Ritual wreathed in irony

GREENEVILLE – Routine ritual turned into a media event yesterday when a wreath from President Clinton was laid on the grave of Andrew Johnson to mark the 190th birthday of the 17th President.

Clinton and Johnson are the only Presidents to have been impeached.

At a nearby visitors' centre, the words "and only" have been taped on a plaque that identified Johnson as "the first and only President to be impeached by the House of Representatives."

The wreath ceremony at Johnson's grave normally passes with little fanfare. Not this year. The spectactors who climbed a small summit overlooking Greeneville to pay tribute to Johnson were joined by a larger group of reporters. A wreath, carrying a note that simply said it was from "the President" was laid at the grave by a Tennessee National Guard unit.

"It is amazing that little Greeneville has finally hit the big time. Johnson and President Clinton," said Wayne Pettijohn, who was making his first pilgrimage despite living just 100m away.

Johnson, who became President after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, was impeached by the House for firing his Secretary of War over the wishes of the Congress.

The Senate failed by one vote to drive him from office after a two-month trial in 1868.—AP.