Clinton the Humanitarian

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  • EPelle
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2005
    • 21442

    Clinton the Humanitarian

    Watching 60 Minutes here on TV4. Dan Rather interviewing Bill Clinton, and showing the difference Mr. Clinton is making fighting AIDS in China.

    Who has been the best former US President in terms of humanitarian work - domestically or internationally? This doesn:t necessarily need to be an outreach to fight some disease, rather a former President who made a greater difference as a private person after his presidency than during.
  • Pego
    Senior Member
    • Oct 2005
    • 13237
    • beyond help

    #2
    Jimmy Carter - bad president, great ambassador of good will.
    "A beautiful theory killed by an ugly fact."
    by Thomas Henry Huxley

    Comment

    • tafnut
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2005
      • 26679
      • Lost at C (-minus)

      #3
      Originally posted by Pego
      Jimmy Carter - bad president, great ambassador of good will.
      I agree with Carter, but would amend the description to:

      JC - good man, caught in an unwinnable situation (oil embargo, etc.), great . . .

      Comment

      • Pego
        Senior Member
        • Oct 2005
        • 13237
        • beyond help

        #4
        As much as I liked JC as a human being, I could never forgive him the boycott. IMHO, an unnecessary, arrogant act.
        "A beautiful theory killed by an ugly fact."
        by Thomas Henry Huxley

        Comment

        • EPelle
          Senior Member
          • Oct 2005
          • 21442

          #5
          I was minimally affected by Clinton, however I think he is one of the most charasmatic persons who have occupied the head seat in the Oval Office. I respect the total person he is, while not some of the individual characteristics which have made up the fabric of his being.

          Comment

          • tafnut
            Senior Member
            • Oct 2005
            • 26679
            • Lost at C (-minus)

            #6
            Originally posted by EPelle
            I was minimally affected by Clinton, however I think he is one of the most charasmatic persons who have occupied the head seat in the Oval Office. I respect the total person he is, while not some of the individual characteristics which have made up the fabric of his being.
            I think it was the stains on that fabric that did him in . . .

            Comment

            • kuha
              Senior Member
              • Oct 2005
              • 9170
              • 3rd row, on the finish line

              #7
              Clinton is/was a man of enormous intelligence and ability, with some obvious personal weaknesses. Without wanting to get "political" I'd say that, in hindsight, he's nearly Lincolnesque by comparison to, well, you know...

              As an aside, I shook his hand in 1996, while in San Diego on business. His personal charisma is simply off the chart...he has the ability to assure whoever he's dealing with in that particular second that they are THE most important person in the world. Obviously, an incredible political gift and asset...

              At the end of the day, I'd suggest that--except in extreme circumstances--public virtue has to trump personal vice in our ultimate evaluation of any public figure.

              Comment

              • wineturtle
                Senior Member
                • Oct 2005
                • 2631
                • Astoria Queens New York

                #8
                Originally posted by kuha
                <snip>

                As an aside, I shook his hand in 1996, while in San Diego on business. His personal charisma is simply off the chart...he has the ability to assure whoever he's dealing with in that particular second that they are THE most important person in the world. Obviously, an incredible political gift and asset...<snip>
                I agree I once sat at the next table to BC at dinner in a friends restaurant and he was over the top at being charming...introduced himself ,asked us what we recommended and although keeping up a steady conversation with his table mates engaged us in a running conversation about the food, the place and other chit-chat.Since there is less than a foot between tables inter table conversations are the rule at Frank and Ron's place,he seemed to pick up the vibe of the room full of regulars quickly and 'fit in nicely',plus the help said his party 'did the right thing'with the tip!
                Tom Hyland:
                "squack and wineturtle get it"

                Comment

                • EPelle
                  Senior Member
                  • Oct 2005
                  • 21442

                  #9
                  I think Clinton has gotten wiser and more charasmatic with age... like a fine wine.

                  Comment

                  • bad hammy
                    Senior Member
                    • Oct 2005
                    • 13235

                    #10
                    Don't know if history will play it this way, but Clinton was the best President of my lifetime (b. late 50s). Ike, sorta non-entity as Pres - did get the highways rolling. JFK, cut short. LBJ – Great Society good, Vietnam bad. Nixon – love him for killing the draft, and China/Russia, but . . . you know. Ford – who?? Carter – lost in the details. Reagan – takes credit for the Wall coming down (not his doing), and good with one liners. Bush I – should have taken out Saddam when he could. Clinton – the economy rolls, very charismatic, has the sex life of JFK in a white trashy sort of way. Bush II – don’t get me started.

                    Original question:

                    Living: easy – Carter.
                    Past: ????

                    Comment

                    • gm
                      Senior Member
                      • Oct 2005
                      • 14015

                      #11
                      IMO, Clinton was the second-worst president in U.S. history, right after Carter. Just my opinion, though. I hate smooth-talkers.

                      Comment

                      • Daisy
                        Senior Member
                        • Oct 2005
                        • 13212

                        #12
                        Originally posted by gm
                        IMO, Clinton was the second-worst president in U.S. history, right after Carter. Just my opinion, though. I hate smooth-talkers.
                        What was your stance on Reagan? He seemed like the classic smooth talker. Or am I misunderstanding your defintion?

                        Comment

                        • mrbowie
                          Senior Member
                          • Oct 2005
                          • 1502
                          • Lexington, Kentucky

                          #13
                          Clinton: I shook hands with him and he has the hand of an NBA player.

                          Great president who came along at a time when political action funds were able to mobilized against him.

                          The worst thing anybody could say about him was his sexual addiction.

                          I will take that flaw any day vs. the obvious alternatives presented by other candidates of all parties.

                          He was a leader and a winner.

                          Jimmy Carter was a good-hearted wimp as a leader, but a very good man.

                          Republicans demonize him because he was and still is a formidable opponent.
                          "Who's Kidding Who?"

                          Comment

                          • gm
                            Senior Member
                            • Oct 2005
                            • 14015

                            #14
                            Originally posted by Daisy
                            Originally posted by gm
                            IMO, Clinton was the second-worst president in U.S. history, right after Carter. Just my opinion, though. I hate smooth-talkers.
                            What was your stance on Reagan? He seemed like the classic smooth talker. Or am I misunderstanding your defintion?
                            Misunderstanding, definitely. Smooth talker = lounge lizard.

                            Garfield and McKinley... them's my two faves.

                            Comment

                            • kuha
                              Senior Member
                              • Oct 2005
                              • 9170
                              • 3rd row, on the finish line

                              #15
                              "I hate smooth-talkers."

                              Well, we couldn't ask for a more subjective, fact-free criteria than this! So, only a tongue-tied klutz has a chance of being a "good" president by this definition? Hey, I'm ready to serve... :twisted:

                              Comment

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