C.Butt Co., Inc.: June 2007

Ok. I'm going to ask you all to please put aside all your political leanings for a second. I realize this guy is not popular, and frankly I don't know if anyone is happy with him (myself included). But think of the president as an office, not a person.

So, when I sent graduation invitations out, I had few extra. Just like when I got my BA, I figured it can't hurt to send one of these to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (look it up if you haven't already figured out what is there). It is mostly for feces and laughter, but I did remember that last time (undergrad) I got a nice prefabricated postcard congratulations from the president. The signature on that card was obviously pre-printed, but still a neat little thing anyway. I had like 5 extra, so it can't hurt right?

Well I was surprised when I got the mail today. There was a large hard envelope from "The White House, Washington, DC." Upon opening it, I found it contained a cardboard backer and this letter:

The stationary and letterhead are actually nice, 100% cotton with metallic embossing. So I'm thinking they just sent me a NICER completely prefabricated letter. But then I started taking a closer look. First of all, the signature was hand written by someone. I know this because it bled through to the back a little bit. It was clearly done in a Sharpie or some other permanent marker.

yes, I do know that celebrities often have people who just sign things on their behalf. But take a look at google images search for "George W. Bush signature" or this example from the White House Website. You have to admit this signature matches those. So either an EXCELLENT forger wrote this OR someone wrote all the signatures contained on the google page and whitehouse.gov above OR George W. Bush actually signed this letter.

Furthermore, other evidence suggests authenticity. 1) If you are going to forge a signature, why bother putting it in a nice envelope with cardboard backing clearly designed to protect the document from damage during transport? 2) Real postage stamps were used, although curiously not canceled (maybe they don't bother since most white house mail doesn't need postage?). Again, why go to the trouble for a fake? It wasn't part of a presorted mass mailing.

I am not so disillusioned as to think that W plopped down in the executive chair in the oval office and typed up a letter for me. PROBABLY the body of the letter is a form sent to JDs . What I think is that he gets a stack of these every so often and signs them as a gesture of good will and public accessibility. Whether I got lucky to be selected or he does all graduate or professional invitations I don't know. Of course there is the cynical view that I got this because I consistently vote republican, including voting for him twice (He's not perfect.. or great.. or maybe even good, but I still think definitely better that Gore or Kerry). There is the paranoid view that the government is watching us all and perhaps saw that I am a Republican becoming less satisfied with the party. Who knows?

One last thing, a little oddity. I don't understand why the letter was addressed to "Christopher B. Cantrell" but the salutation is "Dear Bryan." The invitation definitely said "Christopher Bryan Cantrell." The return label said "C. Bryan Cantrell." I just think it is odd that it got address to one but the salutation is another. Some lowly intern was actually paying attention, at least half way.

Anyway, I just thought it was at least a little bit cool. I mean... maybe this letter was in the oval office a few weeks ago? Some might think it is no big deal at all, but I love government and political theory, so it is just sort of cool.