20070214 Gauging A Presidential Legacy

20070214 President Harry Truman and Gauging a presidential legacy

My Tentacle column for this week is up: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Pictured to the left is the executive director of the Little White House Museum, in Key West Florida, Robert J. Wolz on February 12, 2007

February 14, 2007

Gauging A Presidential Legacy

Kevin E. Dayhoff

Recently political pundits have spent a great deal of effort pondering the legacy of President George W. Bush. Of course, those of us who consider ourselves to be students of history understand that history needs much more time and distance in order to accurately gauge the legacy and historical impact of any particular president.

Yet, uncannily, there are many parallels shared in the legacy of our 33rd president, Harry S Truman and President Bush, our 43rd president; and it is only understandable that the comparisons persist.

I took the opportunity Monday to tour President Truman's Key West White House, known as the "Little White House," in order to re-acquaint myself with the great legacy of the now-legendary president.

After the tour I interviewed the executive director of the Little White House Museum, Robert J. Wolz, at great length. The tour guide, David Lynch and Mr. Wolz are both walking encyclopedias on the life and times of President Truman.

Mr. Wolz says, with a certain "I told you so" confidence, that it is "remarkable that President Truman has gone from the least popular president of all time to the fifth most successful."

President Truman first arrived in Key West in November 1946, just days after the majority party in Congress had changed in the mid-term elections. In his case, Republicans reclaimed Congress for the first time since the administration of Republican President Herbert Hoover, the man who had immediately preceded President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Read the rest here: Gauging A Presidential Legacy

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Florida Key West, President George W. Bush, President Harry S Truman, The Tentacle, History American Presidents

20070214 Greetings from Key West

Greetings from Key West

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine’s Day
Around lunchtime, when I took the picture above, I got a phone call from WJZ reporter Mike Schuh[1]. He was in Westminster tracking down a snow story.

For twenty years as an elected official, I got to work with many great journalists from the print, radio, and TV media. Mike Schuh is one of the best of the best. Always pre-occupied with getting it right and reporting relevant and community-oriented news – he is “real people.”

For more on Mr. Schuh – go here. And be sure to read his “A Bakers Dozen of Sensible Schuh's.”

Later – I checked in on how Mr. Schuh was making-out getting the story in Westminster. I was at Southernmost Point at the time… I’ll post that picture separately…

















UPDATE: For Mr. Schuh’s reporting of the snow event in Westminster go here: http://wjz.com/video/?id=24955@wjz.dayport.com

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[1] Mike Schuh, WJZ Channel 13 Reporter

February 14th, 2007

http://wjz.com/bios/local_bio_053095449

Mike Schuh joined WJZ Eyewitness News as a general assignment reporter in April, 1993. In 2002 Mike won a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting. During his career at Eyewitness News he has also earned 7 Emmy Awards for Hard News Investigations, General News Reporting and Features Reporting.

Mike came to WJZ after reporting for other television stations in Indianapolis, Louisville, Missouri and Illinois. In 1983 he received his B.S. Degree in News Reporting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mike lives near Towson with his wife and one very, very energetic daughter.

20070214 Greetings from Key West

Greetings from Key West

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine’s Day
Around lunchtime, when I took the picture above, I got a phone call from WJZ reporter Mike Schuh[1]. He was in Westminster tracking down a snow story.

For twenty years as an elected official, I got to work with many great journalists from the print, radio, and TV media. Mike Schuh is one of the best of the best. Always pre-occupied with getting it right and reporting relevant and community-oriented news – he is “real people.”

For more on Mr. Schuh – go here. And be sure to read his “A Bakers Dozen of Sensible Schuh's.”

Later – I checked in on how Mr. Schuh was making-out getting the story in Westminster. I was at Southernmost Point at the time… I’ll post that picture separately…

















UPDATE: For Mr. Schuh’s reporting of the snow event in Westminster go here: http://wjz.com/video/?id=24955@wjz.dayport.com

_____

[1] Mike Schuh, WJZ Channel 13 Reporter

February 14th, 2007

http://wjz.com/bios/local_bio_053095449

Mike Schuh joined WJZ Eyewitness News as a general assignment reporter in April, 1993. In 2002 Mike won a Regional Edward R. Murrow award for feature reporting. During his career at Eyewitness News he has also earned 7 Emmy Awards for Hard News Investigations, General News Reporting and Features Reporting.

Mike came to WJZ after reporting for other television stations in Indianapolis, Louisville, Missouri and Illinois. In 1983 he received his B.S. Degree in News Reporting from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Mike lives near Towson with his wife and one very, very energetic daughter.

20070214 Our Home away from home in Key West

Our Home away from home in Key West

February 14^th, 2007

Of course, we’re roughing it down here in Key West. Today it was in the 80s, the sun was out and it was another gorgeous day.

We ate lunch at a Cuban restaurant at Mallory Square, slipped down to Southernmost Point for a quick photo and then toured Hemingway’s house at 907 Whitehead Street.

