Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Ben on December 05, 2010, 03:06:10 PM
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Given some of the talk on the politics side recently about Presidents, their political philosophies, and what kind of people they are, I was just thinking about which of them I could sit down and have a beer with. This is kind of my litmus test on people in general -- could I sit down with them and have a pleasant discussion, or just shoot the breeze, even if we disagree about certain things in life. This is my list of recent living Presidents, in order:
1) Bush Jr.
Agreement / disagreement in political ideologies - 60% -40% (agreement was a bit higher in his first term). W just seems like a guy you could have a pleasant conversation with about a wide range of "guy stuff". Anything from aviation to fishing lures. Conversation would not have a lot of dead air, because there's a wide range of things I think I could talk with the guy about, in a "shoot the breeze" kind of way. Setting could be anything from a wine bar to a honky tonk, though there's a bar here in town called Harry's (modeled after the bar in France Hemingway often visited) where they serve a strong pour of whiskey, followed by a steak dinner, followed by more whiskey, which would seem the apropos locale.
2) Clinton.
Agreement / disagreement in political ideologies - 20% -80%. As much as I disagree with him politically, I think he would actually be fun to hang with in a bar. I don't think I would do well one on one. I envision a group of rowdy guys out on the town, and Clinton is the one keeping the jokes going, inviting the women over to talk to us, and keeping the waitress busy bringing us more rounds. Best setting would probably be a rowdy sports bar or one of the local clubs with loud music that draws all the university girls.
3) Bush Sr.
Agreement / disagreement in political ideologies - 50% -50%. Somehow I think the conversation would be more serious, not a lot of joking. Possibly military history, maybe a bit of hunting and fishing, current events. I somehow picture the ideal locale to be a higher end hunting or fishing lodge somewhere.
4) Obama.
Agreement / disagreement in political ideologies - 10% -90%. I suppose if I was having a drink at a bar and Obama came in and sat on the next barstool over and started a conversation, I would politely make small talk. I would expect there would be a lot of long pauses. He probably doesn't know the difference between a pistol and a revolver, and I don't even know what arugula is, let alone how to prepare it.
5) Carter.
Agreement / disagreement in political ideologies - 1% -99%. I was a kid in school when Carter was President, but he's still around and shooting his mouth off, so he's included. If Carter came in and sat on the next barstool over, I would pick up my drink and move. I would have to fight back the urge to make a derogatory and impolite remark as I walked away.
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All of them. Free beer is free beer.
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I think Ronaldus Magnus, pre Alzheimer's, of course, would have been interesting to talk to.
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I'm pretty much in agreement with you except for Obama. I would have gotten up and walked away from him, as well.
Having a cold one with Ronald Reagan would have been tough for me, as I would probably have been too amazed at just being in his company.
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I'm pretty much in agreement with you except for Obama. I would have gotten up and walked away from him, as well.
Having a cold one with Ronald Reagan would have been tough for me, as I would probably have been too amazed at just being in his company.
Yeah, I almost added Reagan even though he has passed. But I'm not sure I would have called it "having a beer". I have a couple of uncles who have passed. As I was coming of age, they would have conversations with me on life and what was what. I would somehow see a conversation with Reagan in the same way -- more of me listening to wisdom from my elders than having a "beer" conversation. One of my uncles would pour me a glass of whiskey and we would talk out on the deck at his ranch -- his favorite place to be. I would imagine a similar setting were I to have that opportunity with Reagan.
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I couldn't drink a beer with Obama, free or not. I despise the man to my core.
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I don't buy the concept of sitting down to have a beer (or any other beverage) with someone I've never met before. It would just be awkward.
If it were something sensible, like talking to them on an internet forum, then put me down for all the of the living presidents, minus Carter and Obama, maybe not Clinton either.
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Teddy Roosevelt
Would be fun to hear about all his hunting adventures and the rough riders.
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I don't buy the concept of sitting down to have a beer (or any other beverage) with someone I've never met before. It would just be awkward.
If it were something sensible, like talking to them on an internet forum, then put me down for all the of the living presidents, minus Carter and Obama, maybe not Clinton either.
Don't get out of the basement much? :P =D
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Sorry, folks, but I just cannot see myself sitting down and having a cordial, social beverage with any of the living presidents, and darned few of the past prez's either.
I see my get-together with them opening with a sincere "WTF" and then a careful conversation trying to understand the reply.
Except for the current guy. That would probably start out with an ass-chewing to make a Sergeant Major in any of Kipling's tales blush and then merely improve on the theme. That is, if I was of a mind to allow him to get near me - no, I would not walk away from him but rather tell him he was not welcome to remain.
But then we know how legendary my social skilz are.
stay safe.
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Don't get out of the basement much? :P =D
Not if it involves meeting new people. Last Sunday night at the preacher's house, a nice church lady made the mistake of asking what I do for a living. I could only muster up an "I work," and then left the room. [shrug]
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I don't always drink beer - but when I do, I prefer... then again, I don't drink beer at all.
