# Which President would you have a beer with? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 9, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225 "2010-09-09T21:05:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/41 "2010-09-10T04:21:16Z")
My dad was career State Department and once spent a few days driving Poppy Bush around in Brazil while he was still Vice President. My dad said he was a very personable, intelligent and courteous guy. Not exactly a party guy though. Dad said he slept in the back of the car a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/42 "2010-09-10T04:31:01Z")
I don’t drink beer, but I’d have one with Obama, just for the opportunity to knock some freaking sense into him…yes, figuratively. His constant pandering to conservatives has become annoying as all Hell. Republicans will never support you no matter what you do, man. Give it up already and run the freaking country like you promised. Sheesh. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/43 "2010-09-10T10:38:31Z")
> [@Knorf](#): > > \ > > Bush II is a either a total moron or living in complete denial of reality. Either way, he’s a Yale pretty-boy preppy with a very inauthentic Southern good-ol’-boy affection that is just repulsive to me. I think that’s the first time I’ve heard GWB described as a pretty-boy. Anyway, I voted for Carter. I greatly admire his intelligence and decency. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/44 "2010-09-10T10:38:36Z")
Clinton. I have great respect for Jimmy Carter and might have a glass of tea with him, but I just can’t picture us having a beer together. Bush41 appears to be intelligent but standoffish. Bush43 is supposedly a recovering alcoholic (but he showed some signs of having fallen off the wagon during his second term) and I don’t want to go there. I would probably be too dumbstruck to be (wisely) drinking with Obama. Clinton is smart as hell, charming, witty and plays a mean sax…PARTY! If I had to choose an historical president, it would have to be either Thomas Jefferson (a renaissance man, probably brewed it himself) or Andrew Jackson (it would be interesting to get a first person perspective of the Nashville of his era). ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/45 "2010-09-10T12:18:10Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I think Carter is a Baptist … so they aren’t really eligible. Presumably, [Billy](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Beer) would have been a baptist too, right? (And actually that linked article indicates that Jimmy was a beer drinker.) ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/46 "2010-09-10T13:10:43Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > My dad was career State Department and once spent a few days driving Poppy Bush around in Brazil while he was still Vice President. My dad said he was a very personable, intelligent and courteous guy. Not exactly a party guy though. Dad said he slept in the back of the car a lot. Did he mention how _tall_ the dude is? ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/47 "2010-09-10T13:20:52Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > If I could have my druthers, though…I’d like to have Ben Franklin as my drinking buddy. He was an amazing person, and he’s also the one who said “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” I’m an atheist, but I can see the point of that argument. That quote is probably misattributed to Franklin. He wrote, “Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy.” Still an amazing guy, though. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/48 "2010-09-10T13:51:20Z")
George Clinton. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/49 "2010-09-10T14:15:50Z")
> [@EvilTOJ](#): > > George Clinton. You might want to save that for the which-Vice-President thread. If someone starts that, I’d still go with Tom Jefferson, though Al Gore would be very tempting. ---
**Author:** ![History\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b19c9b/32.png) [@History\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/History_Geek)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/50 "2010-09-10T14:33:40Z")
I’m getting in the line to have a drink with Clinton. It was a tough choice though, because I’d also really enjoy talking to Carter about Middle East policy. And I couldn’t pick just one historical president. I’d have to have a huge party and invite all of them. Or else use my time machine and just go through a year partying with a different president each weekend. Obviously, some would get two weekends or more. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/51 "2010-09-10T14:35:43Z")
Obama. Ideally Clinton, but some time after beer number 4 and prior to doing shots, I’d make an embarrassing BJ comment. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/52 "2010-09-10T14:40:10Z")
If I had to choose it’d be Obama, for kind of a dumb reason: we’re the closest in age. Given the opportunity, though, I would be happy to have a beer with any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/53 "2010-09-10T16:44:13Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Given the opportunity, though, I would be happy to have a beer with any of them. This is probably the most realistic choice. I bash on W., but the truth is if I really had a chance to have a beer with him, of course I’d take it, and I suspect most people would. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/54 "2010-09-10T16:47:51Z")
Yeah; I could have a beer with any of them. It would be interesting no matter which one, but I did vote for Clinton because he might be the most fun. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/55 "2010-09-10T20:00:44Z")
Bush 2 rides mountain bikes. I’d go on a bike ride with him. No interest in beer. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/56 "2010-09-10T22:14:14Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > > > My dad was career State Department and once spent a few days driving Poppy Bush around in Brazil while he was still Vice President. My dad said he was a very personable, intelligent and courteous guy. Not exactly a party guy though. Dad said he slept in the back of the car a lot. > > Did he mention how _tall_ the dude is? You got me curious, so I googled. Apparently George HW Bush is 6’2. That’s tall, but not all _that_ impressive. eta: You know who I’d _really_ like to meet, though? Michelle Obama. I’m kind of in awe of her. ---
**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:** [September 11, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/57 "2010-09-11T04:54:27Z")
Why does it have to be a living president? If it was a dead president, you could steal his beer after you finish your own. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/58 "2010-09-11T05:06:01Z")
> [@Giles](#): > > It’s often said that Americans judge their president on whether they would want to have a beer with. Just to be picky… maybe this is often said now, but I don’t remember anyone saying this more than 5-10 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/59 "2010-09-11T05:10:28Z")
[Obligatory Onion link.](http://www.theonion.com/articles/longawaited-beer-with-bush-really-awkward-voter-re,1836/) As an educational exercise, I’d pick GWB. According to everything I’ve read, his greatest superpower is that he’s incredibly charming in person, and for the life of me I just don’t see it. Clinton I can definitely see, but I can’t help thinking that GWB would annoy the piss out of me in short order. I’d love to be proven wrong. Just for fun? Clinton, and it’s not even close. Get him liquored up a little bit and I’m sure the stories would be unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-have-a-beer-with/553225/60 "2010-09-11T05:51:00Z")
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