Trump At Graceland

President Donald Trump was in Memphis, Tennessee yesterday to attend a forum on the crime safe task force accomplishments. Following this, he made a surprise visit to Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion.

He signed a guitar in the Jungle Room (known during Presley's time as the den). 

He is the second sitting U.S. President to visit Graceland.

According to Google:

As of March 2026, only two sitting U.S. presidents have toured Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion: George W. Bush (in 2006 with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi) and Donald Trump (on March 23, 2026). Other presidents, such as Jimmy Carter, have visited the estate after leaving office.

Here's a video on Trump's visit:

Jimmy Carter: Movie Star!

Well, sort of.

One of the funniest comedy movies of the 1980s was Used Cars (1980) starring Kurt Russell and Jack Warden. 

In this clip, the president's televised address on inflation is interrupted by a commercial.

"Malaise" Led To The Election of Ronald Reagan

 

Jimmy Carter’s presidency: A time of 'malaise' that led to the election of Ronald Reagan https://t.co/Al6Ze4BcBV #FoxNews

— Bo Snerdley (@BoSnerdley) December 30, 2024

 

Jimmy Carter, 1924 - 2024

Above, a 1976 Carter campaign button. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been announced that former President Jimmy Carter has passed away at age 100.

It has been my impression that Carter was the last honest Democrat president, although ineffective. It has been said that he was a better ex-president than president. It is something that I agree with.

I worked in the Reagan For President campaign in 1980. That was the election that ousted Carter from office.

Much has been said about his failures. There was one failure I didn't blame him for: the doomed rescue attempt of the American hostages. Yes, the mission was a failure, but at least Carter gave the go-ahead to try. 

The 1976 Carter campaign button shown at top is the only one I have from his campaign. I believe I got it from El Camino College professor Lance Widman. 

Panama Violating Its Canal Treaty By Cozying Up To China

Above, the Panama Canal. Tripadvisor photo.

Panama president rules out talks with Trump over canal threat • Dec. 27, 2024, 1:54 AM ET (Voice of America English News)

In 1976, former Gov. Ronald Reagan made the Panama Canal a campaign issue during the year's GOP presidential primary campaign against President Gerald Ford. He charged that Ford and Sec. of State Henry Kissinger were about to turn over control of the canal to Panama. They didn't accomplish this.

Above, Nancy and Ronald Reagan at the 1976 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

However, after Jimmy Carter beat Ford in the 1976 election, he turned it over to Panama.

Recently, two friends took a two-week cruise that included sailing through the canal. They learned that cruise ships have to pay around $200,000 to cross through the canal.

Now, it seems that Panama is giving control operations to China, in violation of the Panama Canal Treaties.

From the New York Post:

“Welcome to the United States Canal!” the once and future President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social Sunday, along with a photo of an American flag proudly fluttering over a narrow body of water.

Earlier in the day, Trump had told a crowd at Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest rally that he would never allow the Panama Canal, a strategic waterway built by the United States over a century ago to connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, to fall into the “wrong hands.”

Trump made an economic argument along with his geopolitical one: “We’re being ripped off at the Panama Canal like we’re being ripped off everywhere else,” he told the audience as he denounced the increased fees billed to American shippers by the canal’s operators.

The waterway, originally an American possession, was given to Panama by President Jimmy Carter in two 1977 treaties that barely passed the two-thirds Senate majorities necessary for ratification.

The first treaty obliged Panama to operate the canal neutrally, with nondiscriminatory pricing, and allowed the United States to defend it from any threat that might interfere with its neutrality.

The second treaty transferred full control to Panama effective on Dec. 31, 1999, without superseding the first treaty’s broad provision allowing for US defense of this crucial military and economic asset.

Yet despite the assurances in these agreements, the sad truth is the Panama Canal is already in the “wrong hands”: China’s.

In 1996, Panama made a 25-year agreement to outsource management of the canal’s two entry ports — Cristóbal on the Atlantic side and Balboa on the Pacific — to a subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa, a Hong Kong-based shipping firm.

To read more, go here. 

2024 Trump Campaign Ad: Are You Better Off?

 2024 Trump Campaign Ad: Are You Better Off?

Synopsis: 

In this ad, Donald Trump utilizes a question asked by candidate Ronald Reagan during the 1980 debate with Jimmy Carter 'are you better off than you were four years ago.'

Trump and the UFO Question

Above, a Stars & Stripes article on the Roswell Incident of 1947.

