Trump Channels Old Hickory Gail Collins MARCH 16, 2017

New Post Public Reply Private Reply Replies (0) Message Board

Mar 16, 2017 at 1:00 PM 114

Quote:

Trump Channels Old Hickory

Gail Collins MARCH 16, 2017

President Trump at the grave of President Andrew Jackson in Nashville on Wednesday. Credit Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

Donald Trump wants us to think he’s like Andrew Jackson. So there he was, at Jackson’s home in Tennessee on Wednesday, celebrating Old Hickory’s 250th birthday.

Fans called Jackson “Old Hickory” because he was tough and shared his men’s hardship and deprivation in the Army. There are no similar anecdotes for Donald Trump, although we are looking into a rumor he once sat with an aide in business class.

Quick question: What kind of tree nickname should Donald Trump have?

A) Old Slippery Elm

Old Gopherwood

C) Old Hackberry

D) Old Ornamental Dogwood

The visit was part of Trump’s ongoing effort to present himself as Hickory’s outsider soul brother. Two instinctive friends of the common man, only one of whom has been repeatedly charged with stiffing his contractors.

“It was during the Revolution that Jackson first confronted and defied an arrogant elite. Does that sound familiar?” the president asked a crowd of visitors as he stood in front of Jackson’s house, the Hermitage.

During the Revolution, while Jackson was a teenager, he served as a messenger for the rebels, was captured by the British, spent time in a prison camp, lost two brothers and his mother. The kinship here would be … that military-themed boarding school?

Trump truly is a big Jackson fan. We know that because he said, “I’m a fan.” But they’re really not all that similar.

Which president would you compare him to? Some people pick James Buchanan, who always winds up on the bottom when it comes to worst presidents. I cannot tell you how eager Buchanan fans are for the day that Donald Trump gets out of office and into the rankings.

Unlike Trump, most of our chief executives came to the job after having experience holding other public office. Even Jackson was in Congress. Maybe we could better compare Trump to Zachary Taylor, who had done absolutely nothing but be a soldier. If Taylor had been required to put together a health care plan, it would probably have looked like the one that’s currently staggering around Washington.

Or is Trump like Franklin Pierce? If you want to check it out, I’ll bet people at Franklin Pierce’s home in New Hampshire would be really, really happy to have more visitors. And since Pierce is usually near the bottom of the charts, it’s another camp that’s hoping the Trump administration just keeps going the way it is now.

Like Trump, Pierce was into cleanliness. And neither man was wiretapped by his predecessor. See, there’s a lot of commonality.

Rutherford B. Hayes? I am only bringing him up because nobody ever brings up Rutherford B. Hayes. Hayes did get into office without winning the popular vote. And he installed the first White House telephone. Can you imagine a President Trump with no connection to the outside world but telegraph? Has to mean something.

Ronald Reagan? Don’t compare Trump to Ronald Reagan. You’ll just encourage him.

Since Trump was channeling Andrew Jackson, maybe we could talk about Richard Johnson, who was vice president under Jackson’s successor, Martin Van Buren. Now there was a guy who rose to power with the help of an over-the-top persona. Like Jackson, Johnson presented himself as a man of humble origins. But in reality, he had a dad who owned a ton of real estate. And like Trump, he became a politician with a lot of money who complained about the moneyed class.

He also had a wild hairstyle. Things eventually went south for Johnson financially, and he attempted to recoup by opening up a tavern back home. He spent much of his vice presidency tending bar in Kentucky. While this doesn’t really serve our attempts to make a connection, you have to love imagining Donald Trump winding up serving drinks at Applebee’s.

But about Andrew Jackson. He subscribed to 16 newspapers, so that’s a little like spending your evenings staring at Fox. And if Old Hickory had access to a Twitter account, God knows what would have happened. (“Henry Clay still plotting against me! Stealing my mail! Hiding in the bushes! Sad!”)

Some critics have also noted that Jackson was very enthusiastic about clearing nonwhite residents out of the country. On Wednesday, Trump got around that one by declaring the seventh president “a product of his time.”

