Fun Fact Friday!

Listen up!
How's THIS for a Fun Fact?

So.
I'm sure that the ridiculous hoo-ha over Barack Obama and the "scandal" known as "Arugula-Gate" is still as fresh today, in many peoples' minds, as the produce displayed in most vegetable Isles.
But for those of us who's memories might more aptly reside in the waste bin - I'll give you a quick refresher...

During the recent course of campaigning for President, candidate Obama was making a statement about rising food prices when he innocently referred to the increased cost of Arugula at Whole Foods.
This admission - confirming that Barack Obama was a well informed man who had knowledge of a food source other than jerked beef and grits, who understood the concept of healthy eating and who knew that foods other than boxed Mac and Cheese were, in fact, available to the general U.S. population for regular consumption - landed him in the middle of a politically fueled, cultural feud that labeled him an "elitist."

Apparently - for some folks - a well educated man is not the kind of man best suited to serve America. That is ... that an intelligent and literate man who had actually stepped foot into a food store rather than have "wifey" put the pot on the stove and do her usual magic with whatever was most recently baited and trapped, was "not good enough" to be the average guys' president. Or more accurately ... was actually "too good" to be the average guys' president - in the minds of those who were making the fuss.

In hindsight, this reaction could be classed as somewhat understandable, coming from a nation who had become accustomed to a low I.Q President with embarrassing speech deficits and a total ignorance of the world around him. We had, after all, been operating under the influence of eight years of George W Bush.

But no matter the reason, the fact was that one innocuous mention of a green, leafy vegetable nearly sparked a cultural feud more befitting of the days of the Wild, Wild West!

The mention of Arugula had Rednecks spitting teeth faster than their newborns could gum tobacco. There arose a multitude of slogans convincing people to vote "McCain/Palin" - To vote for true Americans and NOT girlishly skinny, terrorist imposters going by the name of Barack Hussein Obama. Obama slurs were being thrown around like a new Bride at a Ho Down.
The whole incident actually spawned an advertising campaign, touting:
"Real Men eat Iceberg" ...

But out of decency I will refrain from commentary on this and will get to the FUN fact for Friday!

So ...

It turns out that history actually does repeat itself - in oddly coincidental ways.
You see, although Barack Obama is the first Black American President, he is NOT the first American President to be charged with the "crime" of class antagonism via culinary fondness for "elitist" vegetables.

No Sirree Bob. That honor was originally bestowed upon Martin Van Buren. The Eighth President of the United States!

I discovered, whilst reading Bill Bryson's historical account of the American Language - written long before Obama appeared on the scene - that Martin Van Buren suffered a similar fate to Obama and "was ousted from the Presidency in 1840" mainly because one of his Whig opponents made a spiteful speech attacking Van Buren for serving "delicate and UNMANLY fare" in the White House.
He'd served strawberries, cauliflower and celery!!!

Ironically, on a side note, Van Buren's fruit-and-veggie-mocking opponent and Presidential successor, William Henry Harrison, contracted pneumonia during his inauguration. A fate he may have avoided had he eaten at Van Buren's vitamin packed table. He got ill and "with an alarming haste - expired." He lasted as President for just 30 days, spending most of that time unconscious.
But at least he had an excuse for not being awake at the wheel ... unlike some Presidents. Mentioning no names - Mr. Bush.

Anyway. Back to the Fun...
For those of you who like your coinkydinks at two for the price of one ... it's your lucky day because there's more ...
Yes. There is another coincidental fact linking the two Presidents in history ...

As it turns out, Van Buren's Presidency was plagued with the same problems as Obama's. Van Buren's administration was largely characterized by the ECONOMIC HARDSHIP of his time, entitled in hindsight: The Panic of 1837!
The "Panic" was a period in the U.S. when the "bubble burst" in New York City and when EVERY BANK STOPPED PAYMENTS. The failure of the banks and record unemployment levels led to a five year depression!

Now. I'm not saying that just because these two Presidents experienced mutual food bigotry and were both the inheritors of similar financial woes that it therefore follows that Obama will also get us out of our current economic depression in the five year time period that it took Van Buren to do so.

But it would be nice ...

And I'm also not saying that just because these two Presidents were similarly mocked by opponents who didn't recognize a fine tasting vegetable when one rose up and smacked them in the face, that they too would then die within 30 days of the inauguration, should he or she be voted in next time.

But ... it would make for one hell of a bizarre story ... would it not?


L.


Disclaimer - absolutely NO animals were hurt during the making of this post.
And absolutely NO deathly threats or harmful wishes were made or ever will be made to or directed towards any perspective or actual Presidential candidate or President.
Thank you.