Sunday, November 27, 2011

Big Man For A Big Job...!


It seems like the pressure in the White House gives all who live there a big appetite!

For some it's money, some it's power, and some it's food! Only problem is, when you don't curb your appetite, it starts to show! That's what the problem was with Taft!

Let's face it...when your housekeeper starts to complain to your wife about your weight it's time to lose a little!

Nov 27, 1911:
White House housekeeper frets over presidential waistline

On this day in 1911, Elizabeth Jaffray, a White House housekeeper, writes in her diary about a conversation she'd had with President William Howard Taft and his wife about the commander in chief's ever-expanding waistline.

According to the White House Historical Association, Jaffray was also quoted regarding Taft's growing girth in a 1926 book called Secrets of the White House. In it, she detailed a typical breakfast consumed by the 332-pound president: "two oranges, a twelve-ounce beefsteak, several pieces of toast and butter and a vast quantity of coffee with cream and sugar." When she and Taft's wife, Nellie, commented on his eating habits, he jovially responded that he was planning to go on a diet, but lamented the fact that "things are in a sad state of affairs when a man can't even call his gizzard his own."

Taft's 5' 11" frame carried anywhere between 270 pounds and 340 pounds over the course of his adult life. According to his biographers, he had to have his shoes tied by his valet and often got stuck in the White House bathtub and had to be lifted out by two or more men. Once, while visiting the czar of Russia, Taft split his pants seam while descending from a carriage.

Taft's weight did not stop him from serving a full term as president, nor did it prevent him from accepting a subsequent appointment as chief justice of the Supreme Court in 1921—he was the first and only president to hold both offices. In fact, he successfully dropped down to 270 pounds after leaving the White House. Still, by today's body-mass indices, Taft remained clinically obese. Although he rarely drank more than the occasional beer and did not smoke, his obesity and a lifelong struggle with severe sleep apnea eventually took its toll. In March 1930, he retired as chief justice citing poor health. He died the following month from heart failure.

You know, I think I'd rather have a president that was food hungry than one that was power hungry, wouldn't you? Just a thought for this Sunday morning!

I think we should have our fresh coffee in the kitchen this morning. Cold and wet outside!

10 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Better a blubbery conservative American than a scrawny, commie Kenyan!

Ben in Texas said...

Shoot,by today's standards he would look normal.

Just look around in the store or the mall or even God Forbid, on TV at some of the lard ass actors.

JoJo said...

Food is such a trouble maker. But I like it. Thanks for the story this morning.
I'm glad to hear you are getting rain again. I'm sure it will take a lot more to catch up. Don't you love the sound of rain on the roof?
I'll join for cup this morning.

Dizzy-Dick said...

My wife tell me I should eat to live, not live to eat. Dang, that takes all the fun out of it!!!

Mechanic in Illinois said...

I eat pretty health outside of some venison deer sticks and beer batter fish. Thanks for the story and everyone have a great Sunday.

HermitJim said...

Hey Gorges...
I think that nearly all of the politicians of that day were a little over weight! Must have been the trend!

Probably didn't get much exercise!

I'm pretty sure he was an American through and through!

Thanks for the visit today!


Hey Ben...
He would seem to physically fit right in!

I never knew he was so big!

Thanks, buddy, for coming by today!


Hey JoJo...
I'm pretty fond of it myself! You can tell that by looking at my waist line!

Thanks, sweetie, for coming by today!


Hey Dizzy...
If you can't make it fun, then what's the point?

I think you have a long way to go before you have to worry!

Thanks, my friend, for coming by today!


Hey Mechanic...
Sounds like some pretty healthy snacks to me!

Besides, at our age who are we trying to impress?

Thanks for coming by this morning!

Bob Mc said...

Think how much money we could save if we just broke that eating habbit.

HermitJim said...

Hey Bob...
It is one habit that consumes a lot of my meager time and money! I sure do enjoy it, though!

It's getting to be an expensive habit, costing more and more daily!

Thanks for coming by this morning!

Anonymous said...

Gorges
Time to check your meds.

linda m said...

I sure do agree with you. Food hungry over power hungry any day.