The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

Presidents Day is February 20. It takes the place of Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays that are both in February. Many years ago the holiday would alternate between the two birthdays but then it was decided to honor all the presidents with their own holiday.

If I were to make a list of favorite presidents Franklin Roosevelt would be first on that list, then John Kennedy and Harry Truman because I met both Truman and Kennedy and never did quite get over the assassination of JFK.

But there are other great presidents.

My list would include Washington and Lincoln but Thomas Jefferson maybe higher than both Washington and Lincoln.

Also on my list would be Lyndon Johnson although he almost got dumped because of his mess in Vietnam. But the work he did in civil rights makes up for a lot of errors overseas.

I admired Ronald Regan and Dwight Eisenhower and thought they both tried to build our country into something it was not. Regan was wonderful in making a nation feel good and when Eisenhower started building the Interstate system, our nation has been the better for it all these years.

If you left that as my list, you would have to say that I am leaving out a lot of presidents. What about Madison? What about Teddy Roosevelt? What about the first Bush and what about Bill Clinton. (No thanks!)

What bothers me is that a majority of the citizens of the United States found those on my list to be beloved if not when they were president, at least afterward.

This election season we had two people running for president both of whom seemed to be generally despised and it seemed that Donald Trump was most despised but that did not matter. This year’s election was not won by both sides of the United States. It was won right here in Montana and states like us generally billed as fly over country.

So we have a new president. So far he has not inspired a lot of confidence. This year Presidents Day sort of has a pall over it. But maybe this president will get his sea legs so to speak and do great things for his country.

One can only hope!

Meanwhile while you have Presidents Day off, don’t forget to say a small prayer for our nation!