A Distinct Photo of the President's Resolute Desk

I have to apologize to my followers for not posting anything in a long time.  I have buried myself in the study of economics and it is all I can think about lately.  However, something occurred that deserves discussion.  Therefore, I share the following with all of you.

There is a story about George W. Bush, the 43^rd President of the United States of America.  Apparently he was visiting the home of his parents, George H. W. Bush, the 41^st President, and Barbara Bush, when he put his feet on the furniture.  Of course, Barbara Bush called him on it by saying “George, get your feet off the furniture” to which George H. W. remarked, “You can’t talk to him that way.  He is the President of the United States”, at which Barbara replied “George knows better.” 

Barbara Bush’s influence with Presidents extends to Bill Clinton, the 42^nd President.  He is quoted as saying that Barbara calls him son and that he has become the “black” sheep of the family.  Well, I wonder what Barbara would say about this.

There is a photo of the 44^th President of the United States with his foot on the desk.  Actually, there are photos of many Presidents with their feet on Presidential desks.  There is one of George W. that Barbara may or may not have seen.  There is one of Barack Obama from his first term, and one of Gerald Ford, both of which I have seen.  However, there is a photo of the current President with his foot on the desk that is characteristically different from all others.

In each of the other Presidential feet on desk photos the back of the foot is actually touching the desk.  The back is sometimes covered by material from the trousers.  So, the inference is that no damage came to the desk itself.  The same cannot be said of the photo above.  Please note how the soul of the foot, the same soul that comes into contact with the ground and picks bits of stone and gravel, namely, things that are know to scratch furniture, is touching the top of the desk.  The photo also shows off the President’s flexibility and athleticism, which is quite good for a man of 52.  I have been doing yoga for years and I can’t do that.  

There is a great history of Presidential desks.  There are six of them in all.  The desk used by our current President and his two predecessors is known as the Resolute Desk due to the fact that it was created from wood salvaged from the HMS Resolute and given to President Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1879.  President Franklin D. Roosevelt modified it by having a front panel installed to hide his leg braces.  After FDR, the desk languished in storage until Jacqueline Kennedy found it and had it restored and put in the Oval Office.  There is a heartwarming photo of John Jr. peaking out of the FDR panel as JFK was smiling down on him from his work above. 

And now we have a photo with the current President in a position that could potentially damage that desk.  All I can say is, President Obama, you need a mother.  Perhaps you can ask Bill if Barbara is available.