Years ago, former President Jimmy Carter said while campaigning that he would look into UFOs and release the government's files on them. He never did.

Neither have his presidential successors.

Former President Donald Trump gave an interesting answer recently on UFOs.

According to Yahoo! News:

Donald Trump has revealed whether he believes in UFOs during an interview with social media personality Logan Paul released on Thursday.

While the former president said he doesn’t personally believe in UFOs, he acknowledged the growing contingent of people in- and outside of government who believe aliens exist might have a point.

Trump described meeting with military pilots who had strange encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena, as the government refers to them.

“I met with pilots, like beautiful — Tom Cruise but taller — handsome perfect, people. ‘Sir, there was something there that was round in form and going like four times faster than my super jet fighter plane,’” Trump recalled being told. “And I looked at these guys and they really mean it.”

“Am I a believer? No,” Trump continued. “Probably I can’t say I am. But I have met with people that are serious people that say there’s some really strange things that they see flying around out there.”

Perhaps if he wins this election, Trump can release the government documents on UFOs that have been kept top secret for decades.

To read more, go here.

31st Anniversary of My 39th Birthday

Above, Monument Valley in October 2022.

This would be an ordinary Sunday except for one thing: today I am celebrating the 31st anniversary of my 39th birthday (as President Reagan used to say).

So far, over 70 well-wishes have been received at Facebook and elsewhere. For those who were thoughtful to send them, my deepest thanks. 

It is hard to believe that only a few years ago that whenever I was asked my age, I would reply, "I'm too young for MediCare and too old for women to care." Well, I've gone past that. 

It is indeed a blessing to have lived this long. I often think of contemporaries who have passed on, including friends and family members. I plan on keeping on. Staying active is the key to longevity. As of now, I am feeling fine. The medical emergency I had five years ago was a wake-up call. I have lost weight, eating healthier and follow my doctor's orders along with taking my medications. 

Funny thing. I was just down at the Flying J and waiting in a long line at the checkstand. A fellow behind me and I struck up a conversation. He is a long-haul trucker and he thought I was one too. He said, "You look like a trucker!" I told him no, I am a retired insurance adjuster and the only thing I drove in my job was a desk. 

I'll just close this with something President Reagan told former President Jimmy Carter at the dedication of the Carter Library in 1986. Reagan told Carter, as it was also Carter's birthday, "Life begins at 70!" 

Here's where I find out if that's true.

Ike and Susan B. Anthony Dollars

Above, a 1978 Eisenhower and 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollars. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two more coins I found this morning from the box of stuff from the strongbox were a 1978 Eisenhower dollar (also called the Ike dollar) and a 1979 Susan B. Anthony dollar. 

Neither are worth too much, maybe a little bit over denominational value. Of the two, the Anthony dollar is probably worth less than the Eisenhower dollar. It was just an unpopular coin, it is about the size of a quarter. Since it was introduced during the administration of President Jimmy Carter, critics called the Susan B. Anthony dollar the "J.C. penny".

On the Susan B. Anthony dollar, from Wikipedia:

The Susan B. Anthony dollar is a United States dollar coin minted from 1979 to 1981 when production was suspended due to poor public acceptance, and then again in 1999. Intended as a replacement for the larger Eisenhower dollar, the new smaller one-dollar coin went through testing of several shapes and compositions, but all were opposed by the vending machine industry, a powerful lobby affecting coin legislation. Finally, a round planchet with an eleven-sided inner border was chosen for the smaller dollar.

The original design for the smaller dollar coin depicted an allegorical representation of Liberty on the obverse, but organizations and individuals in Congress called for the coin to depict a real woman. Several proposals were submitted, and social reformer Susan B. Anthony was selected as the design subject. The reverse design of the Eisenhower dollar was retained, an engraving of the Apollo 11 mission insignia showing an eagle landing on the Moon. Both sides of the coin, as well as the rejected Liberty design, were created by Frank Gasparro, the Chief Engraver of the United States Mint.

One and a half billion coins were struck in anticipation of considerable public demand, but the Anthony dollar was poorly received, in part because of confusion caused by its similarity in size and metallic composition to the quarter.

On the Eisenhower dollar, from Wikipedia: 

The Eisenhower dollar was a one-dollar coin issued by the United States Mint from 1971 to 1978; it was the first coin of that denomination issued by the Mint since the Peace dollar series ended in 1935. The coin depicts President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the obverse, and on the reverse a stylized image honoring the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon mission based on the mission patch designed by astronaut Michael Collins. Both sides were designed by Frank Gasparro. It is the only large-size U.S. dollar coin whose circulation strikes contained no silver.

