Picnic on White House Lawn

We watched a documentary last night about the White House.  It was an old National Geographic from 1998.  Clinton was in office during the beginning of his second term when the film was aired.

In the history of the White House, they covered so many interesting tidbits.  For instance, George Washington approved the plans and began the construction but never stayed in the White House.  John Adams (the second US president) was the first president to spend the night there.

The White House is also a new name.  The original name was the Presidential Manor.  Teddy Roosevelt gave in the iconic name “White House” in 1901.

But the part of the story most moving to me was the incredible access that the American people had to the White House.  So much that people actually held Sunday picnics on the White House lawn!  And prior to the security issues of 9/11, thousands visited the White House every day!  In fact, President Bush Sr said that he would take heads of state into the lines of people strolling the White House just to show them what open democracy looks like!

Today, only a handful of people get access to the White House.  People must work through their congressman and of course clear background checks.  The process must begin six months in advance of the visit.

I’m not pointing fingers, but I miss easy and open access years.  I miss the country where we were proud of our heritage and our leaders.  I miss the open country where everything and everyone were not so “hardened.”  I fear we may never return to such an open time when Americans shared life together and worked to support one another.

If there is any redeeming quality to the film, it was the tremendous integrity of the White House staff who love their jobs and serve their country with tremendous sacrifice and little fanfare.