Doug Mataconis remembers, or at least commemorates.
I would add, as I do in the book, that this was also when we really won the space race, not when we actually landed on the moon. It was our “first,” and the first time the Soviets realized they couldn’t beat us.
Particularly if you’re a politician. We probably should bring that one back, but I think we should bring back the stocks and public humilation, particularly for stupid officious school officials.
It’s the hundred and tenth anniversary of the Wright brothers’ achievement. On the Centennial, a decade ago, I wrote three pieces to commemorate it, here, here and here.
Obama ends his fifth year in office with lower approval ratings than almost all other recent two-term presidents. At this point in 2005, for example, former president George W. Bush was at 47 percent positive, 52 percent negative. All other post-World War II presidents were at or above 50 percent at this point in their second terms, except Richard M. Nixon, whose fifth year ended in 1973 with an approval rating of 29 percent because of the Watergate scandal that later brought impeachment and his resignation.
The resignation was to avoid impeachment (and removal) — he resigned because a group of senators from his own party went to the White House and told him that he’d be convicted if impeached. Because Republicans have the integrity to remove their bad apples, while Democrats circle the wagons around theirs.
Anyway, I’ll bet the reporter who wrote that wasn’t even born at the time.