Posted on 04/17/2012 1:43:25 PM PDT by presidio9
-SNIP-
But Clinton was not expecting a lesson in precision saluting when his motorcade pulled up to Reagan's post-presidential office in Los Angeles in late November 1992, a few weeks after he had defeated Bush. Clinton was mostly paying a courtesy call on the Great Communicator, who by now was 81 years old to Clinton's 46. The two men had met before, in the early 1980s, when Clinton attended a White House dinner that Reagan hosted for all the governors.
This time, they sat in Reagan's office mostly talking about safe subjects: the economy, the need to limit spending, the advantages of a line-item veto. When Clinton asked for advice in general, Reagan recommended the curative powers of Camp David.
But then Reagan noted that he had seen Clinton salute during the campaign and found his military method well, a little wanting. If Clinton was going to employ the gestures used by the military, Reagan urged, Clinton needed to be firmer, stronger, more commanding. How much clout you conveyed in office, Reagan understood better than anyone, owed a good deal to how you were perceived.
But how to do it, exactly? The old Army cavalry officer explained the hand had to come up slowly, like it was covered with honey, and then brought down sharply, definitively, as if it was covered with something far less pleasant. Clinton listened and soon the two men were standing in Reagan's office, practicing their salutes
The entire session lasted 70 minutes; Reagan awarded Clinton with a jar of jelly beans when it was over.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Reagan was a class act and great American. I would have taught him the Cub Scout salute.
IMHO POTUS should not salute. They are civilians. This is one protocol that President Reagan should not have initiated.I think if one looks in the FM 22-5 instructions will be found for how long a saluting soldier will hold his salute and what cues he will use when saluting a civilian.
If it were me, I would have held my advice and instead watched Clinton make an ass of himself.
But then again, Ronald Reagan was a much better person than I.
To bad that is all he learned from Reagan. A few more lessons and maybe Clinton wouldn’t have ended up an impeached reprobate, who at the mention of his name brings laughter from any audience.
My husband and I visited the Reagan Library last week. It is simply magnificent and inspiring. We both got very teary eyed listening to some of his speeches and absolutely furious thinking of what now occupies the Oval Office.
What kind of a library could this guy ever hope to have when he has virtually no past.
Nice to read that Reagan had such a high regard for the office that he wanted future Presidents to carry themselves with as much respect and authority. Too bad the meeting was cut short before Ron could discuss, in detail, what is appropriate behavior inside the Oval Office.
What kind of a library could this guy ever hope to have when he has virtually no past.
0bama doesn’t even rate a Porta Potty.
The one who loathes the U.S. military?
Is it acceptable nowadays to show the "salute" he uses?
The Commander in Chief should not salute the troops?
I don't have a problem with it.
President-elect Bill Clinton reacts as former President Ronald Reagan presents him with a jar of red, white and blue jelly beans at Reagan's office in the Century City section of Los Angeles, Nov. 27, 1992.
Sorry, the president is the military commander-in-chief. He is to be saluted because of his rank, not whether he is miltary or civilian. You are saluting the rank.
I would have taught Clinton the Benny Hill salute.
POTUS is more than a civilian - he is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces. Therefore, his protocol is different from that of an ordinary civilian.
In addition, since President Reagan made the decision that saluting was appropriate for the CIC when he was, in fact, the CIC, then the issue is settled for military people and not subject to disagreement. And there are any number of manuals one can turn to to find out whether military personnel must follow lawful orders.
They are Commander in Chief of the military. They should salute.
IIRC this was also the meeting where, according to a George Stephanopolis leak to the press (one Georgie had to publicly apologize for) Reagan told Clinton that he’d voted for him.
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