In your lifetime, which Democrat has been your biggest disappointment as President?

[Elwood P Dowd]

Poll question: In your lifetime, which Democrat has been your biggest disappointment as President?

I was born during the Harry Truman years and was a teenager and then college student during the Kennedy/Johnson years. Drafted in the Army due to LBJ's war when that crook Nixon was prez. Carter loses to Reagan, and since then, we have been stuck with a growing list of DINOs in Congress and the White House.

My biggest disappointment was Clinton. He sold us out with NAFTA, the telcom deals, and the banking deregulation deals. All that took a few years, but Obama is now on the fast track to backtrack like no other Democrat in my lifetime.

The repuke voters don't have disappointments. They're as happy as a pig in slop as long as their guy wins. Makes do difference what the asshole does to them, they will bend over and keep taking it. Democrats are just a different breed. As Will Rogers said, "I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat".

[DJ13]

1. Until now I would have agreed about Clinton

But Obama is heading so far in the wrong direction I can see him easily eclipsing Bill in being a disappointment.

[jgraz]

43. I knew Clinton was a tool when I voted for him.

But Obama? He really had me conned.

[FSogol]

2. Gary Hart. And yes, I know he wasn't President, but he could have been. n/t

[jgraz]

44. Well, shit. If we're going to go to candidates, no one can beat John Edwards for disappointment.

[MrMickeysMom]

3. I would have said Clinton, but LBJ beat him...

... He started out in his adult life as an educator. He knew the value of grass fed cows and the beauty of his ranch. His wife did, too.

But, he succumbed to the dark side of the military industrial complex and fucked up. He knew it at the end, too. I think he started to become mentally ill for what ever good thing that he had done (great society programs like Medicare), he fucked it up.

On the other hand, he probably was trapped doing what he did.

[Frances]

26. I never liked LBJ personally

but I loved the domestic programs he pushed through Congress: the Civil Rights Act (of course he told MLK how important MLK's campaign was); Headstart; Medicare, etc.

I agree that LBJ regretted Vietnam. He was misled by Kennedy's advisors. And he was afraid of the Repubs accusing him of losing Vietnam the way they said Truman lost China for not fighting.

[MrMickeysMom]

50. Hell...

I'd say Kennedy was misled by Kennedy's advisors!

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. Toss-up between the bottom two. I loved Carter, albeit through the eyes of

a little girl with an admiration crush. :)

[villager]

5. So far, Obama, simply because I had higher expectations

...and thought he'd be significantly better than his Demo predecessors.

Alas. No.

[open-eyed-american]

6. in my life time.......

which ONE? Start with Obama and work your way back!

[Hello_Kitty]

7. Bill Clinton, hands down.

When you are the target of a hunting expedition by the Right, the last thing you should be doing is getting a blowjob by a 22 YO intern.

And yeah, NAFTA, communications and banking deregulations too.

[old mark]

8. Bill Clinton. I think he is doing much more good now, with his foundation work,

than he even attempted to do as president.

Probably gets laid a lot more, too.

He was a great disappointment to me.

Obama isn't there yet, but he's working on it.

mark

[paulsby]

9. utter rubbish

"The repuke voters don't have disappointments. They're as happy as a pig in slop as long as their guy wins. Makes do difference what the asshole does to them, they will bend over and keep taking it."

absurdly false. if you only read one side of the aisle, you get ignorant.

bush made many repubs extremely unhappy. so did bush I (remember, "read my lips", that pissed a lot of repubs (and dems) off when he reneged) etc.

[Elwood P Dowd]

12. Not the ones I know.

They defended everything Idiot Son Bush did for 8 fucking years. My sisters still praise him.

[paulsby]

15. so you suffer from modified pauline kael syndrome

there are some dems that will defend a dem president too, no matter what he does.

to say they make up the bulk of the party is another thing entirely.

if you are saying all republicans think X, because your very limited cadre of republicans think X, that's not exactly logical.

the truth is out there. seek it.

you are spouting mythology. feel free to read past issues of any major conservative mag (like national review) and you will see metric assloads of criticism and dissapointment about bush.

[MannyGoldstein]

10. I Had Clinton Sized Up The First Time He Opened His Mouth

The very first time I saw Clinton speak, he told a very artful lie. It was clear that he was going to have his way with us as President, and he didn't disappoint.

Obama had me totally fooled. I supported him from the start. I still think he meant to do the right thing, but chose to listen to Emanuel and dug himself into a nasty hole.

[Carolina]

14. He chose Rahm

and Geithner and Summers. The buck stops with him. He chose them and agrees with them.

[MannyGoldstein]

17. Oh, I Agree - Obama's A High-Functioning Adult, Responsible For His Actions

He dug the hole, he's the only one that can dig out - although his ego needs to deflate quite a bit before he can frankly admit his faults and move on to functional behavior.

[Captain Hilts]

16. From the get-go, Obama reminded me of Clinton in a lot of ways. nt

[rwheeler31]

11. Disgusting, people begin to believe crap.

Slow walking.

