Have you ever met the President?

[dalej42]

Has anyone ever met a sitting or former President of the United States? If so, what was the occasion?

[XaMcQ]

I got to say 'Hi' to Jimmy Carter while he signed a copy of one of his books for me last year. Not much of a meeting, I know.

[Captain Carrot]

I have to say, I don't think there will be many affirmative replies to this thread. Meeting heads of state is not a common thing at all, and meaningful meetings are even rarer.

[Earthworm Jim]

Kind of - the USAF celebrated it's 50th anniversary while I was in & stationed at the Pentagon. President Clinton gave a speech in the courtyard. I brought my very very pregnant wife, and was able to get her a seat very close to the front.

So, I shook his hand & said Hi, and my wife had a brief slightly-more-in-depth conversation with him.

I don't know if that counts as meeting,but there ya go.

[Marconi & Schmeese]

Yes. The current president. He was at an awards banquet in our honor at the Governor's Mansion in Austin.

[Boyo Jim]

I have been in the same room at different times with one president, one former president, and a vice president. I watched another president jog past me as I sat on a bench. I met and shook hands with a man who was then a Senator and later became vice president.

Close, but no cigar for me. I used to work at the Smithsonian and at the National Garrery of Art. Among the things I did was set up sound and media systems for lectures, speeches, or after-dinner remarks at large grand opening and/or fund raising events. I have had brief encounters with numerous royals, Nobel-prize winners, and other celebrity-types. Most of them I actually met with briefly to confirm an expected sequence of events for whatever program they were part of.

The presidents had minions to do that -- I never exchanged a word with any of them.

[Marconi & Schmeese]

Oh, and Jimmy Carter gave me a solid gold peanut necklace/pendant when I was born.

[Chefguy]

I was in the embassy 'rope line' in Uganda when Bill and Hillary visited. Shook both their hands and spoke to Hillary. I was in the embassy audience when Reagan and Nancy thanked all of us for the support in Moscow in 1988. Didn't get to meet him, as I was busy chasing Dave Brubeck out the door to shake his hand (of the two, I respected Dave more). I did meet George Shultz at that gig, though. He was only two or three steps away from being da man.

[DiosaBellissima]

I met President Clinton at his book signing in San Francisco a few years ago. He wasn't really saying anything to anyone, but he took my boob, glanced at my out of the corner of his eye, set my book down, set his pen down, looked me dead into the eye, and stuck his hand out to me.

He said, "Hi, I'm Bill. It's a pleasure to meet you." I was shocked, because he had seemed pretty stand-offish with everyone. Three things ran through my head:

1: Whoaa. . . what a pretty man. I mean, yeah, he's old enough to be my grandpa, but those are some pretty eyes.

2: No shit, you're Bill. That's why I'm here. You're the freaking guy who was President for 8 of my last 18 years.

3: DAMNIT DIOSA, shake his goddamn hand.


So I put my hand out and stammered, "I'm Angelique and it's an honor to meet you, Mr. President." He smiled, put his other hand on the other side of my hand, shook it for a second, and said something like (I don't remember the exact quote), "Well, thank you very much. And that's a beautiful name, perfect for such a beautiful young lady." He shook my hand for a second longer, signed my book, smiled at me again, handed me my book and that was that.

Well wait, as I was walking out of the room, I turned to look back at him and he was smiling at me.

I realized one of two things is true (or maybe two of two): Bill Clinton was either hitting on me and is a perv (which, I'm cool with) or he is a damn good politician. Probably the latter :-)

Oh, the lady behind me in line was REALLY pissed that he didn't talk to her, so she ran up to me outside (as I was talking to some Secret Service who I'd been talking to during the 7 hour wait) and said: "Well, he is just a pervert anyway! He was staring at your boobs the ENTIRE time!!". Looking back, he is MUCH taller than me and was looking down at me the entire time. So if he did check me out, he wins the medal for the smoothest man. . . ever.

[Ol'Gaffer]

Originally Posted by Boyo Jim

<snip>
I used to work at the Smithsonian and at the National Garrery of Art.
<snip>

Is that the one with large Asian art exhibition?





BA-DUM-DUM






Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all weekend.

[DiosaBellissima]

Whoa. Most appropriate typo..... EVER.

Took my BOOK. My BOOK.

b-o-o-k

B-o-o-k.

[Hostile Dialect]

I was the hitting coach for the Texas Rangers when the current President owned them.

OK, I was lying. I was the general manager.

