Want A President You Can Have A Beer With?
EmailNo one wants to have a beer with Barack Obama, it seems. Many would like to have a beer with Joe Biden. John McCain, maybe. Sarah Palin, for sure. This "have-a-beer" as presidential quality may be an exclusively American phenomenon. A quick search finds, among other things, that George W. Bush routinely beat John Kerry in actual "who’d-you-prefer-to-have-a-beer-with" polls. It also turns up this letter to the Berkshire Eagle, published Sunday: "Some people who voted for George W. Bush did so solely on the premise that he is a ‘guy’s guy.’…because he seems like the kind of guy you could ‘sit down and have a beer with.’ You know, kick back with a couple of ice cold Budweisers, talk about deer hunting, and then go out back and cut down some trees together. I recently watched Barack Obama go one-on-one in a game of basketball with Stuart Scott from ESPN. I watched this and thought ‘Hey, I’d love to see him run our country because he seems like the kind of guy you could shoot some hoops with.’ I don’t know too much about John McCain’s hobbies and interests. However, gauging from the fact that he is 72-years-old, he seems like the kind of guy you could sit down and watch "The Price is Right" with and talk about how much better the show was with Bob Barker. I don’t want to sit down and have a beer with our president. I want him to run our country effectively." And from a like-minded blogger: "Where’d we get this notion that the President of the United States should be a drinking buddy? Where did we get the notion that the strongest nation on earth should be led by a folksy, easy-to-like drunk?…When facing down the leader of a rogue nation in a series of intense negotiations, I don’t want the guy shooting pool at the corner bar, I want someone with a head for the job, for God’s sake.." What do you think?
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I agree — a beer with ANYBODY EXCEPT the shallow one!
Posted by: dl | September 23, 2008, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
Very well said. President Bush won solely on the premise of “he’s the guy you can have a beer with” and look where that got us! AMERICANS WAKE UP AND STAND UP!!!
OBAMA/BIDEN 08
Posted by: jpeezus | September 23, 2008, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
Great, America wants to get drunk with McCain…that worked out well when the same people wanted to have a beer with Dumbya.
Posted by: I Wanna Be A Star | September 23, 2008, 3:26 pm 3:26 pm
I would have a beer with anybody but Obama and I am a Democrat! I will not vote for that man. He treated the Clintons like dirt and now want them to clean up his mess. What a jerk. McCain/Palin!
Posted by: Fae | September 23, 2008, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm
Oh really. How do you know that nobody would want to have a beer with Obama? If I wanted to talk about the history of politics I would want to hang out with Biden. If I wanted to practice the art of anger management I would want McCain, and if I wanted to get my nails done I would chose Palin. Yes out of all four I would perfer having a beer with Obama.
Posted by: jim | September 23, 2008, 3:29 pm 3:29 pm
I wouldn’t want to have a beer with Obama, he seems like a bore. Sarah Palin yes, Joe would probably be a hoot to have a drink with, John Probably has some good stories.
Posted by: samhiguchi | September 23, 2008, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
mccain is the person more people would like to have a glass of prune juice with.
Posted by: pt | September 23, 2008, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
I think the problem with Obama is that he’s always “on”. He never seems to be himself; either that or being himself means being a stiff automiton. What it boils down to is an authenticity gap. What we want in our President’s is that they are real… right or wrong, left or right or middle… most people think they know McCain. For Obama…the left say they “get it” the right don’t care for him and the middle have no clue.
That’s a big hurdle – and BO needs to be liked by the middle in order to win the Whitehouse. Certainly no one will have a brewski with a candidate – but the answer reveals Obama’s problem.
Posted by: Diamond Lou | September 23, 2008, 3:32 pm 3:32 pm
Some people who voted for Bush basing of having a beer together, they are not able now to afford even one glass!
Posted by: FM | September 23, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
For heaven sake! I want the smartest possible person in the White House. I want him contemplating (with real brain power) the country’s direction. I don’t need to like him or his wife or kids. I don’t need to feel like I can have a beer with the guy. I simply want him to be able to put together a complete a and appear internationally without embarrassing us. This can’t be too much to ask, can it?
Posted by: hang | September 23, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
palin is the candidate most people like to see wearing lipstick.
Posted by: pt | September 23, 2008, 3:33 pm 3:33 pm
mccain was asked, do you prefer boxers or briefs?
mccain: Depends
Posted by: pt | September 23, 2008, 3:35 pm 3:35 pm
This question got us eight years of BUSH thanks corporate media.
Posted by: hmn | September 23, 2008, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
John McCain can’t hold his own without beer all we need is another boozer.
