I agree with you about the political comments, and there is no need to apologize: when I made the original post I was trying to avoid the truly awful, antagonistic, downright nasty behavior shown lately by so much of the US, not anything such as your comments which were perfectly fine IMO. My point was to comment on an 'Elder Statesman' without having this thread degenerate into a circus in about ten seconds and IMO, it has been entirely successful.
So my compliments to the usual suspects (the regular members) around here who have shown more than sufficient manners to have this thread open for several days without anyone calling anyone else something..... atrocious! Seriously, I think this is one of the few forums where this thread could even exist as it has, which is why I posted it here in the first place. As I said, my wife and son attended the inauguration and some of the behavior there was just awful and frankly, very disappointing. She came home last night with a LOT of females wearing red and I guess the obnoxiousness continued through the airports and the flight. <sigh>
As an aside, I have mentioned this very same thought (it was great to see one of the WWII generation leaders alive and reasonably well at 93) to a few very small groups of people I associate with in person and it has degenerated into a cesspool every single time. So let me expand on the original post just a bit more:
In 1936, FDR made a speech in Philadelphia, PA, accepting his nomination to run for the presidency of the US in the upcoming election. This is a quote from that speech:
"There is a mysterious cycle in human events. To some generations much is given. Of other generations much is expected. This generation of Americans has a rendezvous with destiny."
That generation of Americans would face the two greatest challenges of that century, and perhaps for all of our history: The Great Depression and World War II. Much was asked of that generation both during the depression and the war, much was given to that generation in the form of a better life and far greater material wealth after WWII and certainly they did have a rendezvous with destiny in that they shaped the post- war world and put it on the course that led us to where we are now (which I think is a pretty good place, overall, actually a great place in most ways). Bob Dole was a representative of all phases of that generation's contributions, and he showed, IMO, more courage, more ability and a pretty fierce tenacity that personifies the best of that generation, at least to me. And I am happy he lived long enough to see the entire cycle and the US's continued success, thanks in no small part to both his generation generally, and people just like him who 'rose to the occasion' and did more..... much more, than the minimum they could have to 'get by'. And they are nearing extinction simply becuase so many years have passed since those events, which is what pleased me most about seeing Mr. Dole at the inauguration.
Brian
I agree and hope that Trump is the best damned president that this county has ever had...
Brian, again my apologies.
I don't think that it's possible to comment on a politician as a person without bringing politics into the discussion. At least not around this place.