Folks have asked where we are staying, so we thought that we show ya a picture of the place.

Yeah, it’s kind of ostentatious but we love it.

Yes, those are our chickens. They are quite friendly.

Okay, I thought I would wash the windows, feed the chickens and spruce the place up a bit. I’ll write more later.

Kevin and the Math Potatoes.

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20070213 Thai Cuisine in Key West Florida

Thai Cuisine in Key West Florida

February 13^th, 2007

For dinner this evening we ate at a Thai restaurant, “Thai Cuisine,” at the corner of Greene and Ann Streets.

Just as we sat down at our table, the Westminster, Maryland acting director of planning and public works, Jeff Glass called.

The picture of the old Key West City Hall was the view I had from my seat as I chatted with Mr. Glass at several minutes past 7 PM Tuesday evening, February 13^th, 2007.

Of course in Key West, the outside is blurred with the inside - - and what is inside is outside and what is outside is inside. We had a table that was under-roof, however, it was as much outside as it was inside.

Gee, that sounds like a keen observation of the “Math Potatoes,” Pi, Algebra (Al), Geometry (Geo) and Isosceles.

Mr. Glass was the focus of my last column in the Westminster Eagle – last Wednesday, February 7^th, 2007: “Westminster is great, even if it does get your goat .”

In Key West, as I chatted with Mr. Glass, the temperature was in the 80s and it was simply a beautiful evening. In Westminster, it was well below zero and they were in the middle of a wintry mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain.

I had called earlier to how the guys in the Street Department were making out. They have been putting an incredible amount of hours in the last several weeks. As much as I feel guilty about being in Key West while the folks in the Street Department are fighting with frozen equipment, slippery and treacherous roads, long hours and the cold - - I have come to simply hate the cold, snow and ice of winter and I am very happy to be in Key West.

The Westminster Street Department is the focus of my column in the Westminster Eagle that will be coming out tomorrow, Wednesday, February 14^th, 2007.

This is a great group of professionals that are a key part of why we have such a high quality of life in Westminster. It is my view that they don’t get enough credit.

Meanwhile, our dinner at the Thai restaurant was exquisite. I had a large selection of sushi. The service was prompt and courteous and as much as everything in Key West is expensive, at least I felt that we got value from what we spent.

The doggie with the sunglasses was a hoot and I couldn’t resist taking the dinner guest’s picture. Chickens, cats, and dogs are frequent dinner guests in many of the restaurants in Key West… Just part of the quirky charm.

Kevin

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20070213 Rooftop Gardens in Key West

The Rooftop Gardens above the Whiskey Bar on Duval Street in Key West

February 13th, 2007

20070213 Key West Door

Key West Door
February 13th, 2007

20070213 The Yellow Bicycle

The Yellow Bicycle

February 13th, 2007

20070213 Key West Sign

Key West Sign

Tuesday, February 13^th, 2007

Garden of Eden Clothing Optional Bar

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20070213 Key West Coast Guard Boat

Key West Coast Guard Boat

February 13^th, 2007

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20070213 Good Morning Key West

20070212 Kellys Restaurant

Kelly’s Restaurant

301 Whitehead Street,

Key West, FL 33040

305-293-8484

Monday, February 12^th, 2007

Restaurants,

20070212 Good Morning Key West

Good Morning Key West

Monday morning, February 12^th, 2007 in Key West Florida.

20070211 Irish Kevins

Irish Kevins

Sunday, February 11^th, 2007

Well, first of all, to the best of my knowledge, although I am a typical Heinz 57 American and I am not aware of that much Irish heritage in my family.

But nevertheless, the opportunity to do the above photo collage of scenes on Duval Street in Key West, Florida, Sunday evening, February 11^th, 2007, was too fun to pass up.

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20070211 Soundtrack Daily Photoblog

Soundtrack Daily Photoblog

Sunday, February 11th, 2007

Key West, Florida: Around 7:30 this morning this Mourning Dove sat on the railing on the balcony outside our bedroom and announced that it was morning.

The weather is a bit overcast and the temperature is 69 degrees, but nevertheless a great deal more comfortable than the 20 degrees in Westminster, Maryland.

Daily Photoblog

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20070210 Daily Photoblog The Bicycle

Daily Photoblog: The Bicycle

Saturday, February 10th, 2007

Hampton Inn, Homestead Florida

20070209 Daily Photoblog Galindos Café Mural

Daily Photoblog Galindos Café Mural

Friday, February 9th, 2007

Mural on the outside wall of Galindos Café, Homestead Florida.

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20070209 Feather Eyes

Feather Eyes

February 9^th, 2007

“Feather Eyes” is actually a photo of the cover photo of one of the airline magazines. I wish that I had recorded the photographer and the name of the magazine, but I did not. It is not “my picture.” It is my picture of someone else’s picture. Nevertheless, I just thought it was fun…

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