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The Obama Watch
The President’s Snub
Unlike his predecessors, our current president is not one to be clubby with former presidents.
Shortly after winning reelection in 2004, George W. Bush was asked whether he thought more or less highly of his predecessors, now that he’d been in office awhile.
“Of my predecessors? Very interesting,” he said, before immediately adding, “More highly of them all” because “I’ve got a much better appreciation of what they’ve been through.”
That anecdote, told by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy in their new book The Presidents Club, captures how most American presidents feel about one another. Nobody quite knows what it’s like to be president except other presidents.
American presidents “are the jurors who will not pronounce a verdict, because they know they have not heard all the evidence,” the authors write in their closing sentence, “and they are predisposed to be merciful.”
If the Presidents Club had a charter, it would be guided by the three S’s: support and silence and solidarity. While most U.S. presidents have followed those protocols, even across party lines and with former rivals, President Obama has consistently and conspicuously broken them.
Herbert Hoover and Harry Truman became extraordinarily close. “I feel that I am one of his closest friends,” Truman said, “and he is one of my closest friends.”
After Kennedy beat Nixon by a slim margin in 1960, the president-elect invited his former adversary to meet. “I would like to fly down from Palm Beach to have a chat with you — if it won’t interfere with your vacation,” Kennedy said to Nixon. Nixon was happy to go, and they had what Kennedy described as “a very cordial meeting.”
After the Bay of Pigs debacle, Kennedy reached out to Nixon, who visited the president in the Oval Office to offer his advice. The young president also met with Hoover and Dwight Eisenhower. “I asked President Eisenhower here to bring him up to date on recent events and get the benefit of his thoughts and experience,” JFK said. He called on all three for guidance again during the Cuban missile crisis.
Lyndon Johnson was, the authors found, “fully conscious of the power of his predecessors and protective of their privileges. He studied them, fed and tended them, sent flowers, cuff links, statues, put Air Force jets and helicopters at their disposal, had his aides research every single contact he had ever had with any one of them, going back to his earliest Senate days.”
“I cannot tell you adequately my gratitude for your wisdom and counsel, and, for the fact that no one has found it possible to divide you and me,” LBJ told Eisenhower, whom he called “the best chief of staff I’ve got.”
Johnson solicited advice from both Ike and Truman, especially as the situation in Vietnam deteriorated. In asking Truman to visit him in the White House, Johnson wrote, “I don’t want to tax you, but I always want you to know I need your counsel, and I love you.” LBJ called Truman “One of the few comforts I had during the war.”
Nixon and his staff kept in touch with Johnson down on his Texas ranch. “Cabinet members called him regularly with updates, and Henry Kissinger came in person to discuss the progress of the peace talks,” Gibbs and Duffy write.
In August 1969, to mark Johnson’s 61st birthday, Nixon flew the Johnson family to his Western White House at San Clemente for a party, where Nixon led the group as the guests sang to Johnson, who “stood smiling, holding his felt hat and looking a little dazed in the brilliant California sun.”
During the Watergate scandal, Nixon refused to release a story about how LBJ had wire-tapped the Republicans in 1968. He didn’t want to expose LBJ — that was against the code. “The difficulty with using it, of course, is that it reflects on Johnson,” Nixon said. “He ordered [the bugging]. If it weren’t for that, I’d [exploit the crime].”
President Gerald Ford performed perhaps the greatest act of graciousness toward a predecessor in pardoning Nixon even though Nixon refused to admit he had done anything wrong. Ford’s decision helped cost him the 1976 election.
About the Author
Daniel Allott is a writer in Washington, D.C.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (40) | Leave a comment
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spike59| 8.15.12 @ 6:22AM
ObaMao is thin-skinned, tempermental, arrogant, juvenile, prone to hold grudges, and sarcastic
Mark Halperin summed it up nicely when he described ObaMao as 'a dick'
Petronius| 8.15.12 @ 1:19PM
spike
Don't give dicks worse than they deserve.
