Washington himself would have balked at the notion of elevating the presidency per se. I do not think that ALL presidents merit having their birthdays commemorated. Lincoln and Washington's birthdays--yes, indeed. But observe them ON their birthdays--we don't need the shopping day. I'd add FDR. I agree completely with today's speaker!

Sent by Carole McNamara | 2:52 PM ET | 02-18-2008

do away with president's day unless we also have a president's infamy day....to be noted but not celebrated on bush's birthday
Wash and Lincoln actual days is plenty

Sent by alexandra | 2:56 PM ET | 02-18-2008

Washington was not born on Washington's birthday (Feb 22nd). The calendars were changed by a few days at one point and his actual birthday was different by a few days from Feb 22

Sent by jmf7 | 2:57 PM ET | 02-18-2008

It's always seemed to me that there is a mainly commercial/practical aspect to the Day--avoid Washington/Lincoln/etc. National holidays away from work in favor of one Day and less time off. Also-how many days would you need if all deserving were celebrated??

Sent by Norman | 2:57 PM ET | 02-18-2008

One person's hero is another person's nemesis. Some people love Reagan, some love Clinton, others don't like either. The fact remains that The United States President under the US Constitution is a very powerful political position. Respecting the office of President is not elitism or monarchism, it is respect of our American institutions. What is wrong with a three day weekend?

Sent by Neal Taylor | 2:58 PM ET | 02-18-2008

When George Washington was born, the date was NOT 2/22, because the great calendar reform was made during his life time. So his REAL birthday was 2/15 or so. Talk about change!

Sent by Lois Boulware | 2:58 PM ET | 02-18-2008

Is the guest aware that the actual date of the birth of Christ is unknown, and that the 25th of December was selected as a compromise with pagan tribes. Remembering an event on the actual date is ideal, but is not necessary. It is the presence of mind that matters.

Sent by Jerry Wilson | 2:58 PM ET | 02-18-2008

I agree there have been some lemons but no one would ever argue that we should not celebrate Mother's Day because there are bad mothers out there...similarly, having some bad apples doesn't warrant eliminating the entire holiday. Neither is it an elitist notion to celebrate the holiday,would we say that Labor Day has socialist undertones and that for that reason it should be eliminated?

Sent by Martha-Victoria Diaz | 3:01 PM ET | 02-18-2008

I was bothered by the guest's statement that this is a 'Holy day' for our presidents [specifically Washington & Lincoln]. It should be a general day, not to honor the office, but as a day each year when we look back at office holders and judge them critically. Let Washington's good be measured, and his faults. Look at Kennedy's legacy, and discuss the current president's potential legacy. That should be the purpose of President's day.

Sent by Edward | 3:01 PM ET | 02-18-2008

While the topic is an interesting in way, it also seems pointless.

A great majority of the country has to work on Presidents' Day and those who have it off don't celebrate it in any way other than not going to their job.

At least for days like Memorial Day, many more people in the nation get the day off, besides goverment and school workers and a few others. And, some do celebrate the people that day is meant to honor by visiting a cemetary or other appropriate activity.

There is no particular activity tied to "celebrating" Presidents' Day, so for most of us, it's just something we see printed on a calendar.

Sent by Ree | 3:10 PM ET | 02-18-2008

What about FDR.

Sent by Shan | 3:10 PM ET | 02-18-2008

Is it possible that the Presidents' Day 3 day weekend was a way to smooth over any impact of Martin Luther King Day? Weren't they passed through congress around the same time?

Sent by Kevin Peffley | 3:16 PM ET | 02-18-2008

in relation to "Presidents Day". -
Britain,and British Commonwealth countries have a similar holiday refered to as "Queen's Birthday". It has no relation in date to the current monarch's birthday, but if I remember right, is the aprox. date of Queen Victoria's birthday. It similarly has been monday-ized, and is even celebrated on different days in different areas. In 2007 it was designated as June 4th for New Zealand, and June 11th for most of Australia (by a calendar I kept from last year). It is similarly a day off, and shopping day.