When we think of Jackson now, we often remember his war against the banks, which set the stage for a financial panic and ensuing depression. None of that came up in Tennessee, although Trump did say approvingly that Jackson “battled the centralized financial power that brought influence at our citizens’ expense.”

During Trump’s second week in office he started a review of an Obama rule requiring investment brokers to put their clients’ interest first. Do you think Andy would have approved? Just asking.

Newer

Older

Scroll down for more posts ▼

Top 10 Most Recent News Articles

Curve Memberships: A New Path for Dental Practices

Revolutionizing Dental Practice Management Ever met a dentist who says they love dealing with insurance bureaucracies? Yeah, me neither. Curve Dental's latest gambit into membership plans is aiming to slice right through that mess. They've launched a shiny new component aptly named Curve Memberships. This isn't just some fly-by-night addon; it's about deep...

Beyoncé Drops Remastered 'B'DAY'; Celebrates Legacy

Every so often, an artist comes around who's not just making music but shifting the very landscape of their genre. Beyoncé isn't just marking her birthday today; she's reminding the world of a career-defining moment with the release of her remastered deluxe version of 'B'DAY'. This isn't just a stroll down memory lane; it's a full-blown revival of an era that reshaped...

LaserPecker Debuts U1: Innovations in UV Laser Engraving

An Eye on the Future with LaserPecker's U1 This ain't your typical innovation announcement. LaserPecker is shifting the sands with their latest release, the U1, at IFA 2026 in Berlin. For anyone sick of struggling with transparent materials like glass and crystal, this thing promises to be a game-changer, boasting cutting-edge technology in UV laser engraving. While...

What to Expect from KeyCorp at Barclays Event

KeyCorp's Next Move: An Insider's View Yep, circle that calendar, folks. Looks like KeyCorp's gonna be laying it all out there for the financial world to see. Clark Khayat, their numero uno money guy, is hitting the stage at the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference on Sept. 14. So grab the popcorn—or, more like, your portfolio tracker—because this could get...

Armed Security: Balancing Safety with Cost in Rochester

The Decision to Arm: When Business Risks Demand It You know, deciding whether to hire armed security isn't as clear-cut as some folks make it seem. It ain't just about slapping a guard at your door. There's a whole set of chess moves behind it, especially in good ol' Rochester. When you're juggling high-risk operations, like handling valuable inventory or dealing with...

Missouri American Water's $34.5M Neosho Acquisition Outline

Missouri American Water Expands in Neosho, Missouri Well, buckle up because Missouri American Water just sealed the deal to take over Neosho's water and wastewater systems. This acquisition cost them a cool $34.5 million and is bringing 5,400 water and another 5,400 wastewater customers into the fold. Plus, they're welcoming onboard 25 local workers who've been in the...

California American Water’s $8.6M Project: Big Move Upfront

California's Lincoln Oaks neighborhood is gearing up for some necessary upheaval, thanks to California American Water’s new $8.6 million infrastructure overhaul. For decades, those folks in Sylvan Park have been juggling with the roulette of aging water mains in their backyards. Now, imagine that: backyard pipes begging to turn traitors. It's about time someone decided...

USF Law Innovators: Leading AI Integration in Academics

Revolutionizing Legal Academia with AI If there's one thing that's caught my eye in the realm of education, it's how some folks over at the University of San Francisco School of Law are shaking things up. These legal eagles aren't messing around with the usual, archaic ways of teaching the law. Nope, they've dove headfirst into the future by hooking their curriculum to...

Ed Markey's Political Future on Shaky Ground in MA

Massachusetts Voters Voice Desire for Change Ever seen an old engine stutter and cough before finally quitting? That's what Ed Markey's political career is starting to feel like. A fresh poll has surfaced, casting doubt over his steady grip on his longstanding Senate seat in Massachusetts. People are yearning for fresh faces and new ideas like never before. It's as if the...

Money Market Funds Surge to Record $7.98 Trillion

When Money Talks Fast: Market Funds Smash Records Picture this: money market funds have surged to an eye-watering $7.98 trillion. That's a lot of zeros, folks. And it's not just the usual humdrum growth; we're talking a hefty $44.75 billion increase in just one week, thanks to a cocktail of government funds and prime fund muscle, as the Investment Company Institute (ICI)...