I just had an interesting converation with a friend stateside. She told me that when she was in college back in the early 70's, one of her English teachers, a history buff of German/Iroquois descent, told her about another clause to "Tecumseh's curse" that is not so well known ie

... the first president to survive the curse would be the signal for the beginning of the end of the legitimate government of the US. The president after that would be the final legitimate president; and after that, the US would be ruled by a band of thieves.

The first zero-year President to survive the "curse" was Ronald Reagan, elected in 1980. Reagan apparently had an astrologer working with him full-time, scheduling his affairs down to the minute so as to avoid the curse (and he STILL got shot!)

So, according to the lesser-known clause, that makes his successor, Bill Clinton, the final legitimate President. Clinton, whom my friend calls 'a reasonably competent president', was duly elected, then nearly hounded out of office when the Right wing entrapped him in a perjury charge over an extramarital affair.

Now, is "band of thieves" an accurate description of Clinton's successors? A LOT of intelligent, informed and concerned people seem to think so! In fact, the Oval Office itself is said to be one of the items duly "thieved"! Some say the only reason Bush avoided the curse in 2000 is because he was not elected but appointed by the Supreme Court. And, of course, the legitimacy of his 're-election' in 2004 election is still under dispute.

Still, there are many 'in the know' about such matters who doubt he'll make it through his second term, legitimately elected or not. And that he'd best be extra careful after Oct of this year.

ANd I still say - this is one of the strangest stories I've ever come across! So thanks for the opportunity to share these weirdnesses here (:-) and to discover more intriguing history in the process.