Bush and Obama's Presidential Meeting Is Unique in History

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Wasn't there a time in CLinton's presidency when five former predisents were living:
Bush 41
Reagan
Carter
Ford
Nixon
Clinton had a chance to get a photo op for the ages, but he didn't.
And, wasn't there a time in Nixon's presidency when there were NO living former presidents?
What's the record for living former presidents?

David Howard of MN 3:25AM January 18, 2009

Your memory is correct. There was a well publicized photo of the 5 presidents and their wives sitting in order of service. I also recall Nixon getting all of the living presidents to attend the dedication of his library though I am less certain on that one. There was also a full house at Reagan and Ford's funerals though they didn't all sit together in a row. And if one makes an exception for Reagan because of his health, all attended the September 11th memorial on Friday, September 14th 2001 in Washington.

fritz of TX 12:47PM January 13, 2009

"...this was the first meeting of all living presidents since October 1981..."
Not true. Five Presidents, former and (then) current, were present at the dedication of the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA, on November 4, 1991. Here is a photo:
http://blog.mlive.com/grpress/2008/05/gonzos_top_5_presidential_phot.html

Gregg Hanke of CA 6:07AM January 11, 2009

I notice that the cable news didn't have audio as to what Obama said.

Dennis Lee of NH 6:58PM January 09, 2009

It is kind of unfair to say that Jimmy Carter would be a "hindrance" than help. Many of us believe that Carter was a great president for all those who suffered injustice at the hands of the powerful blokes in the US. His write up on Israel and Palestine, his concern for the down trodden and particularly his concern for the Americans' addiction to oil shows that the man was wiser than his times justified.

S K DHOLAKIA 10:28AM January 09, 2009

You're better than this lame trivia retell. Also, you underplayed the fact that all the living presidents opposed Lincoln, which leads me to believe you just put this together out of a trivia book. Michael's right. There's the famous photo of the five living ex's at Nixon's funeral. They were also all at Reagan's funeral. Furthermore, no mention of the rarity of having no ex-presidents alive. This is a piece worthy of a blog, not Michael Barone.

Millard of NY 10:25AM January 09, 2009

If memory serves me right, Pres. Reagan, Pres. G.H.W. Bush, Pres. Ford, Pres. Carter, and Pres. Clinton were all at the Nixon funeral.

Michael McNitt of FL 9:59AM January 09, 2009

Yes Obama will have a lot of advisers. Maybe he could consult George W Bush for advice regarding the Iraq situation. Maybe even make Bush a sort of envoy to the Middle East.

Avinash Machado of CA 8:25AM January 09, 2009