# Closest (physically) you've been to a Head of State? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 19, 2014, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110 "2014-03-19T20:11:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e47c2d/32.png) [@Hershele\_Ostropoler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hershele_Ostropoler)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/121 "2014-03-30T01:43:14Z")
As of last week, I’ve been photographed with two consecutive sitting mayors of New York. Though they were standing at the time. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/848f3c/32.png) [@The\_Holdsworth\_Effect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Holdsworth_Effect)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/122 "2014-03-30T03:53:08Z")
9/11 2004 memorial service on the White House lawn, 50 feet from President Bush, and three people away from Condoleezza Rice. My daughter and I were there as guests of a then White House photographer. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/123 "2014-03-30T04:56:52Z")
Its good I havent because I’d probably be so nervous I’d say something really weird and then regret it for the rest of my life. But I have to admit. Down deep I’m still a kind of UFO-conspiracy fan and I’d just love to ask if they have ever been informed about this type of government secrets. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/124 "2014-03-30T05:51:59Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > If those years, then he wasn’t president yet. He won in '52. > > Shaking the hand of RFK is cool. I’m convinced he would’ve beaten Humphrey, and Nixon. What a world of a difference things would be… I actually got to chat with him (RFK, that is) for a while. I was a senior in high school and volunteered at the local campaign headquarters, answering phones and encouraging people to vote. I was a stupid teenager, so I was too shy to say much, but he made it a point to speak with every person there. All I really remember about it was that he smelled really good. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/125 "2014-03-30T13:26:06Z")
I have been within 20 feet of the Sultan of Oman, Ruler of Dubai, President of Romania and the King of Bahrain (not all at the same time). The first two were at the same time at a hotel in Oman and the others were in their cars while I stood on the street. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/126 "2014-03-30T16:00:58Z")
I used to see the king of Thailand’s car and entourage pass down Ratchadamnoen Avenue around Democracy Monument fairly often. His windows were not tinted, and you could see it was him in the backseat of his car as they all sped past. ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/127 "2014-03-30T17:04:52Z")
I’ve seen most of them on a TV screen that was only a few feet away! The closest I’ve been to anyone remotely important other than a congresscritter was lunch with the foreign minister of Pakistan, during Musharraf’s reign. We just happened to be staying at a very little hotel in remote Eriche, Sicily, and some sort of anti-terrorism thing was going on. Alan Greenspan was nearby too; we saw him end a speech the night before as we sat down to dinner. No doubt there were other important functionaries there. We just happened to be sitting down for lunch at the same time in a very informal place and decided to sit together. He was personable and (of course) very diplomatic. That’s all I got. I lose at name dropping contests! I believe my older sister was kissed as a baby by JFK when he was a Senator, no doubt much to the chagrin of my very Republican parents. That would have been around 1957. ---
**Author:** ![skdo23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@skdo23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skdo23)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/128 "2014-03-30T17:48:10Z")
Shook hands with Clinton 1992 campaign event (so he was not elected yet). Was literally across the street from him about 5 years later while living in DC - at the time, if there was something occupying the spot on the White House lawn where Marine One lands, the alternative landing pad was the patch of lawn between 17th Street and the Reflecting Pool of the Lincoln Memorial (where the WWII Monument is now) with the motorcade, etc., waiting on 17th Street to whisk him back to the White House. I was on the other side of the street, but the whole procedure was conducted so quickly, and there were so many reporters, Secret Service Agents, Capitol Police, paramedics, etc. between the two of us that I wasn’t able to see any more than a silver pompadour. Word to the wise, if you are visiting DC and you see the preparations being made (usually starts with a lone SS agent watching the sky with a pair of enormous binoculars, and a few Capitol Policemen setting up crowd control tape) don’t bother sticking around as it can be well over an hour before landing, and so many people will show up before then to preform various duties that you probably won’t even get to see the prez. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/129 "2014-03-30T18:01:59Z")
Probably around 1000 feet from LBJ at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. About the same distance from Nixon at his second inauguration. Much closer to JFK, but technically he was no longer head of state since he was dead. ---
**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:** [March 30, 2014, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/130 "2014-03-30T20:27:29Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Probably around 1000 feet from LBJ at the Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. About the same distance from Nixon at his second inauguration. Much closer to JFK, but technically he was no longer head of state since he was dead. If you want to count dead people then I’ve been to JFK’s grave as have millions of others. I’ve also been very close to Grover Cleveland, or at least part of him. The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia has a preserved tumor from Cleveland’s mouth. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/131 "2014-03-30T21:04:57Z")
When I was in junior high, Jimmy Carter came to a nearby city to…I don’t remember what. Anyway, my class was taken there on the bus and we saw his motorcade drive by as we stood on the sidewalk. He waved. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/132 "2014-03-30T21:09:14Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > If you want to count dead people then I’ve been to JFK’s grave as have millions of others. I’ve also been very close to Grover Cleveland, or at least part of him. The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia has a preserved tumor from Cleveland’s mouth. 😛 After writing that post it occurred to me the record number of close encounters might be U.S. Grant, and an old joke to go along with it. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/133 "2014-03-30T23:12:20Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > If you want to count dead people then I’ve been to JFK’s grave as have millions of others. I’ve also been very close to Grover Cleveland, or at least part of him. The Mutter Museum in Philadelphia has a preserved tumor from Cleveland’s mouth. 😛 I thought we were talking about sitting heads of state. if we’re talking about previous ones, I saw George HW Bush’s limo driving down a Bangkok street with the US ambassador, after he was president. And I too have visited Kennedy’s grave, plus Washington’s tomb. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/134 "2014-03-31T15:23:34Z")
Way back when, I shook hands with Nixon when he was VP. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/135 "2014-03-31T17:27:34Z")
Met Reagan at his post-Presidency office in Nakatomi Plaza (aka the Fox building in Century City - Los Angeles). Took a call from Dan Quayle one day when I was picking up calls at the Hoover Institution, he wanted to talk to George Schultz. Sat one row behind the President/PM? of Bulgaria in '92 when I was baptized (I was baptized as a an adult). He was visiting California, and came to services at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/136 "2014-03-31T18:35:59Z")
I attended the Ronald Reagan-Walter Mondale debate in Louisville Kentucky in 1984. So I was in the same hall with the president but I didn’t actually talk to him or anything of course. I was much closer to Tom Brokaw, who was very handsome. ---
**Author:** ![orcenio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orcenio/32/1036_2.png) [@orcenio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orcenio)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/137 "2014-03-31T19:53:07Z")
I shook hands with [Prime Minister Jean Chretien](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Chr%C3%A9tien) when I was in grade school and with [Prime Minister Paul Martin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Martin) when I was in University. I haven’t been offered the choice, but I’d probably skip [Prime Minister Stephen Harper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Harper). ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/138 "2014-04-01T03:06:54Z")
Shook hands with Queen Elizabeth. Interviewed Pierre Trudeau… Stood on the curb and gave George W. Bush the finger when his car sped by three feet away. I didn’t see him, tinted windows. ---
**Author:** ![D18](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@D18](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D18)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/139 "2014-04-01T22:50:53Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Shaken hands with Barack Obama, when he was president, 3x. Did he wipe his hand on his trousers afterward? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110/140 "2014-04-01T23:03:43Z")
> [@D18](#): > > Did he wipe his hand on his trousers afterward? No. But he probably should’ve. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/closest-physically-youve-been-to-a-head-of-state/684110.md?page=8)