A Salute to the American Presidency Project

While researching our new profile of CIA nominee Leon Panetta, we came across this great resource from UC Santa Barbara: The American Presidency ProjectIt’s a monster collection of public papers of the presidents, plus assorted proclamations, remarks, press briefings, election notes, audio and video. (Want to hear Herbert Hoover address the Puerto Rican legislature?

Bushisms

“Will the highways on the Internet become more few?””It would be a mistake for the United States Senate to allow any kind of human cloning to come out of that chamber.””They misunderestimated me.”The BBC lines ’em up.

Hentoff’s Last Riff

“I used to say, ‘I’ve been at the Voice since the Civil War.’ But now I’m off to other combats.”Nat Hentoff, expert columnist on law, politics and jazz, moves on after 50 years at The Village Voice.

Obama’s New Limo is an Armored “Cocoon”

Made by Cadillac.”One news agency, noting its 8-inch-thick doors, says the limo can withstand a ‘direct hit from an asteroid.’ But GM spokeswoman Joanne K. Krell laughed off the comments. ‘And it will fix you a latte if you ask,’ she jokes.”A $25 billion latte, if you include the cost of the GM buyout.

Nicolas Cage is Only 45 Years Old Today

Doesn’t he seem older?Born in 1964. His first big role was in Valley Girl in 1983. (A year earlier he played “Brad’s Bud” in Fast Times at Ridgemont High.)That’s 26 years on the big screen. Others born the same year as Cage: Sarah Palin, Keanu Reeves, and Willy Wonka.

Hilda Solis is Class of ’79, Not Class of ’80

Secretary of Labor nominee Hilda Solis graduated from Cal Poly Pomona in 1979, in case there was any question.There’s a bit of confusion about the date online; a few sources say 1980. The Cal Poly website itself said 1980, which led Who2 editor Hans Holznagel to write them for clarification.

Bobby Fischer’s First Big Match

“On Bobby’s scorecard that day, it all looked so simple, so preordained. When it was over, in his typically illegible hand, he scrawled ‘Mate’ (it looked like ‘Mute’) — and then put on his jacket and left with his mom.”Remembering the 1956 match of chess prodigy Bobby Fischer and Donald Byrne.