# Most trusted living American? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2004, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033 "2004-08-29T01:52:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/21 "2004-08-29T15:33:59Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > We’ve lost Billy Graham We have? When did that happen? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/22 "2004-08-29T16:40:32Z")
Jimmy Carter. As to Bush I: His “I was out of the loop.” testimony during Iran-Contra pretty much strikes him off the list of candidates completely. That and his pardons for his fellow conspirators. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/23 "2004-08-29T16:50:22Z")
Superman. Bar none. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/24 "2004-08-29T19:52:09Z")
Jimmy Carter, even if you disagreed with his politicies, he is honest. C. Everett Koop, same reason. Walter Cronkite. Edward R. Murrow, if he was still alive, but he’s not. Stormin’ Norman Schwartzkopf. At one time I would have included Colin Powell, but not anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/25 "2004-08-29T20:21:50Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > Superman. Bar none. But he’s Kryptonian. A landed immigrant. Does that count? Og, help me, but I’d have to say Oprah. She’s got that “give everyone a chance, listen to each other, common-sense, do the right thing, group hug” thing going. At least that’s the persona she’s projected to build her empire. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/26 "2004-08-29T20:29:08Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > We have? When did that happen? [It didn’t.](http://www.billygraham.org/) Unless, of course [_insert witty joke about resurrection of the dead here_]. He has a “Crusade” scheduled in Kansas City in October. ---
**Author:** ![nonpolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3da27b/32.png) [@nonpolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonpolar)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/27 "2004-08-29T20:31:46Z")
[QUOTE=JThunder] Superman. Bar none.[/QUOTE) So ,it is true that Superman is alive? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/28 "2004-08-29T20:52:52Z")
Okay, Billy Graham’s not dead but I had the understanding that he’s essentially been incapacitated by Parkinson’s Disease. ---
**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/29 "2004-08-29T21:26:07Z")
Dan Rather is not someone I’d trust, given a choice. The \*CBS Evening News \* is not the bastion of strong nonpartisan journalism it used to be… ever since that mess with Jeffrey Wigand and _60 Minutes_, I’ve taken their “journalistic integrity” with a grain of salt. I’d trust Jimmy Carter. I’d trust Bob Keeshan aka Captain Kangaroo; he could’ve become a rich, rich man by exploiting his audience properly; instead, he stood on his principles, and it cost him his show. He’s dead now. I’d have trusted Colin Powell, until he expended his credibility defending the administration of a tool. I’d trust Fred Rogers, but he’s dead, now, too. Seems like trustworthy people don’t become famous as much as they once did, somehow… ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/30 "2004-08-29T23:39:19Z")
> [@Little Nemo](#): > > We’ve lost Billy Graham and Fred Rogers. And Frank Zappa. In what way have we lost Billy? Lost in that he has Parkinson’s or whatever (I’m unable to find a cite for his disease)? He’s even scheduled to do a meeting within the next month, it seems. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/31 "2004-08-30T00:02:10Z")
One more for Koop. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/32 "2004-08-30T00:04:53Z")
Walter Cronkite was the first name to come to mind, but that’s probably related to my age. And the fact that I can remember how he choked up when he announced Kennedy’s death. Jimmy Carter was next, but then I thought that his politics might make some people not trust him, even after all this time. Then I thought of Bill Cosby. 🙂 Cos is my nominee. He’s not afraid of speaking out and telling it as he sees it. And everybody knows it, even when they disagree with him. Even though I think she’s honest, Oprah’s not a man. 😛 Surely you’ve noticed?? No, I’m not being sexist. Oprah is a bit young for that warm feeling that people used to get when Cronkite spoke. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/33 "2004-08-30T11:18:01Z")
Billy Graham’s a bit curtailed but he’s not out yet! Yay Billy! ---
**Author:** ![TeaElle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@TeaElle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TeaElle)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/34 "2004-08-30T11:40:31Z")
Jimmy Carter lost trustworthiness points sitting on a dias yucking it up with Michael Moore. You can’t be that partisan and be trustworthy. Oprah is a brand, and she sells herself hard. She has a vested interest in keeping people interested in what she has to say. For that reason, her trustworthiness is also compromised. Katie Couric may be essentially honest (open to debate, IMO) but she’s also been flat out bitchy to interviewees on the Today Show. Strike her from the list for that, I’d say. We’re not left with much. Chalk me up with another vote for Billy Graham, and another for Bill Cosby. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/35 "2004-08-30T12:34:26Z")
> [@Askia](#): > > Maybe the late Charles Kuralt. :eek: You mean the same Charles Kuralt who had an entire second FAMILY that his wife didn’t even know about. I think John McCain is pretty well-trusted. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/36 "2004-08-30T13:07:25Z")
“Most Trusted” how? Trusted to do what? It’s a pretty meaningless title. Would I trust, say, George McGovern to treat me fairly in a business deal? Sure. Would I trust him not to steal from me? Sure. Would I trust him to babysit my son? Why not? Would I trust him to run U.S. foreign policy? Hell, no! And bear in mind, Walter Cronkite was NOT trusted by conservatives, who regarded him as a liberal propagandist. Maybe when pollsters asked “Whom do you trust,” Cronkite “won” with 18 or 20% of the vote, but it hardly follows that he was trusted across the political sppectrum. He wasn’t! Nobody is! There really isn’t any journalist or any politician who’s likely to be regarded as trustworthy by people who don’t share his/her ideology. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/37 "2004-08-30T23:43:11Z")
Trustworthiness in this context I take to mean someone who you’ll believe what he/she says. I already added my name to the Koop list, but I’d like to add it again, for the reasons mentioned by **Askia** @ 2:09 AM yesterday (Sunday). When he gives advice, I’ll listen. Billy Graham is cool too, but I can’t relate. He wants me to quit sinning. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Askia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Askia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/38 "2004-08-30T23:56:02Z")
> [@Trunk](#): > > You mean the same Charles Kuralt who had an entire second FAMILY that his wife didn’t even know about. No wonder he was on the road. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2004, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/39 "2004-08-30T23:56:16Z")
Al Franken. At least with him, you _know_ when he’s joking. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2004, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033/40 "2004-08-31T02:06:26Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > Al Franken. At least with him, you _know_ when he’s joking. 🙂 How? He’s not funny when he’s trying to be serious, and he’s not funny when he’s trying to be comical! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-trusted-living-american/262033.md?page=3)