I don’t want a President that I could have a beer with

[Viva_La_Revolution]

Here’s the thing.

I have an amazing group of friends (most of them met through DU) that get together every month to drink beer and discuss the state of the union. We’re an above-average bunch... smart, articulate, highly educated.

I love them all for various reasons, but none of us are qualified to be President.

I want a president SMARTER than us. Someone I would feel nervous having a beer with. Someone who could talk way over our heads on Foreign Policy and Constitutional law. That’s what this country NEEDS.

Vote Democratic in ’08. :patriot:

[AteAlien]

1. This president has caused me to

drink so much beer over the past bunch of years, I'll have no money for retirement.

I'm with ya!

[muffin1]

16. Will you join me

for a class action law suit? Only half-kidding...this fucker has been the cause of more than a few benders! Jesus, will the madness ever end? I am quite simply holding on for November! BTW, welcome to DU!:toast:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

18. Welcome to DU AteAlien!

seems like that's where my extra pennies go these days too. :beer:

:hi:

[AteAlien]

19. Thanks

and let's fight the good fight!

:toast:

[midnight]

2. I will.

Vote Democratic in ’08.

[calimary]

3. Agreed! Besides, I'm not a beer-drinker myself.

I was talking about this just a little earlier today, funny enough. I must know a thousand people with whom it would be great fun to have a beer (or maybe a glass of wine or something). But that doesn't mean they're fit to be President!!!!!! For crying out loud!!!!

[Edweird]

4. I couldn't agree more.

It isn't a high school popularity contest, it's a real world position with real effects.

[Aristus]

5. Yeah. When did we get it into our heads that we were voting for a drinking buddy?

And not a President? I want my President to swear off the hootch for the duration, with the obvious exception of the ceremonial glass or two of wine. I don't want a President who'll turn into a cringing, sweaty-lipped, pathetic, self-pitying drunk like Nixon. Or like that dry-drunk B*sh for that matter.

[gateley]

6. My choice for President

would be someone who, as you say, could talk way over my head on Foreign Policy and Constitutional law, but WOULDN'T. Instead, would answer my questions and educate and enlighten me and explain in a way that I could understand and grow. Leaving in me a thirst for more knowledge. That's why I supported Biden -- that's how he comes across to me, and I'd LOVE to have a beer with him. And I wouldn't be nervous at all.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

22. COULD, but wouldn't necessarily...

Let's put it this way...

In a room with BO or HC or Biden, I would limit my intake so I could keep up with conversation...

In a room with *, I would slam them down as fast as possible just to try and get through the evening.

:)

[gateley]

26. Okay -- I'm in TOTAL agreement with you on this one! nt

[Marr]

7. I'd settle for one that doesn't have a drinking problem.

[PDJane]

9. Perhaps he should have the ability to speak English, too...

It would help improve the image of the US.

[Cerridwen]

21. Hell, I'd settle for fluent in "a" language

Take your pick. I wouldn't mind learning more Spanish or learning French, German, Hindu, a dialect of Chinese, or any other living language.

But, buffoon, THAT language I refuse to learn.

[AteAlien]

23. He is the best at the

"uh" language. Best I've ever heard!

[Cerridwen]

28. Skin-crawlingly so.

Yeah, I made up a new word. So, uh, ya know, uh, like, uh, whatever.

:hi:

[Jim Sagle]

14. I'D settle for one who was actually elected.

[khaos]

8. "but none of us are qualified to be President" --> WRONG

you are all qualified. what this country needs is more people to realize that the dimwits we elect into office are inferior to all of us.

[Buzz Clik]

10. I want a President who's ugly when drunk. I don't mean red-nosed and drooling. I mean deep ugly.

Violent, angry, abusive. Break a bottle over your head and threaten to kill you if you get in his way.

Get in fist fights with his dad. Crash into mail boxes and fly airplanes shitfaced. Call his wife the worst names imaginable...

... :(

No, I guess I don't want that kind of a president. I didn't want that kind of president in 2000, and I don't want another 4 years of that shit.