Obama will win and beat McCain.
Posted by: Lookupl | September 23, 2008, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
Where did this bizarre notion that there’s something noble about ignorance and mediocrity come from? The last time I checked, there were some rather pressing problems that our nation faces and if it’s all the same to you, I’d like some really hard-hitting TALENT working on those problems.
Posted by: Paul Dirks | September 23, 2008, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
Who would like to share an arugula salad with?
Posted by: Mack | September 23, 2008, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
The O-Bots can’t even answer a simple question without going ballistic and attacking everyone in sight. They should call themselves the mud-slingers.
Posted by: dl | September 23, 2008, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
We are the most pathetic country on the planet if we base our votes on who’s the guy/gal next door. I’ll take substance – read “brains” – any day over this ridiculous notion of wanting your buddy to run the country. We are a stupid people. And now, finally, we’re paying the price. Literally.
Posted by: counting crows | September 23, 2008, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm
Voters preferring those whom they can identify with as one of their own — beer buddies, hockey moms, soccer moms, etc — to be their presidents? I call this the American tragedy.
Posted by: chris | September 23, 2008, 3:41 pm 3:41 pm
We do not beer drinking buddy. Could you have had a beer with Licoln, FDR, JFK, IKE. We need visionary president. This notion of beer buds is BS. We need a smart thoughtful youthful vigorous President if we want to maintain the leadership in the world. We have given up manufacturing and now may be even in the process of giving up innovation.
Posted by: silkwool | September 23, 2008, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
“Voters preferring those whom they can identify with as one of their own — beer buddies, hockey moms, soccer moms, etc — to be their presidents? I call this the American tragedy.”
Sorry, but it’s hard to identify with someone that attended a racist church for 20 years and is good friends with an unrepentant terrorist.
Posted by: Mack | September 23, 2008, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
People, a lesson has been learnt. This time vote with your head and not with your heart!
Posted by: FM | September 23, 2008, 3:44 pm 3:44 pm
I agree — a beer with ANYBODY EXCEPT the shallow one!
Posted by: dl | Sep 23, 2008 3:20:18 PM
***********************
I agree, Palin is such a dimwit, she scares me to death!
Posted by: JoeReed | September 23, 2008, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
Do you want a VP you can shoot moose with or shoot bull with. If so, we do not have a future.
Posted by: silkwool | September 23, 2008, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
Do you want to hang out with someone that has friends that damm America?
Posted by: Mack | September 23, 2008, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm
dl – it’s really difficult to not respond with anger to people who spout your nonsense day after day and fill up these commentary sites with garbage. No brains people like you voted for Bush and now we’re all paying for it. Call me an O-Bot if you like but that doesn’t take away from the fact that Obama is smarter, has a better temperament, and will be a far superior president than your old angry guy with ptsd who wants very badly to push the red button on all of us, who can’t stick to a policy for longer than the time it takes for the tide to turn, makes blunder after blunder, and make the biggest blunder of all when he chose Palin as his vp. It’s you guys who can’t answer the most simple of question: what happens if McCain dies and Palin takes over? Are we all then subjected to the only real knowledge she has – the Rapture? Give me a break. Stupid people, stupid comments. Give it a rest. You’re getting boring.
Posted by: NOmccain/palin | September 23, 2008, 3:53 pm 3:53 pm
Mack, there is a freedom of speech in this country. Besides, it has become obvious (Stanford research) how racism is playing in this election. Many whites won’t vote for Obama because of his race whether dems or republicans. We have not made much progress in that respect in this free society.
Posted by: silkwool | September 23, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
I wouldn’t have a beer with any of them. Might have a cigar with Clinton though.
Posted by: Tara | September 23, 2008, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
Fae…you are too funny..He treated the Clintons bad!!!??? WOW, where were you during the election? The Clintons lost this campaign all on their own by presuming a unknown, black kid from Illinois would NEVER out campaign them. They underestimated the number of people who are angry and ready for change. Stop blaming Obama for their shortfailings.
Posted by: rightchoice | September 23, 2008, 3:56 pm 3:56 pm
So, the press was allowed only 29 seconds in Palin’s meeting with Karzai? Sure sounds like McCain’s campaign has a lack of confidence in Palin’s ability to play with the big boys. What a joke.
Posted by: counting crows | September 23, 2008, 3:57 pm 3:57 pm
Who would like to share an arugula salad with?
Posted by: Mack | Sep 23,
******************************************** My husband, but I sure as heck wouldn’t want him running the country.
I’m hoping we get somebody who is up to the task. Barack Obama and Joe Biden are the only ones running that can handle the job and I really don’t care what they eat.
