According to secret service agents interviewed by Ronald Kessler in his book, In the President's Secret Service, Jimmy Carter never had a friendly word for the men and women guarding his life. That famous smile disappeared as soon as the cameras were off. There’s more, but I feel personally betrayed and it’s too painful to go into.
Jimmy Carter has been my favorite ex-president. Unlike those who golf, sky-dive, and hang out at the ranch, Carter has spent his retirement traveling the world advocating peace. He stands up for Palestinians when no one else will. He monitors elections to make sure they are free and fair. A couple weeks ago, he risked his popularity and good graces with the Obama administration by pointing out that we still live in an extremely racist society.
So how do I handle the shattering news that someone I admire treats people like crap?
We must remember that just because it's in a hardcover book doesn't mean it's completely true. This is just Kessler's interpretation based on interviews with current and former secret service agents who probably have biases. Carter was probably not all that popular with law-enforcement types to begin with.
If even partially true, some observations in this book would be difficult to dismiss as simply biased. Al Gore told his son in the presence of several insulted agents that if the boy didn't keep his grades up he'd "end up like one of these guys (the agents)."
It's not hard to imagine secret service agents describing Hillary Clinton as demanding and unreasonable. I know a guy in the military, usually pretty liberal, who can barely say her name, he hates her so much.
You know what they say: when a man is demanding he's a great leader; when a woman is, she's a bitch.
That Nancy Reagan was a bitch seems to be agreed upon by everyone, including secret service agents.
More from this book:
- Bill Clinton was always late - he couldn't follow a schedule to save his life.
- Presidents Kennedy and Johnson kept stables of women on hand. When Jackie or Lady Bird appeared to be returning home, the secret service had to help usher the floosies out of there.
- Nixon was crazy.
Except for tricky Dick, Republicans generally get good marks from the secret service.
- Ronnie Reagan was always friendly.
- George H.W. Bush ordered everyone at the White House to defer to the secret service because he figured they knew how to do their jobs. His wife, Barbara, offered to do laundry for agents at Kennebunkport - she was doing a load anyway.
- George W. was reportedly smarter in person than he appeared on television (I don’t believe it). Laura Bush was just as pleasant and gracious as could be (that I believe).
Not Republican, but liked by the secret service, Barack and Michelle Obama are reportedly considerate and respectful of the men and women who take care of them. The worst that can be said of the current commander-in-chief is that he smokes more than he admits.
Oh yeah, the book also talks about guns, logistics, homeland security budgets, and other stuff. But the gossip is way more interesting.
Now I'm on to Kathy Griffin's new book. I’m less likely to be disturbed when I learn something disgusting about Paris Hilton.
No comments:
Post a Comment