Obama
Can't
Understand
Normal
Thinking
Appleby| 8.15.12 @ 6:50AM
As has been said many times before, Obama is a narcissist who is focused only in Me Me Me, I I I, 24/7. Like the typical College Sophomore, he knows everything and the adults know nothing, and if you just get out of his way, it'll be free beer and condoms for everybody and party til you puke.
I for one will be enormously glad to have an end to the Animal House Presidency.
CJW| 8.15.12 @ 8:33AM
It will happen only if you vote for Romney.
benny havens| 8.15.12 @ 7:00AM
In my view President Obama would be happier to consult with Vladimir Lenin, Joseph Stalin, Fedel Castro, Che Guevara, Chairman Mao and Hugo Chavez.
Von Mises Jr| 8.15.12 @ 7:39AM
Like Obama's golf game, the American people had a mulligan in 2008. You are only allowed one. Next time you will be disqualified. And the penalty is that we lose our Constitution for good.
CJW| 8.15.12 @ 8:36AM
Von
The obvious explanation is that the other presidents were all proud to be Americans. Obama is not proud to be an American, as Michele noted. He friends and mentors were all anti American, such as Ayers, Wright, Marshall,etc. and he wants to change America. He did not say make improvements. We do not want to change America, we like it, the major improvement is to vote out Obama.
Von Mises Jr| 8.15.12 @ 10:00AM
Obama is a "One World Government" communist. Watch Agenda21 YouTube "for dummies" and you can see what Maurice Strong, Soros and their puppet Obama have in mind for the world masses.
The problem they have is that only stupid, envious people such as Perpetrator and D'Red Communist are following the Pied Piper.
Drudge headlines today show that the young vote is trending toward Ryan. This makes sense since they love Ron Paul who has basically identical fiscal ideas.
While they may have been ripped off with the Liberal/Progressives educations bubble owing five or six figures in student debt, they learned enough to realize they are being had. Medicare goes broke in 2023 and Social Security in 2037. So anyone under 40 will pay about 15% of their income (with matching SS payments by their employer) and not get one thin dime back.
Older people that paid into Medicare will get the Obama euthanasia pill.
CJW| 8.15.12 @ 12:02PM
I like the Wyden-Ryan plan, originally proposed by Bubba.
Those under 55 have a choice. Stay in Medicare OR take the premium money and buy your own insurance. Dolts like purpie/jack will take Medicare because they like the government running their lives. Those with a functioning brain will take the money to purchase a plan suitable for their needs. Sort of like a voucher for education, such as the GI bill. which the lefties hate since it empowers citizens and not the government bureaucrats.
Von Mises Jr| 8.15.12 @ 12:15PM
The dolts on the left and the trolls like Obama stealing $716 BILLION from Medicare since it redistributes the wealth. The money in that plan is contributions by those that have or now work. Medicaid is paid for by the state out of taxes.
The left is not very smart except the crooks at the top. Medicaid in New Jersey cost $10B currently in our $33B Budget. ObamaScare raises the cost of Medicaid to $15B or a 50% increase. All things equal, the budget would go to $38B or a 15% increase. There are two options:
1) Increase property taxes by 15% (they are about $10-12K on average now)
2) Do not implement ObamaScare and the people get zip, zero, nada that were promised coverage
The other issue is that 60% of the doctors surveyed in Jersey (some 4,300 I believe) said that they will not accept the new Medicaid patients. So even if they try to implement it, they still won't get care.
But the liberals do not care about medical care for the people. They want control of our lives and to expropriate our money.
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 1:25AM
Anybody note one of the latest stories on Weasel Zippers: the VEEP's contingent came through Blacksburg, i believe. A local bakery refused to serve him due to the President's obnoxious comments on small business. The Secret Service Contingent guarding bobblehead went to the bakery, THANKED the owners for not serving Biden, and bought some donuts.
