|
|
Article: Unsuspected presidential vanities.
- Article from:
- Word Ways
- Article date:
- May 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Jeremiah Farrell. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Suppose that until recently one traditional (if rather odd) question asked of all newly-elected or newly-seated U.S. presidents at their first press conference was this one. "Had you never entered public life, what do you think would be your chief claim to fame at this time?" (In their logologically-fancied responses that follow, the word "my" is always exogenous.)
George Washington: "My hit song, 'Waggoneer!'"
John Adams: "My jam-on-shad."
Thomas Jefferson: "My fame? Softer johns."
James Madison: "My joss-man I made."
James Monroe: "Me? My major nose."
John Quincy Adams: "My joy--quad chins, man!"