BARACK OBAMA, 44TH PRESIDENT - On January 20, 2009, Barack Obama will be inaugurated as our nation's 44th President. He will be the first African-American and individual born in Hawaii to be elected President. With a beautiful and gracious wife, Michelle Obama, and two beautiful young daughters, he should bring the same youthfulness and sense of opportunity that John Kennedy brought to the White House. See you at the inauguration and look for future blog posts about his presidency!!!

GEORGE W. BUSH, 43RD PRESIDENT - George W. Bush was sworn in as our 43rd President on January 20, 2001 after a contested election against the Democratic candidate, Vice President Al Gore. Ultimately, the election was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court which stopped a recount of the votes in Florida. In his first year in office, Bush was confronted with the tragedy of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001 on the World Trade Center towers in New York and against the Pentagon in the Washington, D.C. area. In response to these terrorist attacks, President Bush declared a war on terror and ordered the invasion of Afghanistan and later of Iraq. With popular support as a war-time President and a conservative shift in the mood of the country, Bush was re-elected to a second term of office four years later. In his second term, however, Bush faced increasingly low rankings in the public opinion polls as support for the war in Iraq diminished and the economy worsened. At the end of his two terms as President, Bush had one of the lowest public opinion poll rankings of any President since such polls have been conducted as the financial and banking system in the country went into a melt-down as a result of a collapse of the housing market, and as mortgage-backed securities increasingly became illiquid. President Bush was the second President to be elected that was the son of a previous President, with his father George H.W. Bush having been the 41st President of the United States. The only other President that was the son of a previous President was John Quincy Adams. As an outgoing President, Bush made a commitment to make the transition of his successor, Barack Obama, the easiest of any President-Elect.

WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, 42ND PRESIDENT - On January 20, 1993, Bill Clinton was inaugurated as our nation's 42nd President. Four years later, he was re-elected to a second term. He was the second President, along with Andrew Johnson, to be impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives. Like Andrew Johnson, however, the motivations for impeachment were primarily political and thus Clinton was not convicted and removed from office by the Senate. At the end of his presidency, Clinton continued to enjoy strong public support. As President, Clinton presided over the greatest peace time economic prosperity in the history of the country. After his presidency, Clinton has gone on to become one of, if not, the most influential world spokesman raising funds and working for world humanitarian causes. Meanwhile, his wife and former First Lady Hillary Clinton was elected as a U.S. Senator from New York, the only former First Lady to run for political office. In 2008, she ran for the Democratic nomination for President, but lost the nomination to Barack Obama. She and former President Clinton then compaigned for Obama in the general election. After Obama's election as President, he announced that he would appoint former First Lady Hillary Clinton to the position of Secretary of State.

GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH, 41ST PRESIDENT - George H.W. Bush was sworn in as our nation's 41st President on January 20, 1989. Previously, he had served as Vice President under President Reagan. Before that he had served as a Congressman, as the U.S. representative to China, and as Director of te Central Intellgence Agency. As such, he was one of the most experienced individuals in foreign policy to ever be elected President. This experience was demonstrated when, after Iraq invaded Kuwait, President George H. W. Bush was able to organize a large coalition of countries to join the United States in forcing the military forces of Iraq out of Kuwait. Bush could have continued the Gulf War and directed U.S. forces to continue to Baghdad so as to oust Saddam Hussein, but chose not to do so since such a move would have both created a power vacuum in Iraq and would have cost U.S. support from its other Arab allies, such as Saudi Arabia. After the Gulf War, Bush's popularity was one of the highest of any President, but it increasingly fell afterwards as the economy worsened and the public did not feel that Bush was in touch with the economic problems of the country. As such, President Bush was defeated in his re-election attempt by his Democratic challenger, Bill Clinton. Ironically, Bush's son, George W. Bush was elected President after the two terms of Bill Clinton. During his son's presidency, the senior George W. Bush worked with former President Clinton to address a number of humanitarian relief efforts.

