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6 Responses to “Gallup: Reagan wins in “greatest president” poll”

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1. Anthony (Los Angeles) says:

   February 11, 2009 at 10:25 am

   That the respondents rank Kennedy, a distinctly mediocre president who’s reputation benefited from post-mortem myth-making, as one of the “greatest” tells me I shouldn’t put much faith in this survey.
2. Lorica says:

   February 11, 2009 at 1:05 pm

   Well that one would have been a tough one to pick. As partial as I am to Ronaldus Magnus, I do really believe that Washington was our greatest president. Talk about being in a hard spot. You try sharing the limelight with Adams, Jefferson, and Madison. If you ever get a chance to read Washington’s parting speech, you will see the magnifience of this man. – Lorica
3. Anthony (Los Angeles) says:

   February 11, 2009 at 2:37 pm

   Good choice, Lorica, though I’d put Lincoln in the top spot. There are two problems with these surveys: 1) People have generally weak historical knowledge, so they asked to rate presidents when they can’t even name most of them, and 2) presidents can be great only if the circumstances put them in position to be great. For all we know, Cleveland might have been a great leader like FDR, but his administration never faced a global war. Lincoln was great, but would we have known that had he faced quiet years like Arthur did during his administration? In other words, these surveys kind of ask us to make apples-to-oranges comparisons.

   However, they are fun for casual argument.

   My top five:
   1) Lincoln
   2) Washington
   3) Reagan
   4) FDR
   5) Jackson or TR.

   Edit: My five worst.

   1) Buchanan
   2) Nixon
   3) Carter
   4) Grant
   5) Wilson
4. Lorica says:

   February 11, 2009 at 3:28 pm

   I agree with your top 5, even tho Jackson and FDR would be at the bottom and TR would be at number 4. But your worst 5 I have some disagreement with.

   1)William Henry Harrison, come on, he was only in office for 30days. LOL

   Then:

   2)Carter

   3)LBJ

   4) Andrew Johnson

   5) Van Buren

   - Lorica
5. Anthony (Los Angeles) says:

   February 11, 2009 at 6:28 pm

   But your worst 5 I have some disagreement with.

   Oh, yeah?

   

   William Henry Harrison

   He was more of a non-entity than a best/worst. Might qualify for dumbest, for giving his inaugural speech in the pouring rain. (IIRC)

   LBJ and A. Johnson are good candidates, but how does van Buren make the list?
6. Lorica says:

   February 12, 2009 at 7:57 am

   Van Buren presided over the worst economy in 20 years, and his policies just continued that. From Whitehouse.gov:

   In 1837 the panic began. Hundreds of banks and businesses failed. Thousands lost their lands. For about five years the United States was wracked by the worst depression thus far in its history.

   Programs applied decades later to alleviate economic crisis eluded both Van Buren and his opponents. Van Buren’s remedy–continuing Jackson’s deflationary policies–only deepened and prolonged the depression.

   The very reason that William Henry Harrison was stupid enough to give a long inaugural speech in the pouring rain is why he is 1st on my list of worst Presidents.

   We all know why Carter is 2nd, he was a stupid President and he is in living memory.

   LBJ was a profiteer, and my feelings about him should be pretty well known on this blog.

   A.Johnson, could have definately handled reconstruction better. – Lorica

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