tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post112174797461800964..comments2023-11-15T17:55:18.051-05:00Comments on MarkDaniels.Blogspot.com: '1776' Underscores Washington's GreatnessMark Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1121951661532235332005-07-21T09:14:00.000-04:002005-07-21T09:14:00.000-04:00Richard:You've touched on an extremely important a...Richard:<BR/>You've touched on an extremely important aspect of Washington's greatness. I think the overarching theme of his life is that Washington achieved a place of honor in history for himself by constantly and persistently overcoming himself. He overcame a fierce temper, an impulsive nature, less education even than Lincoln, poverty, early failures, and that desire for fame, subordinating them all to honor gained in the cause of doing right.<BR/><BR/>When informed that Washington planned to step down from the presidency at the end of his second term, George III commented that if he did that, Washington would be the greatest man in the world. And so he was. As I never tire of pointing out, Washington underscored his greatness and his honor by walking away from the possibility of unlimited executive power not just once, but twice. The first time came at the end of the Revolution and the second at the end of his presidency. In doing this, Washington left behind an example that the world's leaders have tried, with varying degrees of success, to emulate or taken pains to appear to emulate ever since.<BR/><BR/>Any list of America's greatest leaders and presidents must read, "Washington...and everybody else."Mark Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1121895316014521122005-07-20T17:35:00.000-04:002005-07-20T17:35:00.000-04:00An important aspect of Washington's greatness was ...An important aspect of Washington's greatness was his awe-inspiring sense of honor. He was ambitious, he wanted to make a place for himself in history, but only by taking the honorable course. It was this, above all, that made him stand above the other Founders in their own eyes. It was shown most enduringly in his retirement from the presidency after two terms.Richard Lawrence Cohenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01951947957345891398noreply@blogger.com