Originally Posted by DiosaBellissima

but he took my boob

Woah! The president does get around! [/jealous]

[Shagnasty]

When Bill Clinton was running for his first term, I jumped on a College Democrats bus for a campaign speech just because a friend called to me at the last minute (I wasn't a college Democrat to be sure). We went and helped set up for Clinton's speech near downtown New Orleans. The Secret Service watched us and talked to us a few times. Near the time the motorcade was set to arrive, the Secret Service asked for someone to be a ceremonial Moam'back. Hundreds of people raised their hands and the SS picked me for some unknown reason. In case you are wondering, a Moam'Back is a person that helps vehicles park by walking because while motioning arms and saying moam'back, maom'back. That was my job and the SS cleared out a gigantic area in the parking lot where the different motorcade vehicles were to park. I was the only student allowed in the area and cameras were blazing away. I directed each one, opened the doors and greeted each one as they got out. I met Bill Clinton, Hillary, Tipper Gore, and the Congressional black caucus that night. I had this cool temporary clearance badge so I got to meet them all again as they were leaving that night.

BTW, Bill Clinton is a BIG person as in a semi-giant. His whole body is scaled up in a way that is very distinctive. I was 6'1'' 190 at the time and he dwarfed me. I barely knew of the guy at the time so it wasn't a celebrity affect. He is just distinctively large.

[SnakesCatLady]

My mother worked for a Congressman when Nixon was in Congress. They were traveling in the same elevator, with my mother trying to juggle a large briefcase, a large handbag, and me. Instead of offering to take the briefcase to help her with her load, the yet-to-be President took me and carried me to Mom's office.

Story told to me by my mother. I don't remember a thing about it.

[hermann]

Originally Posted by DiosaBellissima

Whoa. Most appropriate typo..... EVER.

Took my BOOK. My BOOK.

b-o-o-k

B-o-o-k.

Considering who it was you met, I figured you did mean boob.

[pinkfreud]

I got to shake hands with Harry S Truman when I received a Girl Scout award at the Truman Library in the 1950's. The main thing I remember is that Truman was tiny. I was only ten years old, and I was almost as tall as he was.

[Jonathan Chance]

Been in a room with Clinton and Reagan. Heard about a zillion politicians speak live. Once peed next to a very powerful Senator at National Airport.

[Laughing Lagomorph]

Lessee,

I walked within a few feet of Jimmy and Roslyn Carter at a ski resort years ago. This was long after he was president.

My then future brother in law picked up Reagan at the airport during the 1980 presidential campaign (BIL was active in local Republican politics at the time).

My brother met many of the main contenders for the major party presidential nominations when he worked at a TV station in New Hampshire in the mid to late 90s. He certainly met Pat Buchanan and might have met Clinton, I'll have to check.

I figure all these anecdotes must add up to one presidential meeting.

[pbbth]

I have never met the president, but my congressman has seen me naked...does that count?

He was my gynecologist at the time, but that still counts right?

[Little Nemo]

I shook hands with President Ford once.

[Engineer Dude]

When I was with the church youth group in 8th grade in 1997, I listened to Jimmy Carter give a sermon once at a church in Atlanta, and sat in the front row and even answered one of his questions.

Unfortunately, I had gotten up at 6:00 or so that morning and was nodding off throughout his sermon

[racer72]

I met a pre presidential Ronald Reagan in 1977 at the Naval Air Station where I was stationed at the time. He was in need of a restroom at the time and was aggravated because his handlers thought the meet and greet was more important. Just before he reached me someone pointed out there was a restroom only 20 feet away, he went over the barricade and hit the head. He came out a few minutes later and picked up right where he left off, only he had a big grin.

Although not a US President, I got to shake Boris Yeltsin's hand when he visted the Boeing Everett plant in the mid 90's.

[LiveOnAPlane]

"The" President, no, assuming you mean the USA.

However, I have met "a" President. Of a foreign country. And my wife had lunch once with a Queen.

Not sure if this qualifes as per your OP.

[Cartooniverse]

President Clinton, three times.

1. Early on in 1st Term. Pushing his health care reform initiative, I did a meet and greet in a small pharmacy in upstate Connecticut. It was me, three Secret Service men, the pharmacist, The Prez, and a few of the White House Press pool.

2. The 1996 Olympics Opening Ceremonies. I was in the tunnel with him, and walked him out on air when he emerged and met up with Juan Samaranch and....uh... Billy Payne? Was that the guys name?

3. The White House, late in 2nd Term. He spent over an hour with Leonardo DiCaprio, talking about the Greening of America. It was put on ABC News as a special, and caused quite a fuss. A lot of real journalists were extremely torqued that Leo got over an hour of one on one face time with Clinton. I walked with them along the path past the West Wing, up to the french doors that lead directly into the Oval Office.

His personal aura is, shall we say, dazzling. What a presence. Nice, polite, focused. Hell, I'm glad I voted for him !

