Let me finish tonight with this.
I love these stories of how the former presidents get to be so close, especially Bill Clinton getting to be like a son to the senior president Bush.
Think about it. This is the guy he beat and now Bill's out there speaking openly about how he feels toward the older man. I completely get it and for totally personal reasons.
Bill Clinton lost his father early on in a car crash, never really had him as a father. Then he had a stepfather who beat his mother to the point where young Bill, who was big for his age, had to stand up and threaten to beat the heck out of the guy if he ever touched his mother again.
Imagine, it's not hard, how Bill feels toward a perfect gentleman like the senior George Bush, a guy who so obviously loves his children, who so clearly knows how to show affection, how to really be the kind of father young Bill Clinton (and, yes, grown-up Bill Clinton) never had.
I do think of Dick Nixon, too, and the way he wanted so much to be an older counselor of sorts to Clinton back when Clinton was first in office.
Okay, maybe there was some guile there, I'll accept that. Maybe Nixon wanted to use the young Democratic president to "bring him back into public life" the way a Republican president couldn't do. I think of how Harry Truman brought back Herbert Hoover into public acceptability by giving him charge of the Hoover Commission that re-organized and reformed the federal government back after World War II.
But there was also something there that was human. Nixon had two great daughters but he didn't have a son, and maybe Bill Clinton was the kind of young political star he imagined having for a son.
And maybe Bill Clinton, who knew his own imperfections, saw in Nixon a guy who wasn't as judgmental and holier-than-thou as so many public figures come across as.
The thing is, as someone who looks up to politicians, I love to see they can get along--at least after all the games of day-to-day politics are over with.
Wouldn't it be great if they could show the same humanity when they're playing the political game? Wouldn't it be good for the country if they'd find a way to let their human side show when it came to finding the sort of human compromises that get to the heart of challenges facing this country, like the growing American debt and the chaotic immigration situation?
Wouldn't that be something.
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Chris, with "politicians get along...."
I can agree with premise, it makes me think when Truman was V.P. he would go over and play (gamble) poker in congress (I not sure senate or house?).
Those were days of pragmatism and reason, alas them days are done!
Government employee WANABE's like gingrich, santorum and romeny are the problem not the solution. The republicans have a shrinking base and deminishing mass appeal as they try to agitate the base for increased turnout to win elections. This is the cause of the way they attact to destroy, instead of negotiate for resolution. The republican party will eventually collapse upon itself unless a new generation like mccain's daughter or even small brained conservatives like joe scarboro take control of the party platform.
I am sorry for the Martin's loss, but perhaps Treyvon wasnt murdered in vain if the realization of what their agenda is doing sparks a debate and a refusal to accept these horrific shifts to extreme positions and the resulting legislation. I have gone from passive tolerance of republican views to being confrontational with mindless idiots that support the platform. The problem with rallying the republican base is that it riles us up too, thats the only silver lining in the way they act. Now they say the president had a full majority when they did everything they could to block with that one seat. So, out of 730 days how many were there actually 58 democrats and two independents that could actively vote in the senate?
If romney should win, and the house were to stay in GOP control, and the senate majority flipped, it would be incumbent on the democatic minority at that time to abuse the filabuster they way the republicans did to prevent the agenda. They think if they gain these advantages that the democrats will roll like they did when reagan got elected. I only wish that the democrats had had spines to stand up to that charleton reagan and prevent his agenda that laid the seeds for economic disparity and financial collapse through excessive deregulation.
Turns out the red tape held the economy together.......
Fortunately, Tom, I don't think that's going to happen, but this country would do well to pay attention to the goings on in Great Britain with the Murdoch family. I will still never understand why Rupie was permitted to buy the Wall Street Journal, and I'm real nervous about the new owners of MSNBC as well...
What terrifies the über right is that a second Obama term would likely mean two Supreme Court nominations. And note that Mitt Romney's "expert" on that issue is none other than Robert Bork. I get accused of "religious bigotry" because of my expertise on Mormons and Mormon history, but the "dirty secret" about Mormons isn't so much their crazy beliefs--such as Native Americans being descended from Hebrews--as it is their "compliant and obedient" mentality that makes them "followers" rather than thoughtful and introspective participants in a dynamic process of democracy.
Mitt Romney's kowtowing to the right is evidence of that one, and we saw similar backpedaling by Jon Huntsman (who's much more genuine and thoughtful than Romney) on his comments comparing the Republican Party with the powers-that-be in China.
