General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: The Sugar Makes the Poison Taste Sweet [View all]Hekate
(89,974 posts)Rational, comprehensive, well-informed.
Btw, "all the presidents I can remember" go back to Eisenhower. Though I was just in elementary school then, I was impressed that he sent federal troops to integrate schools in the South -- some of those black children were my age, some of the white mommies screaming at them were my mama's age.
I was in high school when JFK was killed -- that is seared in my memory, but so much more. Almost out of the blue one time my husband made reference to "all the high school students with Peace Corps packets in their desks at home," and I realized that was one more thing we shared. He lit us up with idealism and the desire to do good in the world. JFK botched the Bay of Pigs and he was a relentless womanizer that Newt Gingrich would have loved to impeach (Newt wants to drag others down to his own level, have you noticed?) -- but he was so much more.
They all disappoint -- they're human. You're right about Obama -- he's the best of the lot in the toughest job in the world.