I'd prefer to drink with Bush Sr, as my current interest is international politics/saber rattling. Because politics involving firing artillery at the other guy is more entertaining than mere mud-slinging. An ex-spook chief/cold warrior like him would probably have some interesting insights on Korea, Pakistan, etc. Bush Jr. would have some as well, but he probably wouldn't talk about them.
Jimmy Carter's just an IRL troll. I'd avoid him if at all possible. The others would be interesting enough. Though I'd probably bribe another bar/restaurant patron to ask Obama if he was really born in this country. Multiple patrons. For the lulz.
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I don't see myself having a beer with Carter or Obama any more than I see myself sitting down with Hugo Chavez, Raul Castro, Robert Mugabe, or Kim Jong Il.
The others - including, amazingly enough, Clinton - probably.
Bush 41 I'd probably end up chewing out, Bush 43 . . . I don't know. Both men have some redeeming qualities.
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I think the question would be could/would any of them just sit down and have a beer with one of us...? (setting aside all the secret service stuff)
I think GWB would be the most affable of anybody living, even though I despise some of his policies and decisions. Heck, I read somewhere that he was a Johnny Rodriquez fan. :cool:
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GWB only beceause he's a good ole boy from Texas and seems like he'd make a better friend than President. Clinton, maybe, but he might get you in trouble.... >:D
The rest? Hell no.
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I wouldn't be interested in having a beer with any president I couldn't support as President. That leaves basically three from "modern" times (I think Washington and Jefferson were great presidents, but I doubt we'd have much in common to discuss).
Teddy Roosevelt
Harry S. Truman
Gerald Ford
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I'll take Andrew Jackson or Grant. Probably won't stay at beer long, we may not remember what happened and Washington might burn down.
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Barack Obama would probably make a great dinner partner. He seems to be a very intelligent person in the simple book-learning area.
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I spent a couple of days with Ronald Reagan as a LE body guard when he was Governor of California. He was in my town on the stump for Nixon. In fact, when I drove Gov. Reagan from the airport, I had Jerry Ford in the back seat with him. Ford was a long time congressman representing the district I lived in. Interesting conversation going on. There were student riots breaking out at Berkley and Reagan had me get him to a phone so he could call out the California Guard.
I found him a delightful man and very well read. He carried a couple boxes of books around with him and had several newspapers he read daily. Knowledgable about a lot of things. He and I snuck out of the hotel and I took him to a men's store nearby so he could buy an overcoat. He was very good in remembering names. At the fund raising banquet that night, the muckety mucks told another officer and I we could go in the kitchen and they'd have some food for us. Reagan was a few feet away, and he turned around and told the guy to set up another table in the auditorium close to the dais. He said "Take care of these men, they're with me." A little while later, while we were chowing down, he looked over at us, winked, and gave a thumbs up.
I got a couple of personal notes from him later when he was President. He was nothing like the man he was portrayed to be by critics and those who did not like him. He was smarter, bolder, better read, kinder, faithful than all of his critics. He outsmarted them, out manuvered them and made fools out of most of them. He was a great American.
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The presumption that any of them would be interested in having a beer with any of us is the part that makes for the laughing and the rolling on the floor and the peeing the pants.
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The presumption that any of them would be interested in having a beer with any of us is the part that makes for the laughing and the rolling on the floor and the peeing the pants.
The best way to have a beer with a President is to become a cop, and then arrest a suspicios black man who's really a college professor and race baiter. Sure fire way to a beer summit!
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Speaking of which, there is a presidential sidekick I'd like to have a beer with. Whoever fed His Manliness that elbow. I'll buy.
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(https://armedpolitesociety.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.judiciaryreport.com%2Fimages%2Fobama-busted-lip-11-29-10.jpg&hash=dac021a37df9f92fea47fec0d4a42a652688c63c)
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The presumption that any of them would be interested in having a beer with any of us is the part that makes for the laughing and the rolling on the floor and the peeing the pants.
Why not? I mean, most of us are statistically unlikely to meet any of them, but it'd not like we're somehow dumber or inferior than they are.
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at some of the places i worked i got to meet a few folks. hands down the two nicest were barbara bush and ladybird johnson. i got to meet johnson a couple decades after hubby was in office and they took her out through the kitchen freight elevator and she was the epitome of a southern lady. and this was in the very late 80's or early 90's. her staffers doted on her and it was easy to see why. bob dole was a nice guy too. the one time i got near clinton was at the howard university gala and he did a double take at first seeing a white guy working the party
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Speaking of which, there is a presidential sidekick I'd like to have a beer with. Whoever fed His Manliness that elbow. I'll buy.
My money is on the elbow/basketball game being a cover story. I think Michelle clocked him one.
Daydreaming about getting to go all "R.Lee Ermey" on Obama....
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Daydreaming about getting to go all "R.Lee Ermey" on Obama....
I'd rather emulate another famous Marine with three names, but that wouldn't be right.
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I'd rather emulate another famous Marine with three names, but that wouldn't be right.
David Samuel Peckinpah? You want to write westerns about him? I thought Brooks already had that covered.
:P
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I'd rather emulate another famous Marine with three names, but that wouldn't be right.
On that note....