It was 30 years ago, that Presidential George H.W. Bush gladdened the hearts of children (and shocked vegetable farmers) across the nation when he announced that, "I do not like broccoli and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli." It was an uncalled-for presidential attack on a vegetable that's high in phytochemicals – and tasty too, as long as it isn't overcooked. And Bush 41 paid the price – he was not re-elected to a second term, almost surely because of his stand on broccoli.

            And now, here we go again. We know that Barack Obama has a fondness for Mexican food, Italian food, chili, almonds, mac 'n cheese, fried chicken, pistachios – and many vegetables. We also know that he dislikes mayonnaise, soft drinks, ice cream and (to the cheers of many children) beets.

            Now, his aversion to ice cream is apparently part of his generally healthy lifestyle. Though not liking it is perverse, for ice cream is one of the great joys of life, a true reason to live. But not eating the stuff can be understood, if you're trying to stay clear of calories, fat, sugar – the good stuff. But beets?

            Though beets may not be quite as healthy as broccoli, they're certainly no slouch. Their various nutrients help protect us from heart disease, birth defects and, I'm told, colon cancer. Their high betamine content helps decrease inflammation. They're chockful of folate, potassium and manganese – gotta get your daily allotment of manganese. And they also taste pretty good – there's lots of sugar in beets, making them the candy of the vegetable world.

            And yet, there's Obama, telling the press, "I always avoid eating them." For me, it's the greatest crisis of his administration. I grew up eating beets. My mother made borscht, which she fortified with yolks from duck eggs – and which I drank to become big and strong. Ever since, I've been a great fan of beets – which here in California come in a variety of colors. For me, they're the vegetable equivalent of the old Rainbow Coalition. I look forward to President Obama reversing his stand on beets. And even if he doesn't, he still has my support; goodness knows what they don't eat up in Wasilla.