The folks on the right do a lot of chest-beating and hollering, but there's an intellectual emptiness to their rhetoric and they become particularly incensed when that is pointed out to them (see Fuzz, Grandpa). They are worthy targets for our scorn.
How come I'm always the guy with the "wet blanket" for the "feel good stories"? I watched Andrea Mitchell offer a claim implying Clinton and Nixon had a "bond" from facing impeachment, and I went nutso.
Bill Clinton was inaugurated on Jan. 20, 1993. Richard Nixon died on April 22, 1994. That makes for barely over a year they might've conversed, and Clinton's impeachment was roughly six years in the future. Okay, one could add a few months for the time interval between the November election and the Inauguration, but it doesn't look to me like they would've had a particularly long relationship.
Now I have no doubt Clinton would've taken RMN's calls; to imply anything else would've been a gross insult to 42's shrewdness....
But I'm left wondering if Hillary was channeling Eleanor Roosevelt, was her husband also holding seances to call up RMN's ectoplasmic essence?
If so, Clinton should let us know if there were harps in the background or screams from souls being tortured or tossed into the flames...
It's ironic, Nixon had personality flaw, he seemed to react to unnecessary? He did not like the way people perceived him, Watergate was result (my opinion) of that!
As a president, he was pragmatic and used reason, he did not by into ideology the way repubs do today!
I going to surpise my self to say, In many ways Nixon was a better president than JFK, he was just damn jealous of Kennedy looks and charisma!
ricky nixon and jfk were sworn in the congress the same day in 1946. they became close friends as both of them served in the navy in the south pacific. many in congress stated they were more like brothers. as new members of congress they were not taken seriously by the elder statesmen so they took refuge in eachothers company. they would joke that someday they would run against eachother for president and would stay up late at night debating who would win which state. allow me to cut and paste In 1950, JFK privately rooted for Nixon to beat Democrat Rep. Helen Gahagan
Douglas in the Senate race. Not only did JFK want this because of his warm
feelings for Nixon, but there was also the fact that Douglas, an out-of-step far
left liberal, was universally disliked by the majority of her fellow Democrats. now as we all know they became bitter rivals in their quest for the wh.
Ruskie, you won't do it, but I would recommend you read Chris's book Kennedy and Nixon on the subject. Their friendship lasted past the race for the White House; Nixon later received a phone call from JFK with the line, "You wanted this f****ng job?"
In our only "e-mail argument" Chris made mention of "Nixon haters." The subject involved a challenge I tossed at him over the 1960 Presidential election which was particularly close and included charges of extensive corruption in Illinois vote counting, particularly in Cook County.
Lest you think I'm in lockstep with Chris Matthews, I'll add that I'm an unrepentant "Nixon hater," and I voted for him in 1972. And Ricky, those times and that era were flat-ass awful. Nixon exploited the hard feellings and racism in the Deep South with his "Southern Strategy" and chose a boorish vice-president who was tossed from office over bribery and corruption charges (Spiro Agnew). Young people were routinely vilified and cast as spoiled and when they they tried to exercise their voices, there were incidents such as Kent State. And then in addition to "Vietnamization," there was Watergate...
Kennedy's close win over Nixon may have fueled Nixon's paranoia, but his core character was formed long before. I believe history is going to judge him as among the "five worst ever"; he was a hateful man whom Ike probably chose as Vice President because he needed a "credible anti-Communist" to counter the unfounded hysteria of the McCarthyites. Back then the "extreme base" of the Republican Party was only a tiny fraction of its membership, however.
It is, however, impossible to truly understand the era without a grasp of the Cold War and all its implications. Sputnik shook the nation to its core, but it would've been unthinkable for politicians to resort to the polarizing tactics that are routine today. Nobody ever questioned JFK's patriotism the way they have President Obama's.
And Mika, before you go hollering about "out-of-step far left liberals," you ought to remember the most beloved and trusted man in this country at the time was Walter Cronkite.
Finally, despite the disgrace Nixon brought to the White House, we can look at the "holdovers" and "Republican heirs" to his sordid heritage who still rose back to positions of power. These included Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, and the man who gave us Karl Rove and George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush himself.
