Face in repose, head down, hands clasped behind his back, he spooks at least one passing school girl who stops to stare, only to scamper away, startled by his movement. But considering all the presidential fodder in the house, a dead one walking around seems only fitting.

With more than 300 objects from the Smithsonian and another forty from the CHS, "The American Presidency: A Glorious Burden" opens February 16 for a seven-month run, its first stop on a national tour. Co-curated by CHS President Lonnie Bunch before his departure from the Smithsonian, the exhibit features a treasure trove of artifacts—from Warren Harding's red silk pajamas to the CBS microphone Franklin Roosevelt used for his "fireside chats."

Several of the CHS items, including a Washington life mask and the bed where Lincoln died—blood-stained sheets, pillows and all—are items that only Chicago visitors will be able to see; they will not travel with the exhibition.

And for those of us from the post-Vietnam era, who might have grown up not wanting to be president, Bunch says this exhibit is for you. "In some ways my generation was the first to say 'Who wants to be this guy? Not me,'" Bunch says. "My freshman year in college [I was] marching down the street in Washington D.C. yelling 'Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today.' I had no respect for the guy. The thing that really surprised me about this is that I gained more respect for the office." After all, Bunch notes, as even Bill Clinton may find, "history always makes the rough edges smooth."

Also by Elaine Richardson

SLAV TO ART
On a particularly dreary stretch of Milwaukee Avenue, the Malovat Art Gallery (1630 North Milwaukee) makes an impression. From front windows that open outward, European style, to the black-and-white interiors, it's a whole new look.
(2002-01-31)

PUT UP OR SHUT UP
Wearing only a short-sleeved T-shirt against the morning damp and ceaselessly smoking Marlboro Ultra-Lights, by 10:30am Blanford's in a black mood following his "audition" experience at Limp Bizkit's "Put Your Guitar Where Your Mouth Is" event: "I didn't audition for shit, man. I just got pissed off."
(2002-01-31)

SEEING IS BELIEVING
Four months later we've coped with the occurrences of September, but with the fallout still a daily fact of life, it's difficult to put everything into proper perspective. And, in any other city, it's entirely possible that a system of ticketed admission to view the site of a recent disaster simply wouldn't fly.
(2002-01-31)

FIGHT THE POWER
Twenty-four hours after the Bears lost their shirt to the Philadelphia Eagles, Soldier Field was in full-on transition. Seats yanked, the field ripped up and an army of workers going like gangbusters to kick the controversial $606 million renovation plan into gear. In fact, it seemed like a little too much work, considering that a pending lawsuit could kill the project.
(2002-01-24)

TALLYING TURNSTILES
(2002-01-17)

COSELL & CO.
(2002-01-10)

IT'S ALIVE!
(2002-01-10)

BALANCING ACT
(2002-01-10)

HOT AIR
(2002-01-10)

FILM VAULT
(2001-11-22)

THE GIFT GUIDE
(2001-11-15)

ALL ABOARD
(2001-10-18)