The Greatest American

[cwjerome]

Who is the greatest American to ever live? Wow... hard choice.

I can think of about five automatically... and one who I'm not sure would qualify- Einstein.

I'll take a look at some prospects here, but off the cuff I'm going to have to go with George Washington for now.

As the "Father of the Country," I really think that without him America would have failed or looked completely different -worse- than it does today. Without his leadership, the Continental Army probably would have folded. He was supremely admired and respected by everyone. After the war he probably could have made himself dictator or king. Instead he left it all and went back home. As the nation foundered its first baby steps he was called back to serve as the first president... he somehwat reluctantly agreed.

His impact was immeasurable. His precedents extraordinary... especially by what he didn't do. Usually when leaders left power they went out dead- from murder or natural causes. Washington was the first great leader to serve the people and really live the noble idea of "subordinate to the people" AND voluntarily leave power... leave it all behind, fully establishing the peaceful transfer of power that democracy rests on. Without his presence as the first president, who knows what would have happened and what direction things may have gone.

 

[kogase]

Wow, looing at the top 100... could they have not possibly found better people than Madonna and John Edwards?

 

[cwjerome]

OMG-- Michael Moore, Rush Limbaugh.... ELLEN DEGENERES??

Personally, I think that for anyone to be considered they should be dead. Maybe Bill Gates would come the closest out of the living...?

I think I'll make a top 10 list, but I'll have to figure out how "greatest" should be defined in this context.

 

[kogase]

Originally posted by: kogase
Wow, looking at the top 100... could they have not possibly found better people than Madonna and John Edwards?

Edit: Misspelling. Jeez, that would have meant something entirely different...

Edit of the Edit: Well, I hit Quote instead of Edit, but now at least you can see what I'm talking about...

 

[Crimson]

Hopefully GWB comes up #1 or top 5 at least, it will send the lefties into seizures.

 

[Steeplerot]

Crimson, .


Ben Franklin- French royalty hottie seducing diplomatic genius saving our ass the against monsterous odds who could invent anything...

Washington- The ballsiest and toughest rebel general in a white wig evah! (or any other american general to come IMO)
(only 30% of Americans back then were brave and forward thinking enough to stand up to THAT king george, and he still held on for years until victory)

 

[Zebo]

I'm going for Sam Walton (business) or one of the Roosevelts (politics).

 

[Colt45]

Tesla pwns - but I don't consider him american, even though the list does.

 

[biostud]

Nixon

 

[JackStorm]

Since we're throwing out names, I guess I'll join in and say, oh, I don't know, Thomas Jefferson? He deserves to be on that list more than, well, to be honest, most of the people on it. There were a few other interesting people on the list, but most shouldn't even be on that list.

 

[datalink7]

George Washington gets my vote.

 

[Thump553]

Far too many entertainers on that list. For example, I'm sure Tom Hanks is a swell guy-but one of the top 100 great Americans?

I'd like to see something like a Profiles in Courage type-series, but this sounds like a pale copy of A&E's Biography.

And putting Richard Nixon on the list (as well as GWB)-that had to be done purely to generate controversy (and viewers). Might as well include Charles Manson.

I'll pass on this show-it sounds too hokey.

 

[Bowfinger]

Originally posted by: Crimson
Hopefully GWB comes up #1 or top 5 at least, it will send the lefties into seizures.

Thankfully, they're not picking the top 5 using Diebold equipment. (BTW, Troll-boy, Bill and Hillary are on the list too. Put 'em both in the top 5 and watch your empty head implode.)


My first impression is that's a rather vapid list. It's heavy with pop culture and light on historic figures. In addition to some of the names mentioned above, I'd add Dr. Phil, Martha Stewart, Tom Cruise, Lucas & Spielberg, and Brett Favre & other pop athletes to the set of ludicrous choices. Michael Jackson should stand alone as a choice that's beyond preposterous. There are many others -- Barbara & Laura Bush, Jackie Kennedy, Hillary, Barack Obama, Muhammad Ali, Elvis, Walt Disney, and Christoper Reeve, to name a few -- who may be fine and noteworthy people but hardly rise into contention as the Greatest American.

Of the people listed, I'm also leaning towards Washington. I agree Jefferson should be on the list as well. I'm sure there are other significant omissions, but no names come to mind off the top of my head.

 

[filterxg]

My Top 10:

Ben Franklin, Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Sam Walton, John Rockefeller, Martin Luther King Jr, Walt Disney, Susan B. Anthony

You are going to have a couple of Presidents. Lincoln, FDR, TR, Washington, or Jefferson. Ben Franklin has to be a top5. They'll need to be PC, so they'll likely need to force some women higher on the list than I have. Anthony who was my pick likely won't make the list in favor of Elenor Roosevelt. But Elenor couldn't be on w/o FDR, who I didn't want to put, though he'll likely make it on instead of his cousin. Also for PC reasons they'll probably pick another african american, (jesse owens or jackie robinson) intsead of one of the businessmen.

 

[Moonbeam]

Nobody ever heard of the greatest American. She was born over 800 years ago of Mayan blood and traveled the world in astral form bringing new and deep sight to the Hidden Tradition that changed and shaped the course of history averting cataclysmic disaster. No?

 

[Emultra]

Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, James Madison, Bill Gates, Ronald Reagan...

 

[raildogg]

Rush Limbaugh and Ellen DeGenerate in the top list? W00t.

