Your favourite US President ....and why ?

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  • jbohoh7jbohoh7 Jet Skiing into Atlantis
    Posts: 65
    Regardless, of which side you are on, there will be pros and cons. No one should be attacked for choosing a side or candidate. Much less be "ganged up" on for there politics. Cause then you come across as a lynch mob.

    One member noted that we should keep the discussions as related to James Bond, as this is a fan website. So I pose a different question, in the same vein as this topic: If James Bond were real, whom do you think he would support, Clinton or Trump, Liberal or Conservative, Brexit or EU ...and why?
  • Bond has always been apolitical. I see no reason for that to stop now. If anything, he'd probably be more liberal than you'd suspect. Fleming once wrote of him as having some sympathy for Fidel Castro.
  • JamesBondKenyaJamesBondKenya Danny Boyle laughs to himself
    Posts: 2,730
    The way Fleming wrote the character of bond, he would have to be conservative leaning, though I doubt he cares about politics, I can’t see him being left of center.
  • Fleming was actually fairly liberal for a man of his time. Consider his friendship with Noel Coward, a (fairly openly) gay man at a time when homosexuality was not at all widely accepted. As has often been noted, Bond's opinions were generally more or less in line with Fleming's. I'd say the only US President of his time that Fleming admired was JFK, so Bond's opinion should be similar. And I expect that Bond's personal philosophies (political and otherwise) were pretty much in line with those expressed by Hugh Hefner in the pages of Playboy at that time.
    Getafix wrote: »
    Eisenhower would have been deemed a hard left socialist in today's crazy world.

    Exactly. Any assessment of Bond's politics needs to be considered in that context.
  • Posts: 7,507
    The way Fleming wrote the character of bond, he would have to be conservative leaning, though I doubt he cares about politics, I can’t see him being left of center.


    He is conservative in a European perspective. The GOP would be too extreme for him I think.
  • edited November 2018 Posts: 17,815
    Really don't have a favourite US president…
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,511
    jobo wrote: »
    The way Fleming wrote the character of bond, he would have to be conservative leaning, though I doubt he cares about politics, I can’t see him being left of center.


    He is conservative in a European perspective. The GOP would be too extreme for him I think.

    Yes, exactly. Bond in literature definitely was a euro- conservative. Certainly the bible-thumping extremists in the US would have been seen as distasteful. But I think Fleming’s Bond in general had a rather pessimistic perspective on America. So Hilary and her ilk would not be looked upon favourably either.
  • Posts: 15,226
    MaxCasino wrote: »
    FoxRox wrote: »
    drstrangelove-warroom.gif?w=500&h=300

    President Merkin Muffley

    As a fan of Dr. Strangelove, this pleases me.

    Same here! With all violence going on in the world, I'm starting to think Kubrick predicted the future right with A Clockwork Orange as well.

    Off topic but Anthony Burgess did with ACO, surely.

    As for my favourite presidents, difficult choices: FDR, Lincoln, maybe. In my lifetime so far it has been Obama, if only because he's an intellectual and he was the most progressive. And he got Bin Laden. With Trump, I'm discovering virtues to the ones I didn't like, such as Ronald Reagan (I respect his son Ron a lot) and George W. Bush, who with all his flaws had good intentions.

    In one of these silly Internet questionnaires asking what American president I would be, I actually got Ulysses Grant. Not sure how he was as POTUS, but as a general of the Union and for his role in the Civil War I'm kind of glad.
  • His administration was famously corrupt. Not so much Grant himself as the people he hired. So maybe you can apply his virtues to Trump as well...
  • Posts: 7,507
    I´ve said it before, but I don´t think you can get past F. D. Roosevelt. He made key contributions during two very important areas in American history; the great depression and the war. USA were closer to serious, long term economical problems and even turning in the Nazis favor than many people realize. I am honestly surprised his name is not mentioned more often here.
  • Posts: 15,226
    jobo wrote: »
    I´ve said it before, but I don´t think you can get past F. D. Roosevelt. He made key contributions during two very important areas in American history; the great depression and the war. USA were closer to serious, long term economical problems and even turning in the Nazis favor than many people realize. I am honestly surprised his name is not mentioned more often here.

