Pick the Greatest President of the USA

[el Guapo]

I've done the research for you below. Please say why you made your choice. I would have made a poll but the limit is 20 options.

Non-US Citizens are welcome to participate - Your opinions will be interesting - please identify yourself if commenting so we can have a member of our INS contact you.

1. George Washington
2. John Adams
3. Thomas Jefferson
4. James Madison
5. James Monroe
6. John Quincy Adams
7. Andrew Jackson
8. Martin Van Buren
9. William Henry Harrison
10. John Tyler
11. James Knox Polk
12. Zachary Taylor
13. Millard Fillmore
14. Franklin Pierce
15. James Buchanan
16. Abraham Lincoln
17. Andrew Johnson
18. Ulysses S. Grant
19. Rutherford B. Hayes
20. James A. Garfield
21. Chester A. Arthur
22. Grover Cleveland
23. Benjamin Harrison
24. Grover Cleveland
25. William Mckinley
26. Theodore Roosevelt
27. William Howard Taft
28. Woodrow Wilson
29. Warren G. Harding
30. Calvin Coolidge
31. Herbert Hoover
32. Franklin Delano Roosevelt
33. Harry S. Truman
34. Dwight D. Eisenhower
35. John F. Kennedy
36. Lyndon Baines Johnson
37. Richard M. Nixon
38. Gerald R. Ford
39. Jimmy Carter
40. Ronald Reagan
41. George Bush
42. Bill Clinton
43. George W. Bush

 

[The Irish One]

knee jerk

is for TR but I'll have to think a little more abou this

 

[The Irish One]

honest abe

lincoln, this is a hard question to answer

 

[Dan]

As far as productivity ... George Washington, Ted Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, LBJ, FDR, and Dwight Eisenhower.

 

[jestes]

"Mr. Gorbechev, Tear down that wall."

 

[Cardinal]

It is a tough call to make. Would we even have a democratic US if not for the integrity and idealism of George Washington? Thomas Jefferson was unquestionalbly the most intelligent of our presidents. Abraham Lincoln led us through our greateest struggle and brought an end to our most shameful institution. Teddy Roosevelt helped to bring in a progressive era and set the stage for most of the 1900's. The other one held the office longer than anyone else (and longer than he should have). Ronald Reagan redefined government after the liberal malaise of the 70's, and brought an end to the Cold War.

So who to choose? Each of these accomplished great things, but also made some major blunders. In fact, 42 of the 43 have all made some big mistakes. Only one did not. That one - Zachary Tyler - is my choice.

 

[Habanero]

In fact, 42 of the 43 have all made some big mistakes. Only one did not. That one - Zachary Tyler - is my choice.

He was only in office for a year- what could he mess up?

 

[Cardinal]

A year? I thought he was the one who caught the flu during his inauguration and did within a couple of weeks.

 

[kms]

Wasn't that one William Henry Harrision? I was lucky to draw his name for an 11th grade report on presidents - short report.

I think that Tyler died in office. They exhumed him a few years back , thinking that he may have been assinated. Maybe he died from an allergic reaction or something.

I'd choose TR.

 

[Jeff]

It's gotta be Clinton right??

Any guy who could get away with all he did has to be considered great, right?

 

[donk]

I am thinking Jimmy Carter, not so much for being president, but for a great commentary I heard about him. The commentary bascially said that he is one of teh few presidents that used teh power and influence of his position, after leaving office to accomplish many of the things he wished he could have done in office and all in a manner that is not too self serving. I guess the million from Nobel won't hurt him either.

 

[Repo Man]

A year? I thought he was the one who caught the flu during his inauguration and did within a couple of weeks.

The only reason that I know that it was William Henry Harrison who died in 30 days is that awesome song from the Simpsons:

We are the mediocre presidents
You won't find our faces on dollars or on cents
There's Taylor, there's Tyler, there's Fillmore and there's Hayes!
There's William Henry Harrison - "I died in thirty days!"
We are the adequate, forgettable, occasionally regrettable
Caretaker presidents of the U.S.A!