In 1965, because of rises in bullion prices, the Mint began to strike copper-nickel clad coins instead of silver. No dollar coins had been issued in thirty years, but, beginning in 1969, legislators sought to reintroduce a dollar coin into commerce. After Eisenhower died that March, there were a number of proposals to honor him with the new coin. While these bills generally commanded wide support, enactment was delayed by a dispute over whether the new coin should be in base metal or 40% silver. In 1970, a compromise was reached to strike the Eisenhower dollar in base metal for circulation, and in 40% silver as a collectible. President Richard Nixon, who had served as vice president under Eisenhower, signed legislation authorizing mintage of the new coin on December 31, 1970.

Although the 40% silver collector's pieces sold well, the new base-metal dollars failed to circulate to any degree, except in and around Nevada casinos, where they took the place of privately issued tokens. There are no dollars dated 1975; coins from that year and from 1976 bear a double date 1776–1976, and a special reverse by Dennis R. Williams in honor of the bicentennial of American independence.

As Wikipedia states, the Eisenhower dollar circulated around Nevada casinos. They were fun to use when I spent Spring Break in Las Vegas in 1973, especially while playing roulette. I thought the Susan B. Anthony dollar was too much like a quarter and the portrait of Anthony was ugly (like a hag or wicked witch). 

I am definitely keeping the Eisenhower dollar as they are not easy to find. I haven't seen a circulated one in decades.

Ronald Reagan's March 31, 1976 Televised Address

Above, Ronald and Nancy Reagan during the 1976 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in the 1976 presidential primary campaign, former Governor Ronald Reagan challenged President Gerald Ford for the Republican nomination for president.

During the campaign, the Reagan campaign floundered as it had not won a single primary until the North Carolina primary in March.

Following that win, Citizens for Reagan purchased a half hour of airtime for Reagan to address the American people on March 31, 1976. The North Carolina primary win and the address of March 31 gave the Reagan campaign a much-needed shot-in-the-arm and he went on to win most of the state primaries thereafter.

At the 1976 Republican National Convention at Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, I was a California Reagan delegate. During the balloting,  Ford won with 1187 votes to 1070 votes for Reagan. He later lost to Jimmy Carter during the general election. 

Above, Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

This morning, I came upon Reagan's March 31 televised address on YouTube. This was the first time I watched it since 1976, even though I did make an audio recording during the broadcast.

The address by Reagan in many respects applies today with what we're going through with Biden and the Democrats, especially with current problems with Russia, energy and the economy.

Here is the video of that address:

Return To The Carter Era, Thank Democrats

 

John Lennon

Above, John Lennon's "Double Fantasy" album my dad bought. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Forty years ago today, John Lennon was murdered in New York. I remember that night like it was yesterday.

I was driving on Aviation Blvd. in my new 1980 Toyota Pick-up in Manhattan Beach when the bulletin came on.

One thing I really remember about the news broadcasts were that different stations varied in their reporting. Some would say Lennon was dead, while others said he was still alive. Since this was a month after the 1980 election, it sounded like election night where one station would project states for Reagan while others projected states for Carter.

A day or so later, my dad picked up a copy of Lennon's "Double Fantasy" album (pictured above). It is not a bad album, except for the Yoko Ono songs. 

It amazes my how time has flown by. 

Kemper Arena Now

Above, Kemper Arena today. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In 1976, I was a California Delegate for former Governor Ronald Reagan at the 1976 Republican National Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. The contenders for the Republican presidential nomination were President Gerald R. Ford and Reagan.

Above, the Reagans arrive at the Hilton Plaza Inn during the
1976 Republican National Convention. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The convention was held at Kemper Arena. This was the first GOP national convention I attended as a member of the California Delegation. I later attended the 1980 and 1984 GOP national conventions as a member of the California Delegation.

Ultimately, President Ford won the nomination against Reagan, but went on to lose the general election against Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter.

During my return trip from Metropolis, Illinois this month, the route I took had me in Kansas City, Missouri. While there, I decided to stop and take a look at Kemper Arena. This was my first visit to Kansas City, Missouri since 1976.

1979, the arena's roof collapsed due to a design flaw and structural failure. The arena was repaired and reopened within a year. Fortunately, nobody was killed. Recently, it was proposed to tear down the underused arena, but those plans have been withdrawn.

