Mr Prsident

What's with this "Mr President" shit that goes on with all the exes? JImmeh Carter, for the love of God, is still addressed as "Mr President" after three decades of hitting his own thumb as a rep of Habitat for Humanity and as self-appointed ambassador to Cuba, sucking up to the Castro brothers.

He hasn't been "Mr President" since 1981.

Seriously, what's up with this shit? George Doubleyou (the original, first one) was adamantly against any sort of deification of the leader of the Republic. Prez Barry is about to turn 50. At this rate (absent healthcare reform) we're going to be stuck with asshole journalists doing interviews with him on the failure of Socialism in the US for at least another 30 years, and still calling him "Mr President"?

NO. No no, no, no, no..

"Yo, failure dude"might be accurate. I've seen interviews where GW Bush was addressed as "MR Bush", but not where Happy Willie Clinton was addressed as anything but "Mr President".

What was he? King of the fucking world? Huh? The man was elected, had a job, and no longer has it

Is it a matter of respect? Yeah, you and me and Aretha Franklin. TR insisted on being called "Colonel" after his first term. He'd at least EARNED the rank, right? I k now a lot of retired military who are flattered to be called by their retirement rank. Colonel Whosit. Major Wassisname, General Icantremember.. But every damn one of them has been happy with my introduction: I'd like you to meet my friend, Billy Icantremember. He was a General in the Army.

There is an exception to be made here, literally hammered into my young head. There are no ex-Marines. Colonel S set me straight on that. "US MARINES, RESERVES, BUT STILL THE MARINES".
He lets me call him Dale, but prefers "Sir".and I go along with that, because he may be almost 80 years old he can still probably kick my ass. He told ne that I'd never make it in the Corps, because I was a gentleman. "And there's no room in the corps for gentle anything!" The man (God bless him) does not have an indoor voice. Beer drinking on the patio was another matter. Once, amny years ago, he informed my father of an incipient problem. "Jim", he said, "we're damn near out of beer, and there is a serious lack of pizza in the zone" As a senior officer, he knew how to delegate.

The order for the pizza went to Valians Flying Pizza. This was around 1974, Decades before the concept of pizza delivery. The pizzas were much better, but you had to pick then up. You could call for pizza for pickup. though, and Valian's )which went out of business around tht time) had the best.

So who gets deputized to get the pizzas and a case of beer? Me. ?

A 15 year old VW Beetle with a stick shift? And a fourteen year old driver? It's closest to the curb. And you're the only one not drunk yet

So, naturally, I am sent to pick up a case of beer and a bunch of pizzas. In a VW Bug. With a manual transmission. At age of 15. Having never driven a stick, much less in combat, and let me tell you Houston Texas traffic has ALWAYS been combat.

For the record, the backyard gatherings generally included a number of Olympic medalists, University professors (right around the corner from Rice Institute), and some of the more aerobic members of the local professional football team. I actually ran pacng laps for Leonard Hilton, who (at least at the. time) held the record for the most sub-four-minute mile races. Contrary to opinion, he held Jim Ryun in high esteem, as well as Frank Shorter. An incredibly private man, I recall hearing him say (with his hsand hooded over the telephone, and i quote: "I love you too". To his wife. Knowing that half the people in the background had been involved at lrast to the point of being ushers. oor guy. Didn't even make it to the age of 60.

But, the again, running is not a key to health