Presidential Courage

Presidential Courage

America has always been blessed with many great men that have served in the highest office in the land. Many times these great men served with courage and devotion to their country, while at the same time facing a myriad of troubles. Whether they were physical or mental illness, these men usually served without the country knowing at all, or not really knowing the severity of their problems. This is just another instance in the greatness of America. From Grover Cleveland's disappearing to hide his jaw cancer to Kennedy's almost daily use of cortisone to keep going, the presidents have gone about doing the job they were elected to. Maybe because they all realized the significance of the office they hold, or maybe some were just plain stubborn, but none has decided to give up the office because they were not feeling well.

In reading the different accounts of the various maladies that affected the presidents, it really showed what a completely different world it was when the country first began. Our first president, George Washington was plagued by "ten major illnesses that ravaged his body during his sixty-seven years". Andrew Jackson had so many physical ailments that they should have killed him five times over. It seemed the most common remedy for these ailments was bloodletting, which could have only made the conditions worse.

Washington must have experienced very quickly what other presidents have come to find. The rigors of the office age these men well before their time. It is remarkable how much the presidents look to have aged during their time in office. Most, especially the youthful presidents, seem to age two-fold if you compare the images from the beginning of their term to its end. Of the recent presidents, George W. Bush went from looking like a young, energetic man at the start of his term, to a man that lived a very difficult life. The pressures of the office must feel like an elephant bearing its full weight upon the president.

I guess I have always admired Washington more than any other president-even though I would have to say Ronald Reagan is a very close second. Washington was not only serving as the head of the Executive Branch, but also the first head of the Executive Branch. Meaning that much of what he was doing would serve as a precedent for all others to follow. It must have been much easier for all of the successive presidents to follow his lead. There was no formula for Washington to follow; he had to make it up as he went along, with an entire new nation as his audience.

I think Washington is a good example of a man who demonstrated courage and devotion to his country while dealing with various troubles. It would have been very easy for Washington to remain at Mt. Vernon and live the rest of his life out as the general who won America's freedom during the Revolutionary War. Instead, he answered