Sent by Jean E | 3:21 PM ET | 02-18-2008

While I somewhat agree that President's Day diminishes the heroic presidents, I disagree that the intent of the change was merely to increase sales. I spent my first and second grades years in Northern States. which recognized both Washington's and Lincoln's birthdays. When my father, a Naval officer was transferred to the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC in the late fifties, and I started attending Prince Georges County schools, it was a shock to me to discover how reviled Lincoln was by most of the students in my classes. With the decade long fight for true emancipation for African Americans polarizing the country and given that the Southern perspective was the North once again won the second civil war, the one of integration, it made perfect sense to me to combine the two holidays to try to bring the South bqck into the Union.

Lincoln was arguably our greatest president I do not doubt that he understands the wisdom of the Congress' decision to defuse the situation by honoring all presidents. I suspect Washington who could have been a king if he so desired also sees the wisdom in the move.

Mike Alexander

"Because of our woeful ignorance, everything fundamental seems to us to be either accidental or designed." Edward Harrison

Sent by Mike | 3:22 PM ET | 02-18-2008

Why don't we have a Mt. Rushmore Day? Maybe the states who would like "their" man celebrated could then work to have his image added to a National Monument.

Sent by Kathleen | 3:28 PM ET | 02-18-2008

How about a Bad Presidents Day ? On Jan 19. "This was the last day of the presidency of ...". I plan on celebrating Jan. 19, 2009.

Sent by carl | 3:44 PM ET | 02-18-2008

Let's keep this in perspective, the office of President OUGHT to be devoted to public service, something many who seek the office conveniently overlook after inauguration day. Why not celebrate a "Public Service" day? For those who have the day off, they can celebrate by doing something nice for their fellow Americans. In this way, the office isn't elevated to aristocracy, we won't honor the undeserving, and maybe, just maybe, a few nominally selfish folks out there MAY actually do something worthwhile for the country. Earning 6 figure incomes, though laudible for some, does little for those in need if it comes at the expense of those least able to afford the day to day needs for survival.

Sent by M T Y | 4:33 PM ET | 02-18-2008

The report on Presidents' Day by Werner Lange may be more disingenuous for what it doesn't say rather than for what it does say. No mention was made of the fact that we used to have both Lincoln's and Washington's days off.In the 80's Congress combined them into one holiday because of the howls from the banking industry whose interests Mr. Lange so eloquently communicates. Since they took a holiday away from us they gave us the Monday off calling it President's Day in order to get it through Congress. I have long felt that NPR really needs to improve its research department.
On the positive side, the report on Hugo Chavez was one of the finest I have heard or read in the main stream media. You would never read such fair and balanced reporting on Mr. Chavez in the Miami Herald. Thank you

Sent by Theo F. Guilfoy | 5:39 PM ET | 02-18-2008

From the New York Stock Exchange:
Washington's Birthday was first declared a federal holiday by an 1879 act of Congress. The Monday Holiday Law, enacted in 1968, shifted the date of the commemoration of Washington's Birthday from February 22 to the third Monday in February, but neither that law nor any subsequent law changed the name of the holiday from Washington's Birthday to President's Day.
Although the third Monday in February has become popularly known as President's Day, the NYSE's designation of Washington's Birthday as an Exchange holiday (Rule 51) follows the form of the federal holiday outlined above (section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code).

Sent by Raymond J. Norton | 6:02 PM ET | 02-18-2008

Since when did President's Day come to mean all presidents? When MLK day was enacted, having in addition Lincoln's and Washington's Birthdays off from school was considered too much time off so they were combined into President's Day...for BOTH Lincoln and Washington...NOT for all Presidents!

Sent by David C Chiara | 6:05 PM ET | 02-18-2008

The difference between the presidency and the aristocracy is that we nominate and elect our President - it is not a position given at birth. That makes a big difference. Believe me I agree there are undeserving Presidents, but who makes those decisions for me. No one. The reason we went to President's Day was to join the two days-one holiday instead of two. As far as making it a holy day - these are people, not gods or saints and for better or worse all Presidents have been important in our history.

Sent by Linda C Finch | 6:13 PM ET | 02-18-2008

It is suggested that we do nothing to celebrate Presidents day other than take a day off work or shop the sales. If this is not celebratory enough, why don't we do more to celebrate it like a special national broadcast where the entire nation pauses to listen or watch the current president reflect on the heritage of our country without defacing the other 'party'--but with bipartisanship, gratitude for freedom, democracy and the many other positive influences of presidents of the past. Televise a parade. The day CAN and SHOULD be made to have more meaning to the average American!

Sent by Paul Campbell | 10:13 AM ET | 02-20-2008