Who was the smartest US President?

[Bigfoot]

Not necessarily the best or most effective President, but who was the most intelligent person to hold the job? Several people on OT have pointed out that intelligence alone does not necessarily make for effective leadership. The example of Ronald Reagan comes to mind: he wasn't anyone's idea of an intellectual, but love him or hate him you have to admit that he was quite effective in getting his policies implemented.

A couple of possibilities that come to my mind are Woodrow Wilson, who was president of Princeton and anything but an intellectual lightweight. Wilson implemented a number of progressive reforms domestically, but is mainly remembered for his idealistic approach to foreign policy post-WWI, and the failure of the League of Nations. Ironically, George W. Bush's foreign policy could be termed 'Wilsonian', although I don' think most people would put W. on the short list of smartest US Presidents.

Another possibility is James Madison, considered to be the 'father' of the US Constitution and by all contemporary accounts a brilliant (if uninspiring) man.

I wouldn't deign to hold forth on US history to any great extent on this forum, as I know there are a number of people here who are better informed on the subject than I am. So I leave it to you: who was the most intelligent US President? Did that quality contribute to him being a good President too?

 

[SeleucusNicator]

James Garfield was fluent in both Latin and Attic Greek. He was also ambidexterous, which meant he could write in Latin with one hand and, at the same time, in Greek with the other. This was a trick he often performed, to the acclaim of many.

He was shot and died six months after taking office.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

William Henry Harrison grew up wanting to become a Classics professor. His knowledge of Roman history rivaled even that of Xen; at the same time, he went on to become a general in the American army and won several stunning victories in the War of 1812 despite having inferior forces in terrible conditions. That is, he was not only a man of the mind, but he was also a brilliant commander.

At the same time, unlike the stereotypical ivory tower intellectual or military commander, who are assumed to be too smart or too dumb (respectively) to be good politicans, while in the Senate he showed a keen knowledge of the issues of the day and indeed took a sophisticated, well-reasoned stand on them. The common claim that when he ran for President he didn't talk about the issues because he was ignorant of them is misleading; he didn't talk about the issues because his supporters knew they were unpopular with the masses, whereas his military record wasn't.

William Henry Harrison was elected in a landslide. He delivered the longest inagural address in the history of the United States, and it was filled with dozens of allusions to Roman history and showed that he detailed knowledge of economic policy. Unfortunately, that speech was delivered in cold rain; William Henry Harrison caught pnumonia and died after just 30 days of Presidenting.

 

[~Corsair#01~]

Cautionary tales, and perhaps a good explanation for why there seems such a shortage of intelligent leaders.

 

[Moss]

Thomas Jefferson and below is one of my favorite stories...

President John F. Kennedy welcomed 49 Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962, saying, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

 

[Doc Tsiolkovski]

Unfortunately, that speech was delivered in cold rain; William Henry Harrison caught pnumonia and died after just 30 days of Presidenting.

Which, of course, completely disqualifies him as the smartest US president.

 

[SeleucusNicator]

In terms of political intelligence rather than book smarts, I would have to go not with Reagan, Bush, or any modern spinster, but with Martin Van Buren.

Despite being short, bald, stocky, Dutch, and having terrible facial hair, Van Buren managed to plot his way into the White House through decades of hard work.

He began as a state politician in New York; in the New York legislature, he quickly organized a group of allies who worked tirelessly to seize control of the state. Eventually, they did. Van Buren found himself at the head of the "Albany Regency", a group of politicans who came to dominate New York. Controlling such a powerful state, he quickly became involved in national matters. Once, he almost got an incapacitated stroke victim elected President. Eventually, he became loyal to Andrew Jackson and, through a stunning series of personal coups, became Jackson's chosen successor over much more famous, popular, and better-looking men.

Of course, Van Buren was a complete failure as President; his talent seemed to end once he reached his goal. After a humiliating defeat for re-election, he spent the rest of his life as a third-party candidate, eventually becoming an abolitionist.

 

[Provolution]

Theodore Roosevelt

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Woodwrow Wilson

 

[MrPresident]

President John F. Kennedy welcomed 49 Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962, saying, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

That doesn't mean Jefferson is intelligence, just that Kennedy was an idiot. Jefferson wrote one book, Notes of Virginia, an while it is a rather good scholarly effort it is also glaringly racist, stating that blacks are genetical inferior to whites. How Kennedy thought he was smarter than 49 Nobel Prize winners is beyond me.

 

[Princeps]

This should go to the world history, I think...

Anyway, I do not have enough knowladge about american presidents to draw my own conclusion.

 

[Bigfoot]

James Garfield was fluent in both Latin and Attic Greek. He was also ambidexterous, which meant he could write in Latin with one hand and, at the same time, in Greek with the other. This was a trick he often performed, to the acclaim of many.

Amazing!!!

 

[Bozo Erectus]

President John F. Kennedy welcomed 49 Nobel Prize winners to the White House in 1962, saying, "I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."

Often overlooked by historians is the time he told Robert Frost, "This is the greatest collection of talent in the Whitehouse since Marylin Monroe came over for a bootie call."

 

[Moss]

That doesn't mean Jefferson is intelligence, just that Kennedy was an idiot. Jefferson wrote one book, Notes of Virginia, an while it is a rather good scholarly effort it is also glaringly racist, stating that blacks are genetical inferior to whites. How Kennedy thought he was smarter than 49 Nobel Prize winners is beyond me.

One book does not an intelligent man make...He wrote many things, including the notes on Virginia, but he also wrote many documents still in use today including our countries most famous.

Jefferson was well rounded in both literature and science...and yes, he probably is the smartest President we've ever had....certainly one of the most rounded and accademic...

 

[ummmm........]

Clinton was awful bright. Not saying he's the brightest, but I'm surprised no one's mentioned him yet . . .

 

[Japher]

Nixon... he resigned.

 

[Rambuchan]

Theodore Roosevelt

My dear friend Prov gave my answer already.

 

[OrpheusPrime]

Roosavelts were some crafty folks. I'd give them the politically smartest and most manipulative award.

 

[Yom]

Jefferson was pretty smart. I don't know hardly enough about the Presidents to rank them in intelligence, though. We should all sit quiet and listen to my good man SeleucusNicator.

 

[thetrooper]

Richard Nixon. No competition.