I have a question.
 

When Bill and Hillary left the white house, there were several things taken, and several things said to have been taken, and several things just plain old missing afterwards...

I know of several pieces of furnature and art that the Clintons acknowledged to have taken to New York.

If Hillary is elected President, will they return all those things that were taken? Will all the 'w's that were missing from the keyboards all start showing up? Will the silverware come back? Will they move that furnature and art back into the White House?

I was just wondering.

As has nearly every Presidential spouse.

Nancy Reagan - the china and placesettings.

Jackie and, then, Lady Bird - artwork.

Bess Truman - The "most comfortable" bed she had ever slept in.

Mamie Eishenhower - Several rooms of furniture for the Pennsylvania home.

Pat Nixon - Actually, she didn't take anything, but it could have had something to do with the hasty exit she and her husband made.

Barbara Bush - She, reportedly, also took nothing. Except her husband. And then, because she had to.

Ahh, yes. Pointing to other bad behaviour surely does justify it. I know that when you are denied access to a place, if they can show you another who breaks the law similarly, that is enough for you...

I was not making a judgement of if it was bad or good, just that it did happen. I do not believe that any of the first families you mentioned ever returned to live at the white house.

I know that some think that the Clintons are saints... That is fine. All I asked is that if they return, does the booty also come back?

I would guess, that if taking the things you like is some sort of precidented compensation, then they should not return it. IF they did, it means that they would be getting less compensation for Bill (as he returned the stuff) than for Hillary (Presuming that if she does get elected, then serve, then take stuff home) that they would then keep the items for real, as I don't think that they would likely have the opportunity to go back a third time.

I guess it is kind of like taking towels from the hotel. IF you take some towels from the Hilton, and then the next year go back to that hotel, you don't usually take them back, you just go towelless, till you arrive, and can take some more...

This is sort of an how many angels can dance on the head of a pin question, IMHO.

From what I've read (since I don't know the parties involved personally), these were gifts received from others during the presidency, and assumed by them to belong to them. The Repubs made a heyday out of it, as I recall. And the media, which was not particularly pro-Clinton by that time. Of course, the media usually looks for any kind of "fight" for a story. In later years, the truth has become less important than the emotional value of the piece.

I have read that the "w" keys was proven to be a falsehood. Questioned by an aquiescent media (was Jeff Gannon in the media group at that time??? He was well known for his softballs) and hedged artfully by the press secretary at the time. I do remember seeing the press interview with Fleischer at the time, and I recall being sorta surprised that there was no real yes or no answer, just a "we're above it and not going to worry about it" kind of response.

Pam

Karl,

No, it's not a justification. I was merely pointing out that while you limited the looting - because that's what it is, looting of government property for private use - to one First Couple, I was expanding that to show they had all done it. And I expanded that as a point of fairness, as it was also obvious from your post that the innuendo was the Clintons simply are not to be trusted (Of course, the way I feel, none of the candidates - and no one in the present Administration - are to be trusted.

Nor was I making any judgements. And would anyone have given Barbara Bush, or Nancy Reagan, or Rosylyn Carter, or Betty Ford, or Pat Nixon, or Lady Bird Johnson, or Mamie Eishenhower, or Bess Truman, or Eleanor Roosevelt a chance to become President?

Hillbilly for sainthood? <shudder> And, if we're lucky, all the booty will come back... except, of course for the stuff that got broken in Chelsea's dorm room.

And maybe that's how the GAO writes the missing stuff off - as "donations" to a potential Presidential Library/museum? I don't know. What I do know is after both Laura Bush made a stink about stuff the Clintons "took," and, earlier, when Barbara Bush made a stink about what Nancy walked out with, the GAO released information regarding missing items from previous Administrations, the worth of those items at the time, and the estimated worth of those objects (in the form of collectibles and artwork) at the then-today's prices.

Yes, I'll take the towels... and this lovely bathrobe... and the china places for 400... and this Renoir... and this bed...

Personally, I think it's more than just a little bit pathetic.

Here we can agree. It is kind of cheap and pathetic.

And I do recall that The Bush elders did make as much of a stink about the china that Nancy Reagan took (alledged to have taken?) than anything the Clintons took.

I was not planning to get into all this. It is true I do not much care for the Clintons but that is not the point. I agree that none of the political professional I know or am aware of, would be allowed in my home unwatched. I also know that the White House is one of my homes that I share with 300 million friends, and apparently, another 20 million or so stow-aways.

All that said, and that the white house staff and accountants likely expect some pilfering, much like the people at Motel 6 expect it, that does not make it right...

Still, my question was not if they took it, or if they should have taken it, but rather, should they return it...

As I recall, there are only one or two cases in history, where the same family left the presidency, and returned to it. Historically it was the same man, and I do not recall if they ever lived in the White House, but the idea is the same. Most go, and do not get to come back.

When one family does come back, it will be grounds for a new Precident. I would hope it be a step higher than the good folks at Motel 6 have come to expect from their pilfering repeat guests... Maybe they would actually be the best source for us to go to for an accurate prediction of likely events...

You Pose a Great Question....
 

I am assuming, as the white house will be their new main residence it will all reappear and then disappear again 4-8 years later! This is only if Hillary wins! Although then again Monica Lewinsky got 20% and I doubt you will ever see that again!

As far as the presidency goes, by nature, a president is elected either by the people or the electoral college or both! When a president is elected, they have from the election day to the inaugoration to redesign the white house. For the most part they can choose the carpeting, walls in certain areas, furniture, etc. This is why the interior never stays the same.

On inaugoration day, while everyone is busy watching the promise to serve the country, etc, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of workers scrambling to remove everything that must be renovated and redesigning the whole house! I do not know where all the old stuff goes, but I have heard that it does get thrown away! If this is true, I do not see a problem. Also, if it was a gift, I see no problem. I guess we will never know the story behind what was acquired and where it came from! But I do assume everything Monica does not have will indeed be returned only to be taken again!


Jeremy Ryan

Honest George
 

Its true, George and Laura did not take anything from the white house, But
'W" walked off with 18 billion dollars from the American people.

Nuff Said

Jonathan

Indeed, and I would assume most here would find that worse than a few couches and sheets!

Jeremy Ryan

The only other "close relatives" to have occupied the White House as separate Presidents were father and son John Adams and John Quincy Adams. John Adams, and his wife, Abigal, were the first inhabitants of the White House.

On August 24, 1814, President James Madison, and his wife, Dolly, were the inhabitants of the White House when it was burned - along with much of Washington, DC, itself - in the War of 1812. The White House was rebuilt, and was re-occupied by President James Monroe in 1817.

Except for a rebuilding/remodeling from 1948 to 1952 - to reinforce walls and add underground tunneling to ensure the President's safety - the White House has been the official residence of the President since 1817. In the 20th Century remodel, the White House was still the official residence for the President, and the President and First Lady hosted State Dinners in the White House, but the semi-official residence for President and Mrs. Truman was Blair House - almost adjacent to the White House, and now considered to be the official residence for visiting foreign dignitaries.

Now, don't anyone ask anything about the Titanic, okay? Please.