Actually, I am a crook.
The Maundy Monday Newsletter - This Week in History November 13 - November 19
In our history, we have had only one president who resigned the office of the presidency.
In 1973, one year after winning reelection, President Richard Nixon was engulfed in a scandal where members of his committee broke into the Watergate building, which housed the Democratic headquarters, to plant bugs to overhear conversations and develop evidence that could be used against them in the campaign.
As the pressure mounted for the President, he decided to take a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and answer questions from about 400 newspapers and media editors.
Perhaps hoping Mickey Mouse could provide a positive distraction, Nixon proceeded to present his case that he was a good guy. How could he not be? I mean, have you visited Disney World? The president has invited you to listen to him speak.
So, on November 17, 1973, Richard Nixon announced he was not a crook.
It comes as no surprise that the speech did not paint Nixon in a positive light. He would spend the next year desperately trying to remain in office, where his Vice President resigned, named a new one, and ultimately resigned in disgrace due to his lies and cover-up.
Okay, let's highlight what else happened this week. Here's what I got:
1. Standard time began on November 18, 1883. Time was all messed up in the United States during the 19th century. The railroads then got together and signed an agreement to standardize the time zones across North America. This is why it gets dark right after lunch.
2. The mass murder-suicide at Jonestown happened on November 18, 1978. Jim Jones, the Pentecostal leader of the People’s Temple, planned and orchestrated this terrible incident at his remote commune in Guyana. Over 900 followers died.
3. President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863. In one of the greatest speeches ever given, the 16th president, ranked number 1 on the OKH poll, spoke four months after the bloody battle in the fields of this Pennsylvania town. Only 271 words long, Lincoln urged the nation to unite so the people who sacrificed their lives on this day would not have done so in vain. You don’t need to be long-winded when it comes to stuff like this.
Anonymous and I spent last weekend in Ohio, where we visited my college alma mater and celebrated that I graduated 25 years ago. It’s mind-blowing that I have achieved something like this. Not that I expected to be dead or anything, but at 22, you don’t think about the next 25 years of your life because you haven’t lived that long.
Isn’t it funny how we look back on our life and reflect in part to the amazement that milestones from years past are just that – from years past? It’s like when November rolls around, and everyone you speak to will tell you how shocked they are that November is here.
The past 25 years feel like a blur when a reunion takes place. Fortunately, due to my popularity, I have plenty of good friends with whom I reminisce about past jokes and funny situations. I looked at pictures of the younger me, the one Anonymous had no idea existed, and think back to when I was blissfully naïve and just trying to figure out life.
Now that I think about it – that hasn’t changed for the past quarter century.
Blue spent time at home being taken care of by his Aunt LV. She’s the best SIL ever. I’m not just writing this to see if she sees it and hits the like button. I’m not that shallow. She’s a huge supporter of OKH and Blue. Despite being looped up on antibiotics and sedatives, Blue was excited to have her.
Thanks to you all for your support of Okay History. I hope you are having as much fun as I am.
Have a great week that you can reflect on with happiness.
See you on Friday with an Amendment ranking!
Okay,
Chris
So glad to see Blue smiling!