The arena still looks the same to me, 40 years later and after the 1979 roof collapse.

A Record 84 Million Watched Trump-Clinton Debate

The first debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump set a new record in the number of viewers.

According to the Japan Times:

NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES – The first presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump drew 84 million U.S. television viewers Monday night, a record for such an event and a number rarely seen in the age of digital streaming and social media. 

The audience beat the 1980 record of 80.6 million set by the Jimmy Carter-Ronald Reagan debate but fell short of the 100 million viewers some analysts had predicted.

To read more, go here. 

"Nappy" & "Chunks" Get Their Clocks Cleaned

Above, celebrating victory at the Odyssey Restaurant.

Robert McArthur: See? Told ya ... "There is no substitute for victory."

Jackie "Nappy" Scott and her narcissist friend Denise "Chunks" Santos tried to defeat me in Small Claims Court today in Van Nuys, but their lying testimonies were about as convincing as the special effects of The Giant Claw.

Fortunately, as I anticipated that Denise would show up as a "witness", I was ready with the text message transcript from last February that exposed her lies.

Scott claimed she never received my text messages of May and June (I had copies of them with me) with my request for payment of her costs of the Hawaii trip and claimed that she was told by "Chunks" that all she had to pay for was her airfare (and her "star witness" also tried to back her up, but she knows better) and that "Chunks's" mother would cover the rest. Totally bogus! She claimed that she never knew she was obligated otherwise. The first I heard of this tale was when we exchanged evidence in the hallway. Later, she even tried to deny that Denise and I were even engaged! And I said out loud under my breath, "That's a lie." She also claimed that after our meeting with the Auto Club travel agent, when we met at Coco's, she was "unsure" if she was even going. That's another lie. She was definitely sure about going when she asked me to front her portion of the AAA travel package. I produced the text message in which I expressed my displeasure to Denise in being put on the spot over this to the court.

In rebuttal, I argued, "It seems odd that when she was served with the lawsuit, she didn't contact me to question it." The judge pro tem didn't buy any of her arguments.

Her "witness" stumbled like a drunk when she tried to answer the judge's questions. She tried to tell tall tales on the fly. She's going to look awfully foolish on television if she tries this tactic on Hot Bench* next month. She had the gall to claim that I never asked for payment until after she and I broke up. Another outrageous lie! By all rights, she should be nailed for perjury.

The thing I do before I go into Small Claims Court is that I watch the Reagan and Carter debate from 1980 and study Reagan's way of deflecting the other side's arguments. It has worked for me every time I've been in Small Claims Court. Well, I won them all!

It was only when the lies got outrageous was when my blood began to boil. But I would catch myself and just smile and laugh. That bugged them.

So now Jackie Scott owes me $808.25 plus court expenses. Not bad for a "pathetic old fuck"! If it weren't for them telling so many lies, I wouldn't be "whooping it up" so much.

I wore my space shuttle tie for good luck today, too!

*The lies that were told today were so outrageous that I am considering pulling out of the show.

*****************************
Funny stuff:

Obama: Speak Big But Carry A Soft Stick!

President Theodore Roosevelt's approach to foreign policy was, "Speak softly, but carry a big stick!"

President Barack Obama's approach to foreign policy is, "Speak big, but carry a soft stick!"

We are seeing this right now as Russian President Vladimir ("Vlad the Invader") Putin thumbed his nose at Obama by mobilizing troops and tanks into the Ukraine within hours following Obama's affirmation of "there will be costs for any military intervention in Ukraine."

If Obama ever makes "Vlad the Invader" crap his pants, he will only do so by making him laugh too hard to contain this bowels. Putin is making the U.S. and the West look weak in this matter.

Bullying dictators only respect strength and resolve. Obama has displayed neither.

It is interesting that all this is happening after Obama and Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced a cut to the nation's defenses to levels not seen since before World War II.

Ronald Reagan, who knew that peace only comes through strength, is probably spinning in his grave.

If anyone needs evidence that a new Cold War has started, we have it now. And this is because we have an incompetent president with idiotic policies who surrounds himself with other idiots and kooks of the kind not seen since the days of Jimmy Carter.

And liberals now drool over the prospect of a "President Rodham-Clinton", a woman who accomplished nothing as secretary of state, except to get four people butchered in Libya, including our ambassador and then lied about it.

Heaven help us!

Great Debate For Romney!

This has been the best debate since the Reagan-Carter debate of 1980.

