Hillary

[Vrede too]

Otoh, the Pope has been widely praised for his nods towards the common person. Hillary can't do that. She'd never make it on Mud Lovin' Rednecks, not would she try.

[O Really]

The current Pope lives, within the boundaries of the possible, a pretty simple life. But does a billionaire become not a billionaire just because he wears Wrangler jeans and drinks cheap beer?

[Vrede too]

Richard Branson and the millionaire Obamas are pretty cool. Some can sorta pull it off, others shouldn't try if it's not sincere.

[O Really]

But people who have so much money that money really isn't an issue can't manage to live "like the rest of us" even if they think they are. I knew a guy, "Rich" - not a personal friend but a friend of my friend - who was majorly wealthy. Name on a major financial services company he was a founder of, son married to a super-model, main house out on Jupiter Island, apartment in NYC and a house somewhere in Colorado, yada. But personally, Rich was just a "regular" decent sort of guy and in conversation you wouldn't really suspect he was so wealthy. Unless you noticed that when he said he liked hunting trips that he was talking about Africa. So he, my friend and I, along with a couple other guys were going down to Islamorada for a few days or a week. My friend had a condo and kept his Cigarette boat there. Rich kept a boat in Marathon, but he didn't want to drive it to Islamorada, so he got the marina to deliver it. Not all that expensive in the overall scheme of things, but not pocket change for most of us. But then, he said he might not get into Islamorada until late because he had to go by to pick up his truck. Didn't think too much about that until it turned out he was buying a pickup for the trip that he'd keep for the two weeks or so that he was there, carry stuff around for his boat and then use it for a while at his house and then sell it. "Regular guy" or not, his life wasn't like "everybody else." But he wasn't totally stupidly wasteful - he bought a year-old pickup after the big depreciation had been taken. Still.

[Seth Milner]

One of the things I found really annoying about Jimmy Carter (other than an effin' President of the US calling himself "Jimmy") was him carrying his luggage down the steps of Air Force One. Nobody wants to see the effin' President carrying his own luggage. Nobody wants to see a President (or Presidential candidate) with a box dye job.

You're saying that his proclaiming himself a Christian and an everyday joe was an embarrassment as POTUS? He should have called himself President James Earl Carter, Jr.? He should have flaunted his position by demanding others wait on him hand and foot?

Oh wait! what am I asking . . . ? He was, after all . . . a Democrat!! So's Hillary!! Oh shit, I'm in deep doo-doo now . . .
I've insulted the image of Democrats everywhere!!

[O Really]

You're saying that his proclaiming himself a Christian and an everyday joe was an embarrassment as POTUS? He should have called himself President James Earl Carter, Jr.? He should have flaunted his position by demanding others wait on him hand and foot?

Did I say anything about his religion? Sorry, that wasn't an issue for me. He doesn't have to be "James Earl" as a regular name, but long before he ran for President (and certainly after) he should have used an adult name. Even Jim. Did you ever hear anybody call President Nixon "Dickie"? But yes, even if he for some reason liked "Jimmy" informally, he should have been President James E. Carter.

A person who is President (along with many other positions) is entitled to a variety of personal services. No, it's not demeaning for a person to earn a living providing those services. For various reasons, a President has drivers, security people, aides who probably include picking up lunch in their list of duties, speech writers, people who handle calls and other correspondence, etc. No, we don't want to see a President schlepping his own luggage off of Air Force One. Chopping wood on his own farm, okay.

[billy.pilgrim]

You're saying that his proclaiming himself a Christian and an everyday joe was an embarrassment as POTUS? He should have called himself President James Earl Carter, Jr.? He should have flaunted his position by demanding others wait on him hand and foot?

Did I say anything about his religion? Sorry, that wasn't an issue for me. He doesn't have to be "James Earl" as a regular name, but long before he ran for President (and certainly after) he should have used an adult name. Even Jim. Did you ever hear anybody call President Nixon "Dickie"? But yes, even if he for some reason liked "Jimmy" informally, he should have been President James E. Carter.