Bring it on home, folks.

Vote Democratic in '08. :patriot:

[Canuckistanian]

11. That's a good point

I heard a quote somewhere that the president should be someone who's the smartest person in ANY room.

Smart, resourceful, articulate, witty, accomplished, experienced.

I LIKE my mechanic, but I sure as hell don't want him deciding military strategy in an emergency..

[Olney Blue]

12. I want a smart president too.

Enough of the drunken chimp.

[keep_it_real]

13. I want a president who tells the TRUTH, whether I can have a bear with them or not.

[NanceGreggs]

15. Things that make you ...

... go hmmmm.

At the time people were discussing Bush in terms of a "guy I'd like to have a beer with", it was already a greatly-touted part of his resume that after more than a few losing bouts with the bottle, he was a committed non-drinker.

I often wonder if those same people knew what a total fuck-wad he'd be as president, and figured if they could get him good and liquored-up, it might be an actual improvement over his sober state.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

29. You'll drive yourself crazy trying to figger that out Nance

best just to have a :beer: and not even try. :hi:

[NanceGreggs]

31. Yeah, you're right!

:toast:

[AteAlien]

17. I figured it out

The more beers you have, the better a chimpanzee lookalike looks...like. So...have a few beers, and elect Bonzo next time! Slogan: You won't do worse, but you won't care!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

20. I want a president I can be proud of

One that can speak, think and make decisions based in reality.

Hi there Viva :hi: :hug: :loveya:

Marc Maron's on the radio! :woohoo:

[Viva_La_Revolution]

25. B!

How ya doin' hon? :hug:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

33. Busy busy!! Work never stops lol

Aside from that, all is well here at Chez Salmon :)

:hug:

Hope you're well :loveya: :D

[baldguy]

24. A President should be allowed to enjoy a beer with his constituents.

But that shouldn't be the limit of his abilities.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

27. bwwaaaahhaaaahaaaa!

:rofl:

You said it in fewer words. :)

[bdamomma]

30. this man in the WH has dumbed us all down, plus highly insulted

us all by his ignorance and arrogance. We have a chance to change the direction of this country in November 2008 and we sorry to say better do it. I want a President who doesn't say GO SHOPPING.

[susankh4]

32. Personally....

I'm a wine and cheese gal.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

34. If'n you don't tell anyone, I'll let you in on a little secret...

:whisper: I drink wine at home. shhhhhhh!

[susankh4]

35. That's what I am doing now.

It's the only way I can handle D.U. nowadays!

;)

[Bjorn Against]

36. I think Jon Stewart said it best...

"I want my President to be the designated driver."

[Skink]

37. I want a president that can drink Putin under the table.

Bet Clinton could do that.:toast:

[Diclotican]

51. Skink

Skink

To manage to drink a Russian under the table,you have to be a russian.. No other man on this earth can drink an russian under the table!!. It is technical impossible a task...

I know a man who tried that once... He was drunk 3 days after the accident... :evilgrin:

I am a foreigner, but if I may have a word, from the outside perspective.

I want a american President, who can come across as decent, honest (to some degree) and as a President who can give us on the outside of US some assurement about how US would act the next coupe of year.. Not at this President of today, who act as the dam school bully I have to put up with so many year - before I get enough and was giving him the trouble of his life... He act as he is drunk today. Even that everyone tell me that this man are not drinking anymore...

All I want of a president of US, are a decent, honest, and well educated man, who can be humble when needed, but Strong when that need arise.. I just want a HONEST and Decent President.. Can't you, as american vote for a man, who are decent, and honest.. It must be ONE american political out there, who are that too?????

Diclotican

Sorry my bad english, not my native language

[nichomachus]

38. I don't want my president to be the smartest person in the room

I want my president to be the wisest person in the room

I want my president to be highly principled

I want my president to be diplomatic

I want my president to be politically skillful

I want my president to be persuasive (not manipulative or overbearing)

I don't mean that I want my president to be as dumb as a box of used condoms -- like the current occupant of the White House -- but I think "smart" is highly overrated. After all, Ralph Nader is a very smart person. So is KKKarl Rove.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

39. Touche'

and welcome to DU!

