The first president I remember was Truman!

[bushclipper]

And he still seems to be my favorite.

How many others here are most fond of their first president (or democratic president?) and why?

[FlashHarry]

1. First I remember is Carter.

I remember being a kid on the schoolbus in Helsinki and some of the kids were singing disparaging songs about Jimmy (many of my fellow students were Army brats).

[mikehiggins]

2. Truman

was President when I was born. The first one I remember clearly, obviously was Eisenhower. I was more than ready when JFK and the Beatles showed up to shake America out of Ike's soporific influence.

The President I most admired was Truman because to me he most exemplified the AMerican dream of a man who started with nothing, in the back end of nowhere, and wound up changing the world. If he'd been Arnold's inspiration instead of Hitler our Austrian buddy would have been a lot better off.

Most of the world we live in came about because of Truman's sense of decency and fair play so I figure everyone owes him a whole lot of gratitude.

[elperromagico]

3. The first president I remember...

... is Reagan, and he seemed like a nice old grandfather. Only later did I find out what a lousy president he really was.

[tridim]

4. My first memory was Nixon

and the "watergate" thing. I distinctly remember John Chancellor talking about watergate and thinking it was some rusty old gate in a puddle of water. :)

[hedda_foil]

5. Turman's the first I remember too but he's far from my favorite.

Too much shit happened on his watch. Hiroshima, the CIA, ramping up the unnecessary Cold War and the insane Korean War. Yes, the Marshall Plan was great, but that was Marshall not Truman, and "former" Nazis retained far too much power and influence in Germany ... and were allowed to emigrate here.

I used to think that Truman was terrific, too, until I really started thinking about what happened under his watch. He wasn't prepared for the job, imho, and let himself be led. That wasn't his fault, but it doesn't say much for his supposed greatness.

JFK is still my favorite because he worked so hard to undo the damage of the Eisenhower and Truman years. Unfortunately, he was murdered for his trouble.

[Meshuga]

6. Carter...

I remember rooting for him in 1980 and I was only 7! I hated Reagan even not knowing what was politics back then. :-)

[MuseRider]

7. I remember

Eisenhower but not well. The first I really took notice of was Kennedy. I was young enough to be very suseptable to the whole "Camelot" theme.

[VOX]

8. JFK.

My parents voted for Nixon, but even they fell in love with JFK. The press was very kind to him -- there was a different kind of journalism back then, as if there were an understanding that one simply didn't trash the president -- not out of misguided nationalism, but it just wasn't considered "dignified."

Among his numerous accomplishments, JFK helped make political involvement "cool." Young people began to get involved with social-change movements and campaigns like they never had before.

:dem:

[DemCam]

10. Always will be the standard for me.

I was stuck in Lubbock, Texas...and they are just about like they are now...conser-va-tive...but I was starstruck by JFK and Jackie. Strange that I nearly wrote Jackie O. The man could talk.

But, he was HATED by so many people. It was one of the most polarizing, exciting, nail-biting elections ever...because those of us for him...were so committed. Just wish I could have voted then. And the meanness set the standard...not much different than now...or when FDR was doin' his gig...and his First Lady. No wonder Hillary was so interested in her.

Remember? The Pope was going to run the White House?

Okay...nice walk down memory lane.

[protect freedom impeach bush now]

9. Kennedy

As a young lad....
watched my dad put JFK yard sign up in our
front lawn in Dallas.

watched my dad cuz about the sobs who kept tearing
down his sign---

he said '' just wait til i get those sobs''



....then whole family...mom, dad, siblings all
went to watch JFK....we sat on top of the station wagon....


pretty exciting stuff...waved at the President as he drove by...
.....great stuff...mom was overjoyed........but on way home...

heard the radio.........sad sad day.


cant even go to the 5th Floorwith my own child....still
too bad a memory......


...many older have told me that 'ended' their desire to have anything
to do with politics since that day......

most know someone in US govt did JKF in.....some think it was
part of Bush family & rogue CIA, and maybe even rogue military.

The Bay of Pigs WAS a Bush family event.

[maha]

13. The country was in love with the Kennedys

There's been nothing quite like it since, huh? It wasn't quite the same way some people admired Reagan or Bush. Or maybe I'm still seeing them through 12-year-old eyes.

[maha]

11. Kennedy

I was born during the Truman Administration so I don't remember him when he was President. The very first Dem President who caught my imagination was John Kennedy. I was in junior high school and was in love with the Kennedys. I remember when Jaqueline gave birth to a baby (Patrick) who lived only a few hours, and I was just crushed. I remember watching (on TV) cheering crowds greet Kennedy in Europe, especially at the Berlin Wall; it was awesome.

THOSE days are sure as hell gone.

I happened to be watching television when Lee Harvey Oswald was shot, so I saw it live. I remember JFK's funeral march as if it were yesterday.

[HFishbine]

12. Nixon

and he's still my favorite.

[kittykitty]

14. Roosevelt--FDR!

We thought he was something like God and could fix anything. Was there most of my young life. Truman was an unbelievable change--a stranger! Also I remember when they put "under God" in the pledge. Even then, I always hated that.

[rasputin1952]

15. TR!...

I recall going up Kettle Hill with the Colonel....damn, I gotta get that 'other me' out of my head!

Truman was the first president I was aware of, but Ike was the one I knew most about. The Ike years weren't too bad, but could have been better.

JFK was a tragedy, so much to look forward to, and the future was masked by a dark cloud that stays over us til this day. I can't really explain it, but the country changed on 22 Nov 63, and has been on a downward spiral ever since. We've had moments of hope, but they've been dashed by the greed and hatred that encompasses the country.

Johnson, the Great Society really helped quite a few out of poverty, but the war stripped him, and eventually killed him.

Nixon....gimme a break.

Carter...very intelligent, human and was the one president that never had a morality probl;em, he stuck to his principles.

Reagan...Acting president. Bonzo would have been better.

GHW bush...dud.

Clinton...too many scandals started by the RW crippled his presidency.

GW bush...worst president EVER; none barred!

:kick:

[ComerPerro]

16. Ray Gun

So, naturally, I am not very fond of him.

[Cascadian]

17. Nixon

Even though I was born in the last few weeks of the Johnson administration. I do remember Nixon and I also remember how my Grandma ( a proud Democrat!) also chastized him.

John

[nemo137]

18. i remember living in massachusets in 1988

and being about 2, so this is one of my first memories period, and thinking that dukakis was a funny name.

[Hippo_Tron]

19. Bush Sr...

Then my daddy took me into the voting booth and said he was voting for Bill Clinton. It all started there.