Dick picks
My original plan was to rank these Richards, but that seemed unnecessary. Instead, I just wrangled them. If you must know, Dick Goodwin is probably my favorite. And Moby Dick is certainly the one who breaches endlessly in nearly every book I read these days.
Let’s get to it…
Dick Goodwin
Speechwriter and aide to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson. Not going to get into the details, but I’m a big fan.
Here he is discussing LBJ’s domestic agenda. Naked. There’s Dick. And Johnson. Guess what?! If you keep scrolling, we’re going to get to Dick Johnson! I know I said I’m not ranking these guys, but if I was … Old Dick Johnson would be one of my least favorite.
From An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s, by Doris Kearns Goodwin (married to Dick). Flip through my sketchbook for more.
Al Gore asked Dick Johnson to write both his victory and his concession speech after the 2000 election.
Tricky Dick
I’m sure you know about Nixon. Very tricky. Quite a dick. I kept changing my mind about which example of dickish behavior to share because there are sooooo many.
How about this one:
They lied about drugs! According to his advisor John Ehrlichman, they got “the public to associate hippies with marijuana and Blacks with heroin”. They knew that by “criminalizing both heavily, [they] could disrupt those communities” … getting people arrested and vilified.
Dick Gregory
After Bobby Kennedy was shot, President Johnson ordered immediate protection for the other presidential candidates. The list included (but was not limited to) Dicks Nixon and Gregory, a comedian and activist who had just entered the race.
BTW: LBJ wouldn’t call Nixon Dick
Given Jumbo and his… public appearances… it couldn’t have possibly have been that the word made him blush, right? Right…?
The two doodles above were inspired by Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight, by Julia Sweig
Grover Cleveland: A Study of Character, by Alyn Brodsky
Richard P. “Silver Dick” Bland
Like his name suggests, he’s a little boring. Into bimetallism. [yawn]
Let’s move on from Silver Dick to Black Dick…
You Never Forget Your First: A Biography of George Washington, by Alexis Coe
British Admiral Richard “Black Dick” Howe
Rumor had it that knowing a bunch of people were headed toward imminent and inevitable death was the only time he’d smile.
I hoped I’d find a doodle of Howe in one of my Washington sketchbooks and I came across this one:
The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, by Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch
… but it turns out General Howe is not the same guy as Admiral Howe. They’re brothers! Imagine my delight when I turned the page and saw this….
General Charles Lee (British, but working for George Washington) had no patience for pacifists during the Revolutionary War. He said pacifists wouldn’t do anything, even if they caught the Howe brothers with their wives “in flagrante delicto”.
[giggle]
FUN COINCIDENCE! When I mentioned my idea about this post to my husband and rattled off some off the Dicks, he stopped me at Black Dick because (even though he’d never heard of him!) he JUST saw a video about him. You gotta watch it:
Decision Points, by George W. Bush
Dick Cheney
George W. Bush’s vice president. Accidentally shot his buddy while quail hunting.
While this Dick shot a guy and wished he didn’t, the next Dick said he shot a guy. But perhaps he didn’t. (Not this particular guy, anyhow. He shot lots of other guys, don’t you worry.)
Old Dick Johnson
Before he was Martin Van Buren’s vice president, he was the infamous war hero* who killed Tecumseh.
Maybe.
During the War of 1812 (during which we tried unsuccessfully to conquer Canada), Richard Johnson was shot at least five times. He also gained notoriety for killing Tecumseh. Except he may have actually stolen credit from Colonel William Whitley, who died in battle.
*Um, after learning more about this war, I’m pretty grossed out about it.
Gallop Toward the Sun: Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison's Struggle for the Destiny of a Nation, by Peter Stark
Backing up a bit, I first learned about Old Dick Johnson when reading about Martin Van Buren. He had a seemingly loving relationship with a Black woman, Julia Chinn. Their daughters were highly educated. Their relationship wasn’t a secret. She ran his business when he was away. I was intrigued! So progressive!
Martin Van Buren: The American Presidents Series: The 8th President, 1837-1841, by Ted Widmer
Several biographies later, he popped up again. I chuckled at his nickname Old Dick Johnson because stopitareyoukiddingme. When I remembered who he was, I felt bad for laughing. (Not the first time I laughed at somebody’s name then felt terrible about it. Probably not the last time either. See also: Archie Butt.)
Bosom Friends: The Intimate World of James Buchanan and William Rufus King, by Thomas J. Balcerski
After learning more about Old Dick, I no longer feel bad laughing about his name. He had some admirable qualities. I guess. Overall, eek. Decide for yourself.
The Vice President’s Black Wife: The Untold Life of Julia Chinn, by Amrita Chakrabarti Myers
Moby Dick
This guy has started popping up so much recently that I’m starting to wonder if I need to just read the book already.
Presidential Grave Hunter: One Kid’s Quest to Visit the Tombs of Every President and Vice President, by Kurt Deion
Dick Cavett
Ronald Reagan told Dick Cavett that Code of the Secret Service was “the worst movie”. Nevertheless, the movie inspired 9-year-old Jerry Parr to become a secret service agent. Good thing, too! He ended up saving Reagan’s life after he was shot.
Honorable mentions
Dick Durbin, Dick Swett, and Dick Gephardt. And also this Harry Truman quote on why he didn’t swing by to see President Eisenhower when he was in D.C.:
“He’s too busy to see every Tom, Dick, and Harry that comes to town.”
