Idiots, Sex Addicts, and Fighters: A Look at Other Presidents

Published in Veja
(Brazil) on 7 November 2016
by Vilma Gryzinski (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Katie Gustin. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
The U.S. presidential campaign, with the dazzling candidacy of Donald Trump, impressed us with its lack of class, leaving us a feeling of reaching the end of the line. The democratic system was left for dead regardless of winning or losing.

To send the power of America to an early grave is a task that many have attempted with eager anticipation. But let's not dwell on what the future may bring. Instead, let's simply remember some curious facts from a political past that does not always jibe with the vision of a winning and unbreakable national narrative.

The past of the American presidency is full of racist overtures, dirty talk, various illegalities, terminal incompetence, death by duel, and even plain old bad luck. The latter is symbolized by William Henry Harrison, who took office on March 4, 1841, with the longest speech in presidential history. Because of Washington's winter chill, he caught pneumonia and died 31 days later.

Warren Harding is always listed among the worst American presidents, as much for what he did as for what he allowed to be done. His followers earned the nickname the "Ohio Gang," and some were arrested for robbing the public coffers, including making concessions friendly to oil exploration.

Like Anthony Weiner, the virtual-sex-addicted husband of Hillary Clinton's top aide, Harding also had an alter ego, a name he used in his sexual hijinks. Weiner fell headlong into "sexting" with the name Carlos Danger. Harding wrote to his lover — letters served as text messages back in those days — as Jerry. The code name also stood for a certain part of his anatomy. Weiner would know very well which. "And Jerry came and will not go, says he loves you," he teased. "He is so utterly devoted that he only exists to give you all." Oh, yes, Harding's lover was the wife of a friend.

Apart from the double entendre, Harding also said that he considered himself completely unqualified to be president. Many historians consider this attribute equally appropriate for Andrew Johnson.

In Johnson's favor, consider the fact that no president has entered the White House under such dramatic conditions: at the end of a civil war with 600,000 dead — the greatest crisis in American history — and literally over the dead body of Abraham Lincoln, the assassinated president for whom he had been vice president. On the other hand, he had greater liabilities. He condescended to the restrictions imposed by the slave states recently defeated in the Civil War, and he boycotted the 14th constitutional amendment, which gave citizenship to the newly liberated slaves. He survived the impeachment process by one vote.

His most famous name-sharer, Andrew Jackson, adolescent war hero of 1812 and seventh American president, killed his rival in a duel because of a fight involving horses and honor. It was one of the many duels in which he defended — by the codes of the time — the honor of a woman who had not yet divorced her first husband when she married him.

In another of the best-known duels in American history, in 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton, one of the visionaries who founded the United States, a.k.a. the Founding Fathers.

These geniuses created the model of a country that seemingly has resulted in a great degree of senselessness, equally on the part of the governors and of the governed. In the first of 85 articles written by Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison in defense of the new constitution — assembled under the title "The Federalist" and the pseudonym Publius — the following question is posed:

"It has been frequently remarked that it seems to have been reserved to the people of this country, by their conduct and example, to decide the important question, whether societies of men are really capable or not of establishing good government from reflection and choice, or whether they are forever destined to depend for their political constitutions on accident and force."

It is a formidable and an unending discussion, especially for any country that reflects on its foundations. It's good that we have history to provide us with some shelter in hours like these. And for those who find themselves feeling dragged down by cases of abuse, dalliance, and even possible sex crimes that have come to light for Trump, Wiener, and Bill Clinton, the historical perspective also helps.

Set aside Warren Harding, who, just like Bill, made creative use of certain corners of the White House. There was also the out-of-wedlock son that Grover Cleveland took on, unsure whether he really was his own, and who eventually became central to the 1884 campaign. Lyndon Johnson, whose vocabulary was that of a closed-channel comedian in today's world, competed in sexual voracity with John Kennedy until after the assassination of the president he replaced. "I’ve had more women by accident than Kennedy had on purpose," he once said. The fancy George Bush, Sr., and Ronald Reagan, the revered former actor, were accused of rape.

Apparently, the United States managed to survive.


A campanha presidencial americana, com a estonteante candidatura de Donald Trump, impressionou pelo baixo nível, deixando uma sensação de fim de linha. O sistema democrático foi dado como morto se ele vencesse e até mesmo se perdesse.

Enterrar a potência americana é uma tarefa a que muitos se entregam com regozijo algo antecipado. Mas não vamos tratar agora de como pode ser o futuro, apenas lembrar alguns fatos curiosos de um passado político que nem sempre batem com a visão de uma narrativa nacional vencedora e inquebrantável.