Here is my list:

1. George Washington - he had a choice to be king, but chose to give up his power after eight years. He set up the democratic foundation for this country.

2. Abraham Lincoln - kept this country together and defeated the evil South. He used extreme measures to secure victory.

3. Franklin Delano Roosevelt - brought back the country after the depression. He battled through some of the most painful physical conditions probably no other president has gone through. His determination is one of the key reasons why we defeated the Germans and Japanese in WW2.

4. Paul Revere - This poem says it best,

Listen, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,
On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-Five;
Hardly a man is now alive
Who remembers that famous day and year

5. Robert Oppenheimer - one of the key people behind the creation of the atomic bomb. He kept the project together. He also was a voice for arms control. Hank Aaron was my other choice for # 5.

 

[KB]

Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence. Do you think anyone else could have writtten something so eloquent? In addition he increased the size of the US without going to war by the Lousianna Purchase.

 

[filterxg]

Originally posted by: raildogg

3. Franklin Delano Roosevelt - brought back the country after the depression. He battled through some of the most painful physical conditions probably no other president has gone through. His determination is one of the key reasons why we defeated the Germans and Japanese in WW2.

FDR will make the list, but not for the right reasons. Following modern economic theories he probably prolonged the depression. What he did was give people hope, which is more important. I can't fault him for his handling of the war (except for the internment of Japanese Americans).

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: Thump553
Far too many entertainers on that list. For example, I'm sure Tom Hanks is a swell guy-but one of the top 100 great Americans?

I'd like to see something like a Profiles in Courage type-series, but this sounds like a pale copy of A&E's Biography.

And putting Richard Nixon on the list (as well as GWB)-that had to be done purely to generate controversy (and viewers). Might as well include Charles Manson.

I'll pass on this show-it sounds too hokey.

Then you dont know much about Nixon. He was an amazing diplomat. If it werent for him trying to coverup watergate, he would have been on the short list of greatest presidents.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: digitalsm

Originally posted by: Thump553
Far too many entertainers on that list. For example, I'm sure Tom Hanks is a swell guy-but one of the top 100 great Americans?

I'd like to see something like a Profiles in Courage type-series, but this sounds like a pale copy of A&E's Biography.

And putting Richard Nixon on the list (as well as GWB)-that had to be done purely to generate controversy (and viewers). Might as well include Charles Manson.

I'll pass on this show-it sounds too hokey.

Then you dont know much about Nixon. He was an amazing diplomat. If it werent for him trying to coverup watergate, he would have been on the short list of greatest presidents.

Maybe we should consider Mark Felt who blew the whitsle on the corrupt Nixon Administration and brought down that Son of a Bitch.

 

[digitalsm]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: digitalsm

Originally posted by: Thump553
Far too many entertainers on that list. For example, I'm sure Tom Hanks is a swell guy-but one of the top 100 great Americans?

I'd like to see something like a Profiles in Courage type-series, but this sounds like a pale copy of A&E's Biography.

And putting Richard Nixon on the list (as well as GWB)-that had to be done purely to generate controversy (and viewers). Might as well include Charles Manson.

I'll pass on this show-it sounds too hokey.

Then you dont know much about Nixon. He was an amazing diplomat. If it werent for him trying to coverup watergate, he would have been on the short list of greatest presidents.

Maybe we should consider Mark Felt who blew the whitsle on the corrupt Nixon Administration and brought down that Son of a Bitch.

Well, the Nixon admin did nothing more than what prior admins did. During the late 60s was when the media turned into what it is today. Presidents before Nixon didnt have to deal with rabid dogs called journalists scrutinizing everything they did, Nixon to present have. There would have been a alot more impeachments/resignations.

Also the FBI under Hoover was far more corrupt than any admin ever was.

 

[cwjerome]

Great: someone who had a momumental impact and fundamentally changed or "made" society (not necessarily "good")

My top 10:

1. George Washington- mentioned
2. Thomas Jefferson- DoI, writings, ideas, president
3. Albert Einstein- altered science
4. Abe Lincoln- saved the union, ideas
5. Thomas Edison- inventions
6. Wright Brosthers- flight
7. FDR- depression, wwII
8. Alexander G Bell- invention
9. Henry Ford- assembly line
10. Martin Luther King jr and Elizabeth Cady Stanton (tie) human rights

Honorable mentions: Louis Armstrong, Ronald Reagan, Walt Disney, Harriet Tubmam

ps. I don't think a couple of those names are on Discovery's list

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: digitalsm

Originally posted by: Thump553
Far too many entertainers on that list. For example, I'm sure Tom Hanks is a swell guy-but one of the top 100 great Americans?

I'd like to see something like a Profiles in Courage type-series, but this sounds like a pale copy of A&E's Biography.

And putting Richard Nixon on the list (as well as GWB)-that had to be done purely to generate controversy (and viewers). Might as well include Charles Manson.

I'll pass on this show-it sounds too hokey.

Then you dont know much about Nixon. He was an amazing diplomat. If it werent for him trying to coverup watergate, he would have been on the short list of greatest presidents.

Maybe we should consider Mark Felt who blew the whitsle on the corrupt Nixon Administration and brought down that Son of a Bitch.

Hehe.

Him and Linda Tripp can start a club.

 

[Infohawk]

Originally posted by: raildogg

Why are you PMing me, railrunner, if you have me blocked?