In their own words, U.S. presidents tell of difficulties of the job
"How hard is it to be the president of the United States?," asked Justin Hinkeldey, 8, a second-grader at Robert Crown Elementary School in Wauconda.
There have been 43 men who have served as president of the United States. In November 2008, a new candidate will be elected to lead our country. Will he or she find the job difficult? Here's what some past presidents have said about being our nation's commander-in-chief.
The youngest president to serve our country was Teddy Roosevelt, the nation's 26th president. One of his most memorable decisions was to add hundreds of thousands of acres to the national park system throughout America's west. Roosevelt said this about his job, "I don't think any president ever enjoyed himself more than I did. Moreover, I don't think any ex-president ever enjoyed himself more."
Every president faces difficult times while in office. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president, was charged with keeping our nation from splitting apart during the Civil War. Lincoln was disappointed by his generals' inability to carry out his orders. After the Battle of Gettysburg, Lincoln said, "We had them within our grasp. We had only to stretch forth our hands and they were ours. And nothing I could say or do could make the army move."
Lincoln was also frustrated by special interest groups -- people who came to him with requests for money that would only benefit a handful of people or communities. He said, "I am fair game for everybody of that hungry lot …"
The 35th president, John F. Kennedy, was faced with the threat of a missile attack by the Soviet Union. Kennedy said, "When I ran for Presidency of the United States, I knew that this country faced serious challenges, but I could not realize -- nor could any man realize who does not bear the burdens of this office -- how heavy and constant would be those burdens."
Harry Truman, our 33rd president, also had tough decisions to make during his term as president. As vice president he automatically became president when President Franklin Roosevelt died. It was the end of World War II. As president, he had to make the decision to bring an end to the long and bitter conflict. Truman had this advice for the next U.S. president, "I want all of you to realize how big a job, how hard a job, it is -- not for my sake, because I am stepping out of it -- but for the sake of my successor. He needs the understanding and the help of every citizen."
For more information
The Fremont Area Library in Mundelein suggests these titles on the U.S. President:
• "So You Want To Be President," by Judith St. George
• "The Cuban Missile Crisis: The Brink of War," by Paul J. Byrne
• "If The Walls Could Talk: Family Life At The White House," by Jane O'Connor
• "Young People's Letters To The President," by Judith E. Greenberg
• "George Washington, Spymaster: How the Americans Outspied The British and Won The Revolutionary War," by Thomas B. Allen