88Comrade2000 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Well, in time for PResident's Day Gallop lists the Top 10 Presidents as of 2011: http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/gallup-poll-greatest-president/2011/02/19/id/386725 1) Reagan 2) Lincoln 3) Clinton 4) John F. Kennedy 5) George Washington 6) Franklin Roosevelt 7) Barack Obama 8) Theodore Roosevelt 9) Harry Truman 10) George W. Bush It shows Americans really don't know about history. Reagan isn't #1, though I would put him in the Top 10. While Clinton's stock is improving, I wouldn't put him in the Top 10 or even Top 15. Top 20, probably. Bush II should be in the bottom 10 not top 10 and Obama, so far, is probably in the bottom 20 not Top 10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koolblue13 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Didn't Reagan have Alzheimer pretty bad, by the time he left office? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FanboyOf91 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riggo-toni Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 While I admire Lincoln, I also think he's a tad bit overrated. I am a big fan of Reagan, but he is far less important than Washington. And let's be honest, JFK probably isn't even top 10. And Barack Obama over Teddy??? W anywhere but near the bottom? Come'on, what a joke!!! Washington is the greatest ever, both because he let Hamilton run the country, and because he was conscientious enough to step down after two terms rather than holding on to power for life. Without that precedent, America would never have become democracy, and the world today would be vastly different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 That list is utter trash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 And let's be honest, JFK probably isn't even top 10 Strongly disagree. He's probably not #1, but definitely Top 5. Agree with the people saying that putting either W or Obama on that list makes it a joke. The only reason Clinton makes that list is because he looks so good compared to W and Obama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenspandan Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 this just in: americans are hilariously bad at history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostofSparta Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 1) Reagan2) Lincoln 3) Clinton 4) John F. Kennedy 5) George Washington 6) Franklin Roosevelt 7) Barack Obama 8) Theodore Roosevelt 9) Harry Truman 10) George W. Bush It shows Americans really don't know about history. The last 3 Presidents, and 4 of the last 5, are in the top 10. You're damn right they don't know history. So 4 of the top 10 are out of the last 5 presidents, another 3 are Presidents everybody knows about (Washington, Lincoln, FDR), and one whose mystique overshadows everything about him (JFK). I'm actually amazed enough people every remembered Truman was a President for him to make the list. These people probably couldn't name 15 President if they tried, and were just naming people who they could remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 and one whose mystique overshadows everything about him (Reagan). Fixed that for you. (But I agree with the thrust of your post.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostofSparta Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Fixed that for you. (But I agree with the thrust of your post.) Ok, 2. But Reagan was included earlier in the list. I don't want to list somebody under 2 different categories, because then people might get confused. Let's not forget how bad Americans are at math as well as history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 First, Obama shouldn't even be in the running. He hasn't completed a single term. In fact, I'd say G W Bush should be inelligible too. The dust should have time to settle before we judge a Pres. That said, Reagan was nowhere near No. 1, probably not even top 5. I could see an argument for top ten or fifteen. I'd probably also want to put Clinton in that 10 to fifteen range... probably a bit below Reagan. My top five would probably have to include Washington, FDR, Lincoln, Truman, and maybe Teddy. Not necessarily an original or inspired list, but there's a reason for that. These guys were undeniably important and good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Didnt Washington save this country and turn down being king? i'd have him top 3. could we not pretend newsmax is something to quote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LD0506 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Ugh, as the first and maybe greatest PR President ole Roughrider Teddy might make a list, but read some of that history we aren't so hot on. TR may have caused more damage internationally than any other occupant of the Oval Office. There was an entire industry of spin-doctors at the time who did nothing but print pics of his (completely staged) hunting trips and talk him up as the ultimate exemplar of white Christian American manhood, but the reality was far different. But we always have liked the sizzle more than the steak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 But we always have liked the sizzle more than the steak. Although, I wouldn't necessarily discount that, either. Just in my lifetime, I'd put Reagan and JFK on that list. And frankly, I can't really think of a single Great Thing Reagan did. (I give JFK credit for the space program, while recognizing that most of happened after he was gone.) But the reason I respect Reagan and JFK was because of the tone they set for the country. Like or dislike their policies, nobody can say they didn't lead. By the same token, I'd have to say that a lot of good things happened while Nixon was in office. (Example: Project Apollo left six lunar module descent stages on the Moon. Each lander bore a plaque on the leg supporting the ladder. These plaques bore the signatures of the three astronauts. The first and the last also bore Nixon's signature. Nixon presided over every single lunar landing.) But I consider Nixon to be a terrible president. I think the best way to summarize my opinions of the Nixon presidency would be to refer to Doonesbury cartoons from that period. (Doonesbury basically was created in those days.) Early in Nixon's term, Doonesbury liked to draw the White House, with voiced emerging from it. Later, he drew the White House with Secret Service patrolling the lawn. Later, the fence was topped with barbed wire. Later, sandbagged bunkers appeared on the lawn. Later, tanks patrolled the lawn, turrets swiveling to seek threats. Nixon gave us a Presidency with Enemies Lists. An administration hostile to it's own citizens. ---------- It's easy to dismiss presidents like Reagan or JFK as glitz or show business. But I assert that that's simply a disparaging term for leadership. And leadership is part of the job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenspandan Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 my favorite president is Harrison. more presidents should follow his example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burgold Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 my favorite president is Harrison. more presidents should follow his example. George Harrison was a Beatle not a President. Sheesh! :nerd: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Brave Little Toaster Oven Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 My top 5 is: Washington Jefferson Andrew Jackson T.Roosevelt Reagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubble Screen Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Reagan definitely #1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unforgiven Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 That list is laughable and only furthers the notion that Americans are ignorant of their own history. I'm not saying there aren't some deserving people on that list, but there are some on there that are quite overrated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 That list is utter trash. Yep that pretty much sums up that list. BTW, popularity contests for Presidents is a useless exercise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrabR Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 by far the most overrated Presidents are Reagan and Kennedy my top 4 for various reasons Washington T Roosevelt Jefferson Lincoln Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mardi gras skin Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I always thought FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy and LBJ was a pretty impressive string of Presidents. We could use a run of strong leaders like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enter Apotheosis Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Ugh, as the first and maybe greatest PR President ole Roughrider Teddy might make a list, but read some of that history we aren't so hot on. TR may have caused more damage internationally than any other occupant of the Oval Office. There was an entire industry of spin-doctors at the time who did nothing but print pics of his (completely staged) hunting trips and talk him up as the ultimate exemplar of white Christian American manhood, but the reality was far different.But we always have liked the sizzle more than the steak. What's your source on all this PR business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Jones Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Any poll that doesn't list this person number one doesn't deserve to be a poll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 Any poll that doesn't list this person number one doesn't deserve to be a poll. Ding ding ding. Walking away from power is the most powerful thing he ever did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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