Potluck Quote of the Day (4 of 10): Jimmy Carter

Today's Quote of the Day is from former President Jimmy Carter, who is now 91 years old; last night, Carter's time in the White House was the basis for a PBS documentary on "The American Experience."

We are indeed quoting Carter because it's an election year. In 1976, the year Carter ran for president against Republican Gerald Ford, the Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck also ran for office. Coincidentally, Mr. Duck was from Cleveland, Ohio, where this year's Republican convention took place. We gather no one there was dressed like Harley Quinn (played by Margot Robbie in the new film "Suicide Squad", and the ever-gorgeous actress Anne Hathaway was not there either!

Here is today's quote from Carter:

"If you're totally illiterate and living on one dollar a day, the benefits of globalization will never come to you."

http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.gov/

http://marvel.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/

Presidential Quotes (14 of 16): Gerald Ford

Today, we are quoting President Gerald Ford, who was president from 1974-77. Since he came to the vice presidency because of the resignation of Richard Nixon's first president Spiro Agnew, then to the oval office when Nixon resigned because of the Watergate scandal of 1973, Ford is the only American president who was not elected into office.

Ford's presidency and Nixon's scandals became fodder for the early years of "Saturday Night Live," which premiered in 1975. A young Chevy Chase, who turned 70 in October, frequently made fun of Ford, while his "SNL" co-stars Dan Aykroyd played Ford and John Belushi played Henry Kissinger in skits which were co-written by Al Franken, who is now a Democratic senator from Minnesota.

Here is Ford's quote: "I am acutely aware you have not elected me as your president by your ballots, so I ask you to confirm me with your prayers."

http://www.geraldfordmuseum.gov/

http://www.geraldfordfoundation.org

Presidential Quotes, Cont'd: Jimmy Carter

Greeting to our blog readers in the Netherlands, Croatia and Uzbekistan.

Today, we are continuing our series of presidential quotes with a quip from Jimmy Carter, the peanut farmer from Georgia who upset other Democratic candidates in the 1976 primaries and then defeated incumbent President Gerald Ford, whom Carter later became good friends with, to become president of the United States.

Other quotes in the series can be found on our sister blog "The Daily Vampire" http://www.nocturnalguys38.blogspot.com

Interestingly enough, the Marvel Comics character Howard the Duck also ran for president in 1976; we think he got more votes than Ralph Nader.

Here is the quote:

"America did not invent human rights. In a very real sense, human rights invented America."

http://www.carterlibrary.gov

http://www.cartercenter.org

Quote of the Day/Week-Lyndon B. Johnson

Today, we continue our quotes from American vice presidents or veeps, with Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973), whom like Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, later went on to become president. Though the circumstances behind Johnson's ascendency to the president were quite tragic as it was in the aftermath of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

Johnson was re-elected president in 1964 when he walloped Barry Goldwater, winning all but six states, including Goldwater's native Arizona. Among the state that Johnson are several states which have entrenched in red today, including Kansas, Wyoming, Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma and North Dakota.

Johnson was also the last president who had previously been a U.S. Senator (though Gerald Ford was a member of the House of Representatives) before the election of President Barack Obama, though many past and present Senators, including Al Gore, John Kerry and John McCain have attempted to become president in the years in between. Former Sen. Chuck Robb (D-Va.) was Johnson's son-in-law. Johnson, also known as LBJ, was the Senate Majority Leader from 1955-61.

The 36th president/37th veep, died in Johnson City, Tex., outside of Austin, where his presidential library is today.

Here is his quote:

"Every man has a right to a Saturday night bath."http://www.lbjlibrary.org

Quote of the Week- Gerald Ford

Today, we conclude our series which has featured quotes from the last 12 presidents before Barack Obama, starting with Franklin D. Roosevelt (we ran quotes on both blogs; the other one is The Daily Vampire which features a quote from Jimmy Carter today).

Virtually every president in modern times has played golf, but the game is asscoiated with Gerald Ford and Dwight D. Eishenhower more than anyone else, so for that reason this quip seems to be the most appropriate:

"I know I am getting better at golf because I am hitting fewer spectators."

The Gerald Ford Museum in Ann Arbor, Mich., is featuring an exhibit on the president's visit to Mao Tse Tung's China and a special exhbit on Betty Ford is running until Feb. 27, 2011.

SIDEBAR: Of course, we have to mention Chevy Chase whenever we mention Gerald Ford since the president's clumsiness was lampooned by the then-emerging star on "Saturday Night Live" in 1975. Chevy Chase, Md., happens to be a DC-suburb. And, our favorite DC suburb Bethesda, Md., is just a few zip codes over from there. If one is in Bethesda, they may want to visit The Lebanese Taverna (apologies to those of you who think a Turkish-American should only promote Turkish restaurants; we love Tallula's in Chapel Hill, NC, btw). The joint in Maryland is offering cooking lessons this month focusing on dishes like spinach salad and quince tarts. I guess one of the ironies of living in a small town is that I am one of the few people I know who thinks living in the 'burbs would be simply awesome!