Greatest President Ever?

[Pangur Bán]

Just been browsing some polls on other websites about "best president ever". Washington and Lincoln always do the best, but Kennedy, John Adams and the Roosevelts always do well too. These are usually American polls though, I'm wondering what a broader audience thinks?

If you're wondering why George W. is on the poll - it's partly because I thought it'd be amusing to see how well he does.

I wanted to include John Q.Adams, Polk, McKinley and Carter - but only 19 options - not my fault you understand

EDIT: Ah, just noticed, I spelled Stephen wrong AND Milhous doesn't have an "e"

 

[privatehudson]

Lincoln for me. I wouldn't consider ever voting for Andrew Jackson given his attitude to the Native Americans

 

[ShiplordAtvar]

My vote goes for Andy Jackson, Reagan, Ike, and GW. They each have qualities I admire (else why in the hell would I vote for them).

Jackson - the concept of a Jacksonian foreign policy
go here if you're thinking "WTH?"
http://denbeste.nu/external/Mead01.html

Reagan - tax cuts, missile defense, defense spending, backbone when his predecessor had none

Eisenhower - good treatment of military, good handling of Korean war

Washington - 1st president elected under Constitution, Revolutionary War general

 

[privatehudson]

As I said, Jackson's attitude to the Native Americans was disgusting. Whatever his other points, if he had been alive and doing that today he would have been arrested for crimes against humanity. Now he's considered "Great" What a wonderful world...

 

[SoCalian]

I have to go with William henry Harrison. Now If you are thinking to yourself "W(ho)TF is he?", I'm not supprised. He was only in office for thirty days, and was sick with the flu the whole time. But darn it he.... he did nothing. Aperently it wa very cold and wet on his inauguration, and he refused to wear a jacket(or something along those lines). Anywho, he got sick, lied in bed for a month, then croked. I just imagine his mom saying I told you so when you were a little boy. The moral of the story children, is to always wear a jacket when in the cold. That and listen to mom.

 

[Drewcifer]

Andrew Jackson is considered the first "people's President" because he was the first to be elected after property requirements were dropped and grew up poor on the frontier rather than being a product of the costal elite. That said he was a bastard to the southeastern indians and used military force to present the Florida Purchase to Spain as a fait accompli. Jackson was the Napoleon of the frontier, a ruthless man. There are better role models in the US's presidential history. Namely Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, Eisenhower or either Roosevelt.

I say Washington because he was offered the throne of the US after the revolution and emphatically turned it down in favor of democracy and the rule of law by the people. It was a historic precedent at the time. If France had a man like Washington leading it during it's revolution the history of Europe would be very different (the reign of terror and the Napoleonic era illuminate this fact). Washington went out of his way to be the first major deomcratic leader of a country in centuries if not millenia (If I knew more about Dutch or Icelandic history I would state it more emphatically), he was a flawed man like us all but is a historical figure of global proportions.

 

[SoCalian]

More serriously I would have to say that the top two contenders are Linclon and FDR. With Washington coming in a very very close third.

 

[Drewcifer]

On a side note Lyndon Johnson is probably the most confilicted figure among the US's Presidents. He is responsible for the end of segregation and the US plunging full force into Vietnam. He did great things for the country but also took it into one of it's darkest times.

 

[Sarevok]

roosevelt and Clinton

 

[Marla_Singer]

Harry S. Truman.

He restored Peace, Prosperity and Hope to destroyed Europe, and he'll have my eternal gratitude for that.

PS : Don't BS me about the nuke please.

 

[Plexus]

Lincoln, Reagan, Eisenhower, Washington, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, Jackson and Monroe. In that order.

Edit: And before I voted, Clinton had more votes and Lincoln. Are you kidding me? Sure, you could make the case that he was a good president, but better than Lincoln?

 

[MrPresident]

Abraham Lincoln was the greatest President but my favourite is Harry S. Truman.

 

[Knight-Dragon]

Moderator Action: Moved to History.

Could have swore I've seen this before...

 

[Kilroy]

I would have chosen Polk if you had included him, but I went with Jefferson instead. Really, they're a tie.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

Aye, hear hear for James K. Polk. You can see his achivements everytime you look at a map of the modern US.

Besides Polk, I'll have to vote for Jackson, Lincoln, and both Roosevelts. Jackson for opposing early sucessionism and being the first strong executive, the first "modern" President. Lincoln for preserving the Union, sometimes ruthlessly. Theodore Roosevelt for launching the progressive movement and being my carbon copy in terms of political stance, and his cousin for, well, just about everything.

 

[IglooDame]

Originally posted by Plexus
Lincoln, Reagan, Eisenhower, Washington, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, Jackson and Monroe. In that order.

Edit: And before I voted, Clinton had more votes and Lincoln. Are you kidding me? Sure, you could make the case that he was a good president, but better than Lincoln?

I think Clinton gets some votes because he's the only Democratic president within recent memory (you have to be at least in your 30s to remember Carter) and to liberal-leaning younger people, he's so dramatically different from Reagan and the Bushes as to warrant greatness.

 

[thestonesfan]

I voted for Thomas Jefferson. Possibly the greatest political mind of all time.

 

[pomsa]

How does Clinton have more votes than Jefferson? or Jackson?
I wonder what the founders of the Democratic Party would think when they saw this poll?

 

[cgannon64]

Lincoln, but there have been alot of great ones.

I'd say Lincoln, not just for what he did, but with every thing I read about he seems greater and greater. A truely good man.

I also like Jefferson and Teddy Roosevelt...

 

[puglover]

The classics. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt.

No offense, but why does Bill Clinton have ANY votes?