The living presidents. Gosh, what's different about the current one?

[kpete]

?1452789835

But in the aftermath of Mr. McConnell’s statement on Saturday, a growing chorus of black voices is complaining that such a refusal to even consider a Supreme Court nominee would never occur with a white president.

“It’s more than a political motive — it has a smell of racism,” said Representative G. K. Butterfield, Democrat of North Carolina, the chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.

“I can tick instance after instance over the last seven years where Republicans have purposely tried to diminish the president’s authority,” Mr. Butterfield said. “This is just really extreme, and leads me to the conclusion that if this was any other president who was not African-American, it would not have been handled this way.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/18/us/politics/blacks-see-bias-in-delay-on-antonin-scalia-successor.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=photo-spot-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

[valerief]

1. Why is one of the oldest dudes, Carter, standing, and GWB seated?

I know, it's a GOP vs. Dem thing, but FFS, it visually tells us that the GOP are royalty.

I get GHWB sitting. He's 91. But so isn't Carter!!!!

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. That is the first thing that hit me too...

What the hell is Carter doing standing while Dumbson is seated...

[Xipe Totec]

4. Democrats stand. Republicans sit on it. nt

[lastlib]

18. (He's probably propping Daddy up after a drunk....)

(just a wild guess)

[Tommy_Carcetti]

6. To be fair, Bush Sr. might have been wheelchair bound.

And maybe Gwb didn't want Dad to be alone. But that's just me speculating.

But Carter is a goddamn 91 year old cancer ass-kicking, homebuilding, guinea-worm killing, globetrotting trooper, I will tell you that.

[valerief]

10. The 91-yr-olds s/b seated. Only one is. A Republican. Another Republican

is also seated. The rulers are seated is what this pic tells me.

WTF do you mean GWB didn't want his dad to be alone? Alone how? That makes no sense.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

12. I don't know.

Maybe Gwb thought in his simple mind it would have been awkward looking for Daddy to be the only one sitting.

Just my speculating, though.

[valerief]

14. Okay. You're ignoring what I'm saying. I get it. Welcome to my Forever Ignored club. nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

16. That is the strangest reason for ignore I've come across yet.

[bettyellen]

22. yeah, seriously. that was weird.

[CBGLuthier]

21. Oooh, can I join your club.

Your making a stink about who is sitting, makes me think I would really consider it an honor to be in your forever ignored club.

Please.

Pretty Please.

[livetohike]

9. First thing I noticed too. It will be so nice when Jeb! is out

of the race and these two fade away.

[valerief]

11. No, they're the herpes of U.S. politics. They'll never die. nt

[livetohike]

13. It sure seems that way!

[Orrex]

17. Because Carter gives no fucks

And perhaps it's to symbolize the fact that the Bushes sat on their respective asses during their terms.

[Jim Lane]

19. Based on the inscription on the wall, is this some Bush-related event?

It might be a dedication of Dim Son's presidential library or the like, in which case he and his father would have some claim to be shown a bit more honor than the merely "average" U.S. President.

[madokie]

23. It's health

Carter is much healthier due to his active lifestyle, I suspect. Where as poppy leads a sedimentary lifestyle. Again thats my thoughts on the why of this

[valerief]

27. So you're saying Carter is healthier than Dubya. Hmm. My point isn't that Poppy is seated.

It's that Carter is standing and Dubya is seated.

[madokie]

31. W is a drunk so yes I'm implying that Carter is healthier

little boots has been drinking a long time so I imagine his liver is shot > he is also suspected to be a powder users so theres that too. Both of which takes it toll on a persons body

[malaise]

24. Nah Carter is healthier - GHWB has Parkinsons disease

He looks much worse today than he does in that photo

[valerief]

28. Yeah, but, Malaise, Dubya is seated! Carter is standing and Dubya is seated.

He's like 20 years younger than Carter.

[Catherine Vincent]

29. My guess is Carter didn't want to sit

Regardless, it's a nice picture.

[Xipe Totec]

3. WHere's Cheney? nt

[valerief]

5. Out shooting drugged animals and his close, personal friends. nt

[Xipe Totec]

7. Don't talk about Scalia that way. nt

[valerief]

8. He can't shoot drugged animals and close personal friends anymore.

He should be cigarette ashes by now. Burn all evidence of drug abuse, Alzheimer's, whatever.

[malaise]

25. You win the thread

[oldandhappy]

15. Thank you for the post. Agree.

[Nye Bevan]

20. Yep. If Joe Biden or Hillary Clinton were president,

the Republicans in the Senate would be falling over themselves to vote on and confirm their Supreme Court nomination. Wouldn't they?

[deathrind]

26. I can only imagine...

...weep for where we might be today as a nation if President Obama had a congress that worked with him thru compromise instead of against him at all costs.

[CommonSenseDemocrat]

30. I wouldn't play the race card

This is the first time a Democratic President has had to fill a vacancy on SCOTUS with a Republican Senate since the Cleveland administration.

This drama would have happened under Clinton, or if Gore or Kerry had been elected.