[OhioBlue]

13. I had to vote Clinton

I voted for him... but my hopes weren't really in the sky - I didn't pay that much attention to the politics of the day back then. But the more I have learned about the trade deals, welfare reform, banking dereg.. etc.. the more I've become disappointed in his admin.

Obama - the jury is still out.

I was born in '72 and can't really remember the Carter years that well.

If Reagan had been a choice I would have picked him, b/c growing up, I kind of liked him. It wasn't until I really read about his policies as an adult that I realized just how pivotal and horrible his Administration was for our Country. That is the biggest disappointment of a President that I have experienced... sure Clinton screwed shit up with some policies.. but Reagan transformed the thinking of many citizens and led this Country down and disastrous path that we are still trying to get off of.

[Stinky The Clown]

18. Such polls are unfair and **always** skew to the incumbent or his predecessor, depending on ........

...... the question.

[Electric Monk]

35. Yep. +1 nt

[lunasun]

19. Clinton by far

Usually a DEM but had to vote Perot back then.
Could tell Clinton was gonna be the worst from the start.
NAFTA was something I hoped Obama would address, but he backed off as early as when campaigning!?!

[LuvNewcastle]

20. It was a very close call between

Clinton and Obama, but I had to choose Clinton, only because Obama still has time to undo some of his damage. I had a great deal of hope when both were elected and saw the country let down time after time. It makes me sad and angry just to talk about it; I don't understand why the Democrats can't have a true advocate in the White House. It makes me feel like a fool for participating in the process.

[madamesilverspurs]

21. I was also born during the Truman years.

I watched my very, very Republican dad exalt his candidates, sometimes with no more reason than that he just hated Democrats. And I learned, in a rather bassackward way, that putting anyone on a pedestal gets you squished when they fall off and land on you. No president of any stripe has been exemplary, as humans they share our tendency to have failings. To be fair, no Republican president has disappointed seeing as how I viewed them with extremely low expectations to begin with; low expectations are rarely disappointed. Conversely, if/when a Democratic president disappoints it's because he's held to a higher standard. Thus, in my memory, no Democratic president has ever disappointed (or offended) to the degree of any of the Republican presidents.

---

[varelse]

22. "The repuke voters don't have disappointments"

pull the other one :rofl:

or just go visit freerepublic.com for, say, 15 minutes.

[Ozymanithrax]

23. Between Carter and Clinton, it has to be Clinton.

Obama hasn't served even a full year, so it isn't possible to make a reasonable comparison.

[Blue_In_AK]

24. Definitely Clinton

I really did have some hopes there. This time around I was/am a lot more cynical, so it's hard to be let down. Always expect the worst, and you won't be disappointed. :)

(I'm a Truman baby, too.)

[Hippo_Tron]

25. Al Gore

His lazy ass didn't even show up for duty on January 20th 2001 and we got stuck with some asshole pretending to be the President.

[Toasterlad]

27. Jimmy Carter. I Didn't Expect Much At All From Obama or Clinton

Carter was a smart, decent man who I thought could make a real difference in this country. I was not prepared for his impotence.

[mddem9850]

28. obama

[roguevalley]

33. Obama. I remember Eisenhower too. Golfing and goofing. Obama is

tops because he could have been a contender. Indemifying Yoo and all the rest. It hurts. Allowing his idiots to pillory Dean while holding Lieberman's dick. No defense for me.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

29. Got to give it to "Hey, Hey, LBJ.." But, Obama is following the same path.

[Frank Booth]

30. Obama, because I had higher expectations than with Clinton.

I'm too young for the others.

I thought Obama was a far left activist disguising himself as a moderate for the election. With a background like his, how could he not be???

Unfortunately, it turns out he was disguising himself as somewhat liberal, when actually he's the ideological equal of George H.W. Bush.

[starroute]

31. John Kennedy, because he was the first and the one that hurt the most

When the Bay of Pigs happened a few months into his term, I was able to rationalize it as a carryover from the Eisenhower administration. But stuff began to build up -- pretty much the same stuff we're ranting about now. Foreign policy moves based on bullying and force. Selling out to big business. (The giveaway of the communication satellites to private corporations was a particular blow for me.) A general sense that democracy seemed to be incapable of actually getting anything important accomplished.

I wasn't the only one. By 1963, the New Republic -- which was still a liberal magazine then -- was regularly criticizing him in their editorials.

When Kennedy was shot, I swore to myself that I would not let it make me forget how disillusioned I'd become -- and I haven't. But it seems I'm the only one who remembers.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Forkboy]

34. I was almost afraid you would forget to play the race card.

I should have known better.

[FrenchieCat]

37. I"m Black! It's my only job.

After all, there is no other reason as to why after less than one year in office,
that Obama is somehow more disappointing to the "intellectuals" here on this site,
than any other President ever.

Sax blowing Bubba gave us DADT, NAFTA, DOMA, No fucking healthCare, repealed Glass–Steagall, got rid of welfare, gifted us with the 1996 Telecommunications act, and had his funky women problems, two wars, while ignoring Darfur.......and yet, he's not as disappointing as Barack Obama?

I can see thru a whole lot, even if some believe that I should run along,
cause there is nothing to see here.