    Maybe because of the distance: I doubt anyone here lived when he was president. From what you're telling us, it seems that It Can't Happen Here was not so far from reality. I had always thought it was a farfetched novel.

    @BeatlesSansEarmuffs At least Grant won a war and as such deserves the monuments he has to his name, if he has any. He had a few accomplishments before his presidency that he could be proud of. And if I'm not mistaken he was himself a decent man.
  • Abraham Lincoln, upon being told that General Grant drank too much whiskey: “Well, I wish some of you would tell me the brand of whiskey that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals.”
  • Posts: 7,507
    Ludovico wrote: »
    jobo wrote: »
    I´ve said it before, but I don´t think you can get past F. D. Roosevelt. He made key contributions during two very important areas in American history; the great depression and the war. USA were closer to serious, long term economical problems and even turning in the Nazis favor than many people realize. I am honestly surprised his name is not mentioned more often here.

    Maybe because of the distance: I doubt anyone here lived when he was president. From what you're telling us, it seems that It Can't Happen Here was not so far from reality. I had always thought it was a farfetched novel.

    @BeatlesSansEarmuffs At least Grant won a war and as such deserves the monuments he has to his name, if he has any. He had a few accomplishments before his presidency that he could be proud of. And if I'm not mistaken he was himself a decent man.


    They would obviously try to distance themselves from it
  • JamesStock wrote: »
    So if I had to pick one in my lifetime (which is rather quite limiting), I hate to say it, but I'm with jbohoh7. I am NOT a fan of Trump's tactics, but the tenure so far does seem to be producing decent results. I like the fact that he has directly addressed the hot potato politics that have been ignored for ages like trade and immigration. That said, we'll see how it goes when the gridlock sets in.

    Obama has done nothing but harm my family's personal situation (primarily the impact on small business owners due to the ACA, among other things) so I am going to be extremely biased there.

    I feel like Bush was a super honest guy, but he felt like a puppet and didn't really do anything except get us in a forever war with the middle east.

    Clinton...well, to put it bluntly, was riding on high times so he had it easy. The thing that gets me is his push for globalism has really caused the slow degradation of the US economy. Perhaps unforeseeable at the time, but I hate it now.

    I'm clearly influenced right now by what globalism has done to my region (heavy manufacturing area), hence my liking for Trump, but hopefully for some of you who reside on the other side of the fence can at least partially appreciate the sentiment...
    Well said. I’m with you! If people actually stopped lapping up what the liberal media keeps putting forth (and let’s face it they are EXTREMELY liberal and EXTREMELY anti-Trump) and just used some basic common sense they would see that things are actually good in this country. The sky is not falling! Skyfall? Lol, certainly not! Unemployment is at record lows, economy and stock market are doing great. Come on, enough with the doom and gloom! I may not be too crazy about Trump’s character but I pretty much agree with all his policies. Nothing extremist there, just basic common sense. Border control and keeping illegals out is somehow hateful or immoral? Gimme a break. Clinton and the Democrats were very strong on securing our borders in the 90s, even more than George W. Bush who was very lax on the border. So what’s changed? Just because it’s Trump so now this common sense concept is somehow evil? Ridiculous! If you want to get in here you better do it legally (they way our family did), not hopping fences or barreling down towards the border in a caravan. Think about it - would you let a stranger into your house just because he wants to get in? Of course not. The same principle applies here.

    As for Obama he was too busy talking about gender issues and deciding which bathrooms boys and girls should use. Can you believe it?? Embarrassing! Obama and common sense clearly weren’t on the best of terms.

  • Posts: 7,653
    Trump is riding high on results that have been baking in the oven during the Obama era, with the latest tax cuts and the gutting of anything Obama did he will leave the USA in a mess that the next Democratic president will have to clean up, or even an Republican President.

    The worst thing about this president is that he is totally reckless without any filter and he behaves like a buffoon and disrespects the armed forces as shown so many times and the most recent times in France were rain was a reason not to go to a remembrance.

    And anybody saying there are good and there are bad Neo-Nazis does not show any insight at all.

