The White House Big Block of Cheese Day

 President Andrew Jackson made quite a reputation for himself in the White House. He championed “to the victor the spoils” as he dealt his political opponents one blow after another. He was, of course, the first chief executive who was not part of the Founding Father clique and I suspect he wanted to distance himself from his forebears.

This populist president opened the doors of his White House to ordinary citizens and sought to deal with whatever problems were presented. Naturally, when the news of this largess spread, many people presented themselves at the mansion. Jackson, concerned they might be hungry, provided a big block of cheese on which they could nibble while they waited. Jackson’s opponents argued that the President was luring the people with the offer of free cheese. How small minded can you get? But that’s American politics for you. It seems to travel through the ages.

I confess I had not heard about Big Block of Cheese Day until Leo McGarry, the fictitious Chief of Staff to President Bartlet and one of the scions of The West Wing, ensured that all his staff for one working day made themselves available to members of the public and seek to understand their issues. Leo might have said to them, “today you will give an Edam.” We heard about unidentified flying objects, a 3000 mile road for wolves and a map of the world that needed to be turned upside down, so that Australia was on top. I won’t go into more detail, save to say the episode was hilarious and food for thought, even if a little cheesy.

Last year, the Obama White House revived the custom. However, voters were not invited to the White House to taste the cheddar. Instead, they were asked to raise questions on-line with WH officials about the President’s agenda for the coming year. The event, limited to computer use, seems to me to defeat the high ideals of Big Block. People should come, complain and eat.

The President has repeated the event this year, on the day after the State of the Union address. If the White House wants to promote the executive’s agenda, all well and good but please don’t link it to the Big Block of Cheese tradition.