Much Ado About Nothing

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

Jackson Blair

Washington is abuzz these days over the expulsion of a famous bust of Sir Winston Churchill, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, from its perch in the Oval Office.

The bust was loaned to the United States in the aftermath of the “9-11 tragedy” by our greatest ally, as a symbol of support and encouragement.

A grateful President George W. Bush placed it in the Oval and it remained there for eight years.

The current president, Barack Obama, sent it back to the British.

Those are the facts of this world-shaking situation. Folks in DC are not dealing with financial crisis, nukes in Iran or filling cabinet slots, they are wringing their hands over a perceived slight to our current friends across the Pond.

Behind the facts are always more interesting stories. Here are some of those.

George Bush liked Winston Churchill and saw him as a personal hero. Besides, he was
building a coalition for the Iraq War and he wanted to keep Tony Blair and
Downing Street happy.
Barack Obama has some feelings about Churchill and the British government’s handling
of a variety of problems in Africa that may, or may not, have cost Obama’s
relatives their lives. Besides, Obama doesn’t have to keep Tony Blair or
his successor happy because he isn’t planning on needing them in Iraq.

George Bush liked Winston Churchill because he was similarly stubborn.
Barack Obama likes Abraham Lincoln, for a variety of reasons including his
commitment to equality of life in America.

George Bush had views and opinions and he wasn’t budging. Same for Sir Winston.
Barack Obama wants to be like Abraham Lincoln, which requires contemplation
and a more philosophical approach to governing.



George Bush won an election and decorated his office.
Barack Obama won an election and decorated his office.
Neither of them is interested in what the “Pros” on the HGTV network think about
their decorating skills.

Who really believes George or Barack had anything to say about the decorations? No married man thinks that.

Laura probably unpacked Winnie and said something like: not in the family quarters!
Michelle probably looked at Winnie and said something along the lines of: Laura didn’t go far enough. Give him back to the Brits.

But most importantly, Elizabeth II probably said, before either Laura or Michelle were involved: send this thing over to the colonies. If we tell them it is a special message of our love and solidarity, they will hardly remember 1776 and they will be afraid to send it back because it might be insulting.

Reading stories of this current dust-up in the newspapers brings back memories of Winston Churchill and his special relationship with the U.S. Many Americans do not realize Sir Winston’s mother was American. Many do not know that a grateful U.S. Congress made Sir Winston a citizen of our country.

Winston and FDR were so involved in planning and executing strategies in World War II that they often spent many days together in meetings. Since Winston was more mobile than the wheelchair bound Roosevelt, Winnie was often a guest in The White House, for long periods of time.

If you read the Roosevelt books, you will understand that Winston was a little unusual in his personal habits. The American Press was aghast at President Lyndon Johnson holding meetings while he skinny-dipped in The White House pool, bathed in the upstairs family quarters, or while dressing in the morning. If they had known that Sir Winston had similar preferences, they could have file some pretty good stories in the 1940’s.

Winnie liked to smoke cigars and to drink. While there isn’t anything unusual about this, the fact that he started early in the morning and continued throughout the day, without any seeming loss of capacity, is mindboggling.

Winnie also liked to work naked. There is a well-reported story of his being stark naked in his bedroom at The White House when, after a quick knock, FDR wheeled himself into the room. Winnie stood their naked and commented: As you can see Mr. President, the Prime Minister of Great Britain keeps no secrets from the President of the United States.

While Roosevelt didn’t seem to mind Winnie’s quirks, other books reported that Eleanor Roosevelt did not appreciate running into a naked Winston Churchill walking the Great Hall of the family quarters.

So Sir Winston Churchill had an American mother.
Sir Winston Churchill was made an American citizen.
Sir Winston Churchill drank, smoked and walked the halls naked in The White House for years.

That would all seem to argue that President Obama reconsiders and bring Winnie back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. That would be a Lincolnesque solution to a prickly international problem.

A proper perch for the bust might well be in the Men’s’ Room off the formal entry to The White House. If that isn’t acceptable to the Obama’s they might consider placing the bust in the Wine Cellar.
I cannot help but think that Sir Winston would love the thought of either.

And as a goodwill gesture, we should send Queen Liz a bust of Lyndon Johnson holding his hounds up by their ears. Since she loves all those Corgis she might well provide Lyndon with an impressive perch in the Royal Kennels.