[nichomachus]

44. I'm confused

I'm really confused about this "welcome to DU" phrase I've been seeing lately. In some cases, it's been a put-down.

I've actually been a member here for a long time, but haven't posted a lot -- working for a living reduces your opportunities for sitting in front of a computer screen posting on blogs.

I get the impression that unless you don't have a real life -- and you can post 100 times a day -- you're a second-class citizen here.

[treestar]

46. Welcome to DU is not a put-down

The put-down is "enjoy your stay" which implies it will be short as the repuke/freeper will soon find too much opposition for his/her liking (they hate opposition) or will get tombstoned for disruption.

[nichomachus]

49. It's been used that way -- in a very patronizing tone

[treestar]

48. All those things are good, but smart is necessary too

Exceptional people should be the only ones in the running - not average morans like *

[nichomachus]

52. I thought I had said that

I said that I didn't want the president to be dumb. I've known a lot of very smart people who I truly like. The smartest person I ever met -- a grad school professor of mine -- was someone I much enjoyed talking to and would have had a beer with him in a heartbeat, despite the fact he could give me a headache from thinking too much. However, I wouldn't want him as president.

You don't want someone who thinks too much, because they tend to inaction while they examine the options. You want someone who thinks just enough. You want someone with "street smarts," as well as the intellectual depth. It's a balance.

There's actually a much longer response, which I might post when I get the time to do justice to it, that involves the idea that we are truly schizophrenic in what we want in a president -- best buddy or smartest guy in the room. We keep lurching from one to the other, but it's not really our fault. Stay tuned.

[ladjf]

40. I'd settle for a President who wasn't a sociopath.

[JI7]

41. i never wanted a beer or anything else with the piece of shit currently in office

[ProfessorGAC]

42. Doesn't Have To Be Smarter Than Us

Has to be smarter than average, though. Not smarter than everyone. We've had enough of a below average, underachiever in the White House.
The Professor

[Proud Liberal Dem]

43. I agree!!!

I remember pundits talking about this endlessly as though it were some sort of "good" reason for Bush to be (s)elected in 2000 and then re-(s)elected in 2004 and I honestly couldn't believe the utter stupidity of such comments not to mention the fact that, given W's admitted past problems with alcohol, nobody should've been seriously thinking about him having beers with anybody period. Of all of the reasons that I've ever heard why to vote for somebody THAT has got to be one of the dumbest reasons for people to factor into their considerations when choosing somebody to lead the world's remaining superpower and who will have their finger on "the button". I absolutely shudder to think what might have happened if Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice were in charge during the Cuban Missle Crisis!
:nuke:
At any rate, the ONLY people that I want in charge of our country are people like Bill Clinton, Al Gore, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, or Barack Obama, people who, flawed as they may otherwise be, seem to be able to think through complex problems, learn information for themselves, and, most importantly, able to adjust when presented with new and contradictory information.

[Life Long Dem]

45. I want a champion and not a victim. That's why I'm voting for Barack Obama!

At some point Clinton needs to show she is a champion and not a victim. Or she can keep telling us how she is the victim and continue to cry about the boys not allowing her to play.

[treestar]

47. Exactly! Why did they get away with that crap?

Anyone who is going to be President should be exceptional. Not average.

[LibDemAlways]

50. Probably 99.9% of the people who post here are

smarter than the chimp. Those who aren't are freeper trolls.

The problem is that many people in the US are anti-education. They voted for chimp despite his degrees because they sensed those degrees are basically bogus and chimp is the kind of guy who'd end up shitfaced at a party with a lampshade on his head - and they like that it a person. That's a plus for them.

Give Americans a choice between a cerebral guy and a goofball, even as President, and the outcome will be surprisingly close - close enough to steal.