Wild, eh?
scotchieguy| 8.15.12 @ 12:05PM
Excellent point, however I think the 2012 election is the real "mulligan." It is a do-over. In 2008, we teed off and put the ball in the drink. We get a chance to fix that mistake by electing Romney. If we screw this up, we are toast.
Von Mises Jr| 8.15.12 @ 12:32PM
scotchieguy, If you are a Scotsman, there is a book "How the Scots Invented the Modern World" by Arthur Herman. Some great Scots include Adam Smith, David Hume, Georg Hegel, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Rush, James Polk, John Stuart Mill, Alexander Graham Bell....I have not read it yet, but it appears these were all Scots.
Al Adab| 8.15.12 @ 4:09PM
Jr:
That is a wonderful, engaging and interesting book. While I appreciate all those accomplishments, I prefer the 16 year old imported barley water that the Scots take so much pride in.
CJW| 8.15.12 @ 4:41PM
I agree, great book. On the same subject, try James Webb's "Born Fighting" about the Scotch-Irish immigrants, and "Albion's Seed" by David Hackett Fisher, about the four "types" of British immigrants.
sailorman100| 8.15.12 @ 7:51AM
Bambam won't admit that others were demigods before him
SaraB| 8.15.12 @ 8:01AM
Obama is not as smart as those who held office before him. Off TelePrompTer he speaks in shallow platitudes and cutting insults that do little to mask his insecurity.
smoky mountain gal| 8.15.12 @ 8:58AM
No SaraB, he speaks his truth. His marxist truth.
c. j. acworth| 8.15.12 @ 8:18AM
Carter was the worst president this country has had. Until now, of course. Carter has also been the worst f0rmer president we have had, being mean-spirited and overtly critical of the country he led for four years. I also expect Obama to surpass Carter in that dept. as well
Pecos Pete| 8.15.12 @ 9:17AM
cja: King O will be much worse than Carter. King O knows only about rabble rousing. He will continue to attempt to divide the country. I wouldn't be surprised if King O formally joined the Communist Party.
Question: Where will King O live upon his retirement effective January 2013? Chicago? I think not. I suspect that the King and Queen along with the court jester, Ms. Jarrett, will want to be close to the national press in New York where they will be able to spew their hate on national TV. (Maybe I misspoke in that the current court jester is Biteme Biden?)
Albert Constantine Jr.| 8.15.12 @ 2:53PM
I wouldn't be surprised if the Obamas established a residency in Florida or one of the other states that don't have a state income tax, in order to limit having to pay "his fair share".
Occam's Tool| 8.16.12 @ 1:39AM
No, I expect the O will move to France or Spain.
loulou| 8.16.12 @ 2:02AM
No. He'll move to Dubai.
Louis Jenkins| 8.15.12 @ 8:21AM
Dudes, why should Obama cohort with the white presidents? He's a cut above those mere homeboys. Or so he thinks. Remember, Obama is the first president ever elected on the race card, therefore, it would be demeaning to be seen with the likes of president Bush, Clinton (inspite of his being the first black president), Carter, or Bush #1.
smoky mountain gal| 8.15.12 @ 8:54AM
Maybe it's Valerie Jarrett, obama's Svengali, that keeps him from seeking advice or knowledge from past presidents.
Anyway, I would bet my last dollar that Pres. Romney won't be seeking any advice or knowledge from obama.
mike 3/505| 8.15.12 @ 9:05AM
I'll take that bet. Romney is a class act...like Bush...and even on occasion, Clinton. He knows that the Office is so much more than The Man. He will consult with all the prior POTUS's.
Mike G| 8.15.12 @ 9:38AM
Romney should seek advice from Big O. Then Romney should do the opposite of what is Obama advises.
Derek Leaberry| 8.15.12 @ 4:41PM
Yes, sort of like Custer and Little Big Man.
TW in SC| 8.15.12 @ 9:01PM
Jack Crabb: General, you go down there.
General Custer: Youre advising me to go into the Coulee?
Jack Crabb: Yes sir.
General Custer: There are no Indians there, I suppose.
