Presidents’ Day is an occasion to sell cars both new and used; it is little more. In fact: It is less. It provides yet another long weekend as it is always on Monday. It fails to connect us to any former president. President’s Monday occurs in some proximity to George Washington’s and Abraham Lincoln’s natal dates. It has nothing to do with either man — although their images are used to sell cars.
If I were to subscribe to conspiracy theories I would suggest that the the purpose of Presidents’ Monday is to distance us from our history. One dead president is like any other. Those several we consider “Great Presidents” earned his distinction by getting a lot of people killed in his administration. (Theodore Roosevelt makes this cut because he seemed so eager to lead us into war.) You can become president by promising to “keep us out of war” but for any potentially GP it is a promise best forgotten once in office. As our President Bush fades into the sunset his star will begin to rise. More than enough people died in his administration. In futurity his “Greatness” is assured. Am I right, or am I right?