Wikipedia:Peer review/Wilson desk/archive1

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Wilson desk[edit]

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This peer review discussion has been closed.
I've listed this article for peer review because i think it has the potential to become a GA and perhaps some day a FA. I know that I have issues with spelling and grammar so help there would be greatly appreciated. Also, the history of the desk took me a long time to dig up so alot of the article was piecemealed together. Any suggestions to make the article more clear and more well organized would be great. Thanks, Found5dollar (talk) 21:45, 21 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Most interesting. As I lent a hand on the Garret Hobart article, I'll be reviewing this. One thing off the bat: Did Hobart buy the desk or did the government? I would imagine Hobart, he was rich and the government had no budget for such things.--Wehwalt (talk) 01:03, 27 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Hatfield says that Hobart bought them. You might want to make that clearer. I checked Magie's bio of Hobart and Connolly's journal article, found nothing.--Wehwalt (talk) 01:13, 27 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
Ok, i can make that more clear.--Found5dollar (talk) 15:41, 29 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

OK, here we go:

  • On images: As you probably are aware, the one of the Nixon Oval Office isn't so great. You might want to look at this. If you can find one from NARA that you like better, I can enquire of my contacts at the Nixon Library for the info you'll need, such as date taken, photographer, etc. The Nixon Library has in its lobby, I believe, a large desk which I think is a replica of the one Nixon used. I believe you can have one made! However, if you have a contact who lives near Yorba Linda, that might be a useful source of photographs showing the detail. Or Grand Rapids
  • I never thought about contacting the museum. I will definable be doing that. I know that the picture of Nixon in the oval office doesn't show the office that well, but I do love the kind of "spying on" quality because it is of him releasing the Watergate Tapes. Also it was the only picture I could find of him at the desk having anything to do with Watergate as i spend alot of time in the article explaining the desks role in the Watergate Tapes. --Found5dollar (talk) 15:41, 29 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • Lede:
  • While the lede is good, the information seems a bit muddled. I would delete "misnamed" from the lede sentence, you are giving the reader that info too soon, when he has no context for it. Perhaps "The Wilson Desk was used by Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford in the Oval Office. Purchased in 1897 by ...
  • Have you considered emailing the White House Historical Association? They may have additional information. Because I would really want to know who made the desk before FAC.
  • i never thought about contacting them either... i have alot of e-mailing to do now....--Found5dollar (talk) 15:41, 29 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
  • Design
    Omit the words "wide" and "deep". The reader by now likely has seen at least photo.
  • I would omit the quote and express the same thought in prose.
  • which quote? ""Dammit. I didn't order that. I want to leave my mark on this place just like other Presidents!"[4]" or "...heels began leaving scars on the top of it."[4]--Found5dollar (talk) 15:41, 29 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]
The second one.--Wehwalt (talk) 01:02, 8 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]

More later.--Wehwalt (talk) 01:42, 28 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for doing this review... already you have opened my eyes to alot of stuff that i need to work on.
No problem. Here is more.
Lede
  • "Oval office" capitalize, please
Design and markings
  • Presidential anecdotes" Caps. I really don't think the name is needed online. I would put this paragraph (which, just from what I know about Nixon, I find a bit unlikely, but as it is in a RS) as part of the history and possibly say more, if you can find it about the desk as a physical object. You really do need to be able to say who made it to advance past GA.
  • I agree an article could be written about the Vice President's Room and survive AfD, if it was of decent length and quality. I do not think it is necessary to redlink it unless you plan to write the article.
  • Does the VP still use the desk or room? What substituted for it or did Agnew have to write on a pad?
  • Harris and Shafer is in my view, a useless redlink. Your mileage may vary, of course.
  • "by each Vice President": Lower case
  • I really feel the paragraphs of the history section are arranged badly. I won't suggest an answer, as the info you get from the Senate historian may affect your answer. In addition, you may do well to check the Nixon and Ford library websites. For Nixon, there's a lot of online finding aids, presidential daily diaries, etc. There are a lot of contact sheets for photos on the Ford website, you may find something useful
  • Ah, I would put the story of Nixon liking the desk as VP in the past perfect, that is "had ..."
Ii'll look at it again when you have more info in.--Wehwalt (talk) 01:02, 8 January 2012 (UTC)[reply]
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