I'm Hiring the Next President. I Expect Certain Things.

I don't mind my president enjoying arugula.
I don't care if he or she is smarter than the room.
I kinda like the idea of a president with big brains.

I'll never have a beer with my president.
I don't want to have a beer with my president.
I don't want my president having a beer with me.
I want my president to have better things to do.

I want my president to be the brightest, the smartest, the most imaginative, the classiest, the best person we can muster. I'll take them as big and as brainy as they can get.

I'm sick of stupid presidents.
I'm sicker of presidents who pretend to be stupider than they really are.
I'm sick of presidents who try too hard not to be presidential.

I want a president I can be proud of.

I like the idea of a president who has worked directly with the streets.
I like the idea of that person having been there.
I can live with them enjoying arugula today.

I want a goddamn president.
Not a bowling buddy.
Not a drinking buddy.
Not a hunting buddy.
Not a poker buddy.
Not someone who will put on figurative pair of overalls to show how folksy they are.
I want a president.

It's a white collar job.
They will travel in limos.
They will travel the world.
They will meet with foreign heads of state.
They better not embarrass us by acting stupid.

This person will be my employee.
This person will be representing me on the world stage.
This person better make me look good for what I'm paying them.
This person better work their ass off.

I want a president.
I don't think it's asking too much.

Stop treating us like your buddy.
Start treating us with respect.

Comments

[orb]

I do want a President who understands the concept of having a Beer with someone...
I might not want to have a second session with them. but if they are down with splitting a six pack, it shows an attempt at communication...
If they say some shit like "I prefer Microbrews and Imports", but find what I bought "drinkable" if that is "all you can afford"...
I might ask them to come back in December at pick up frozen dog turds with their teeth...
I want my President to have a capacity for EMPA-FUCKING-THY...
Relate to ME as a human, relate to every STORE CLERK as a human,
relate to everyone you encounter every day as a Human being...
If thats someone you could have a Beer with, you bet your ass!

[Sandi]

I want a president who is not condescending, who understands that one does not treat diplomatic events as home BBQs yet is not so distant that if we came in contact on a casual basis he/she would be NATURAL and comfortable in being with regular citizens.

I want a president who appreciates complexity and nuance and is able to help others understand it, as well, without belittling them if they do not.

I want a president who sees value in all of us, and helps us see the values in each other we sometimes forget to notice--someone who helps us "be all we can be", without going into the military!

As for beer and arugula... if I should ever be in a situation of meeting him/her, I hope my president is interested in my thoughts, and I won't care what we eat or drink.

Oh, and sliced parmesan on arugula is fantastic!

[donna]

Well, I prefer microbrews. If you want to drink beer that tastes like horse piss, that's your problem, orb. Why can't a president express their preferences without you getting all upset about it? Don't you feel free to express your choices as well, regardless of what others prefer? Shouldn't you allow the president to do that as well, instead of pretending to like what you like to pander for your vote, and then turn around and do what they want anyway?

How about thinking about what their policies will do for you, what they will do for the economy, what they will do for the country as a whole? If you enjoy endless wars for the sake of having someone in office who you think you can have a brewski with, well, that's what we have. So stop complaining and enjoy the show, then.

The rest of us would like to start having some serious discussions about where we are headed as a nation now.

[dAVE]

Ya know orb, it seems every election it comes down to:

"You think yer better'n me? Well, fuck you, I'm votin' fer the other guy."

idiot shootin' themselves in the foot every fuckin' time, just because they fall for perceived insults to their stupid, misplaced pride.

Grow the fuck up - or stay home and don't vote - ya goddamn child.

[cage free brown]

shit, I'll have a beer with just about anybody.
my gripe is that "you'd like to have a beer with the guy" was a pre-fab bullshit bumper sticker thing to say. people who WERE having a beer with Bush were telling America how much WE wanted to have a beer with him. yeah, I'd have a beer with the guy but I saw Kerry drinking cocktails on C-SPAN at some shin-dig before he became the '4 frontrunner and I would have enjoyed that too.

this "arugula vs. beer" bullshit must be nipped in the bud TOOT SWEET.
smart is GOOD. besides, I'm amazed people aren't having some bad trip deja vu with the beer thing.