tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post6393345817618368388..comments2024-03-26T18:01:57.609+00:00Comments on Inky Fool: Snollygosters and PresidentsM.H. Forsythhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01464964455944509750noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-73989212931807323452014-05-03T22:33:16.378+01:002014-05-03T22:33:16.378+01:00Just heard your piece on TED Radio. I work at Wis...Just heard your piece on TED Radio. I work at Wise's Tavern in Old Town Alexandria. There's a plaque on our building that reads "Here on April 16th 1789 George Washington was for the first time addressed as President of the United States." I never thought much of it, or its importance, till today. Thanks for the education!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248201594578604225noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-37456595856425298582012-08-28T12:52:00.723+01:002012-08-28T12:52:00.723+01:00Quite right. I gave a wrong date, when I should ha...Quite right. I gave a wrong date, when I should have said 1789. It's the perils of speaking without notes.M.H. Forsythhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01464964455944509750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-62109527513698432942012-08-28T12:49:05.657+01:002012-08-28T12:49:05.657+01:00I bought and enjoyed The Etymologicon, and I enjoy...I bought and enjoyed The Etymologicon, and I enjoy the Inky Fool. However, regarding your TED lecture, I found a major chronological problem. You talk about the debate between the House of Representatives and the Senate over what George Washington should be called, and how the two bodies eventually decided upon "President." The title "President" is in the US Constitution, which was drafted before either the House or the Senate existed. There was a Constitutional Convention in 1787 which created the two houses, which began operation in 1789 when Washington became President. Before that, under the Articles of Confederation, there was a unicameral body in the area that would become the United States. It is possible that there were element in the country who held the different views that you delineated, but these people were not Congressmen and Senators.<br />William Youngnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-10295594710120067492012-08-13T16:24:04.404+01:002012-08-13T16:24:04.404+01:00Clancy Sigal's 1961 novel/memoir "Going A...Clancy Sigal's 1961 novel/memoir "Going Away" suggests an answer to JFK's "Profiles in Courage" under the name "Profiles in Snollygostering." It may be hard to believe after decades of post-assassination reverence, but I can confirm from experience that JFK was <i>not</i> much admired on the Left.john_burke100https://www.blogger.com/profile/07095645907050540263noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-35999896002962834712012-08-09T16:20:58.671+01:002012-08-09T16:20:58.671+01:00Ooh, excellent talk and, on a side note, you'r...Ooh, excellent talk and, on a side note, you're cute!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-29279010866699622062012-08-08T16:24:07.387+01:002012-08-08T16:24:07.387+01:00Bravo!Bravo!Rachel Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13048590167153841615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2629301231907528990.post-32491545136302323602012-08-08T14:27:01.241+01:002012-08-08T14:27:01.241+01:00Brilliant! "Bold as Brass" – I wish I...Brilliant! "Bold as Brass" – I wish I'd known this last week, when I was teaching metal idioms to my students.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com