| I thought Clinton was the only President that dreams of people (preferably female) getting on their knees in front of him. |
Unlike GWB Jr who is very happy with ( TC??? A good candidate?) people bending over and touching their toes .....
As for naming of the USN fleet, the policy used to be (and this is from an old and murky memory!) along the lines of 'Capitol Ships' (Carriers) after Presidents or major Naval figures ie, 'Nimitz', 'JFK', 'Capitol Ships' (Battleships and Battlecruisers) named for States, ie 'New Jersey', 'Missouri', 'Arizona' etc, 'Cruisers' (and I'm not sure of the distinction between heavy and light units) received the names of US cities, ie, 'Indianapolis' and 'Newport News' were heavy cruisers while 'Atalanta' and 'Juneau' were light AA cruisers.
Destroyers seem to have been given the names of significant or heroic figures in naval history,either as a category or as single units,ie, 'Cushing','Benson - Livemore' and the 'Fletcher' classes, 'Reuben James', and of course the 'USS Sullivans' as an example of naming a ship in memory of the group of 5(?)brothers who were all killed during the Guadalcanal campaign in a single action.
The sheer number of units built during WW2 seems to have shifted policy, many fleet carriers received the names of military engagements, ie, 'Coral Sea', 'Tarawa', 'Bunker Hill', and escort carriers were also named this way ... 'Casablanca' comes to mind, while certain cruisers were named to honour Allied vessels that were lost in action, the 'Canberra', after the RAN light cruiser lost off Guadalcanal, as well as USN casualties so honoured, ie the immortal 'Enterprise'.......and the 'Houston'.
No idea where the 'Kittyhawk' came from, being a carrier, and I (me, myself) think it became 'political' when the names of living presidents started to turn up on carriers.....be great to have had the name of the 'USS Richard M Nixon' (yes ... I KNOW he's deceased now!) on a nice new CVA around the Watergate period or the 'USS James Carter' during the Iran hostage 'rescue' debacle.
And then you have the 'USS Ronald Reagan' .... the 'USS Contragate'?
The thought of naming USN Vessels after Hollywood 'Actors' raises a few interesting titles .... the 'USS Rock Hudson' .... 'USS John Wayne'... 'USS Arnie' or even the 'USS Doris Day'??????
Better to go back to the original tradition or just give them all numbers.
As for the 'USS George Bush Senior', he certainly was one of the better CIA Directors and as for the 'Real' Gulf War ... the decisions in such a matter as pushing ahead to Baghdad, yes or no, are NOT made by the President alone ..... 'All The President's Men' make the policy. >
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