    The man embodies everything people presume to think about Americans, and they voted for them. And this recent mid terms again.
  • JamesBondKenyaJamesBondKenya Danny Boyle laughs to himself
    Posts: 2,730
    jobo wrote: »
    The way Fleming wrote the character of bond, he would have to be conservative leaning, though I doubt he cares about politics, I can’t see him being left of center.


    He is conservative in a European perspective. The GOP would be too extreme for him I think.

    For sure for sure
  • Posts: 15,226
    Abraham Lincoln, upon being told that General Grant drank too much whiskey: “Well, I wish some of you would tell me the brand of whiskey that Grant drinks. I would like to send a barrel of it to my other generals.”

    A great general and a drinker. My kind of man, regardless of his presidency.
  • Ian Fleming himself, from an interview published in Playboy Magazine, on the topic of James Bond's internal life: "I don’t think that he is necessarily a good guy or a bad guy. Who is? He’s got his vices and very few perceptible virtues except patriotism and courage, which are probably not virtues anyway. He’s certainly got little in the way of politics, but I should think what politics he has are just a little bit left of centre."

    I trust that settles this particular topic. Next?
  • edited November 2018 Posts: 2,921
    Lincoln was probably the greatest President--he is the man who refounded the United States, turning a fractious collection of states into an actual country. He was also one of the most remarkable and eccentric men to occupy the White House, the only President who truly qualifies as a great orator. So he's my favorite. And he would probably be the best to have dinner party with too.

    FDR comes next, because he pulled the country through two of the greatest crises in its history and did so with a jaunty, bigheartedness that gave hope to millions.

    My favorite tragic President is Johnson, whose incredible domestic achievements--which could have been the culmination of the New Deal and prevented many of the problems we've recently faced--were dashed by his embrace of the Vietnam War. My favorite evil tragic President is Nixon, a man of great gifts who used them for foul ends (including treason) and destroyed himself with paranoia.
    JamesStock wrote: »
    Clinton...well, to put it bluntly, was riding on high times so he had it easy.

    Much like the current defiler occupant of the White House...
    peter wrote: »
    But I think Fleming’s Bond in general had a rather pessimistic perspective on America. So Hillary and her ilk would not be looked upon favourably either.

    Well, judging from what Fleming wrote about Milton Krest and Serrafimo Spang, there are few people he despised more than vulgar American millionaires. What he'd have thought about one with ties to Russia is easily guessed.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,823
    JamesStock wrote: »
    Obama has done nothing but harm my family's personal situation (primarily the impact on small business owners due to the ACA, among other things) so I am going to be extremely biased there.
    So, you just get to say this without backing it up with some information? Or are you just too busy IRL to respond?
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,511
    Revelator wrote: »
    Lincoln was probably the greatest President--he is the man who refounded the United States, turning a fractious collection of states into an actual country. He was also one of the most remarkable and eccentric men to occupy the White House, the only President who truly qualifies as a great orator. So he's my favorite. And he would probably be the best to have dinner party with too.

    FDR comes next, because he pulled the country through two of the greatest crises in its history and did so with a jaunty, bigheartedness that gave hope to millions.

    My favorite tragic President is Johnson, whose incredible domestic achievements--which could have been the culmination of the New Deal and prevented many of the problems we've recently faced--were dashed by his embrace of the Vietnam War. My favorite evil tragic President is Nixon, a man of great gifts who used them for foul ends (including treason) and destroyed himself with paranoia.
    JamesStock wrote: »
    Clinton...well, to put it bluntly, was riding on high times so he had it easy.

    Much like the current defiler occupant of the White House...
    peter wrote: »
    But I think Fleming’s Bond in general had a rather pessimistic perspective on America. So Hillary and her ilk would not be looked upon favourably either.

    Well, judging from what Fleming wrote about Milton Krest and Serrafimo Spang, there are few people he despised more than vulgar American millionaires. What he'd have thought about one with ties to Russia is easily guessed.

    Correct. Fleming Bond may've been a snob and pessimistic and concerned about American culture bleeding into the rest of the world, but, ultimately, their values and their people were benign.

