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By SJWNY, a Trail Mix Contributor

Spring is in the air, thoughts of daffodils, robins & Hollywood Awards. Earlier this month I watched Wilson (1944) which really is longer than Woodrow was President. The featured actor, Alexander Knox, is as wooden as they come. I am no fan of the real Wilson but he got the fuzzy end of the lollipop in regards to cinematic biography.

This sorry waste of film made me think of the good portrayals of Presidents in movies & on TV. So for your consideration, my list of winners:

George Washington

Jeff Daniels, The Crossing (2000)

Yes I know this episode in Washington’s life predates his Presidency. Jeff Daniels’ performance of quiet strength & complexity is amazingly good. Why did a ragtag army of farmers & backwoodsmen follow Washington into seemingly unwinnable odds? If Daniels’ portrayal is close to the real man, you have a clue why.

This TV film was made by A & E back when the A actually meant art & the E equaled thoughtful enriching entertainment. It is sad how far that network has fallen.

John Adams

George Grizzard, The Adams Chronicles (1976)

William Daniels, 1776 (1972)

Grizzard captured the Adams Abigail wrote those Love Letters to & Daniels captured the hard headed visionary the rebelling Colonies needed.

Lyndon Baynes Johnson

Bryan Cranston, All The Way (2016)

Cranston set the bar so high in LBJ portrayals I pity the fool who tries to top this.

And the overall winner is …..

John Quincy Adams

William Daniels, The Adams Chronicles (1976)

Mr Daniels was born to portray JQA. It is in his dna. He is this President. I honestly cannot see a picture of the actual President & not think of William Daniels’ performance.

Wait … was the wrong winner announced?

Nah. Just tweaking you. But I do have a bonus winner.

The Absolute Best Portrayal of a First Lady

Joan Allen, Nixon (1995)

Anthony Hopkins did not impress in this film but Ms Allen blew everyone off the screen as Pat Nixon. She made this woman human. Watch it for her performance alone.

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By SJWNY, a Trail Mix Contributor

Only two Presidents are said to have had no known pets: James K. Polk & the present occupant in the White House.

Only two.

Giving Polk a pass because no one alive today knew him, but we unfortunately know #45. The fact he has no known pets is not surprising, is it? Good pet care means caring & putting the needs of a life before your own. It means unconditional love, commitment.

Would you vote for anyone who never had a pet? This is meant as a serious question. I read a quote from Lincoln where he reportedly said that his cat was smarter than his Cabinet. It is also passed down that when the pressures of the Civil War & wife Mary got too much he would retreat outside & play with kittens, which were always in abundance around the White House. I get what he did & why he did it.

Come 2020 I offer that the first Meet ‘N Greet Debate include a question about pets. I’ll be listening. Says a lot about the person & how they are centered emotionally. This stuff matters. Just look at who we have today.

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By SJWNY, a Trail Mix Contributor

We’ve come so far in our history. We have far to go, but really, where would you rather live? We can change what is wrong & bad. It is who we are.

I thought of this as I watched the State of the Union Address. President X highlights the good, taking credit wherever it can be taken. Why not. He has the bully pulpit. Then moments after, herald the opposition attack dogs, howling away whether they have good reason to or not. I’m speaking generally, apply whichever Party whatever year you wish. Formula applied = same outcome.

What else was I thinking? Election of 1884. Grover Cleveland vs James G. Blaine. “Rum, Romanism, Rebellion”: now there was a gift to political operatives who saw an opening to exploit to the fullest. Too bad for the Republicans New York was chock full o’Roman Catholic Irish men. “Ma, ma, where’s my Pa?”: Good news for the Democrats that Cleveland handled this like a responsible gentleman. Nasty year, nasty stuff. We survived.

But one nugget from that campaign was Belva Ann Lockwood. She ran for President under the Equal Rights Party & received 4100 votes. “I cannot vote but I can be voted for” she said. This was symbolic but someone had to step up & make a stand, no matter how seemingly lost the cause. Good lesson, good to remember. How else do things change?

We live in a time of doom, gloom, disrespect, division. We’ve always had these unsavory aspects in our national dna. But we overcome our shortcomings & rise above them. Everything is cyclical, the cream will rise to the top again. We had Belva then, we have Belvas today. We just need to seek them out & give them voice & support.

Perhaps You are our Belva? Hmmm?

Why not.

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By SJWNY, a Trail Mix Contributor

I saw the footage of Joe Biden comforting Meghan McCain on The View: it was comforting, lovely & how every human being should treat another. Of course this is not always the case. But it was reassuring to see two people responding to each other simply as people, not as rivals.

On a purely political note, as a fellow human being I humbly request the Democratic Party to declare Joe Biden the Official Ambassador/Grampa of your Party. He is so needed in this dark world, giving us hope & as an example of the need to change back to common decency. All is calm, all is bright. Peace.

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