Best presidents ever - poll

[Yax]

On a local radio station, there was a quiz where the answer was taken from a poll about who was the best president ever. The first 2 were:
1. Honest Abe
2. JFK

The question was who came in third? I didn't pay any attention to who published the results but the answer shocked me so I want to do my own poll to see if its true. (Also to prove that Polls can be deceiving).

Oh yeah, according to the poll, Pres G.W. Bush came in third.

 

[Marshallj]

Did anyone ever notice that the most popular public figures are the ones who die at the peak of their popularity? It's as if they are immortalized at that point of time, and nobody ever gets to see them get old, make mistakes, and fade away.

 

[snik]

Clinton

 

[Feldenak]

None of the above.

 

[clamum]

Originally posted by: snik
Clinton

Anyone who can get a hummer in the Oval Office has my vote.

 

[woodie1]

"I like Ike"

 

[Yax]

Originally posted by: Feldenak
None of the above.

That would be option 4.

 

[Taggart]

Lincoln blows the other 2 out of the water. He helped save the United States from disolution in the Civil War. If not for his leadership the Confederacy may have gained its independence.

What did Kennedy do really? I guess the Cuban Missile Crisis counts for something.

 

[Konigin]

I honestly don't think I could narrow it down to one. My top five are (no particular order) are:
Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, JFK, & Reagan.

 

[Ameesh]

William Henry Harrison has to be it, he just did so many good things in his term in office

 

NIXON!
NO NO
TAFT!

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: cheapbidder01

Originally posted by: Feldenak
None of the above.

That would be option 4.

There's a president listed in that option. When I say I mean none of the above, I mean NONE of the above.

 

[Taggart]

Originally posted by: Marshallj
Did anyone ever notice that the most popular public figures are the ones who die at the peak of their popularity? It's as if they are immortalized at that point of time, and nobody ever gets to see them get old, make mistakes, and fade away.

Yeah, society only remembers Lincoln up to the point of his assasination. He could have screwed up royally in Reconstruction or something else if he'd lived

 

[Electric Amish]

I think it's between Reagan, Clinton, and FDR.

FDR probably wins that.

amish

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Originally posted by: Feldenak
None of the above.

Agreed. Lincoln did plenty of good, but he also led the country into a civil war. Could he have handled things differently and not spent so many lives? Perhaps.

JFK is in the Kennedy reality bubble where people just ignore what total scumbags almost every member of that family really are. He was a useless, ineffective president who got a free pass because of being a Kennedy (back then maybe it meant something) and because of one confrontation with the Russkies. But the reality of the situation back then was that we were the true nuclear power and Russia was still a nuke power wannabe. That was the real reason they wanted missles in Cuba, they were lightyears behind us in intercontinental delivery. Of course Kennedy stared them down, but the Russkies knew damn well they couldn't fight us at that technological level. It's like holding a gun and getting a guy with a knife to back down, the guy with the lesser weapons won't fight, he'll look for a better time and place. Kennedy didn't beat back the Russians, Reagan did.

 

[Feldenak]

Originally posted by: SammySon
NIXON!
NO NO
TAFT!

Outline of Nixon's Foreign Policy Savvy

 

[MistaTastyCakes]

FDR or Teddy, both great presidents.

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

Originally posted by: snik
Clinton

Yeah, I also liked Clinton.

 

[WarmAndSCSI]

HOW THE FVCK DID DUBYA GET THIRD??? He's a blundering IDIOT and should be impeached. I pray to God that he doesn't get reelected....

 

[MithShrike]

Originally posted by: MistaTastyCakes
FDR or Teddy, both great presidents.

 

[Graphicd00d]

I can't believe you didn't put up the best we had. The one that fought for our rights.

George Washington

 

Outline of Nixon's Foreign Policy Savvy

Oh damnit! I forgot about Carter.. heh!

No, I say Reagan! He was a pillar of morality and non-corporate conformity amongst the bureaucratic dregs of american history!

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt

Originally posted by: Feldenak
None of the above.

Agreed. Lincoln did plenty of good, but he also led the country into a civil war. Could he have handled things differently and not spent so many lives? Perhaps.

JFK is in the Kennedy reality bubble where people just ignore what total scumbags almost every member of that family really are. He was a useless, ineffective president who got a free pass because of being a Kennedy (back then maybe it meant something) and because of one confrontation with the Russkies. But the reality of the situation back then was that we were the true nuclear power and Russia was still a nuke power wannabe. That was the real reason they wanted missles in Cuba, they were lightyears behind us in intercontinental delivery. Of course Kennedy stared them down, but the Russkies knew damn well they couldn't fight us at that technological level. It's like holding a gun and getting a guy with a knife to back down, the guy with the lesser weapons won't fight, he'll look for a better time and place. Kennedy didn't beat back the Russians, Reagan did.

The Ruskies, as you say had the capability to destroy just about every major city in the US at the time. You analogy is incomplete. You are holding the gun, and the man with the knife has you from behind with it drawn across your throat. Quick, try to shoot him. You are technology superior after all.

 

[TheBoyBlunder]

Originally posted by: MistaTastyCakes
FDR or Teddy, both great presidents.

Lincoln would also count in my book. But not Clinton, not DUHbya, or Regan. And certaintly not Taft lol.

 

[glenn1]

Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, JFK, & Reagan.

I can agree with that list. I think the more interesting question is, who is the person who could have made the greatest Presidents list, if he/she had been elected? I think that Alexander Hamilton wins that contest hands down.