What presidential homes are the most vile and disgusting?

[zulchzulu]

Poll question: What presidential homes are the most vile and disgusting?

Since some people are making an issue of John Edward's* new home outside of Chapel Hill, let's rate just what over homes owned by Presidents.

Which residences are just over the top!


* I know, Edwards isn't President...

[ShortnFiery]

1. None of these people ran as the main advocate for the poor, a populist. That's the rub. n/t

[cyclezealot]

4. I was reading about Haye's presidency .

He lost his second term because he wrote some pretty negative stuff about the 'trusts,' and the vast acculmation of wealth by those who don't need it. I was flabergasted.

[ShortnFiery]

6. It was a different time. Due to the mass media, people's behavior

such a purchasing large mansions is put before their constituents' faces in a heartbeat.

No, it's not fair but Edwards only has to look in the mirror for blame - a man as astute as himself should have seen this coming like an out of control freight train. :shrug:

I like him! Really, he's very thoughtful and intelligent. I like him a lot, just not for President.

[zulchzulu]

5. FDR and The New Deal...

All the Founding Fathers were wealthy, slave-owning land owners...that also wanted a free America. If you read the Declaration of Independence, you certainly can find advocation for the poor.

FDR was very wealthy...yet pushed through the New Deal.

[ShortnFiery]

10. This is NOW. Many of us are disgusted by ostentatious demonstrations

of wealth, a la Enron Executives.

This undercurrent of populism is composed of many people who do not IDOLIZE such excesses. To the opposite, I've distanced myself from fellow local democrats whose homes are dripping with statues and baby grand pianos. It's excessive and sort of nauseating albeit we also could afford some drippings of wealth without going deep in debt. I donate to the local homeless shelter and cook meals a few times a month for shut ins within our Parish. The money we have in savings is NOT to spend just so we can show off to the neighbors. :eyes: That's, IMO, America's problem, feeling like we have something to prove to each other. :shrug:

It's not just me and I feel as the poor get poorer, those who throw their wealth in our faces will be resented.

BTW I never cared for the Kennedy dynasty and Kerry doesn't make an effort to throw himself out in a public light like our latest Princess Paris Hilton. :puke:

[cyclezealot]

19. advocation for the poor.

and the property requirement for voting? Not sure what advocate means. Maybe Jefferson. The fairness of early America can be demonstrated by Shay's Rebellion and how the VanderBilt family enslave all of the Hudson Valley, is my belief.

[venable]

18. It's a shame FDR didn't care about the poor

(sarcasm emoticom)

[tkmorris]

22. You don't have to BE poor to be an advocate

In fact, if you hope to be an effective advocate, it is pretty important that you not be.

[MaineDem]

2. I don't have enough knowledge to answer

So I can't offer an opinion.

[cyclezealot]

3. can we define over the top.

Not sure how it defines itself. Over the top can be ostentatious, or in loud taste like some say of Graceland. Or maybe dump like Bush II. ? Maybe this is a loaded question. Bush II is everything vile and disgusting. He is a criminal. Before, after, and during his presidency. If it's vile, Bush II qualifies. One thing. Since it appears most universities don't want the Bush II library, it might have to go to Crawford, near his home.
Can't believe Tx. "A and M," Aggies are not doctraire enough to want his library full of lies and distortions.
.

[zulchzulu]

7. It is meant to mean "fancy", "elegant"...

If you've ever toured any of these presidential residences, you can see how loftily the owners lived...

[beaconess]

8. I don't have a problem with any of them - I DO have a problem with the way the press characterizes

Bush's house v. others:

For example, throughout 2004, we heard:

"John Kerry's multi-million-dollar Beacon Hill mansion"
"John Edwards' multi-million-dollar Georgetown mansion"
"George Bush's Crawford RANCH"

Excuse me?

Bush's "ranch" is a multi-million-dollar spread - and, in fact, I bet if you picked it up and plopped it down on Beacon Hill or in Georgetown, it would be worth much more than Kerry's or Edwards' homes. Not only that, but everyone knows that Bush bought the estate in the late 90s right before he ran for president in order to perpetuate his rough-hewn "man of the people" image, which is pure crap. Yet the press never talked about that - instead, they helped to advance that myth even going so far as to allow the Bush folks to orchestrate their backdrops for standups whenever they reported from the ranch - I mean, really - does anyone believe that that old bale of hay and broken down wagon are really integral parts of Bush's property? I'll bet you a dime to doughnuts that the rest of the "ranch" doesn't look like that.

Rant over.

[zulchzulu]

11. Absolutely

The MSM was always saying how Kerry's multimillion dollar residence was somehow an issue. Now Edwards' lifestyle is in question... But the poor little ranch that Bush hangs out in is just a peaceful, bashful slice o' American simpleness...

Here's some info on the little 'ol ranch:

"Prairie Chapel Ranch is a 1583 acre (6.4 km2) estate located seven miles outside Crawford, Texas. It is the home of President George W. Bush. Then-Governor Bush bought the land in 1999 shortly after earning a $14.3-million profit from the sale of the Texas Rangers."