A person who is President (along with many other positions) is entitled to a variety of personal services. No, it's not demeaning for a person to earn a living providing those services. For various reasons, a President has drivers, security people, aides who probably include picking up lunch in their list of duties, speech writers, people who handle calls and other correspondence, etc. No, we don't want to see a President schlepping his own luggage off of Air Force One. Chopping wood on his own farm, okay.

It is who he was and still is. Jimmy Carter is a truly remarkable man.

[Seth Milner]

You're saying that his proclaiming himself a Christian and an everyday joe was an embarrassment as POTUS? He should have called himself President James Earl Carter, Jr.? He should have flaunted his position by demanding others wait on him hand and foot?

Did I say anything about his religion? Sorry, that wasn't an issue for me.
I threw that in as in the case of most Christians who are in the public spotlight, they portray a certain degree of humbleness. Jimmy Carter, who's beginnings in the public eye, started out knocking on doors and handing out tracts.

He doesn't have to be "James Earl" as a regular name, but long before he ran for President (and certainly after) he should have used an adult name. Even Jim. But yes, even if he for some reason liked "Jimmy" informally, he should have been President James E. Carter.
A matter of personal choice. Perhaps, as I said, he preferred to remain humble. His humbleness would be his cause for falling out of favor with the American public.

Did you ever hear anybody call President Nixon "Dickie"?
No, but I've heard of "Tricky Dick" or "Tricky Dicky" (Dickie generally is a female nickname)

A person who is President (along with many other positions) is entitled to a variety of personal services.
Being entitled to it and choosing not to use it, again, is a matter of personal choice. Choosing not to use those personal services is what rankled the Democrats who believed he should have portrayed an aura of superiority; whereas he chose to remain humble.

No, it's not demeaning for a person to earn a living providing those services. For various reasons, a President has drivers, security people, aides who probably include picking up lunch in their list of duties, speech writers, people who handle calls and other correspondence, etc.
I didn't say it was demeaning. Many go-fers make a fairly decent living.

No, we don't want to see a President schlepping his own luggage off of Air Force One. Chopping wood on his own farm, okay.
I know where you're coming from. "Horror of all horrors! Our president, a Democrat for pete's sake, is schlepping his own luggage!! He should not be seen doing manual labor in public!! . . . What kind of message is he sending to our children!?!"

It is who he was and still is. Jimmy Carter is a truly remarkable man.
I have to agree with you, billy. He's often labeled as our worst president, and I feel he earned that namely because of the Iran Hostage Situation. He chose to "turn the other cheek" and try negotiations; that didn't work. The rescue attempt was an utter failure.

That's all behind him. Now in his 90's, he's still humbling himself helping to build homes for the needy. What a man!

[rstrong]

No, we don't want to see a President schlepping his own luggage off of Air Force One. Chopping wood on his own farm, okay.

Of course if Jimmy were in today's era of Faux News it wouldn't matter so much, because he would have taken the heat no matter what. If he *didn't* carry his own luggage off of Air Force One, he's an "elitist." Chopping wood? Both "unpresidential" AND "elitist" if he sharpened the axe.

Even if he and the first lady strike the perfect balance on say, clothing, someone will simply Photoshop together a picture of them getting off Air Force One in casual clothes. And submoronic inbreds would repost it to forums across the internet.

[rstrong]

I have to agree with you, billy. He's often labeled as our worst president, and I feel he earned that namely because of the Iran Hostage Situation. He chose to "turn the other cheek" and try negotiations; that didn't work. The rescue attempt was an utter failure.

Negotiations "didn't work" because the Reagan team sabotaged them with a better offer. And so the hostage release was delayed until Reagan took office, and Iran got lots of shiny new weapons.

I don't see how "turn the other cheek and try negotiations" is any worse than "send weapons to the enemy and try negotiations." It's not like Reagan took a more forceful, harder line on Iran than Carter did.

And then Reagan's fiasco in Lebanon made Carter look like a military genius by comparison.