    Someone with obvious ties with Russia would be malignant. And a very dangerous enemy.
  • RemingtonRemington I'll do anything for a woman with a knife.
    Posts: 1,534
    chrisisall wrote: »
    JamesStock wrote: »
    Obama has done nothing but harm my family's personal situation (primarily the impact on small business owners due to the ACA, among other things) so I am going to be extremely biased there.
    So, you just get to say this without backing it up with some information? Or are you just too busy IRL to respond?

    I guess he has a life outside of MI6.
  • Posts: 1,548
    President James Marshall played by Harrison Ford in Air Force One was pretty decent. Other than that in real life Reagan maybe. He actually stood up to the Russians unlike the coward in the white house right now.
  • edited November 2018 Posts: 15,226
    @Revelator very good observations. For me it's a toss between Lincoln and FDR.

    @LeChiffre I'm no fan of Reagan but yes, nobody could question his patriotism and his loyalty. Same with Bush Jr, yes, I was against the war in Iraq but at least Bush did it to remove a dictator and trying to export democracy. The Swine is an admirer of dictators and wants to import dictatorship. He's like a real life John Iselin or Buzz Windrip.
  • Remington wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    JamesStock wrote: »
    Obama has done nothing but harm my family's personal situation (primarily the impact on small business owners due to the ACA, among other things) so I am going to be extremely biased there.
    So, you just get to say this without backing it up with some information? Or are you just too busy IRL to respond?

    I guess he has a life outside of MI6.

    As opposed to the rest of us?
  • edited November 2018 Posts: 3,566
    LeChiffre wrote: »
    President James Marshall played by Harrison Ford in Air Force One was pretty decent. Other than that in real life Reagan maybe. He actually stood up to the Russians unlike the coward in the white house right now.

    As far as movie Presidents go, I kinda liked the President played by E.G. Marshall in Superman ll.
  • JamesBondKenyaJamesBondKenya Danny Boyle laughs to himself
    Posts: 2,730
    Ian Fleming himself, from an interview published in Playboy Magazine, on the topic of James Bond's internal life: "I don’t think that he is necessarily a good guy or a bad guy. Who is? He’s got his vices and very few perceptible virtues except patriotism and courage, which are probably not virtues anyway. He’s certainly got little in the way of politics, but I should think what politics he has are just a little bit left of centre."

    I trust that settles this particular topic. Next?

    But left back then is differant to the left now
  • RemingtonRemington I'll do anything for a woman with a knife.
    Posts: 1,534
    Remington wrote: »
    chrisisall wrote: »
    JamesStock wrote: »
    Obama has done nothing but harm my family's personal situation (primarily the impact on small business owners due to the ACA, among other things) so I am going to be extremely biased there.
    So, you just get to say this without backing it up with some information? Or are you just too busy IRL to respond?

    I guess he has a life outside of MI6.

    As opposed to the rest of us?

    Not what I was implying.
  • Posts: 2,921
    But left back then is different to the left now

    Only superficially. Yes, we now have the silly college kids who get in the news for their no-platforming antics, but most of the left still has the same policy goals as Johnson (who had planned on universal health care) and Roosevelt. It can even be argued that Obama and Clinton's policies were far less ambitious and more conservative than Johnson or Roosevelt's. And even back then the left was in favor of rights for minorities. True, back then the Far Left was far more openly Marxist and even admired Chairman Mao. But the so-called "Democratic Socialists" of today are basically arguing for a capitalist society with a safety-net along the lines of Denmark, Norway or Sweden.

    The Right has some continuity with its past self, but whereas Eisenhower and Nixon were mostly content to let the New Deal and Great Society policies stand (much to the disgust of the far Right), the modern mainstream Right is dedicated to eliminating every trace of these programs and entrusting the country to the same unfettered business interests that created the 2008 financial crisis. As for the modern Far Right, it is a worthy successor to the paranoia of the John Birch Society or those Texas who thought JFK guilty of treason.
  • chrisisallchrisisall Brosnan Defender Of The Realm
    Posts: 17,823
    LeChiffre wrote: »
    President James Marshall played by Harrison Ford in Air Force One was pretty decent. Other than that in real life Reagan maybe. He actually stood up to the Russians unlike the coward in the white house right now.

    As far as movie Presidents go, I kinda liked the President played by E.G. Marshall in Superman ll.

    You read my mind.
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