The visit to the White House was worth it, and still has it's benefits. A few times in the last few years, my Social Sec. # has been run through Homeland Security computers for various reasons. The person doing it always comes back, hands me my driver's license ( they also run your license to match photo to DMV ID #) and other ID, gives me a slightly perturbed look and lets me go on my way.



Cartooniverse

[Rodgers01]

Originally Posted by DiosaBellissima

Whoa. Most appropriate typo..... EVER.

Took my BOOK. My BOOK.

b-o-o-k

B-o-o-k.

LMAO. I didn't catch it was a typo, and rather confusedly was picturing him holding your boob in one hand throughout the whole encounter. That's great.

[delphica]

It seems like President Clinton has met everybody!

The first time I met him he was the sitting president, and he was at my work for a conference. I saw him around over the days of the conference, and toward the last day, he set up a time to meet and thank the staff. It was both brief and rather formal -- about ten staffers in a line, he spoke with each of us one-on-one for a few minutes, got our names, thanked us for our efforts, etc etc. I actually had something to say to him, because my cousin used to work for him. The weird thing was (us staffers discussed it later) that it was both political and genuine at the same time -- he's obviously taking a few minutes to thank the staff because he's a politician and it's good for his image and all that, but when he's speaking to you, you have no doubt at all that you are the most important person in his world at that moment. Like Cartooniverse said, Clinton has an amazing presence. And as Shagnasty said, the man is large -- I saw him again in person just after his surgery (although it wasn't a meeting), and it was striking how much smaller he seemed.

I met him a second time after he left the office -- we were both shopping in the gift shop at the Reina Sofia in Madrid. Probably the last place I would expect to meet a president. I was there chaperoning a group of students, and President Clinton took a few moments and spoke with the group about their visit to Madrid.

[Triskadecamus]

Lyndon Johnson said "Hi, boys." to two friends of mine, and I, as we staggered down Pensylvania Avenue from a late night of drinking. I don't know why he was out at three in the morning. We pretty much just walked on by without responding, and he didn't seem to even notice the snub.

Tris

[Bambi Hassenpfeffer]

Originally Posted by DiosaBellissima

Whoa. Most appropriate typo..... EVER.

Took my BOOK. My BOOK.

b-o-o-k

B-o-o-k.

I don't think anyone here believes your correction. I know I don't. The Bill Clinton I know and love wouldn't miss a single opportunity to grab your boob while signing your book.

And good for him.

[Rachael Rage]

I shook hands with Al Gore when he was Vice President.

Since he "used to be the next President of the United States," I figured this counts.

[Nava]

No, but then, I'm not from the US and not living there at the time.

I shook hands with Aznar once, was on a lunch with him and our local President years later when Aznar wasn't president of Spain any more. I had a dinner last Friday including both of them, but I couldn't go myself.

When I'd just moved to Philly (hadn't even taken posession of my apartment yet) there was some kind of parade and a black guy who shook my hand. I got a feeling he was the mayor but had no idea where I'd gotten the notion, maybe I'd overheard it or something. So I asked a co-worker for the mayor's name and googled him. Yep. I thought that was cute.

[Lord Il Palazzo]

No presidents here, though my family did run into Strom Thurmond in a California Pizza Kitchen. He said my sister and I were "Fine lookin' boys." We laughed our fool heads off over that one.

Oh and I'm some kind of distant relative of Herbert Hoover (an Xth Cousin Y times removed where X and Y are Larger arbitrary constants.)

[Lord Il Palazzo]

I should point out that we waited to laugh our fool heads off until we weren't standing right next to the guy.

[astorian]

Met? No. But I work in downtown Austin, and so I saw then-Governor George W. Bush fairly close-up a number of times, when he was entering or leaving the Governor's mansion.

Didn't seem like a big deal at the time.

[don't ask]

Just to add an international flavour - all heads of state being roughly equal, I was almost run over by Australian Prime Minister Robert Menzies. Strictly speaking I guess he wasn't driving but his driver nearly got me.

My brother came home from work one day and as he pulled in the driveway he spotted this foppish character holding a German shorthaired pointer on its leash while waving a riding crop at the neighbour's German shepherd to keep it away. He remarked to Cathy, "That guy across the road with the dog is the spitting image of Paul Keating." Cathy had a look and said, "It is Paul Keating. He lives up the road and walks the dog past here all the time."

On hearing that it was the ex-Prime Minister Mick ran out the front of his house and yelled out, "You better put that riding crop away you dickhead or I'll come over there and shove it up your arse." Keating and dog scuttled away into the distance.

I have always liked the fact that I live in a country where the average guy can give a former PM a gobful and live to laugh about it.

