Comments on: [politics] The guy you’d rather have a beer with

By: Jeri Merrell

Jeri Merrell — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 19:50:13 +0000

It may be unpopular to suggest this in this venue – but for all that I sure don’t want her to be my vice or actual president, and our views on many, many issues diverge, I think Sarah Palin would be a heck of a lot of fun to spend a morning drinking coffee and shooting the breeze with.

But then, I’m all mavericky that way.

By: Jaws

Jaws — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 17:42:18 +0000

Of course, there’s been an Eli elected in the Executive Branch for nearly three decades:
Vice-President (1981-89), then President (1989-93), George H.W. Bush (Yale BA)
President William J. Clinton (1993-2001) (Yale JD)
President George W. Bush (2001-present) (Yale BA)

And, in contrast, consider this:
President James Earl Carter (1977-81), BSME U.S. Naval Academy
Vice-President Walter F. Mondale (1977-81), BA and JD, University of Minnesota
Doesn’t say much for them public universities, does it? (And before anyone shrieks, I’m a multiple-AB from a Latinate private university, but my doctorate is from a public university.)

By: Brad R. Torgersen

Brad R. Torgersen — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 00:04:42 +0000

Perhaps Obama is like Clinton and Reagan. Those who hate Obama, can’t really explain define why people adore Obama so much. People who adore Obama, can’t really define it either. They just know that Obama is appealing and has magnetism on an almost unconscious level, and this has been lacking in the last 8 years. Even for conservatives, many of who (the honest ones anyway) lamented a lot of Bush’s shortcomings.

I know I’d have voted Obama in a heartbeat, if I were still in my early 20′s. Alas, I feel I have become a jaded fuck in my 30′s and Obama seemed too good to be true. Or maybe it was all the hype surrounding him — the near religious zeal of his followers — that I found too good to be true.

Anyway, the rubber hits the road in January. I hope Obama does well.

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:44:15 +0000

@1 Democrats are fools if we don’t recognize the legitimate resentment of ordinary Americans who don’t think a degree from either Yale or Harvard is a necessary qualification for the Presidency.

Yet, where did “ordinary guy” Bush get his education? I take your point completely, but the irony would be stunning if it hadn’t been killed off by the last few years.

By: Michael J. "Orange Mike" Lowrey

Michael J. "Orange Mike" Lowrey — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 14:37:50 +0000

I think the “guy you’d have a beer with” meme was aimed at precisely the redneck fratboy mentality: the kind of rural ruling-class that still holds sway in my native South and all over rural and small-town America in general. They are the swaggering BMOCs who hold court in honkytonks where they can hit on the waitresses, and put on suits if they have to look respectable at the country club daddy bought his way into.

However, that said: the Democrats are fools if we don’t recognize the legitimate resentment of ordinary Americans who don’t think a degree from either Yale or Harvard is a necessary qualification for the Presidency.