RONALD REAGAN, 41ST PRESIDENT - Ronald Reagan was sworn in as our nation's 41st President on January 20, 1981. Minutes later, Iran announced that they had released the American hostages that they had held ever since President Carter had allowed the former Shah of Iran into the United States in order to receive medical treatment for his cancer. Reagan's swearing-in was the first time that a Presidential inauguration was held on the West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol. Known as the "Great Communicator", Reagan along with John Kennedy often tops public opinion polls as the best U.S. President. This is compared to polls of historians that typically list George Washington or Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt as the top three presidents. Reagan assumed the office of President at a time of low public morale because of high inflation, frustration over the Iran hostage situation, and the recent Arab oil embargo which had caused gas rationing in America. Reagan was elected based upon his promise of renewed optimism in America along with a shift towards conservative values and restraining the spending of government. Ironically, while Reagan's foreign policies helped bring about the eventual collapse of the Soviet Union, his military spending on the Star Wars and other programs caused government spending and the federal deficit to skyrocket. Reagan is the only movie star to be elected President. He survived an assassination attempt shortly after his election to his first term in office that almost cost him his life, but went on to serve to two terms as President. After he publicly took responsibility for the trading of arms for hostages in his second term in office, or what is known as the Iran-Contra scandal, the publicly forgave him. As a result, the media often referred to Reagan as having a "teflon factor" where the public so liked him that he could overcome criticisms that other President would have difficulty in dealing with. Part of this ability can be attributed to the way that Reagan seemed able to talk directly to the public in moments of shared celebration, such as the bicentennial of the Statue of Liberty, or in moments of tragedy, such as the Challenger space shuttle disaster.

JOHN F. KENNEDY, 35TH PRESIDENT - Sworn in as the 35th President on January 20, 1961, Kennedy was the first Catholic-American to be elected President. His was the first inauguration to be broadcast on color television. His was also the first inauguration to have a poet read a poem, and was the coldest of all inaugurations, with army flame throwers having to be used to clear the route of the inaugural parade. Along with his wife, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, he brought a youthfulness, optimism and sophistication to the presidency and the White House. He inherited plans for the invasion of Cuba which resulted in the failed Bay of Pigs incident. Accepting full responsibility for the failure, the public excused the incident. During the subsequent Cuban Missle crisis, President Kennedy is credited with showing more restraint and judgment than his aides who recommended a military attack on Cuba, and thus averting a nuclear war. Only after the collapse of the Soviet Union have documents come to light revealing how close we were to experiencing a nuclear war. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment, however, were his proposed social reforms, including the introduction of the Civil Rights Act. Unfortunately, he was assassinated in Dallas by Lee Harvey Oswald before his legislative agenda could be enacted, with the Civil Rights Act and bills passed only later after his death. Despite the short term of his presidency due to him being assassinated, in public opinion polls he is often ranked as our greatest President. One of his best known accomplishments was the creation of the Peace Corps. In the 2008 presidential election, his daughter, Caroline Kennedy, was one of the leading supporters of the presidency of Barack Obama. If you are visiting Washington, D.C., be sure the visit the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts which is named in his honor, and which is the jewel of cultural activities for the nation's capitol.

DWIGHT EISENHOWER, 34TH PRESIDENT - Dwight Eisenhower served as the Allied Supreme Commander in Europe during World War II and was responsible for overseeing the D-Day Invasion and the defeat of Germany. As a war hero, both political parties sought Eisenhower to run for President as the candidate for their party. Choosing to run as a Republican, Eisenhower was overwhelmingly elected and sworn in as the 34th President on January 20, 1953. Eisenhower's two greatest accomplishments as President were the construction of the interstate highway system and his skillful handling of the Cold War with the Soviet Union.

HARRY TRUMAN, 33RD PRESIDENT - Harry Truman was sworn in as the 33rd President on April 12, 1945 after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt. He subsequently was elected President in his own right and sworn in on January 20, 1949. His was the first inauguration to be broadcast on television. Truman's greatest accomplishments as President were his successful conclusion of World War II and the creation of the United Nations. He was re-elected as President, but saw his popularity drop with the U.S. involvement in the Korean War and his firing of the popular General MacArthur. Over time, however, both historians and the public have increased their view of Truman, ranking him as one of our near-great Presidents.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, 32ND PRESIDENT - Franklin Roosevelt was the only President to be elected that was disabled and used a wheelchair. For public appearances, however, he used braces to allow him to stand and walk with assistance for very short distances. He also was the only President to be elected to four terms as President. For his first term, he was sworn into office on March 4, 1933. For his second term, he was inaugurated on January 30, 1937, being the first President to be elected after passage of the 20th amendment to the U.S. Constitution which changed the inaugural date to January 20th. He was re-elected and sworn in for a third term on January 20, 1941 and was re-elected and sworn in for a fourth term on January 20, 1945. He was the last and only president to serve more than two terms since the 22nd Amendment ratified in 1951 henceforth restricted Presidents to serving only two terms. Along with George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, he is ranked among historians as among our three greatest Presidents for successfully guiding the country through both the Great Depression and World War II. Certainly, he left as great of a mark on the country as any other President. Meanwhile, his wife, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, is often as the greatest woman in America's history, helping to champion many of the social causes that President Roosevelt came to support. After his death, President Truman appointed her as the first U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. In this role, lhe led the fight for the adoption of the International Declaration of Human Rights. If you are visiting Washington, D.C., be sure to visit the FDR Memorial next to the tidal basin. It is one of Washington's newest but most spectacular memorials/monuments.

