# A tale of two former presidents **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 1, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575 "2012-11-01T16:15:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/1 "2012-11-01T16:15:51Z")
This is hilarious. Not only is the last Republican president not out stumping for Romney, he’s speaking at a Cayman Islands investment summit. [http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/\_news/2012/11/01/14855019-a-tale-of-two-former-presidents](http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/11/01/14855019-a-tale-of-two-former-presidents) > [@](#): > > Just this week, former President Bill Clinton has campaigned for President Obama in Florida, Ohio, Minnesota, Colorado, and Iowa. Today, Clinton will hit the stump for Obama in Wisconsin and again in Ohio. By most measures, the former president has become Obama’s most popular and most effective surrogate. > > And then there’s his predecessor. > > [George W. Bush] will spend Thursday in the Cayman Islands, delivering the keynote address at the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit. As Romney struggles to convince voters that he understands their economic struggles, having the previous Republican president reminding them of the questions surrounding Romney’s financial dealings in the Caymans is beyond unhelpful. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/2 "2012-11-01T16:20:05Z")
That’ll have no impact at all on the race. GWB has been avowedly apolitical in his personal appearances since leaving office. I think he’s happy that way and I think the Republican Party is happy that way. Clinton, on the other hand, is a political animal in all phases of his life. He’s going to be out there doing his best for his team because that’s what makes him…him. (And it may well be earning favors for Hilary in 2016). So it’s not so much whether GWB should be out there. It’s just that politics isn’t, and frankly hasn’t ever been, his thing. He’s not a natural at it like Clinton is and seems happy to be away. I can’t blame him for that. And the thing about the Cayman’s is just nonsense. Not one voter in a million would care. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/3 "2012-11-01T16:29:40Z")
I didn’t claim that it would affect the election. I just found it ironic. ---
**Author:** ![Esox\_Lucius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@Esox\_Lucius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Esox_Lucius)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/4 "2012-11-01T16:48:10Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > GWB has been avowedly apolitical in his personal appearances since leaving office. I think he’s happy that way and I think the Republican Party is happy that way. I think he’d love to be in the thick of things right now, enjoying a reputation as a former president. The fact that he isn’t is only because his name is mud after his term in office. Contrast that with Clinton’s, and you have the reason for their respective roles in this election campaign. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/5 "2012-11-01T16:55:00Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > This is hilarious. Not only is the last Republican president not out stumping for Romney, he’s speaking at a Cayman Islands investment summit. I thought that was stumping for Romney. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/6 "2012-11-01T16:59:48Z")
How active were Reagan/Carter in 1988? As noted, GWB left office with approval ratings lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut. Clinton seems to be helping Obama this time, but he did a heck-of-a job “helping” Hillary win the nomination in 2008. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/7 "2012-11-01T17:05:57Z")
Did Clinton campaign for Kerry in '04? JW ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/8 "2012-11-01T17:08:05Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > How active were Reagan/Carter in 1988? Reagan was by then too senile to be active in anything. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/9 "2012-11-01T17:09:29Z")
> [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Did Clinton campaign for Kerry in '04? JW [At least a bit, yes.](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6328991/ns/politics/t/thousands-cheer-clinton-philly-rally-kerry/#.UJKshGeD_tg) He also spoke at the 2004 Democratic convention, although the Obama campaign gave Clinton a more prominent slot. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-tale-of-two-former-presidents/639575/10 "2012-11-01T17:09:57Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > So it’s not so much whether GWB should be out there. It’s just that politics isn’t, and frankly hasn’t ever been, his thing. He’s not a natural at it like Clinton is and seems happy to be away. I can’t blame him for that. I think its pretty clear his post-election silence is due to his unpopularity with the electorate rather then personal preference. I doubt he’d mind giving a few stump speeches for Romney if he thought it would help, but the last thing the Romney campaign wants is to remind people of the Bush presidency. I suspect the RNC wishes Cheney would do the same. > [@WillFarnaby](#): > > Did Clinton campaign for Kerry in '04? JW Yes. He was a speaker at the '04 convention, and went on the stump for Kerry after that.