potuses

Delaware became state number one in 1787. No other could claim the honor. You'd think such a distinction would mean something when it comes to sending a president to Washington, DC. However, with all of the other claims, the first state has yet to send it's first chief executive to the White House.

Only a handful of states have actually groomed future presidents. New York has produced eight, more than any other. Early on though it looked like Virginia was a breeding ground for the job. Four of the first five presidents came from that commonwealth, and the only one of that group not reelected to a second term was the guy from the other state. Ohio has given us six presidents, then Virginia (5). Massachusetts gave us four, Tennessee, Texas and Illinois brought three each, two have come from out west in California then one each from Louisiana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Indiana, New Jersey, Missouri, Michigan, Georgia and Arkansas.

Not every president was born in the state that claimed them when they U-Hauled it to Pennsylvania Avenue. Even though Illinois gets credit for sending him up, the current POTUS was born in Hawaii, a state that was barely two years old itself when he let out his first baby cry. Besides Mr. Obama, Illinois also calls itself the Land of Lincoln, even though the often polled most popular president was birthed in my home state of Kentucky.

Two other presidents were native Kentuckians. Well, sorta. The only president the Confederate States of America ever swore into office was Jefferson Davis, from Christian County, Kentucky. Because he was their senator, Mississippi mostly lays claim to him. We've never fussed much about it though since our state decided not to join up with the south. (Of course, we didn't officially "join" the North either. Not that you had to.)

Then there was David Rice Atchison. Born just outside of Lexington, Kentucky in 1807, he, like so many others, moved west for fortune and opportunity. It's while he was President pro-tempore of the U.S. Senate, serving the people of Missouri, that he found himself in an odd situation. On Sunday, March 4, 1849 outgoing President James K. Polk's term had expired. His successor, Zachary Taylor, refused to take the oath. "No swearing on the sabbath!" he said. According to the Constitution, since Taylor's VP hadn't been sworn in yet either, that made Atchison the acting president. Know what he did with his presidential day? He slept. All day long he slept, and he dared his housekeeper to wake him. The voters of Missouri should be furious. It was nearly a hundred years before another Show Me man got the job.

OK, full disclosure here. Atchison never really believed or acknowledged that he was the actual President of the United States. Like the president's term, his senate leadership post had already expired too, and neither did he take the presidential oath. Had it been the real deal though, the senator would've been the youngest to ever serve the office at 41 years, six months. He also would've held the record for the shortest term, 24 hours. Officially, Theodore Roosevelt is the youngest to ever have the job (42 years old) and William Henry Harrison only had it for 32 days.

Since today is President's Day, it is entirely fitting, and completely acceptable to offer the honor and extend the appreciation due every man who has held the office. Some of them were prepared, others were obviously not. Some that I thought were fairly good, others rank at the bottom. But while being misunderstood, maligned, mocked, criticized and misinterpreted, they sit in that oval room, hear and see constant worst case scenarios, consider the results and make monumental decisions that affirm or alter life on this planet. I for one appreciate it. Thank you Mr. President. You deserve a day of your own.