HERBERT HOOVER, 31ST PRESIDENT - Herbert Hoover was inaugurated as President on March 4, 1929. His was the first inauguration to be recorded by a talking newsreel. Soon after becoming President, the country experienced a collapse of the stock market and entered into the Great Depression. For this reason, he is often associated with the Great Depression. In fact, however, as Secretary of Commerce under Calvin Coolidge, Hoover had warned of the financial market excesses that led to the Stock Market Collapse and the Great Depression. He also was one of the greatest, if not the greatest, humanitarian in our nation's history. Having used his mining engineering education to make himself a multi-millionaire at a young age, during World War I he spearheaded and personally financed much of the Belgium relief effort for civilians displaced by the war. He was also an organizational genius so that, even after his presidency, future presidents sought him out for his advice and help. Unfortunately, he was not a great public communicator with the result that with the beginning of the Great Depression he was unable to provide the public, morale leadership that the nation's needed at the time.

CALVIN COOLIDGE, 30TH PRESIDENT - Calvin Coolidge served as the Vice President under President Harding, and thus assumed the office of President upon the death of Harding. Upon hearing of the death of Harding on March 3, 1923, Coolidge was administered the oath of office as President by his father, who was a justice of the peace. He was elected to a second term as President. At his inauguration for his second term on March 4, 1925, he was administered the oath of office by ex-president and then Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, William Howard Taft. Coolidge's inauguration was the first presidential inauguration to be broadcast nationwide on radio. Known as "Silent Cal" for his quiet manner, Coolidge was extremely popular and was the type of person that the public wanted as its president at the time. Unfortunately, he did not see the economic problems that were developing in the country at the time with the result that his laissez-faire attitude towards the regulation of the economy and financial markets helped lead to the Great Depression.

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT, 27TH PRESIDENT - Sworn in as President on March 4, 1904, William Howard Taft was the first President to ride to his inauguration parade with his wife. His was the first inauguration parade to also include an automobile, and that evening the U.S. Capitol dome was lighted for the first time (with a searchlight). Taft was the heaviest of all U.S. Presidents, requiring a special bathtub to be installed in the White House to accommodate him. After serving as President, Taft became the only U.S. President to later go on and serve as Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, 26TH PRESIDENT - As Vice President under President McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt assumed the office of the President upon the death of McKinley. He went on to be elected to a second term, and becoming one of our greatest presidents. He is perhaps best known for his nickname of "Teddy," his role as a "Rough Rider" in Cuba during the Spanish-American war, his construction of the Panama Canal, and his slogan "Speak softly, but carry a big stick." He supported progressive issues, environmental conservation, and the expansion of U.S. influence throughout the World. For those visiting Washington, D.C., be sure to visit Roosevelt Island which can be accessed via the Virginia side of the Potomac River, which includes a monument in its center to Theodore Roosevelt.

WILLIAM McKINLEY, 25TH PRESIDENT - William McKinley was sworn in as President on March 4, 1897. His was the first inauguration to be filmed by a movie camera. Ironically, his was also the first inauguration where a glass-enclosed reviewing stand was constructed in front of the White House to provide greater security for the newly-elected President. This enhanced presidential security did not protect him as later in his presidency he became the third U.S. President to be assassinated.

GROVER CLEVELAND, 24TH PRESIDENT - Having previously served one term as President and then retiring, Grover Cleveland decided to again run for President after the one-term presidency of Benjamin Harrison. After successfully being elected, he was sworn in on March 4, 1893, becoming the only President to serve twice in this office.

BENJAMIN HARRISON, 23RD PRESIDENT - The grandson of President William Henry Haarrison, Benjamin Harrison was sworn in as President on March 4, 1889.

GROVER CLEVELAND, 22ND PRESIDENT - Grover Cleveland is the only individual to serve as President twice, with an intervening period in between where he was not in office. For his first time as President, he was sworn in on March 4, 1885.

CHESTER ARTHUR, 21ST PRESIDENT - Chester Arthur served as Vice President under President James Garfield. As a result, he became President upon the assassination of President Garfield. His swearing in was the first time that two ex-presidents were in attendance (i.e. Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes).

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES, 19TH PRESIDENT - After being elected President, Hayes took the oath of office twice, once on March 3, 1877 in a private ceremony in the White House, and again on March 5, 1877 in a public ceremony. The reason for the initial private ceremony of taking the oath of office was begun March 3, 1877, the required date for assuming the presidency, was a Sunday - and it was not deemed prior to have a public inauguration ceremony on the sabbath.

ULYSSES S. GRANT, 18TH PRESIDENT - Grant was sworn in as President on March 4, 1869. Having served as head of the Union armies that defeated the South during the Civil War, at the time he was elected President he was the most popular man in American -- including being more popular than the assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.