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OK, OK, here's the answer: Grover Cleveland served two non-consecutive terms, making him both our 22nd and our 24th
presidents.
Interesting, but just barely, right? I know when my dad shared this tidbit with me, I
had been hoping for a somehow juicier answer — that one of our early presidents
was part bald eagle or something.
Still, it's a useful fact to know, especially if you're one of those people who likes correcting others.
Personally, I'm hoping for a new piece of presidential trivia come Inauguration Day. I'm hoping Barack
Obama becomes the first person elected president to refuse to take the Oath of Office.
In other words, I hope he turns down the job.
Don't get me wrong — I like and admire Obama and even ventured out to Grant Park on Election Day,
where, amid the countless Obama T-shirt vendors, I carved out a nice niche selling sweater vests with Joe
Biden's face on them.
But that said, and for all Obama's clearly evident wisdom and sound judgment, I just don't know if
president of the United States is the ideal job for him.
Rather, at his inaugural ceremony, I'd like to see Obama politely ask Supreme Court Chief Justice John
Roberts to put away the swearing-in Bible . . . and then announce that instead of becoming president, he
plans to devote the rest of his life to being a permanent presidential candidate.
I can see only an upside to this.
Barack Obama was, after all, a great, inspiring candidate — a candidate who energized a whole new
generation of voters. Just think of all the future generations he could energize as a permanent
presidential candidate.
He also defeated the mighty Clinton machine — and as a permanent presidential candidate would be the
best chance years from now of knocking Chelsea out of the Democratic primaries.
And, above all, at least for me, he was a joy to watch as he calmly faced off against a
he-could-spontaneously-combust-at-any-moment John McCain in the debates. I'm sure if we asked nicely,
McCain would agree to an unending series of monthly debates against a permanent presidential candidate
Obama, serving as the Washington Generals to Obama's Harlem Globetrotters.
Certainly, all of the above should sound better to Obama supporters than four years of having a
President Obama make more decisions along the lines of having conservative pastor Rick Warren baby-sit his
kids, or whatever it is he's asked him to do. (I haven't been following the news as closely since the election.)
Even if a President Obama makes mostly good decisions — like keeping Guantanamo Bay open, but with Rod
Blagojevich the only prisoner — one has to worry how effective he can be given the
mess he's inheriting.
Sure, some of his goals for the country are clearly doable. Many Americans, for
example, will heed his call for national service, as they get laid off and have
more time on their hands.
But at the end of his first term, will Obama be blamed if the Taliban aren't
gone, if all our troops aren't out of Iraq, if the housing market isn't thriving, if
failure to subscribe to your local daily newspaper isn't a jailable offense?
The bad news is that the chances are slim that Obama will take my advice to
opt to keep running for the presidency rather than becoming the president.
But the good news is that, if history's any guide, Obama may avoid my
pessimistic predictions and lead this country into a bright new age, or at least one in which
the economy improves enough that I no longer find myself actually feeling bad for big-box retailers.
Checking in again with my father, the most eminent presidential historian in Toledo, Ohio, and
surrounding suburbs, I learn that some of our greatest presidents have followed some of our worst, provided
they belonged to different parties. Democrat Franklin Roosevelt followed Republican Herbert Hoover.
Republican Abraham Lincoln followed Democrat James Buchanan. And FDR and Abe both seemed to
do all right.
So, now it's Barack Obama's turn to put this formula to the test. In the meantime, I'll be eagerly awaiting
his run in 2012.
Mark Bazer is a columnist and associate editor for international syndication for Tribune Media Services. He also
hosts "The Interview Show," a live talk show at The Hideout in Chicago. Visit www.markbazer.com
Barack Obama Presidential Inauguration Articles
Reviewing Presidential Inaugural History
The inauguration of the first black president will long be remembered as a momentous day in history, but many past
inaugurals also have had their memorable moments. Inaugurals are a mixture of pomp, festival and gravity, the
American equivalent of a coronation. Their rituals are laden with symbols of national purpose, continuity and
unity. For 220 years, they have marked the peaceful transfer of power, a feat few other countries have achieved.
Obama Presidential Inauguration Schedule & Events
With all of the excitement surrounding the event, it’s easy to forget there have been many inaugurations before it. Over
the years, the inauguration has become highly formalized, with the day’s scheduled events taking on almost ritualistic
significance. A look at the Obama Inauguration schedule, events from past inaugurals and how & when certain inaugural
events became part of Inauguration Day.
