(02-11-2016 04:42 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Nah, although my grandpa met Gerald Ford when he was campaigning in 1976. He got on his lunch shift at the steel mill, waited in line after a security check, and talked to Ford for a minute or two. Said he was a very nice man, which is what you usually hear about Ford from those who know him best.

(02-11-2016 08:08 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I met George Wallace as a kid. That may get some people's blood boiling in itself but allow me to finish. He was really cool. My great-grandmother was one of his "people" in North Alabama and she had a very close relationship with him. I remember being warned when meeting him that I wasn't to ask him anything and I probably shouldn't go back to school and tell everybody how awesome it was that I just met George Wallace and had lunch with him.

I've met a few others but they hardly count.

I had dinner with Hermann Cain. He is probably one of the most genuine people I have ever met. Politics didn't suit him.

Most of my meaningful experience is with foreign politicians and those here in state.

(02-11-2016 08:08 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I met George Wallace as a kid. That may get some people's blood boiling in itself but allow me to finish. He was really cool. My great-grandmother was one of his "people" in North Alabama and she had a very close relationship with him. I remember being warned when meeting him that I wasn't to ask him anything and I probably shouldn't go back to school and tell everybody how awesome it was that I just met George Wallace and had lunch with him.

I've met a few others but they hardly count.

I had dinner with Hermann Cain. He is probably one of the most genuine people I have ever met. Politics didn't suit him.

Most of my meaningful experience is with foreign politicians and those here in state.

(02-12-2016 12:45 PM)ArmyBlazer Wrote:  

(02-11-2016 08:08 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I met George Wallace as a kid. That may get some people's blood boiling in itself but allow me to finish. He was really cool. My great-grandmother was one of his "people" in North Alabama and she had a very close relationship with him. I remember being warned when meeting him that I wasn't to ask him anything and I probably shouldn't go back to school and tell everybody how awesome it was that I just met George Wallace and had lunch with him.

I've met a few others but they hardly count.

I had dinner with Hermann Cain. He is probably one of the most genuine people I have ever met. Politics didn't suit him.

Most of my meaningful experience is with foreign politicians and those here in state.

I think it's actually pretty interesting that you met Wallace. I've always considered him to be one of the more fascinating figures in 20th century American political history. Not to in any way condone his actions, but his story is a lot more complicated than what is normally portrayed outside of the state.

(02-12-2016 01:30 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(02-12-2016 12:45 PM)ArmyBlazer Wrote:  

(02-11-2016 08:08 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I met George Wallace as a kid. That may get some people's blood boiling in itself but allow me to finish. He was really cool. My great-grandmother was one of his "people" in North Alabama and she had a very close relationship with him. I remember being warned when meeting him that I wasn't to ask him anything and I probably shouldn't go back to school and tell everybody how awesome it was that I just met George Wallace and had lunch with him.

I've met a few others but they hardly count.

I had dinner with Hermann Cain. He is probably one of the most genuine people I have ever met. Politics didn't suit him.

Most of my meaningful experience is with foreign politicians and those here in state.

I think it's actually pretty interesting that you met Wallace. I've always considered him to be one of the more fascinating figures in 20th century American political history. Not to in any way condone his actions, but his story is a lot more complicated than what is normally portrayed outside of the state.

I agree completely.

It's really more in recent years that his legacy has taken a turn for the worst. That's probably down to the total whitewashing of the actual events and the narrative that a certain group wants to push.

After his stand in the school house door he actually went on to be very popular among blacks and did a lot of good for them, probably more good than any governor before or since.

When I met him he was in very poor health and I was young so I didn't get a chance to really speak to him. I'd have loved to of been my age now and get a chance to speak with him.

(02-12-2016 02:56 PM)ArmyBlazer Wrote:  

(02-12-2016 01:30 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  

(02-12-2016 12:45 PM)ArmyBlazer Wrote:  

(02-11-2016 08:08 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  I met George Wallace as a kid. That may get some people's blood boiling in itself but allow me to finish. He was really cool. My great-grandmother was one of his "people" in North Alabama and she had a very close relationship with him. I remember being warned when meeting him that I wasn't to ask him anything and I probably shouldn't go back to school and tell everybody how awesome it was that I just met George Wallace and had lunch with him.

I've met a few others but they hardly count.

I had dinner with Hermann Cain. He is probably one of the most genuine people I have ever met. Politics didn't suit him.

Most of my meaningful experience is with foreign politicians and those here in state.

I think it's actually pretty interesting that you met Wallace. I've always considered him to be one of the more fascinating figures in 20th century American political history. Not to in any way condone his actions, but his story is a lot more complicated than what is normally portrayed outside of the state.

I agree completely.

It's really more in recent years that his legacy has taken a turn for the worst. That's probably down to the total whitewashing of the actual events and the narrative that a certain group wants to push.

After his stand in the school house door he actually went on to be very popular among blacks and did a lot of good for them, probably more good than any governor before or since.

When I met him he was in very poor health and I was young so I didn't get a chance to really speak to him. I'd have loved to of been my age now and get a chance to speak with him.

As an aside the UA school house door thing, my grandfather was one of the natl. guard soldiers that was on campus and tasked with protecting those 2 students. Not really relevant, but a neat piece of family history.

I think for me what is most interesting is the turn he took after getting smoked by Patterson the first time he ran for governor. The guy actually had a reputation as a judge for treating blacks with a good deal of fairness and respect. However, losing that race caused his political ambition to overrule his sense of morality. That's how I view it, anyway. Then he followed all of that by spending his later years making amends with the black population and carrying a large portion of their vote in the '82 election (might have been the majority but I can't remember off the top of my head).

Btw, sorry for the thread derail. I've never met a presidential candidate, but I have been in the general vicinity of Richard Shelby a couple of times. Dude is pretty tall. Deep insights, I know.

(02-11-2016 04:16 PM)Ole Blue Wrote:  I know this isn't exactly what you're asking, but I have family in Ohio who are conservative and were anti-Kasich because he is so against unions (family in police and police unions were under fire). He is moderate on a number of issues but apparently is quite anti-union especially against public employees, which is one area where he has really been hit hard even among conservatives. I know that doesn't matter to some people but it surprised me that the union sentiment was so strong against Kasich among even conservatives in the last election cycle. My only other experience is with Hillary when she (and Bill) were the ruling family in Arkansas and developing a deep dislike for her since I'm from Tennessee. Our governor Bredeson was much better than both Clintons and I think the anti-Clinton sentiment is extremely high here for some reason.

(02-11-2016 04:42 PM)Love and Honor Wrote:  Nah, although my grandpa met Gerald Ford when he was campaigning in 1976. He got on his lunch shift at the steel mill, waited in line after a security check, and talked to Ford for a minute or two. Said he was a very nice man, which is what you usually hear about Ford from those who know him best.

(02-12-2016 03:33 PM)Kaplony Wrote:  He's no longer in the race but I have personally met Lindsey Graham and no way in hell would I endorse that RINO.