Where are They Now?
It is the dream (goal) of many American politicians (elected representatives) to win the ultimate (highest) prize in American government: the presidency. Right now, there are elections in many U.S. states to determine who will be the candidates for the next presidential election in November of this year. Last week on Cafe 329, we talked about a former (past) president, Jimmy Carter. Many of our more recent presidents have been young enough to live long lives after leaving the White House (the presidency). What exactly do ex-presidents (former presidents) do?
There are no official (legal) duties of an ex-president. They can do pretty much (almost) anything they want to do. Some write memoirs or autobiographies – stories of their own lives. Most work on their presidential library – a place where their documents are kept and where scholars (researchers) can go to study their time as president. Oftentimes, they are sent by the current president on some diplomatic mission (activity involving talking to or working with another government) or to help with some particular cause. Some ex-presidents, like Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, start charitable organizations to help people in need (who need help).
In the past, a few ex-presidents have gone into (become a member of) another branch (part) of government. After leaving the presidency in 1829, John Quincy Adams became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (he had also been a U.S. Senator before being elected president). President William Taft (1909-1913) was later (1921 – 1930) the Chief Justice of the United States, head (leader) of the United State Supreme Court.
Even if President Obama wins the election this fall, he will still be a relatively young man when he finishes his job as president – only 55 years old in 2016. It is possible that he could take another job in government. It is more likely, however, that he will follow the path (do the same as) other recent ex-presidents and work in some charitable organization, write books, and look back on (remember) his days (time) as the occupant of (person living in) 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (the White House’s street address).
What happens to ex-leaders of your country? Do they do what our ex-presidents do?
~Jeff
Photo credit: White House, Wikipedia CC
January 24th, 2012 at 9:34 am
Very interesting ,fetching article Jeff.
But, you know,I have always been curious if the former presidents write all their biography and other books all by themselves or they hire ghost writers?
I mean if they wrote them all by themselves ,does not make it them very powerful writers.
U know what I m trying to get at here.
Are they all writers as well
Or they hire ghost writer
And I heard they get 2500000 per year for the rest of their loves after they are finished their terms
Obama himself has written some books by know. Are they all the world of himself or some ghost writers ?
Thanks
January 24th, 2012 at 9:37 am
Well, in Russia we don’t have ex-leaders >< They stay in power until they die. lol.
I'm afraid same thing would happen with Mr.Putin. He's trying to get elected as president for the 3rd time.
Thank you very much Jeff for all the work you've been doing. Been listening to ESLpod for 3 years now.
You've helped me a lot. Keep up the good work.
Cheers from Moscow.
January 25th, 2012 at 12:16 am
Here, in Spain, we have Felipe Gonzalez, Jose Maria Aznar and Jose Luis Zapatero as our last ex-presidents. Mr Gonzalez has been Ambassador Extraordinary and chairman of the Elders of the EU (since 2007). Mr Aznar has been collecting titles “Honoris Causa” from a lot of universities, both in Spain and USA and he says things like that “environmentalism is the new communism”. And finally, Mr Zapatero has just lost the last elections and we don’t know what he will do.
January 25th, 2012 at 12:34 am
Good work Mr. Jeff
First of all, in Middle Est & North Africa We don’t have ex-president [Like ur country Renat] and as u said they still till to die
However, if there is a revolution topple the ruling regime, as happened in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya, while Syria is another story.
They are even now trying to topple its president, the long reign of more than 10 years….
SO the bottom line is that we don’t have EX-PRESIDENT u have to toppled them to have ex-president
!!!!!!!!!!!
and all president in country I mentioned some of them sat on the throne of power for more than 30 years ???????!!!!!!!
January 25th, 2012 at 12:55 am
Thanks Dear Jeff for it.well,in Iran same as many other countries ex-leaders stay in power unless they oppose the government(same as what we had in our last presidential election)we have a very narrow group of people whom the government trust!but the funniest thing is that this number is getting smaller and smaller!God bless everyone and our people too.
January 25th, 2012 at 11:56 am
Here in Spain they are very well situated and have a wealthy life´s level.
Like a reward all the presidents have the opportunity of entering to the
“Council State” a privilege site to park persons that have been in high
politician decisions forming part of a government and now they have
nothing to do with the one which is at the moment.
Gonzalez, Aznar and now Zapatero (sure he will be) are now in the mentioned
Council.
Gonzalez and Aznar are also giving speeches, going to the universities
to teach I do not know what? or forming part of some private groups.
./Murdoch for instance/ where they get a lot of money.
Adolfo Suarez the first president got alzheimer and he is really in a
very bad situation.
Calvo Sotelo pass away so now he is out of question.
This is the former president´s situation in Spain, a short very short
history as our democracy is also very short, just only since 15.06.1977
that was the first democratic elections in this country after 41 years
without any.
Like lot of countries now, some friends living over them have told
us, we lived under a dictatorship for a very long time without any
elected president or similar.
First time I could voted I was over the thirty years of age and it was
something peculiar and odd but either quite exiting for me and for
lot of spaniards.
What could I said about the differences of dictatorship and democracy?
Several, of course, but this is another story.
As always Jeff you have all my best wishes.
emiliano
January 25th, 2012 at 7:28 pm
Here in Colombia, we are one of the strongest democracies in the region. What I mean by that is that my country has had one of the lower, if not the lowest, number of dictators in Latin America. It also means political and economic stability, and strong Governmental Institutions.
