Lincoln doesn't have to wear any bloody hat.
He was the first President of the United States of America, the nation's capital is named in his honor, as well as a university that was started by someone else entirely and then renamed after him. And he has a feather boa. Take that, Abe.
George's annual birthday...attire...is allegedly furnished by The George Washington University's not so secret society, The Order of the Hippo. They (or whoever is responsible) also decorate The Hippo.
In front of The Hippo there is a ceremonial plaque that explains the legend of the hippos that used to play in the Potomac. Children would go down to the water and, if they managed to touch a hippo's snout, it would bring them good luck. Rubbish. Local legend says that a previous president of the university bought it for his wife at an auction where there may or may not have been an open bar. What do you do if you are given a large, bronze hippopotamus? Precisely. It was immediately regifted to the Class of 1996. The Hippo has become the unofficial mascot of The George Washington University. It's a beloved feature, not only in front of Lisner Auditorium, but on many a coffee mug and sweatshirt, as well. You'd be surprised at how many people read the plaque and don't get the sarcasm, and, even for those who do, it's still tradition to rub the snout or grip the teeth for good luck.
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