Any more than I cared that George and Laura Bush have 2 French Chefs cooking for them every day or that Cindy and John McCain have several houses full of servants.
Posted by: Truth Matters | September 23, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
silk…if Obama looses it will be because to many people cannot look past the color of his skin to the content of his character….( I think someone else said that, didn’t they?)
Posted by: rightchoice | September 23, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
I’d like to have a President I can slap down simple-minded lying Republicans with.
McCain/Palin:
SAME BUSH, DIFFERENT DAY.
Posted by: Ed from MA | September 23, 2008, 3:58 pm 3:58 pm
It is against Islam to consume alcohol!!! B.O. would probably decline!!! But he is a first class hypocrite, so maybe not!! Sarah Palin would be my first choice as a person with a sporting background. We tend to cling to our guns and religion, so we don’t end up with people like Obama for President. LOL!!
Sanyaman
Posted by: Sanyaman | September 23, 2008, 3:59 pm 3:59 pm
counting…you got that right….
If she cannot do the “straight talk” she shouldn’t be running…
Posted by: formerhillary | September 23, 2008, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
Mack said:
Sorry, but it’s hard to identify with someone that attended a racist church for 20 years and is good friends with an unrepentant terrorist.
Mack, that could well be over half of your own county!
Think about it Mack…we ALL attended a racist church sometime in our life, eh?!
How many short years ago were the racists all hanging out at the churches?
Posted by: LA in Indiana | September 23, 2008, 4:01 pm 4:01 pm
Commentators keep asking why Obama isn’t waaaaay ahead in the polls given the fact that he’s waaaaaay ahead in terms of people’s confidence in his ability to handle the economy. Simple answer that no one wants to spell out – racism in this country is alive and well. It’s an embarrassment to be an American sometimes….there are still people out there who should go back to their caves and allow really decent folks to take charge. And most of you call yourselves “Christian.” HA! I don’t think so.
Posted by: counting crows | September 23, 2008, 4:02 pm 4:02 pm
sanyaman…looks like you are judging someone because they are educated.
Have you ever met Obama….I mean MET him??? Until you do, keep you comments about how elite and uppity you think he is to yourself.
Posted by: newvoter | September 23, 2008, 4:03 pm 4:03 pm
WORLD NEWSER: I think you wish you wanted to have a beer with Obama, but you don’t, and neither does anyone else.
Posted by: tina | September 23, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
counting ….Right on….that is the whole truth…sad as it is….but no one wants to mention that on ANY news station I have watch…
Posted by: newkid | September 23, 2008, 4:04 pm 4:04 pm
I’d hang out with Palin after 6 or 7 beers but that doesn’t qualify her for office.
Posted by: mudge007 | September 23, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
If you are stupid enough to look beyond Obama’s past, then you should not be using a computer to show others how stupid you ARE! He is a left wing nut job with delusions of conquest. OH, and by the way, he is NOT BLACK! He is brown! He is 50% white and 44% ARABIC!!
Do your homework and be very SCARED!!
Sanyaman
Posted by: Sanyaman | September 23, 2008, 4:05 pm 4:05 pm
Didn’t Michelle Obama say don’t vote for them because she is pretty?
Hillary 2012!
Posted by: cissy55 | September 23, 2008, 4:08 pm 4:08 pm
I don’t like to drink beer that often so I can’t answer that question,Recently we had a kkk rally in my town which is Amarillo,Tx,and the mayor of this town which is a women decided that it would be a good time to leaveout of town and fly away to England,thats not a leader thats a coward.Thank God Obama and Biden came around,and that whoI voting for my mind was made up after that terrible day,and that day in springfield and no one will change that ever.
Posted by: Johnny W | September 23, 2008, 4:09 pm 4:09 pm
Depends on the beer…would it have to be Budweiser or would I be considered a traitor if I go with Miller Lite?
Posted by: Daisy | September 23, 2008, 4:12 pm 4:12 pm
I would say Cindy McCain because it would probably be a free beer, eh?
Posted by: mila | September 23, 2008, 4:13 pm 4:13 pm
Only in America can someone from Africa not be african, but 44% arabic.
Does that mean that all the ‘black’ people in america are not really black, like Obama???