President Gaviria, who was in office in the beginning of the 90’s, worked in OAS (Organization of American States) some years ago, and nowadays is still very active in the political scene, he’s the Director of a political party. After Gaviria, we have president Samper, who hasn’t have any international work as an ex president, at least I don’t remember now, but he still gives his opinions in the political themes, and write columns in the important wallpapers and magazines. Then we have President Pastrana who was the Colombian Ambassador in United States of America. After Pastrana, we have president Uribe, who was a very famous one because the National Constitution was modified in order to re-elect him. And now he’s been investigated because of some corruption that took place during his administration…that’s an overview of what Colombia’s ex-presidents are doing now, by the way all of them are still alive, and I can’t talk about the presidents before Gaviria because I was too young to remember them.
Hope you know more about my country.
Regards
January 25th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
Hi Jeff-san,
Compared with your country’s ex-political leader, I am very sad about the fact that Japanese political heads often show a lack of explanation skill or poor leadership.
After leaving the position of the head minister, they usually stay as members of national lawmaker. I often see them on TV sleeping during the diet because they are too old to have passions for the future of the country I guess.
Thank you.
January 25th, 2012 at 10:46 pm
Thank you so much, Jeff, for this important question: where are those people who once led our country?
I honestly would not be able to answer you just like that, because I was truly an ignorant about who’s who in Mainland China’s government.
After a lengthy search online, and very careful study, I can shed some light on “Where is/are our former leader(s) now”.
We have only one living former President of the People’s Republic of China: Jiang Zemin (born 17 August 1926).
Where is he now?
I am not too sure where he is now, but there was a scary moment on 6 July last year (2011) when some media reported a source as saying: “Former leader Jiang died at midnight at Beijing 301 Hospital.” At approximately 3 pm, it issued a correction: “We reported that Jiang was in critical condition or died based on several sources, but a figure in Beijing called us at noon to inform us that his condition has improved.”
On 9 October 2011, Jiang made his first public appearance since his premature obituary in Beijing at a celebration to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution.
Now, we all know that he is live and well.
I am afraid I cannot find much information about exactly what he is doing at the moment.
Thanks again, Jeff, your question prompted me to find out lots of information about Mainland China’s leaders. It was quite a time consuming task for me, but I think it is time well spent.
Betty
January 26th, 2012 at 4:48 am
Seriously,
Anybody out there knows if they hire ghosts writer.
I mean ,it is not easy to write a children short story much less a 500 plus pages about some prominent character in the course of history.
It calls for due deligence , search deligence
It is a lot of work
How on earh do the set aside time to compose a book where as it takes years for greate writers to put together a book.
It is like celebrities ,
Some of them have crazy schedule , yet they maintain mean ,lean fugues. To maintain a mean and lean body ,not bulking up which requires more time, you need a regiment schedule of different sport activities.
So ,how on earth ,say Brad pit maintain his figure while he is working on two big projects ,two movies , this year alone.
Right diet would not do it, 7,8 hours every day tense exercise would do it.
Seriously , anybody out there care to chime in.
What is their trade secret?
Jeff humour me ,would you
I know ,it is a trivia ,but trust me my man ,it is not a trivial by any means because it is a question meant for scientist ,I guess.
Help me out here ,would you.
Dear Jeff,
Be a pal
You know all the answers
One more time, Piqué my curiosity
Thank pall
January 26th, 2012 at 5:22 am
Hi! I am very, very busy as I watch the European Figure Skating Championship from Sheffield, Great Britain, every evening.
All the best to you all,
Tania
January 26th, 2012 at 5:43 am
Hi! I am sure you are “green with envy” as I am walking on the park alleys full of snow even sleding.
Don’t be so envious! I send you some flakes of snow. Do you feel them ?
January 26th, 2012 at 6:13 am
Ummm, it seems that our “Leaders” around the world are not so, let’s say appreciated
January 27th, 2012 at 3:21 am
Hi! Waking up in the morning I saw a lot of ice flowers on my windows. Just to see how nice they are I send you an ice flower.
Admire their brilliance!
January 27th, 2012 at 3:27 am
Hi! Thank you for the difference between the verbs “to kidnap” and “to abduct”.
On the CNN Channel I have just seen a journalist abducted in Somalia.
January 27th, 2012 at 4:24 am
Hi!
DUST OF SNOW by Robert Frost
“The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree.
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.”
January 28th, 2012 at 4:07 am
Hi! A world record in Montana: 38 cm in diameter a flake of snow.
January 28th, 2012 at 11:07 am
Hi! I’ve never heard about Homeboy or Homegirl. I think it is very useful this nonprofit organization called Homeboy Industries. This kind of organisations would be very useful and in my country
especially for the young boys and girls who leave the orphan house at eighteen years old. They have no house, no job.
“Truer words were never spoken” when it came to a job: “nothing stops a bullet like a job”.
January 28th, 2012 at 11:19 am
Hi! I found Pilates after I had read about it in your post. Reading in Wikipedia I found that it was a physical fitness system and Piloxing = Pilates and boxing.
I have read in a magazine that and our actors practice Pilates. Now I know what Pilates means. Thank you.
January 29th, 2012 at 3:39 am
Hi! ” Longing for a light”.
Thank you for the explanation of the verb “to long” and “great white hope”.
February 1st, 2012 at 12:50 am
Betty,
What you have mentioned I aslo heard before.
The ex-president is still in good condition. And I do not know what he is doing either.
Hope more democratic progress we can make in my country.