E o passado da presidência americana está cheio de propostas racistas, mensagens sujas, ilegalidades variadas, incompetência terminal, mortes em duelos e até azar. Este simbolizado por William Henry Harrison, que tomou posse em 4 de março de 1841 com o discurso mais longo da história presidencial. Por causa do frio de rachar do inverno de Washington, pegou pneumonia e morreu 31 dias depois.

Warren Harding está sempre entre os primeiros lugares nas listas dos piores presidentes americanos, tanto pelo que fez quanto pelo que deixou fazer. Seus apaniguados ganharam o apelido de “gangue de Ohio” e alguns acabaram presos por assaltar os cofres públicos, incluindo concessões amigas para a exploração de petróleo.

Como Anthony Weiner, o marido viciado em sexo virtual da principal assessora de Hillary Clinton, Harding também tinha um alter ego, o nome que usava em suas estripulias. Weiner caiu de cabeça no “sexting” com o nome de Carlos Danger.

Harding escrevia à amante – cartas eram o zapzap da época – como Jerry. O codinome também valia para uma determinada parte de sua anatomia. Weiner sabe muito bem qual. “Jerry apareceu e não vai embora, diz que te ama”, provocava. “Ele é tão completamente devotado que só existe para te dar tudo”. Ah, sim, a amante era mulher de um amigo.

Fora as palavras de duplo sentido, Harding também disse que se considerava completamente não qualificado para ser presidente. Uma atribuição que muitos historiados consideram apropriada para Andrew Johnson.

A favor de Johnson, pesa o fato de que nenhum presidente assumiu a Casa Branca em condições tão dramáticas: ao fim de uma guerra civil com 600 mil mortos – a maior crise da história americana – e em cima do corpo de Abraham Lincoln, o presidente assassinado, de quem era vice.

Contra, ele tem passivo maior. Foi condescendente com as restrições impostas pelos estados escravocratas derrotados na guerra civil e boicotou a décima-quarta emenda constitucional, que dava cidadania aos escravos recém-liberados. Sobreviveu por um voto a um processo de impeachment.

Seu xará muito mais famoso, Andrew Jackson, herói adolescente da guerra de 1812 e sétimo presidente americano, matou um rival em duelo, por causa de uma briga envolvendo cavalos e honra. Foi um dos muitos duelos em que defendeu, pelos códigos da época, a honra da mulher, que ainda não tinha se divorciado do primeiro marido quando se casou com ele.

Em outro dos mais conhecidos duelos da história americana, o vice-presidente Aaron Burr matou em 1804 Alexander Hamilton, um dos pais da pátria, os visionários fundadores dos Estados Unidos.

Estes gênios criaram um modelo de país aparentemente à prova das maiores idiotices – tanto por parte de governantes quanto de governados. No primeiro dos 85 artigos escritos por Hamilton, John Jay e James Madison em defesa da nova constituição – reunidos sob o título O Federalista e o pseudônimo Publius -, é colocada a seguinte questão:

“Tem sido frequentemente observado que parece ter sido reservado ao povo deste país, com sua conduta e seu exemplo, decidir a importante questão de se as sociedades humanas são realmente capazes ou não de estabelecer um bom (sistema de) governo a partir da reflexão e da escolha, ou se estão para sempre destinadas a depender, para suas constituições políticas, do acaso e da força.”

É uma discussão formidável e eterna, em qualquer país que reflita sobre seus fundamentos. Ainda bem que que tem a história para nos dar um amparo nessas horas. E para quem se considerada deprimido com os casos de abusos, estripulias ou até possíveis crimes de natureza sexual que vieram à tona através de Trump, Wiener e Bill Clinton, a perspectiva histórica também ajuda.

Fora Warren Harding, que como Bill também fazia uso criativo de certos compartimentos da Casa Branca, existe o filho fora do casamento que Grover Cleveland assumiu, sem ter certeza se era dele mesmo, e virou tema de campanha de 1884.

Lyndon Johnson, cujo vocabulário era de comediante de canal fechado de hoje, competiu em voracidade sexual com John Kennedy até depois do assassinato do presidente a quem substituiu. “Tive mais mulheres por acaso do que ele de caso pensado”, disse certa vez. O finíssimo George Bush, o pai, e Ronald Reagan, o venerado ex-ator, foram acusados de estupro.

Aparentemente, os Estados Unidos conseguiram sobreviver.
This post appeared on the front page as a direct link to the original article with the above link .

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