I may have mentioned that I finally got fed up with the fundraising texts from Sherrod Brown, which sometimes came multiple times in a day. So I said STOP, and they stopped — except for once or twice, when I assume the algorithm was referring to the wrong list.
So now I mostly only get them from Joe, and that’s fine. I’m happy to keep them coming, and once of these days I’m actually going to send him tiny amount of money — which I know won’t have any effect, and certainly won’t stop the texts, but it will make me happy to do something for Joe.
I got this one today for I think the second time. It has the above image and says:
Biden HQ: Brad, we have an exciting announcement
We just launched a sweepstakes to give supporters like you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet President Biden, President Obama, AND President Clinton all together.
We’ll cover the flight and hotel costs — all you have to do is chip in $20 now to support the Biden-Harris reelection campaign and Democrats nationwide:
https://m.joebiden.com/vaokewi0 STOP2quit
Again, at some point I’ll give the $20. But I don’t need the sweepstakes thing. I mean, I’ve had the chance to talk at length with Joe several times, and with Obama a couple of times. And I’ve at least been at an event where Bill spoke once, here in Columbia — in ’92, I think.
And I’d be fine seeing all of them again — especially Joe, just to thank him for running (I haven’t seen him since 2018) and to tell him to hang in there with all the gratuitous garbage thrown at him — but it bugs me that someone would be missing.
You know who I’ve love to chat with? Jimmy Carter. I met him once at an event in Memphis, when he was first running in 1976. Which was awesome. I was there to cover a speaking event, and there was this small reception afterward — I guess for donors and such, but somehow I had arranged to get in. And I’m pretty sure I shook hands with him. But since I’m not sure that I did, and I was such a Jimmy fan that it seems I’d remember it, maybe I didn’t. Maybe I was young and priggish as a journalist about acting like a normal person by getting friendly with the newsmaker. But it would have been really rude not to at least shake hand, since I was just there in the small group and not segregated off with media. So I think I did, and I hope so.
But to settle the matter, he’s the one I’d like to meet — among living former presidents who would be likely to support Joe. And I know he’s in hospice, and probably not up to seeing visitors. But I still wish I could. I’d give more than $20, and drive there on my own dime, if y’all could swing that. You three guys could come, too.
That would be something…
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On a big L1011 out of Atlanta to Salt Lake City to start vacation this tall long-legged guy was in front of me…sat 2 seats away in the middle row. Could not place him at first, but then realized it was Dominique Wilkens. That’s why I know this was the summer of 1982 because Wilkens was drafted by the Utah Jazz that Spring. Wilkens never played for the Jazz but I suppose he went to check out the area.
Early in the flight we noticed a 3 or 4 people going down the other aisle stopping at each row. it was jimmy Carter shaking hands. Big thrill to meet the former President.
Fast forward toward to near the end of our vacation we stopped at the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody Wy. Walking out of the museum and there stood a group of people surrounding President Carter. Off to the side stood Rosalynn. Heck, we walked up to her and started talking with her. Don’t think anything like that is possible today. We asked her if she enjoyed her trip and she told us along the lines she was really ready to get back home. She struck us as dour, but she was obviously tired and ready to get back to Plains.
Other than meeting and talking to candidate Biden, that’s my brush with meeting a president.
What an awesome experience, Doug!
Carol Smith, who posts here from time to time, sent me this by text, not knowing how to include pictures in a reply. So I’m posting it for her. She wrote:
That’s Carol and her husband with Jimmy and Rosalynn in the picture above. And here’s a bonus pic, of Jimmy teaching Sunday School…
Loved your article reminding me of a special day!
Jimmy Carter was and is an inspiration to so many of us’