[O Really]

It's not partisan, Seth. Pick some other President - Republican. I'd have the same attitude. I wasn't a Carter supporter in the primary, and he wasn't my favorite President, although I have long said he's way better than most give him credit, and he should have kept his job in re-election. "Humbleness" can take the form of kindness, saying "thank you", fairness to those who work for you, consideration for others, etc. None of that requires carrying your own luggage.

[Boatrocker]

. . . And then Reagan's fiasco in Lebanon made Carter look like a military genius by comparison.

And how many $millions did we piss away investigating the bombing deaths of 240-some marines?

[billy.pilgrim]

. . . And then Reagan's fiasco in Lebanon made Carter look like a military genius by comparison.

And how many $millions did we piss away investigating the bombing deaths of 240-some marines?

Did you know that the Ambassador missed being in the count by about 30 minutes.

[Vrede too]

... He doesn't have to be "James Earl" as a regular name, but long before he ran for President (and certainly after) he should have used an adult name. Even Jim. Did you ever hear anybody call President Nixon "Dickie"?

"Dick", though apt as it turned out, is better?

But yes, even if he for some reason liked "Jimmy" informally, he should have been President James E. Carter...

It is who he was and still is. Jimmy Carter is a truly remarkable man.

I'm with billy.pilgrim and Seth Milner. A pretense to snobbishness is as bad as a pretense to Bubba-hood. He was "Jimmy" his entire life, including as Governor and probably among his Navy peers when he was on an admiral track.

[Vrede too]

... Even if he and the first lady strike the perfect balance on say, clothing, someone will simply Photoshop together a picture of them getting off Air Force One in casual clothes. And submoronic inbreds would repost it to forums across the internet.

That was fake? Not that I mind a bit, but I thought it happened at least once on vacation. Whatever, Michelle's been criticized for wearing expensive clothes, too, similar to Seth Milner's gripes about Hillary's grooming.

[Vrede too]

I have to agree with you, billy. He's often labeled as our worst president,

Not since Shrub, and one of our best ex-presidents ever.

and I feel he earned that namely because of the Iran Hostage Situation. He chose to "turn the other cheek" and try negotiations; that didn't work. The rescue attempt was an utter failure.

Not his fault, better luck or better execution by the military and he would have been reelected.

[billy.pilgrim]

... He doesn't have to be "James Earl" as a regular name, but long before he ran for President (and certainly after) he should have used an adult name. Even Jim. Did you ever hear anybody call President Nixon "Dickie"?

"Dick", though apt as it turned out, is better?

But yes, even if he for some reason liked "Jimmy" informally, he should have been President James E. Carter...

It is who he was and still is. Jimmy Carter is a truly remarkable man.

I'm with billy.pilgrim and Seth Milner. A pretense to snobbishness is as bad as a pretense to Bubba-hood. He was"Jimmy" his entire life, including as Governor and probably among his Navy peers when he was on an admiral track.

And still is


This man still works harder than most of us and he works to help people.


https://www.cartercenter.org/

I send him a few bucks every year. He sends me a nice Christmas card and occasional updates on their work.


As for the "worst president" bullshit; strictly just repug branding. Say something enough and it starts to ring true - kinda like calling that sack of shit reagan the greatest, or Hillary crooked.

[billy.pilgrim]

Is it only democrats who go on to do great works after the presidency?

It's almost like they have always wanted to help people, maybe that why the Dems make better presidents.

[Vrede too]

George H. W. Bush wasn't bad after office, but he was almost 69 years old. Jimmy Carter was only 56 and Bill Clinton only 54.

Then, Reagan was already senile, Nixon was disgraced, Ike was 70, Hoover was disgraced, and everyone is happy that Shrub has kept to himself.

[billy.pilgrim]

George H. W. Bush wasn't bad after office, but he was almost 69 years old. Jimmy Carter was only 56 and Bill Clinton only 54.

Then, Reagan was already senile, Nixon was disgraced, Ike was 70, Hoover was disgraced, and everyone is happy that Shrub has kept to himself.

HW took his top level security briefings and went to work as a consultant for Saudi Arabia