[Surly Chick]

I've met Carter, Clinton and W. Of course, my job sort of lends itself to that so it's not such a big deal. Clinton, by far, had the most charisma of any of them and I could totally see how he got himself in trouble. I also have to dubious claim to fame of having said the "F" word in front of Clinton and Chelsea. It wasn't my fault, I swear to God! They snuck up behind me! Altho I'm sure he's heard the word many a time before. I still felt like shit, mostly because Chelsea was there.

[Syntropy]

Originally Posted by Cartooniverse

President Clinton, three times.

I'm incredibly jealous.

I met Bush Sr. in front of the collapsed section of the 880 Freeway after the quake in '89. He was there to view the wreckage and thanked all the emergency personnel for their hard work.

[Thing Fish]

don't ask and I seem to be in a very exclusive club...I've never actually met a President but came damn close to being run down by Bill Clinton's motorcade when I was a bike messenger in San Francisco around 1995 or so; the light was green and an SUV was obscuring the cop blocking traffic, so I blithely sailed into the intersection and had a near-death experience.

[Kozmik]

I met Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. So here's how it went:

I was in line for the book signing. There was something I wanted to ask him. But I didn't want the Secret Service or anyone else to overhear. I made a statement and then asked a question in the context of the statement. He hesitated and answered in the affirmative.

No, I won't tell you or anyone the details but suffice to say, as a former President, he knows a hell of a lot more than you think.

[Hostile Dialect]

Did you ask him to name the last three people you've slept with or something?

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Kozmik

I met Bill Clinton at the Democratic National Convention. So here's how it went:

I was in line for the book signing. .

Sure it wasn't a boob signing?

I heard he does those...

[Millit the Frail]

I met Bill Clinton about two months ago. I was walking down the street in Manhattan and there was a crowd gathering outside Cooper Union. Clinton had spoken at their commencement just minutes before, and the crowd was hoping for a glimpse. I joined them and got to shake the former president's hand. I said, "Nice to meet you!" He said, "Thank you very much!"

I was pretty star-struck.

[iampunha]

Originally Posted by delphica

It seems like President Clinton has met everybody!

Maybe the White House has or had a large intern program

[Hostile Dialect]

Well, it certainly had one large intern program who spent a lot of time in the Oval Office.

I'm going to hell.

[StuffLikeThatThere]

Originally Posted by DiosaBellissima

Whoa. Most appropriate typo..... EVER.

Took my BOOK. My BOOK.

b-o-o-k

B-o-o-k.

I enjoyed this so much. Thank you. You have made my week.

No, I've never met a President. I did see Clinton speak at my college, but he was incredibly far away, so my friend and I mostly watched the snipers pop up and down on the nearby buildings.

[Foldup Rabbit]

I worked for a call centre and talked to the Governor of one of the midwestern states. I knew he was the governor because every few minutes he would say something about being Governor, or his duties, or the election, or how he always wanted to be governor.

Since I was, in fact, privy to a lot of his personal information through my job, I went home and Googled him and discovered that he was, in fact, the Governor.

Seemed like a bit of a jerk to me.

[A.R. Cane]

Closest I every came was marching in Eisenhower's 2nd inaugural parade. We passed in review before him. I recall that he looked strange because I think he was wearing makeup for the TV cameras. TV was almost all B&W in '57 and it washed out the color of skin, making you look like a corpse if you didn't have makeup. Anyway it was colder than the hinges of hell and I was in my last few days of Navy bootcamp. It was quite an honor to be chosen though.
Only president I've ever seen in person.

[Mahaloth]

Originally Posted by Captain Carrot

I have to say, I don't think there will be many affirmative replies to this thread. Meeting heads of state is not a common thing at all, and meaningful meetings are even rarer.

Wrong!

[Cartooniverse]

Originally Posted by Captain Carrot

I have to say, I don't think there will be many affirmative replies to this thread. Meeting heads of state is not a common thing at all, and meaningful meetings are even rarer.

Meaningful ? Well, the presence of the President makes a huge impression on most folks. Sure has on me each time.

I once chapperoned a 4th grade trip from a NY school to Philadelphia for a few days. Reagan happened to be in town, and his motorcade zipped by. It was all the kids talked about for hours after, and all the saw was a hand waving through the half-opened window.

[chaoticbear]

Bill Clinton, twice. Once at a German-American international relations symposium (sorry, Bill, that I fell asleep!), and another time at a book signing (sorry, Bill, that I bought 5 copies of your book and then just got them signed so that I could mark them up 400% and sell them on eBay!)

And then George Bush once when I played music in a band at a Republican rally of some kind.

[DrDeth]

When I was a little kid, I shook JFK's hand while he was campaigning in CA.