Austin exhibit shows how U.S. presidents have embraced cowboy aura The image of "man on a horse" has long carried with it the idea of courage, strength, honor and ability – all the traits a presidential candidate wants to convey to voters. Today, John McCain uses the label of "maverick" as his calling card. One of the more popular pictures of his opponent, Barack Obama, features him in a black Stetson in Austin. And just as the reputation and popularity of the presidency rises and falls through the years, so, too, does that of the cowboy, a lively cultural mix explored in an exhibit that opened Saturday at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. From campaign posters to personal mementos, it includes Benjamin Harrison's Longhorn chair; Calvin Coolidge's electric exercise horse; Franklin D. Roosevelt's spurs – a gift from Roy Rogers; Lyndon B. Johnson's branding iron; Ronald Reagan's cowboy boots decorated with a map of Texas; and the Saddle of Independence, given to George W. Bush in memory of the 9/11 attacks. Presidents often have embraced the aura of the Wild West to promote themselves and their policies. Still, it's a balancing act....