The only "pluses" i see emerging from the Nixon era were the Environmental Protection Agency and the Engdangered Species act, and the extremists on the right are working overtime to neutralize both of of those bits of "visionary" legislation.
cabbie hard to take chris seriously as hes obviously still in love with jfk. lol now hes madly in love with obama. imagine chris writing an unbiased book on jfk? nixon was entralled with jfks looks charisma and money. jfk saw his father in nixon byhis ruthlessness drive and his desire to not only defeat his opponet but to destroy him. which is why nixon ended up destroying himself. now if you want to read an unbiased intelligent book may i suggest killing lincoln by oreilly. caution you will be in the no spin zone.
mika from commie russia
it is not polite to copy and paste whole paragraphs without giving credit - here i will help you so you are not arrested by black panther loving ss
Why Martin Luther King was Republican - Frances Rice 08/16/2006
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16500
someone needs to apologize
Adam Selene
Cabbie & mika, Yes, both of you are correct, I know and agree with everything being said.
Cabbie, I remember those days (young teenager), It was hip to hate Nixon! What I was trying to convey that Nixon (Southern Strategy) in which you are completely correct, he ran from radical right in primaries and to radical center in general election!
I think he was paranoid because strict conservative upbringing (early influences) along with resentment at not being the best looking or charismatic.
In the movie (O. Stone vision) he showed alot of early pragmatism though, remember driving and acting as chaperon for whom later became his wife. He new his weakness with attracting women, but finally landed her by working around short-comings!
Watergate, at end of day was alot of hooey, but I am sure you would remind me that his actions, that caused very bad perception of presidency, showing that presidents could be out right liars! People of coarse knew this, but he really stepped it up and shoved it in everyone face, sort of peeling way facade, if this makes any sense.
But, in his later years I thought he somewhat redeemed him self, maybe? I was never a Nixon lover, but he did some great things, especially opening up China! I just meant that yes he was what you say, but he was not bat-@!$%# crazy like conservatives of today!
I guessing you have read transcripts of Nixon tapes, you know "Jew York" and Liberal media (for him media stain was because they never felt that media liked him and were unfair, but he did not necessary disagree with them over everything!
I remember in those transcripts him bashing conservatives more, he did not like "Birchers" in party, and he commented on using "Slim & Clem Dixiecrats!"
It was Republican President Dwight Eisenhower who pushed to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and sent troops to Arkansas to desegregate schools. President Eisenhower also appointed Chief Justice Earl Warren to the U.S. Supreme Court, which resulted in the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision ending school segregation. Much is made of Democrat President Harry Truman's issuing an Executive Order in 1948 to desegregate the military. Not mentioned is the fact that it was Eisenhower who actually took action to effectively end segregation in the military.
Democrat President John F. Kennedy is lauded as a proponent of civil rights. However, Kennedy voted against the 1957 Civil Rights Act while he was a senator, as did Democrat Sen. Al Gore Sr. And after he became President, Kennedy was opposed to the 1963 March on Washington by Dr. King that was organized by A. Phillip Randolph, who was a black Republican. President Kennedy, through his brother Atty. Gen. Robert Kennedy, had Dr. King wiretapped and investigated by the FBI on suspicion of being a Communist in order to undermine Dr. King.
mika from commie russia:
Were you planning on sourcing this copy and paste job - it is the polite thing to do - that's alright I'll do it for you.
I would not want you to be forced to apologize to the leftist racebaiting posters here who do not understand such things since they do not watch #1 Fox but instead only MSNBC with lowest ratings and racist hosts who promote black panther loving Obama and his prostitutes.
Why Martin Luther King was Republican - Frances Rice 08/16/2006
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=16500
Just a question - why do you post to 8 day old dead posts? I have no choice, I have to read all of them, but how does posting to dead posts fulfill your goals?
Another question - sorry about April 2 when you only managed 2 posts - are you going to manage to catch up and meet your quota of 10 posts a day in time for your 4 week posting evaluation?
I am a big fan Tovarich - but you are less interesting now that you have admitted to just being plain. As Russkie you were interesting - as old family man with testosterone problem from Iowa with broken nose you are not.
why not re-reg - and come back as Natasha - young, abandoned in America, e-mail bride forced to give up little malish. you then can ask innocent questions of leftist MSNBC posters tricking them into defending capitalism and stand your ground laws.
Good laugh you can have on them Tovarich. lololol
Adam_Selene
hey cabbie did chris put my above post in his book?
Yeah Cabbie - what do you think?