Before they blew the thing up a few years ago, way back when I was a kid, my kid bro and I went to G’burg with our dad, who took us up in the observation tower. One of the things that the guide pointed out to us was the Eisenhower farm. “That’s Eisenhower’s Gettysburg address,” my dad told us. “Don’t you mean Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address?” the guide asked. “Didn’t you say Eisenhower lived there?” Dad asked the guide. “Yes,” he replied. Bro and I were way ahead of him: “Then it’s Eisenhower’s Gettysburg address,” Dad told the guide, who finally got the joke.
NPR did a bit on how long it took him to write it. I think it was in a few hours during the train ride. In contrast, the obscure idiot before him was a long-blown windbag whom killed the audience (about an hour) for President Lincoln.
What we would consider to be long winded and grandiloquent oratory was a popular form of entertainment during the 19th Century. I can’t explain why they enjoyed it, but they did. A century from now, people may be equally perplexed by today’s Reality TV shows.
The Nihilist almost 12 years ago
Oooo… that’s about the size of it for kids nowadays.
wvhappypappy almost 12 years ago
A modern take on an old joke…clever.
K M almost 12 years ago
Before they blew the thing up a few years ago, way back when I was a kid, my kid bro and I went to G’burg with our dad, who took us up in the observation tower. One of the things that the guide pointed out to us was the Eisenhower farm. “That’s Eisenhower’s Gettysburg address,” my dad told us. “Don’t you mean Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address?” the guide asked. “Didn’t you say Eisenhower lived there?” Dad asked the guide. “Yes,” he replied. Bro and I were way ahead of him: “Then it’s Eisenhower’s Gettysburg address,” Dad told the guide, who finally got the joke.
hippogriff almost 12 years ago
K M: Did he just get it, or was ignoring it because he had heard it so many times?
Potrzebie almost 12 years ago
NPR did a bit on how long it took him to write it. I think it was in a few hours during the train ride. In contrast, the obscure idiot before him was a long-blown windbag whom killed the audience (about an hour) for President Lincoln.
carlfishman almost 12 years ago
What we would consider to be long winded and grandiloquent oratory was a popular form of entertainment during the 19th Century. I can’t explain why they enjoyed it, but they did. A century from now, people may be equally perplexed by today’s Reality TV shows.
hippogriff almost 12 years ago
Joe: In your pajamas?
Potrzebie: He made a few revisions on the train, but it was written on a desk still in the Lincoln Bedroom (then an office) in the White House.