Obama Inauguration Facts, Trivia and Information for Kids
Parade, luncheon, ball. Being inaugurated sounds like fun. But what exactly is an
inauguration? What happens? Here are answers to your most pressing questions. Plus Inauguration Trivia, Presidential
Pets and the Obama Girls
Obama's new Home was Slow to Integrate
Not too long ago, Barack Obama would have found when he moved his family to Washington that his daughters
couldn’t attend the same schools white children could. They couldn’t try on clothes or shoes at most
local department stores, or eat at downtown lunch counters. Or see a play at the National Theatre or a
movie just a block or two from the White House.
Obama Isn't the Only One Being Inaugurated on January 20th
Arianna Huffington
Barack Obama is not the only one being inaugurated on January 20. And that's not just because Obama has promised to make a call to service "a central cause" of his presidency.
Top 43 Hits - Memorable Lines from Past Presidential Inaugurals
On January 20, 2009 Barack Obama will stand before Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and swear the
oath prescribed in Article II, Section 1, of the Constitution as the 44th President of the United States.
After taking the oath President Obama will give an inaugural address. Since George Washington's first
inaugural address, many memorable words have been spoken and are among the most enduring and frequently
quoted.
America Receives a Leading Man for the Dramas Ahead
Garrison Keillor
When President Obama takes his hand off the Bible and walks to the Capitol lectern, he carries real power in his pocket,
maybe more than any president since FDR, and some of it he has earned and some is a gift.
Don't Take that Oath, Barack
Mark Bazer
Personally, I'm hoping for a new piece of presidential trivia come Inauguration Day. I'm hoping Barack Obama becomes the
first person elected president to refuse to take the Oath of Office. In other words, I hope he turns down the job.
Don't get me wrong — I like and admire Obama. But that said, and for all Obama's clearly evident wisdom and sound judgment, I just don't
know if president of the United States is the ideal job for him.
Riding on the Wings of Change
Amy Dickinson
Our new president is offering us more than the promise of change. With his historic election, he offered us the
optimistic idea that we can do what we must do. In my experience studying the human condition, we only change
when there is no alternative. And now, there is no alternative. Our national challenges trickle down into our
households. We have family members at war, our jobs aren't secure, our retirement savings seem to be disappearing
and our material lifestyle is under assault.
America in Shock
Nathan Gardels
As we head into 2009, America is in shock. It is not because of the unusual sight of the first black president
taking up residence in the White House. Barack Obama's profile, after all, is familiar to the diverse
population of today's ethnically and racially hybrid America. America is in shock because our economic
and financial landscape is suddenly unrecognizable.
Great Expectations
Cal Thomas
With Barack Obama, it is the reverse. Perhaps because of his
eloquence, lithe body, handsome face and beautiful family (and because he is not George W. Bush),
expectations are so high that they are beyond the reach of any mortal. Perhaps that is why Obama
has been disparagingly referred to as "the messiah" and "the one."
Awaiting the Transformational Presidency
Arianna Huffington
President-elect Barack Obama is obsessed with Lincoln, who changed the country both by changing government policy and by
using the bully pulpit to help us change ourselves.
Europeans Love 'Alabama'
Rick Steves
With a new political era dawning in America, the world is paying attention. I remember the first time my Italian
friends expressed a curiosity and enthusiasm about some black politician named "Alabama." Now everyone knows
Obama's name, and we have a president whom people around the world want to look up to.
Is This the End of Black
Leonard Pitts
Those who claim we live in a post-racial America are guilty of no sin greater than wishful thinking. But
that doesn't make them any less incorrect. Not simply because people are still being pulled over for driving
black but, more fundamentally, because Obama's victory does not mean what some of us think it does. I don't
mean to suggest it does not embody breathtaking progress — it does.
A New Way of Being on this Planet
Robert Koehler
Something has to change about how we conduct our business and live our lives . . . no, that's putting it too mildly. A spiritual
awakening has to occur, the shock and awe of awareness as we look unblinking at the state of the world as it really is.
As the Decider, The True Barack Obama will Become Clear
Jonah Goldberg
Over the interminably long campaign, Obama's positions "evolved" to suit his political needs. This is hardly
extraordinary. Pretty much every successful presidential candidate embarks on a similar ideological migration
Special Inaugural Crossword Puzzle
Can you solve this special inaugural crossword with your mom, dad or your favorite grown-up?
Yes, you can! Kids solve the across clues while adults tackle the down ones.
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Illustrated by Dick Locher