Geez, we need to do something about the uneducated in this country.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | September 23, 2008, 4:14 pm 4:14 pm
This is ridiculous. Idiocracy indeed. What does “wanting to have a beer with someone” count for? As a matter of fact, I would like to have a beer with Barack Obama, if that means hanging out with him and talking to him. He’s the most intelligent person in the race (Biden is second), and he also pretty obviously likes to hang out and have fun. But that’s not why I’m voting for him. Eight years ago people thought Bush would be a “regular guy” that would be good to have a beer with. Look where that got us.
Posted by: jon in maryland | September 23, 2008, 4:15 pm 4:15 pm
If I am having a beer with any of them, it had better be over policy issues so I can determine who has the ability to lead this country through all this mess.
I don’t care who is more personable, who has more house or cars, I don’t care about their party affiliation, the color of their skin, or who their VP is.
I care about where they want to take us, how we get out from under the financial ruin we are in, to end the war in Iraq so we can focus on our domestic issues. How I will be able to afford to heat my home, with some type of AFFORDABLE energy.
Posted by: Scott NH | September 23, 2008, 4:16 pm 4:16 pm
What exactly does “44% Arabic” mean? You do realize that some “Arabs” are Christians, don’t you? So if you were going for another dumbass Muslim reference, you missed by a mile.
Posted by: mila | September 23, 2008, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
Gee DL, seems like you are slingin’ a little mud of your own with the name calling. Talk about not answering the question at hand……..O-bot right back at ya, Mc-bot!
Posted by: seansatx | September 23, 2008, 4:19 pm 4:19 pm
“I’d hang out with Palin after 6 or 7 beers”
Beer goggles … LOL.
But seriously, you’d only be allowed to hang out with her FOR 29 SECONDS.
McCAIN’S AFRAID SHE’LL OPEN HER MOUTH IN PUBLIC.
WHAT AN EMBARRASSMENT THE REPUBS ARE!!
LIPSTICK ON A BUSH.
Posted by: Ed from MA | September 23, 2008, 4:21 pm 4:21 pm
I would be willing to bet Obama drinks wine; and yes, I’d love to have a glass of wine with him. And I also love arugula. I must comment here, though, that I have been an Obama supporter from the beginning of his candidacy, I am now beginning to feel that I don’t want him to be our President. And why, you may ask? Because we don’t deserve him, that’s why. This country is in such dire straits, politically with two wars going on, socially with our poor education system, lack of health care, crime, and economically (to say the least), that it would be a monumental, insurmountable task to straighten it out, in the next four years or even eight years. It is so bad, that the entire world is affected by what happens in this country due to globalization. I just feel that McCain and Palin should have the headaches of dealing with this mess, not Obama/Biden. The latter are just too nice guys and don’t deserve the aggravation. Let McCain/Palin deal with it, since we are so far down the toilet right now, they can flush just once more and away in the sewer we go! Never thought I’d be wishing for those two to win the election, but I am so disgusted and cynical right now, that they deserve to inherit this mess. This country is going to hell that’s for sure. I’m moving out!!
Posted by: geecee | September 23, 2008, 4:24 pm 4:24 pm
What do you expect when we as a culture promote these “reality” tv shows, give celebutards a soap box and an opinion that people care about. When did it become a bad thing to be smart, well educated, and self sufficient. Regardless of who your candidate is, please don’t vote for someone because they are: white, black, male, female, martian, christian… whatever, this is not a popularity contest for homecoming, this is our country, our pride. Show some respect in America by doing your due dilligence and choose a candidate because their direction for this country is closely aligned with your own.
Please just do that, whomever you vote for.
Posted by: make it known | September 23, 2008, 4:25 pm 4:25 pm
I’d rather shoot hoops with Obama, but he’s probably kick my a$$.
Posted by: obamamama | September 23, 2008, 4:27 pm 4:27 pm
I would love to know where you got the information that more people would prefer having a beer with McCain. Did you make it up? Are you a secret McCain campaigner?
After all, a national poll released last week found that most Americans would prefer watching footbal or having a class taught by — Obama.
Please reveal your source, if you have one.
Posted by: The Truth Please | September 23, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
One person’s better temperment is another person’s passive aggressive. Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone thought exactly the same? As long as it’s like me.
Posted by: Kitty | September 23, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
I’d rather go rollerskating with Governor Palin.
Posted by: Kitty | September 23, 2008, 4:35 pm 4:35 pm
“No one wants to have a beer with Barack Obama, it seems.”
How did you come to this conclusion?
Were you drinking beer when you thought it up?
This Blog should be called “WorldFictioner,” not “World Newser”
Posted by: John Adams | September 23, 2008, 4:36 pm 4:36 pm
Governor Palin doesn’t know how to rollerskate.
But she can kill a moose!