 

[Chet]

Thomas Jefferson

They had a great sitcom named after one of his emancipated slave's grandchildren.

 

[Tranplanner]

Tough choice...

I've narrowed it down to:

1. Harry S. Truman

2. Ronald Reagan - First term only.

3. Woodrow Wilson

 

[giff57]

What, no "Van Buren Boys" here?

 

[Habanero]

A year? I thought he was the one who caught the flu during his inauguration and did within a couple of weeks.

No, Mr Taylor has something in common with Bush- food problems. He died a few days after the 4th of July- something about bad milk and cherries.


I'm not sure if I think anyone would have thought so highly of any president if they had news reports like they do now- their lives would've been an open book and all the dirty little secrets would've come out.

 

[NHPlanner]

Franklin Pierce, the only pres from NH.

 

[SkeLeton]

I pick Jimmy Carter. My sig says why. PEACE!

I nominate the CEO of Enron for President.... (his campaign would be, stand on a corner with a cardboard sign with "I'm Broke, please vote for me!" written in coal. )

Yeah, I know I'm not American.. but I can still give my opinion! Sure I don't know a bunch of the presidents listed, but if they were so great I would know.

 

[Super Amputee Cat]

Focusing on the presidents who served during the last half of the 20th Century, I have to go with Carter.

 

[Yodan731]

I'll go with two, It's a tie. Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland, the Buffalo Presidents, and William McKinley is next because he was snuffed, err assassinated here.

 

[Jason Cleghorn]

George Washington gets my vote. Surprised no one mentioned JFK at all.

 

[el Guapo]

Ditto

Taken from elsewhere and not my quote:

Shining in the face of prosperity
That's why TR was so great. here was a person given prosperity, peace, and lack of crises, and became one of the best known Presidents ever.

Sure Lincoln presided over the Civil War, but would he have been great if Jeff Davis had convinced Great Britain to join their side? Lincoln's election was the final straw that started the damn war.

FDR? What a power-mad loon. Any man that loves the office that much does not deserve it.

TR stepped down, when he could have won another term without breaking the unwritten rule of two terms. Hell, if he had FDR's thirst for power, he could have stayed President until his death in 1920. Of course, he proabbly would have resigned the Presidency to go lead his Rough Riders in the Great War, but that's another story.

America before Teddy was a rough and tumble, get what you can type of country. After Teddy, the country was a protector of the little man, the guardian of good, and the purveyor of peace around the globe.

I have to agree. I'd also like to add that TR started the modern dialog on race in the nation where he took the position that the races were equal. This was radical. Not now, but then it was way out. The more I read about him the more I consider him one of the greatest people to have ever lived.

 

[Planderella]

Toss-up between #42 and #43. Both of them provide endless hours of shame and entertainment. Wait a minute.......I'm supposed to pick the GREATEST president! Hmm......FDR.

 

[Grassroots]

Teddy!!!

Teddy; for sure. started the national park system. came from a priviledged background, but did not show it. spent his early childhood fighting bronchial disorders. real fighting personality. keenly aware of civil rights development (starting in NYC)...and the biggest reason of all for me (especially living in the former soviet union) anti corruption for public office. a true people's servant who makes me proud to be an american. where are the TR's of today???

 

[Cardinal]

I'm not sure on the National Park thing... didn't Abraham Lincoln set aside the area that became Yellowstone?

 

[Grassroots]

from my knowledge...teddy worked with the then founder of the sierra club to create the system. if lincoln set aside anything, teddy actually acted on it and put it all into place. not sure about lincoln' s background. i know that teddy was a strong conservationist; hence his strong tie with the founder of sierra club. (i believe from his wanting to protect hunting lands...also an avid hunter as well). doesn't surpise me...some of the biggest "conservationists" (ones that put tremendous amounts of private money into land conservation) in the country are hunters (i.e. duck's unlimited, etc).