Mitt Romney was strong throughout the debate and Obama withered.  He looked like George H.W. Bush in 1992.  He acted as if he didn't want to be there.

Romney was on offense throughout.  Obama rambled and just melted.

Romney had some good zingers.

I feel great after this!

Patrick Caddell: Media Has Become "An Enemy of the People"

Patrick Caddell, former pollster for Jimmy Carter, gave a speech stating, in no uncertain terms, that the press has become an "enemy of the people."

To see some of Caddell's speech, go here.

"The Makers vs. The Takers"

A tape of Mitt Romney has surfaced through radical-lib magazine Mother Jones (via the grandson of loser ex-President Jimmy Carter) of Mitt Romney on May 17, 2012 at a closed-door Boca Raton, Florida fundraiser.

At the fundraiser, Mitt Romney said this:

"There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that's an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what..These are people who pay no income tax.... my job is is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

Romney is absolutely correct.  And, most importantly, he's not backing down.  The comments were in the context of campaign strategy, not policy, anyway.

Most of the "victims" are those who the Obama economic policies have made dependents on the government.  Others are professional leeches on the public tough.

This tape won't hurt Romney, it will help him as taxpayers are pissed at being gouged by all levels of government.  Romney just bluntly stated what people are already thinking!

This election boils down to a contest between the parasite class and everybody else.  It is "The Makers vs. The Takers."

Libya and Egypt: Jimmy Carter All Over Again

The attacks on the embassies in Egypt and Libya on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11 is a sad reminder that there are people out there who hate Americans.  They are egged on by the weak leadership out of Washington whose embassy in Cairo issued a mealy-mouthed statement reeking of appeasement.

The Obama Administration and their toadies in the MSM are trying to deflect this into a smear on Mitt Romney.  That dog won't hunt, especially once all the details come out.  And they WILL come out!

According to Rush Limbaugh, who went through the timeline of the Cairo statement apologizing for a film, through the killing of our ambassador in Libya (yes, I know Libtards will dismiss Rush, but the truth is the truth, nonetheless):

Tell the Democrats that during the war in Iraq. Politics ends at the water's edge? Except, see, that's not what happened. Cairo puts out this statement that I just read to you, and once the media gets hold of that and starts reporting it, somebody has to speak up. It is outrageous. It's disgraceful. It's exactly what Romney said. So, to review: On 9/11, our embassy is attacked. A press release is issued before the attack apologizing for a private citizen exercising his free speech in our own country. 

After the embassy is attacked, the State Department spokeswoman essentially endorsed the earlier release but they disavowed it first. They said it stands. Actually what happened was Embassy Cairo issues that statement; Washington disavows it. Embassy Cairo tweets: No, it still stands. (The operative part of our statement being about embarrassed over what Americans are doing to hurt the feelings of Muslims, that still stands.) Throughout all of yesterday and last night -- throughout all of it -- Obama has said nothing.

Until about eleven o'clock this morning.

While the MSM is spending its time trying to smear Romney, they are avoiding the obvious questions:

Why weren't the Marines at the embassy in Libya?   (According to reports, there were NO Marines stationed there.)

Why weren't the embassies on heightened alert on the anniversary of 9/11?

How did the mob find out where Ambassador Stevens was located?  Who tipped them off?

Rush raised this as well:

They were able to get to the flag, rip it down, try to set it on fire, and raise the Al-Qaeda flag. That just doesn't happen. Now, if you move over to Libya, when that happens, there is a procedure in place to transfer the ambassador and his high-level aides to a different location for his safety and security, which happened. CBS (no less than CBS) is reporting the following. Brace yourselves. "Libyan officials moved our ambassador to a secure location and then told the mob where they took him," and that's how the mob knew where he was. 

That's how the mob knew where to go to kill our ambassador, because the Libyan officials who moved him to the secure place (according to CBS), then told the mob where he was. Then to add insult to injury, we have to listen this morning -- honest to God folks -- to Mrs. Clinton and Obama praise the Libyans for trying to save our ambassador. These pictures that you've seen with the ambassador upside-down, half naked, being carried over somebody's shoulder?

Ambassador Stevens's body wasn't found until twelve hours later according to reports.

This is a massive foreign policy failure of the Obama Administration.  Two embassies are attacked.  American diplomats are killed, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya.  Yet Obama feels he can go to  Las Vegas to campaign.  He is a disgrace!

This is Jimmy Carter all over again.