Posted by: Alaska Woman | September 23, 2008, 4:37 pm 4:37 pm
I would throw back a beer with Obama any time, anywhere. From time to time I also love to throw back a beer with the old pervy alcoholic at my bar just to hear the revolting things he has to say, too. Does that mean I think that guy should run the country? NO.
But I’d happily throw back a beer w/ Obama AND trust him to run the country. Frankly, I’m pretty sure I’m not going to be throwin’ back that beer anytime soon, so I’ll choose the latter.
Posted by: Jodi | September 23, 2008, 4:39 pm 4:39 pm
$700,000,000,000 IS ONE EXPENSIVE BEER FOLKS!!! THAT’S THE RETURN ON YOUR INVESTMENT. OH, AND LETS NOT FORGET THE $1,000,000,000,000 IRAQI PRETZELS TO GO WITH IT, COMPLIMENTS OF “THE BANK OF CHINA”. YOU PEOPLE ARE THE LAUGHING STOCK OF THE WORLD. NOW YOU ARE SERIOUSLY CONSIDERING VOTING FOR MCCAIN AFTER HE AND HIS BUDDY PHIL GRAMM JUST FLUSHED YOUR ECONOMY WITH DEREGULATION??????? IF YOU VOTE IN MCSAME/MS. ALASKA, YOU WILL TRULY DESERVE THE THIRD WORLD STATUS YOU WILL REAP AFTERWARDS.
Posted by: Mark | September 23, 2008, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
Mr. WorldNewswer,
Instead of your comical fiction on what candidate Americans want to have a beer with, here are the FACTS from a recent Associated Press/Yahoo Poll, that found people prefer Obama as teacher and to watch football game with.
http://news.yahoo.com/page/election-2008-political-pulse-teacher
So there!
Posted by: The Truth | September 23, 2008, 4:41 pm 4:41 pm
World Newser,
Where did you come up with this BS?
Get real.
Posted by: James Robertson | September 23, 2008, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
Q: “Do you want to hang out with someone that has friends that damm America?”
A: No way!!! BushCo and the neocons have “dammed” this country into near oblivion!!! I’ll pick the intelligent guy with a plan over the scary senile hot-tempered old guy with the even scarier fundy freakazoid ignoramoose VP.
Posted by: Susan | September 23, 2008, 4:47 pm 4:47 pm
“From time to time I also love to throw back a beer with the old pervy alcoholic at my bar just to hear the revolting things he has to say, too. Does that mean I think that guy should run the country? NO.”
METHINKS YOU MIGHT HEAR JOKES ABOUT WHY WOMEN LOVE TO BE RAPED BY GORILLAS. FOLLOWED BY A CACKLE FROM HIS MOOSE WITCH ABOUT HOW SHE CHARGES SUCH WOMEN FOR THE “RAPE KITS” NEEDED TO FIND THE ATTACKERS!!
Posted by: Jeff | September 23, 2008, 4:50 pm 4:50 pm
So, Ed from MA, sounds like you think McCain is better suited than Obama at getting this country back on track. Some Obama supporter you are…having seconds thoughts on how good he really is?
Posted by: Cindy | September 23, 2008, 4:54 pm 4:54 pm
I would say Cindy McCain because it would probably be a free beer, eh?
Posted by: mila | Sep 23, 2008 4:13:16 PM
Hahahahahaha….Indeed! But does that mean I have to talk to her about her $3,000 De la Renta frocks and handmade, diamond-encrusted pins?
Posted by: Jodi | September 23, 2008, 5:02 pm 5:02 pm
Jodi
Sounds like you’re really jealous!
Posted by: dl | September 23, 2008, 6:00 pm 6:00 pm
Obama seems way too stuck up to have a beer with.
Posted by: zeke | September 23, 2008, 8:00 pm 8:00 pm
I wonder if Ted Kennedy was the type of guy to have a beer with. I guess yes so long as you don’t get a ride home from him.
Posted by: Jack | September 23, 2008, 11:05 pm 11:05 pm
Want a prez you can have a beer with or like you or share your ‘values’ or can ‘relate to’ ?
- no problem, you can have whatever you want. Here you go, the goods and the tab — $10,000 ($3 Trillion divided by 300 million population, and i am generous here – 1.5 T Iraq, 1.5 t bailout)per American head, all your youngs and all your olds. BTW, don’t forget the interest you will be charge for a LONG, LONG….. time.
What a bunch of LOSERS (GOP)!
Posted by: samthedoingbetterthannativesimmigrant | September 24, 2008, 12:34 pm 12:34 pm