"Bush and his wife had David Heymann, an associate dean of architecture at the University of Texas at Austin, design a 10,000 SF (930 m2) honey-colored native limestone single-level home on the site. Over half of that square footage is from a ten-foot-wide limestone porch that encircles the house. The house was built by members of a religious community from nearby Elm Mott, Texas and wasn't completed until after his inauguration.

The passive-solar house is positioned to absorb winter sunlight, warming the interior walkways and walls of the residence. Geothermal heat pumps circulate water through pipes buried 300 feet deep in the ground. A 40,000-gallon underground cistern collects rainwater gathered from roof urns; wastewater from sinks, toilets, and showers cascades into underground purifying tanks and is also funneled into the cistern. The water from the cistern is then used to irrigate the landscaping around the four-bedroom home.

Bush added an 11-acre man-made pond that is stocked with 600 bass and thousands of bait fish."

http://cryptome.org/bush-ranch.htm

[LibDemAlways]

13. The corporate whores have continued to

perpetuate the myth that chimp's Crawford digs are modest. A Google search for images turns up an article from 2000 that claims this is the house:



which we all know is total bullshit. It is or was an old house on the property, but it's more than likely been bulldozed by now.

Here's an aerial shot of the property. Doesn't look the same does it? I see a rather palatial structure and a huge pool nearby. There isn't a published up close photo of any of it. Have to keep up the myth that chimp is a man of the people. What crap.

[patricia92243]

9. Bush's White House. n/t

[Catshrink]

12. Definitly the pig farm full of pork and fueled by beans.

[Clarkie1]

14. I find all extreme excess distasteful in this day and age of environmental awareness.

It wasn't an issue back in the day, but it definitely is now. Edwards has shown a real lack of sensitivity and awareness. I don't see how he could ever be a great leader on environmental issues of this. Great leaders must lead by example.

[zulchzulu]

17. What if Edwards' home used geothermal, solar and other green technologies?

I have no idea what green technology is in his home, nor do I think it's any of my business...but...I'm going to go out on a limb and say that he probably would use some type of green technology in the home...

Even the Crawford ranch uses solar and geothermal technology.

[Clarkie1]

23. It is your business if you are contemplating voting for him.

And yes, I would expect such an extravagant home should at the very least use the latest in green technology.

[foo_bar]

15. Rancho del Reagan

Former President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy are selling the ranch Reagan used as his Western White House to a conservative political group, CNN has learned. The closing is scheduled for Tuesday and the price is more than $5 million.

The Young America's Foundation, a group which promotes conservative politics on college campuses, is buying the piece of American history. They plan to turn one of the most famous pieces of political real estate into a retreat for young conservatives.

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/20/reagan.ranch/

The living room contains paintings of cowboys and Western landscapes, as well as Reagan's jar of jellybeans, still within arm's reach of the couch. The Reagans' branding iron hangs on a wall, as does a clock bearing the President’s name. In the kitchen sits Nancy Reagan's spice rack, still filled with the poultry seasoning and onion flakes that the first lady used for the Thanksgiving dinners the Reagans held at the ranch each year of his presidency.

The master bedroom contains two leather bound Bibles on a wooden side table; the quilt on the bed bears the initials NRR (Nancy and Ronald Reagan). Right next to the bed are two phones: one is a rotary dial and the other is a white phone without any dial or buttons, connected directly to the Secret Service command post near the house. The closet still holds Reagan's cowboy boots, several hats, and a dozen or so shirts and jackets that Reagan frequently wore on the premises. Nancy's "western" wardrobe, complete with jeans and straw hats, hangs on the opposite rack.

http://reaganranch.yaf.org/tour/home.cfm

[gulliver]

16. The "Western San Clemente" (Crawford)

Yes, techically the real San Clemente is even farther west than Crawford...but not psychologically.

[hedgehog]

20. I nominate Monticello - not only was it built by slaves but

Jefferson did such a poor job of managing his land that he ended up bankrupt. No one has ever said so, but I suspect that his incompetence meant that all of his slaves were sold off and scattered once he died.

[zulchzulu]

21. Jefferson was a hemp farmer...

...so maybe he forgot to pay the bills.

Actually, if you ever get a chance to visit Monticello in C'ville, VA, it's a pretty fascinating place.

[Ninja Jordan]

24. Monticello is "vile and disgusting"? It's an american landmark.

This place amazes me sometimes.

[zulchzulu]

27. I didn't say it was vile and disgusting...sheesh...

Mostly, if you caught it, it's meant to be sarcastic. I personally have been to most of the places mentioned and find them pretty fascinating. The point was to show that Presidents have had wonderful homes and still could be great Presidents...with the exception of Buchanan and Bush...and maybe John Quincy Adams.

Don't form a kneejerk reaction without seeing what the intention of the poll was.

[Ninja Jordan]

28. Didn't catch the sarcasm, and neither did most voters in the poll.

[bigwillq]

25. It's of no issue to me.

Most politicians live in luxury.

[Fire Walk With Me]

26. We should be protesting the $500,000 Bush Liebrary.

Oops, I didn't spell "library" correctly. Haha.