Jack Crabb: I didn't say that. There are thousands of Indians down there. And when they get done with you, there wont be nothing left but a greasy stain. This ain't the Washite River, general, and them ain't helpless women and children waiting for you. They're Cheyenne brave, and Sioux. You go down there, General, if youve got the nerve.
General Custer: Still trying to outsmart me, aren't you, mule-skinner. You want me to think that you don't want me to go down there, but the subtle truth is you really *don't* want me to go down there!
Skippy| 8.15.12 @ 5:15PM
That's the general idea...
CrackerHound| 8.15.12 @ 11:47AM
Let's not get ahead of ourselves. He may not be an ex-president...EVER.
Seriously though...I pray he loses in a landslide in November. A mere defeat will not cut it.
atilla| 8.15.12 @ 2:17PM
OBAMA ISN'T QUALIFIED TO SHINE ANY OF THEIR SHOES, EXCEPT, OF COURSE, CARTER'S.
THIS GUY, OBAMA, HAS TO BE HAMMERED FROM NOW TO ETERNITY AS THE SOCIALIST , PROBABLY COMMUNIST PATHOLOGICAL NARCISSIST THAT HE IS..
HE CARES ABOUT NOTHING , BUT HIS OWN
SICK VIEW OF AMERICA AND AMERICANS ; AND HOW TO PUNISH US.
HE IS LOATHSOME .
HE WAS ELECTED FOR THE WORST REASONS BY THE WORST OF CITIZENS....THE TAKERS.
Derek Leaberry| 8.15.12 @ 4:40PM
Sadly, the reason many of these men hobnobbed and phoned each other is that most of them carried out policies that were only a variation from the others. For instance, Nixon carried out Johnson's Great Society and expanded it to Affirmative Action, quotas and school busing. Eisenhower never really cut the high taxes Truman handed him. Bush I raised taxes and so did Clinton. Bush II was as great a spender as Johnson and Nixon, Clinton a little less and Obama more.
Reagan had little to do with the other presidents. Part of this was his reclusive personality. Only Nancy was truly close to Reagan the last 50 years of his life. Part of it was that Reagan was a conservative and the others were not.
For the record, Nixon's last assistant, Monica Crowley, maintained that Nixon was irked that Reagan pretty much ignored the still-toxic Nixon during Dutch's two-term presidency. On the other hand, Nixon was flattered that Clinton often called to ask advice. But that was before Clinton was occupied by other, more physical, endeavors in the West Wing.
Bob James| 8.17.12 @ 11:10PM
Not to mention wage and price controls, the Department of Labor, OSHA and, oh, wait, the EPA. Yes, that EPA, brought to us by yet another establishment Republican.
I hate to say it, but our "friends" are our worst enemies. There hasn't been a Republican president worth a pigeon's crap since Ronald Reagan
Cincinnatius| 8.15.12 @ 10:41PM
I wish I could take credit for this quote but I think it was made by a Polish official. That said, it perfectly encapsulates Obama and further amplifies the assertions made in Mr. Allott's article.
"The danger to America is not Barack Obama, but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama, who is a mere symptom of what ails America . Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools, such as those who made him their president."
obadiah| 8.16.12 @ 7:41AM
satanic obama marxist must fail. keep repeating the mantra: bush-good, obama-bad.
marcos| 8.16.12 @ 1:34PM
Very interesting article and good reading
SpiderMike| 8.16.12 @ 2:12PM
How did our first President that one day Obama would sit in the Oval Office?
“Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.” ~ George Washington
Mistral| 8.16.12 @ 5:37PM
Incredible that you still have a kenyan as your president, in spite of all the evidence demonstrating he is not eligible. Incredible too that you mifght even imagine such a dysfunctional narcissist as Obama would even consider the remotest praise of a predecessor. He does not know how to do this.
buzzard| 8.17.12 @ 1:36AM
Read R. Kipling's "A Servant When He Reigneth".
Kipling was wise.