<p>In the past 30 years, which White House family has done the best job of raising a decent kid? I think President and Mrs Carter did a remarkable job. </p>
<p>How do you think family values show up in the children of the White House in general?</p>
<p>In respect for children, please just list the positives. I am not interested in hearing who has done a bad job or which kid is a disapointment. Just who has done a good job and how that reflected on their actual values.</p>
<p>I like the Carters too. The Clintons may have had stuff, but they did a great job with a teenager in the white house. Chelsea has turned out pretty good.</p>
<p>Well, George Bush no. 1 has one son who is president and another who is governer.</p>
<p>Speaking of, Jeb Bush’s daughter has had some challenges, and the family has done an outstanding job of supporting her and helping her work through it.</p>
<p>I’ll go with the Carter’s, also. I felt that they handled issues of newsworthy collateral kin as well as anybody could have, while staying loyal to family.</p>
<p>I just love what they have done since they left…</p>
<p>I like the Carters but I have to say that I think Jackie Kennedy did a great job with her kids- especially considering the circumstances</p>
<p>The Carters without a doubt.</p>
<p>Jimmy Carter and his family have been remarkable.</p>
<p>Talk about think globally act locally!
Carter, an incidental Democrat and a very good Baptist, has acted locally-globally. I have been of the opinion that Carter has long understood himself to have transcended his political or parochial labels in favor of a higher-calling. If politics offered saint-hood, he would have to be considered the front-runner–followed by no-one!</p>
<p>Service and humility seem to have been his raison d’etre.</p>
<p>Ah, where was the love for the Carters 30 years ago? I was in Europe right fater he was defeated by Ronnie, and most overseaes thought we were crazy to have run off Carter the way we did.</p>
<p>CD: I was in Ann Arbor at the time, and the local radio station played “It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to” for 24 hours straight.</p>
<p>I vote for Carters, then Clintons.</p>
<p>
And where is the European economy lo these 30 thirty years? Right where ours was 30 years ago, and theirs. The very definition of stagnation and decline. Fortunately, most Americans don’t look to Europe for advice on how to run a country. Great place for vacations, though.</p>
<p>I confess to not being up on Amy Carter these days…what is it that so impresses you all ? (not a sarcastic question)</p>
<p>I’m somewhat taken aback by those who say the Carters and the Clintons. </p>
<p>Carter was probably a little high-minded (read: good)for the job of president, he’s said as much himself; Clinton, on the other hand, may have been a good president (according to the job description) but a good family man–oh my - oh my, now that is a liberal definition of both ‘good’ and ‘family’.</p>
<p>As to Amy, hopefully, she’s leading a relatively normal life. I suppose there will not be any dynastys in the making with her ala NIxon/Eisenhower of Kennedy/Arnold.</p>
<p>
No question about it, he’s clearly a legend in his own mind. A very few call it an ascension to political sainthood…many others call it a Napoleon complex. Habitats for Humanity is a good thing that he does pretty well…he should stick with that.</p>
<p>Not a good to have too much humanity in politics I guess. And nothing good to learn from Europe.</p>
<p>
No one said any such thing.</p>
<p>Since only three families in the last thirty years have had college-age-or-younger children while in the White House (Carter/Clinton/Bush2), it seems narrow to limit it to those with children. When I saw the title of this thread, I thought about larger family values. For example, I admire Eleanor Roosevelt and her support of those in need; I think the Barbara and Laura Bush have both done a good job supporting literacy; I think Pat Nixon must somehow have raised her children well since they’ve become responsible members of society; and I admire the heck out of Jackie Kennedy, whose daughter has survived enormous tragedies and still cares about the world.</p>
<p>I limited to the last thirty trying to capture the views of parents who were raising children at the same time in the same social/cultural choices, not because I thought less of The Adams family. </p>
<p>I asked that it be kept on the positive because I value positive attitudes. I admire the way President Carter has handled himself since leaving office. I think he is one of those Presidents who not only goes to church, he actually pays attention.</p>
<p>“I think he is one of those Presidents who not only goes to church, he actually pays attention.”</p>
<p>And as far as Clintons, we’re talking about raising children with strong values. Chelsea seems to have them, and seemed to know better than to get caught for underage drinking while Dad’s the president.</p>
<p>My cousin is a minister in Georgia, and she often attends Carter’s Sunday School class, which he has taught in Plains before he became president, and now for all these years afterwards. She loves him and the way she says he speaks from the heart.</p>