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NRaleighLiberal

(60,015 posts)
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 10:56 PM Jan 2020

I have to admit I am pretty surprised that we hear so little from our living former presidents.

Jimmy Carter has said his piece more than once, and gets a huge pass for battling cancer (and doing so much great work). But I would have expected that having held the presidency, Bill Clinton, Dubya and yes, president Obama, would be utterly reeling from the madness they are witnessing - have been witnessing for over three years. Is there some sort of "code" that former presidents have to keep their mouths shut? I can't imagine what must be going through all of their heads....but would love to know.

Then again, perhaps they are just trying to keep out of the way of the work being done by our side in the Impeachment process and don't want to put more stuff out there for the raging orange asshole to fixate on...

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I have to admit I am pretty surprised that we hear so little from our living former presidents. (Original Post) NRaleighLiberal Jan 2020 OP
*hear Skittles Jan 2020 #1
thanks pal...thumbs too big! NRaleighLiberal Jan 2020 #2
oh, do I "here" you Skittles Jan 2020 #9
President Obama might think that speaking out now during the trial could backfire drray23 Jan 2020 #3
yes, there is a code. a norm, whatever that is any more. mopinko Jan 2020 #4
There's always been an unwritten understanding that the formers and exes don't get too ... marble falls Jan 2020 #5
Another tradition that will be totally trashed SCantiGOP Jan 2020 #8
Any democrat speaking up would just cause the rethugs to dig in deeper captain queeg Jan 2020 #6
Yes, there seems to be a code followed by past Presidents Ferrets are Cool Jan 2020 #7
can you imagine how Trump will be Skittles Jan 2020 #10
He will be tweeting chit from his death bed. nt Ferrets are Cool Jan 2020 #15
Obama speaks loudly and clearly Totally Tunsie Jan 2020 #11
That's the worst possible thing for former Presidents to do lunatica Jan 2020 #12
WHY give trumpie ANY ammunition ?? Haggis for Breakfast Jan 2020 #13
Would that the tradition of ex-presidents keeping a low profile survives. better Jan 2020 #14

drray23

(7,633 posts)
3. President Obama might think that speaking out now during the trial could backfire
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:05 PM
Jan 2020

He might get more involved when there is a nominee. Getting into the fray now could give the repubs ammunition. After all, they were even trying to blame Obama during their opening arguments..

mopinko

(70,127 posts)
4. yes, there is a code. a norm, whatever that is any more.
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:09 PM
Jan 2020

long tradition of not chiming in from former prez's. no idea when it started, but dont remember it ever happening in my lifetime.

marble falls

(57,106 posts)
5. There's always been an unwritten understanding that the formers and exes don't get too ...
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:10 PM
Jan 2020

involved in criticizing currents.

SCantiGOP

(13,871 posts)
8. Another tradition that will be totally trashed
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:19 PM
Jan 2020

by the current imposter in the White House.

Hell, he’s still talking about Obama like he’s running against him, so he won’t be able to keep his mouth shut once he is out.

Let’s hope he is so disgraced, despised and feeble that he is simply ignored.

captain queeg

(10,208 posts)
6. Any democrat speaking up would just cause the rethugs to dig in deeper
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:12 PM
Jan 2020

And Bush isn’t real popular amongst the rethugs nowadays.

Ferrets are Cool

(21,107 posts)
7. Yes, there seems to be a code followed by past Presidents
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:19 PM
Jan 2020

even War Criminals like jr. All that shit has been thrown into the sewage sump by the orange buffoon.

Totally Tunsie

(10,885 posts)
11. Obama speaks loudly and clearly
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:33 PM
Jan 2020

by showing us how a real president is supposed to act. Look at every instance where a presidential response would be expected and compare the statements tweeted out by Chump and BHO. Invariably, there will be a terse, flat statement from the Chump, but a piece of prose from Obama. Obama leads by example.

lunatica

(53,410 posts)
12. That's the worst possible thing for former Presidents to do
Tue Jan 28, 2020, 11:36 PM
Jan 2020

It would split this county apart.

If you pay attention you can see they do make themselves heard. Every time President Obama urges us to vote in a speech he’s making a statement. Presidents need to shut up, especially when criticizing someone from the other party.

Just think how crass Trump is every time he says Obama’s name. How he avoids criticism by blaming everything on past Presidents, especially Obama. It’s crude, bad manners and embarrassing.

In spite of the aberrations in etiquette and manners under Trump, it’s still important to have manners and respect for your adversaries. I hope we return to that very quickly after Trump is gone.

better

(884 posts)
14. Would that the tradition of ex-presidents keeping a low profile survives.
Wed Jan 29, 2020, 12:57 AM
Jan 2020

I can tell you one thing, I'm going to be very supportive of the idea of trump shutting the fuck up once he's gone. But somehow I don't expect he's going to.

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