[Forkboy]

39. Jesus, you really have lost it. Race baiting, victimization...what next?

After all, there is no other reason as to why after less than one year in office,
that Obama is somehow more disappointing to the "intellectuals" here on this site,
than any other President ever.

You mean other than the fact that DU wasn't even around during any other Dem's presidency? You mean other than the fact that Bush was excoriated for 8 years here. You mean other than the fact that people tend to be more disappointed in those they believed in, like Obama, than those they knew all along were shitheads, like Bush?

Sax blowing Bubba gave us DADT, NAFTA, DOMA, No fucking healthCare, repealed Glass–Steagall, got rid of welfare, gifted us with the 1996 Telecommunications act, and had his funky women problems, two wars, while ignoring Darfur.......and yet, he's not as disappointing as Barack Obama?

Many are saying Clinton is more disappointing, myself included. Are you even reading the poll, or just being a reactionary race baiter? I choose option 2, especially since you were in GD-P during the primaries, so you should know how he's treated here.

I can see thru a whole lot, even if some believe that I should run along,
cause there is nothing to see here.

You're not seeing through anything but your own fragile psyche and hurt emotions over having Obama not being loved by all to the extent that you do, but I'm sure that wont stop you from insinuating that people who are disappointed in Obama are racist. Here's a tip, a lot of us see through THAT.

[FrenchieCat]

41. I forget that there is no racism.....

Thanks for pulling me back into the real world.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=258x8852

[Forkboy]

42. I'd need a hemi and ultra durable rope to pull you back to the real world, Frenchie.

[Forkboy]

36. The last three are the only ones in my lifetime....so I say Clinton.

I was naive enough to expect something other than what I saw with my own eyes, which is why Obama hasn't really been a disappointment. I knew to trust my judgment this time, and all one had to do was read his book to see he was a third way type of guy. He hasn't done anything, outside of the landmine issue, that I can honestly say has surprised me.

[Incitatus]

38. Obama

I didn't expect much from Clinton. I was actually too young to vote for him.

[ConsAreLiars]

40. Sad to say, Obama, because his campaign, through the inauguration, instilled

a sense of hope in me in a way no other has ever done.

Goddam fucking Jeezus H Krist on a Kross, this guy put Pete Seeger into the penultimate position in his inagural gala, accompanied by Springsteen singing the "socialist verses" to Woodie Guthrie's "This land..."

I still tear up at the promise that symbolic act presented. It was the best thing he has done so far.

Would that what it promised had been true.

Greater hope --> greater disappointment.


(edit tiny typo)

[FrenchieCat]

45. Obama is out of office as of tomorrow?

Wow!

[Electric Monk]

48. Yeah, zombie Joseph P Kennedy gets sworn in tomorrow, didn't you hear?

[ConsAreLiars]

49. "Keep hope alive!!!" "Keep hope alive!!!"

Chant the mantra as loud and as often as you can. Nice sentiment, but for the reality-based, a little evidence would be more helpful,

[alp227]

46. My only choice - which I answered - would be the current president

I graduated from high school and began college this year, so in perspective:
- The second half of George H.W. Bush's lone term: My first two years. Did you know that my birthday was the exact same day that Bush declared "Kuwait is liberated"? (Note: The Times article is post-dated by a day for print reasons)
- The Clinton years: Toddler through mid-fourth grade...I have faint memories of hearing "Lewinsky" and "Kosovo" on TV while not understanding a damn thing that happened.
- The Lil' Bush years: mid-fourth grade to mid-senior year of high school. Starting from the 2004 election (when I was in 8th grade) I began following politics.

So far I can't name anything that I can exactly praise Obama for this year, although at least we don't have ol' John McCane...sorry McCain. Honestly, I'd get uncomfortable if our head of state needed a stick for mobility.

[FrenchieCat]

47. Sad display......

"Furthermore, is Obama’s term over? Anyone who is “betrayed by their naiveté” should feel doubly ridiculous for thinking the change they voted for would come overnight. Status quo is not “kicked out of the door” like a weak, stray cat. Status quo has to be rallied against, systems have to be put in place to combat it, people have to put in work. Status quo will remain the “status quo” if people are too lazy to stick around for the entire fight."

"...The fact that the President wants to make changes and adjustments to get the healthcare reform passed speaks to exactly the man he was during the election — someone who wanted to unite people instead of divide people along political lines. Besides, the “real America” bit didn’t work during the election and it’s not working now. Unfortunately, we are a nation divided by our politics. Karl Rove and his 50-plus-one strategy encouraged and solidified that to the point where people like Lisa, who probably doesn’t even realize it, demand that divide stay in place. Obama doesn’t want to disenfranchise half the country with his politics. That was a Karl Rove tactic. Like it or not, there are still Republicans and Independents in this country who count too. Thank God Obama isn’t making moves based on polls. Before the Iowa primary, “the polls” said a Black man would never be president. “The polls” were wrong."
http://thefreshxpress.com/2009/12/obama-tiger-success-race-failure/

[MilesColtrane]

51. Gotta go with the Clenis.

Obama's grade is Incomplete.

Ask me again in three years.