Does the average American get to meet a past/present President?

by Mattieu 12 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Mattieu

  Just wondering..... I had the opportunity to meet former US President George Bush Snr (We still had to address him as Mr. President) and his wife Barbara. I was emcamped with their entourage for a week on an Australian visit some years ago. Real eye opener as to the workings of the secret service, I got an invite to the secret service wind up party at a night club the day the Bushes left Oz, straight out of a movie that night ;-)

  But does the average US citizen get the chance to meet a President? One would think during an election campaign there would be more of an opportunity when they make themselves more accessible to the electorate. So have you met a US President? What about a Governor?

  PS - George & Barbara were the most down to earth people, was behind closed doors a fair bit with them, real natural people who took a genuine interest in others (this may conflict with local opinion back in the States, but that is how I found them to be).

  Cheers, Mattieu
• 

  Broken Promises

  Name dropper, lol.

  I'm curious to hear more about the wind-up party, lol.
• 

  Mattieu

  Lol BP, I havent told anyone the stories of that Presidential visit! A late night and a glass of McLaren Vale Shiraz may cause me to open up
• 

  Broken Promises

  Lol BP, I havent told anyone the stories of that Presidential visit! A late night and a glass of McLaren Vale Shiraz may cause me to open up

  LOL, I'll keep that in mind! I don't mind a drop of good Shiraz...

  I've met a few Australian country musicians - Melinda Scheidner, Reg Poole, Slim Newton, Frank Ifield, Geoff Mack (composer of "I've Been Everywhere"). Also author Colin Thele when he visited my school many many moons ago.

  But no US Presidents. Getting back on topic, I wouldn't mind meeting Mr Obama, preferably shirtless and in the surf, lol...
• 

  Mattieu

  God BP, you reckon Im a name dropper!!! As for your ideal way to meet Obama, I will let you close your eyes, have a glass of Shiraz and leave you 2 all alone with that one! watch out for the rips in the surf
• 

  trueblue

  Haven't met any presidents myself but my mother says when she was a little girl, that when Abraham Lincoln passed through town he spent the night at thier house. Would not hear of such things now a days for preidents need to be heavily gaurded. Come to think, I think I seen on TV that after Abraham Lincoln was shot is when they started guarding the presidents...
• 

  blondie

  Early years

  Secret Service Uniformed Division vehicle in Washington D.C.

  With a reported one third of the currency in circulation being counterfeit [ 8 ] , the Secret Service was created by President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865 (five days after the formal end of the American Civil War), and commissioned on July 5, 1865, in Washington, D.C. as the "Secret Service Division" of the Department of the Treasury with the mission of suppressing counterfeiting. The legislation creating the agency was on Abraham Lincoln's desk the night he was assassinated. [ 9 ] At the time, the only other federal law enforcement agencies were the United States Park Police, U.S. Post Office Department, Office of Instructions and Mail Depredations, now known as the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Marshals Service. The Marshals did not have the manpower to investigate all crime under federal jurisdiction, so the Secret Service began to investigate everything from murder to bank robbery to illegal gambling. After the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, Congress informally requested that the Secret Service provide presidential protection. A year later, the Secret Service assumed full-time responsibility for presidential protection. In 1902, William Craig became the first Secret Service agent to be killed while riding in the presidential carriage, in a road accident.

  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Secret_Service
• 

  blondie

  What about a Governor? I have met many past and the current Governor. Just part of my job.

  I have talked to a US President on the phone several times in the past.
• 

  ShirleyW

  True blue

  Lincoln was assasinated in 1865, just wondering what year was your mother born in and just how old are you ?
• 

  Leolaia

  It is rare. All up to chance and serendipity and opportunities. In my case I've never met a President, past or sitting, although I had a chance to see a sitting President when he came to visit his daughter. And I did see her a lot, with the Secret Service not far behind. I also had the opportunity to see her application materials and even a check signed by the First Lady.