On the weekend of George Washington’s 293rd birthday, if he were still alive today and running for president, would he win the election?

We’re posing this question to a person who might have a pretty good idea.

Rick Griffin, a history professor at Utah Valley University, has spent the past decade working on an about-to-be-published book about Washington’s presidential administrations.

The noted constitutional scholar — he has five degrees: one bachelor’s, one master’s, one juris doctor and two Ph.D.s — has logged considerable time on the East Coast at Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, the Library of Congress, the state library in Richmond and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello estate, immersing himself in the Father Of Our Country’s life through mountains of letters, proclamations, deeds and other historical documents and records.

So? Would Washington run? Would he win?

“Uh … No … I don’t think he would.”

The first problem, in Griffin’s view, would be talking Washington into running in the first place.

“His campaign for president was basically, if the people really want me to do it, and call me forth to do it, I guess I’ll do it. It took his friends a long time to talk him into it.”

That reluctance, the professor contends, helped make him an ideal president because those who don’t aspire to the office “are the ones you want to give power to because they’re less likely to abuse it once they get it.”

Washington lived according to three pillars, says Griffin: duty, honor and faith. “He was a remarkable self-regulator. Whether people are watching or not, Washington is watching Washington.”

Staying true to those principles kept him in check despite his enormous popularity. “If you’re thinking that (two and a half centuries later) we’re blowing up how popular Washington was, think again,” says Griffin, “He literally had opportunities to either be a military dictator or king of America. He put down any such talk and supported congress. Right there alone that separates him from the rest of the pack in the 18th century.

“He knew the best form of government was a constitutional democratic republic. Washington was so much more instrumental in making sure that would happen than a lot of people give him credit.”

Washington was “Our true Founding Father; he’s really the head of the Founders,” Griffin states. “The rest were largely founding brothers.”

And if the first president were around in 2025, what would he make of what we’ve done with the country?

“I can tell you he’d be happy we’re still here,” says Griffin. “He’d be enormously pleased the constitution he helped shape is still around, the government he helped get started is still standing. I think he’s going to be a little concerned about the lack of decorum and professionalism, but he knows having a democratic republic is messy business, it’s difficult. It’s part of why he didn’t want to be president.”

Griffin smiles.

“I think he would probably throw it back at us and say, ‘well, why are you voting them in?’”

He’d say, “If these individuals don’t reflect you and your values, then they shouldn’t be your representatives.”

To help put Washington’s legacy and leadership style in perspective, Griffin likes to tell his students a story about Napoleon.

“Napoleon’s on his deathbed and one of the things that this great emperor, great conqueror, great military leader — much better at strategy than Washington ever was — says as he’s lying there is ‘the people expected me to be another Washington.’ And he says it as a lament.

“There was a real contrast (between Washington and Napoleon). Washington turned away the crown and became a republican president; Napoleon grabbed the crown from the pope and put it on his own head. As he’s dying Napoleon gets it. He talks about how they’re going to remember Washington’s fame for many years after he’s forgotten.”

Duty, honor and faith did not die with Washington, Griffin stresses, noting that “there are plenty of men and women out there today who care about the same principles that Washington cared about.”

That being said, he’s quick to ask, “But are we even asking the George Washingtons to run for president?”