We forget that Clinton like Carter was not a product of Privilege.

[KoKo]

Neither came into the White House with the backing of the "Establishment." Neither came into the White House with the backing of Conservative Groups and Corporate Money who ushered them into power after long years of grooming (Nixon/Reagan). A Google will give you some background on the groups that brought both Nixon and Reagan into power (for newbies who don't know).

Clinton, Carter and Truman were "everyman's man." Humble birth. Rural childhoods out of the "old America" where folks helped folks, went to church, lived through hard times and made do with what one had. All three had ambition and I think, "good hearts" and sincerely loved America and hoped to "make a difference." All three had to cultivate some "moneyed" connections which hurt their presidencies to some extent because the money didn't come from the "Establishment" but from sources that weren't always sophisticated enough not to get caught for some nefarious deal that might have been "over the line." (Google for scandals with all three.)

I think in Clinton's case we need to compare him with what's in the White House now. Clinton's "White Water Land" deal (the only deal that he ever had a chance of making money off of) lost money, and Hillary took a chance on some futures and made some money. Neither ever owned a home or had anything but themselves and what they earned in salaries from Hillary's law practice and Clinton as Governor all those years in Arkansas. Compare that and what they were up against when they came to DC and then think about what they faced. (the press sneered about the Clinton's never owning their own home during the inauguration)

I think if you look at what the Clinton's made dollar wise out of "Government Service" and Connections and compare it to Nixon, Reagan and the Bushes it gives an interesting view of who Clinton could have been if he had been born a Bush or had the support network of Reagan and Nixon as they worked their way up in politics. And, the same with Carter. They might have been able to make changes without compromise if they had been part of the "Moneyed Establishment, Inside the Beltway Crowd." The "chosen" of the press and Corporations. :shrug:

We forget the humanity sometimes of Democratic Politicians and some of us here have lost any sense of idealism or connection with what it must be like to have worked one's way up from nothing, and run against the "Corporate Wall" and have to court the "glad handlers, swindlers, liars and cheats" that run politics in America. And, we forget that those three men (much as I disliked some policies of each of them) were faced with difficulties that the Reagan, Nixon (although he was always an outsider,in many ways and never had any money he had the Orange County Machine at his side) and Bushes never had to ever contemplate. The Repugs support their own to the death.

Roosevelt and Kennedy were the exceptions. They were the "privileged" who managed to retain their idealism and love of their country while following principles that were Democratic. But,always at their heels were the pack of jackals waiting to bring them down. Democrats don't seem to be always looking for revenge on the person they defeated in an election, but I've never seen a Republican who didn't want to ruin the record of the Democrat they beat in the last election. It just seems to be in their nature.

Just some thoughts... from reading the Clinton posts today, and feeling very cynical and so tired of being cynical. I don't want to become like the Repugs...but it's starting from the bitterness of the the stolen elections and the hounding of Clinton all those years.