Just back from Jimmy Carter book signing.

[Ben Burch]

WOW! He had more Secret Service than I imagined he would. And those are just the ones we noticed. I'm sure they had one you aren't supposed to notice. And there were state and local police too. And you couldn't really get closer to him than 6 ft across a rope-line, but he looked everybody in the eye and said hello as he signed your book.

He is now a very aged, small, wizened man. What I should have expected, really. But he still looked sharp as a tack behind the eyes.



They gave you ten seconds to snap a picture behind a second rope-line, so I used my cellphone for that. (I didn't expect to get the chance to take a picture.)

On the way out, we saw a man being escorted from the store by Secret Service and Costco security... Not sure what was up with it, but he looked to be dressed as though he were a Secret Service agent himself, but without the identifying pin. He was arguing with them, which I think must NEVER be a good policy.

P.S. Except for the camera and the book, you had to leave all your other items outside the screened area where President Carter was...

[CD3]

WOW! He had more Secret Service than I imagined he would. And those are just the ones we noticed. I'm sure they had one you aren't supposed to notice. And there were state and local police too. And you couldn't really get closer to him than 6 ft across a rope-line, but he looked everybody in the eye and said hello as he signed your book.

He is now a very aged, small, wizened man. What I should have expected, really. But he still looked sharp as a tack behind the eyes.



They gave you ten seconds to snap a picture behind a second rope-line, so I used my cellphone for that. (I didn't expect to get the chance to take a picture.)

On the way out, we saw a man being escorted from the store by Secret Service and Costco security... Not sure what was up with it, but he looked to be dressed as though he were a Secret Service agent himself, but without the identifying pin. He was arguing with them, which I think must NEVER be a good policy.

"by Secret Service and Costco security"

I'm trying to picture what the conversations between those two groups in the break room must have been like.

Security guard: ya know me and you are really in the same job.

Secret Service: sure we are.

[Trap]

Where was this??

I'd drive 100 miles to meet Jimmy.

[Ben Burch]

Where was this??

I'd drive 100 miles to meet Jimmy.

Costco in Glenview, IL

[rightiswrong]

I have alot of respect for Mr. Carter, even in his twilight years he appears so much more Presidential than the bozo currently occupying the office. If only he had been re-elected.

[FuzzySlippers]

Cool!!

[Ben Burch]

Cool!!

What I came home to is not cool, though; MAJOR router problems out of my control messed up the H.O.R.N. broadcast day. My provider says they are working on it, and I believe they are, but it was a real mess!!!

:-(

I am still running the diagnostics they asked me to run to document the issues.

[FuzzySlippers]

What I came home to is not cool, though; MAJOR router problems out of my control messed up the H.O.R.N. broadcast day. My provider says they are working on it, and I believe they are, but it was a real mess!!!

:-(

I am still running the diagnostics they asked me to run to document the issues.

Sorry.

[BlueBerry Pick'n]

@ CostCo...

oh gawd...

one hand giveth...

[Ben Burch]

@ CostCo...

oh gawd...

one hand giveth...

Costco are the good guys.

They are unionized and not dicks about it.

They pay a decent wage.

They give decent benefits.

They give to Democratic causes.

[LSK]

Dammit!!!! I heard he was in Chicago when he was on with Franken, but I couldnt find out where!

Oh well, I guess meeting Senator Durbin twice in the past month is good enough.

[Zemo]

I really envy you Ben, for meeting a man who may have been too good a man to actually be President of the USA.

[Aslan]

Costco are the good guys.

They are unionized and not dicks about it.

They pay a decent wage.

They give decent benefits.

They give to Democratic causes.

Very cool! I am so jealous. Just received the annual Christmas card from Jimmy and Rosalyn (we donate to Hab for Humanity). Jimmy is the real deal.

Thanks for the promotion on Costco. My wife used to work there when she was in school- they pay union scale even to the non-union folks. I have been a Costco member since they were called Price Club.

[annabanana]

I have read some vitriol from the right about this good man. I expect that he is still getting his full quotient of death threats from those who think they are "christians". It always astounds me that we've been characterized as the "angry left", when the killers are clearly on the other side.

[Kbob]

I have read some vitriol from the right about this good man. I expect that he is still getting his full quotient of death threats from those who think they are "christians". It always astounds me that we've been characterized as the "angry left", when the killers are clearly on the other side.

Well put, and Welcome.

I saw Jimmy Carter speak at the graduation ceremony of a friend of mine several years ago. He spoke to us about giving back to society. One line has still stayed with me. He looked out on us and pointed out that "Everyone in attendance was RICH, was wealthy beyond even the wildest dreams of most of he people in the world."

Perhaps it was no coincidence that he said this knowing that Alan Greenspan was receiving an honorary doctorate and was also in the audience.