minority experience in the … Read More
File Under “Ookey”
I've never given much thought to my sexual orientation. Being straight in a largely straight world, I guess I never had to. I'd like to think that if I was gay, I wouldn't have a problem with that. Except that if I was gay, this would bother me to no end. A new book… Nixon's Darkest Secrets: The Inside Story of America's … Read More
More Lies At Patterico
Aaron Worthing again, making things up as he goes along, writes: And the founders clearly always contemplated corporations and similar business organizations having an outsized say in the political process. Whaaaa?!? This is demonstrably untrue. First, let’s state the obvious. In the Constitution, it says “We the people…”, not “We the corporations…”. The founding fathers never addressed corporations in the … Read More
What Is This Internet Thing?
From January 1994. Watch as Today show hosts Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric become confused over this new "Internet" thing and the @ symbol. Incredible how quickly something can become widely known, accepted, and even necessary.
Don’t Know Much About History
Bill O'Reilly decided to write a history book. Specifically, a book about Lincoln's assassination called “Killing Lincoln,” which O’Reilly co-authored with Martin Dugard. It's #2 on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list, right behind the monstor biography of Steve Jobs. How bad is this book? Historians are panning it. Why? Because it has the one thing that history books should never have: … Read More
9/11 Plus Ten: Are We Done With That?
I'm not one for anniversaries of significant historical events. Hell, I'm not one for birthdays and anniversaries of significant personal events. But I realize that, at least in the public sphere, anniversaries serve as a nice point for us as a society to look back and reflect, hopefully impassionately, at key moments from our collective past and how, if at all, … Read More
Dick Cheney Really Was As Scary As We All Thought He Was
He's got a new book coming out, and apparently, it's going to make you glad that President Bush had a level head at times. An example: Former Vice President Dick Cheney says in a new memoir that he urged President George W. Bush to bomb a suspected Syrian nuclear reactor site in June 2007. But, he wrote, Mr. Bush opted … Read More
New Documentary Focuses On Life Of Eva Braun’s Late Husband
NEW YORK—The History Channel announced Thursday it will air a new documentary this fall examining the life of the late husband of prewar German model and amateur photographer Eva Braun. "This film is a fascinating, in-depth look at a central figure in Eva Braun's life," said History Channel spokesman Charles Lansing, adding that the broadcast will feature more than 300 … Read More
Santorum’s Failed Attempt to Link D-Day and Medicare
See if you can make sense of this: … Santorum said, what he and Paul Ryan want to do is “give people the resources to go out and choose for themselves choose what’s best for themselves.” Unlike Obama, he continued, who is spitting in the face of those Americans who fought on D-Day, 67 years ago today. “Almost 60,000 average … Read More
Palin Doubles Down on Stupidity
Oy: WASHINGTON (AP/The Huffington Post) — Sarah Palin says she didn't mess up her history on Paul Revere. The potential 2012 presidential candidate was in Boston on Thursday as part of her bus tour when she was asked about the Revolutionary War hero. *** She says there were British soldiers in the area for years before Revere's legendary ride, and … Read More
Sarah Palin Gives Off-The-Cuff Bizarre Retelling of Paul Revere’s Ride
Mediaite: Sarah Palin is in Boston today, meeting with supporters and other curious elements. She is also chatting about how meaningful being in such a historic region is to her on her One Nation tour. Of course, this means Sarah Palin is talking about history, and CNN anchor Brooke Baldwin, who was covering the story this afternoon, could barely contain … Read More
