Who do you feel is the best American President of All Time, and Why?

Teddy Roosevelt -

Probably the most invigorating character ever to hold the office. Trust buster, labor mediator, built the Panama Canal, gave Cuba their independence (after forming and fighting the Spanish with the Rough Riders), stopped Germany from expanding into South Amercia, Nobel Peace Prize winner (for negotiating the end of the Russo-Japanese war), responsible for our National Park system as a dedicated conservationist. The guy caught a bullet during a speech, and got back up and finished the damn speech. Don't see anybody doing that these days! And (after his second term) he went on safari, thought his successor (Taft) was not doing what he should, so he came back and started the Bull Moose Party! Put the US on the world stage and did more to make us the world power we are than any other.

Both intelligent and compassionate. And I ain't talking Dubya compassionate either.

 

the best president is yet to come.

drapg in 2020.

 

A Gay President in 2084.

 

Well, I think it funny but I only really respect Washington for the same reason you pointed out: the people would have made him King and he said 'no thanks.' In fact, I believe I read somewhere that upon hearing about it, King George said he was either crazy or a saint. I can't think of another person in that position that has made a similar choice. Outstanding. His actual Presidency and his record before that were spotty at best.

Lincoln I dig. As far as his politiking goes, you have to remember he lost like seven times before he gained his first office, so that probably has something to do with his shifting positions. But again his shining moment was certainly standing resolute both in rhetoric and action during the most troubling time in American history. Although I do think its odd that Illinois is the 'Lincoln State' since he was born in Kentucky!

On the note about Lincoln and race, one more point for my boy TR. He was the first President to speak out against lynchings, and he took a bunch of heat for it. And he had Booker T to dinner at the White House, which also caused a firestorm in the press. They say blacks in the South joked that they had come a long way since they now (then) had a black man as President! I would 100% recommend to any and everyone to read either of Edmund Morris's books on TR. The first on his life up to the Presidency (which won a Pulitzer) and the second from his Presidency onward. I was lucky enough to have a professor assign the first many years ago as required reading and just recently picked up T. Rex (the second).

JFK: overrated without a doubt. In some ways he was great for the country (declaring our drive to put a man on the moon for example), but overall was better rhetorically than in action. LBJ did more for civil rights than JFK ever would have.

 

He may not be the greatest president ever, but I've always had a tremendous amount of respect for LBJ. Sure, the guy was arrogant as hell, but he moved decisively in the direction that he felt was best for his country. And even though he had strong opinions, he kept JFK's agenda after his assasination, as a matter of honor. He passed a lot of the civil rights legislation that JFK never got to, because he felt that he had an obligation to complete the goals of the man that the voters had elected. He also showed extraordinary ability to get things done, to get Congress off their butts and actually do something.

I think his only real big 'mistake' was Vietnam, and I have a hard time blaming him for that. No one could have sorted out that mess easily.

 

Historians usually use tiers to rank the Presidents. There's no doubt Washington, Lincoln, and FDR are top tier presidents and there's no doubt in my mind that they are the only three in the top tier. We wouldn't be the United States without those three.(It's interesting that if you accept this ranking we've had a top tier president for each century. I hope we don't have to wait until 2030-2060 for another one.)

Second tier is where the real disagreements begin. I would definitely put Jefferson, Jackson, and Teddy. (Jackson being my favorite presidential "character.") Arguments could be made for Polk, Cleveland, Wilson, and Truman.

 

FDR - is my pick. He led the country through possible the greatest difficulties ever. I think Lincoln and Washington are perhaps above FDR, they are pillars of our country, but to me FDR faced tougher times.

FDR was elected 4 times. While in office he brought the country out of the Great Depression and led America through World War II.

 

Hmmm. Guess where FDR got his idea for the 'New Deal'? Thirty years earlier a man came up with his vision of what everyone should get in this country, the 'Square Deal.' That was the same man who gave Elenor away to (her cousin - ewww!) Franklin at their wedding. Conservationist, former rancher, Rough Rider, Governor of NY, Vice President, and two time heavyweight President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. The President that FDR himself idolized and tried to emulate.

FDR was good, but there is no 1st tier without TR.

 

Teddy Roosevelt as well...HayesStreet hits it well as he usually does in his posts with Roosevelt's background...I liked the fact of him being a true outdoors man and ethical hunter. He was a strong proponent of the National forests...I know everyone knows this story, but i'd like to say it in case there is someone unaware:...On a staged hunt they had a bear (I think tied to a tree) for Roosevelt to shoot on a hunt...Roosevelts' contingent hoped the ease of this "hunt" would be appreciated by the President...Of course, President Roosevelt refused to shoot the cowering bear in this manner...thus the name "teddy bear" was forever coined and soon after cuddled by millions of children...

 

I think that LBJ is the most underrated president we have had. He did so many great things for this country, sure he had a few probs, but what president didnt. After learning of all the good things he did for America I have a greaters respect for him.

 

Thomas Jefferson.

1)Bill of Rights- not while President , but it still rocks.
2)Louisiana Purchase

On FDR, he is the greatest leader US has ever had during a presidency, but was not the greatest president in my opinion. He tried to pack the supreme court which stands out as one of the most unpresidential acts ever committed by a president. The US didn't need a great president at that time, they needed a winner which is what FDR was.

 

Teddy Roosevelt was also a deputy sheriff in the Dakota Territory, Police Commissioner of New York City, U.S. Civil Service Commissioner, Assistant Secretary of the Navy. He was a founding member of the NCAA and President of the American Historical Association, he was considered the world's authority on large American mammals and he led two major scientific expeditions for prominent American Museums, one in South America and one in Africa. He wrote over thirty-five books, reduced the National debt by over $90,000,000, secured the passage of the Elkins Act and the Hepburn Act for regulation of the railroads, the Meat Inspection Act and the Pure Food and Drug Act for consumer protection, and the Federal Employers' Liability Act for Labor. He was the first world leader to submit a dispute to the Court of Arbitration at The Hague, and he was the first head of state to call for convening of what became the Second Hague Peace Conference at which he obtained for Latin American nations equal status with the rest of the world, and won the adoption of the Drago Doctrine, which outlawed the use of force in the collection of foreign debts.

 

Just to throw in a curveball I'll go with Andrew Jackson for one reason only. He was the last President under which we had no national debt. When he came into office he worked his @$$ off to completely eliminate every debt the American government owed and succeded. Pretty impressive.

 

Interesting topic here, JAG. I like it, BTW.

Lincoln would be my choice simply because of what happened with the Civil War in everything and I agree that it is him, Washington, and FDR in that top 3 tier.

However, I sometimes wonder if Washington is given that lofty ranking because of his previous accomplishments in the Revolutionary War and even before that the French & Indian War. What I am getting at it is this: what signifcant things happened when he was President compared to Lincoln and FDR?? However, he is such a national icon, that I have no problem with people ranking him this high, I just have always wondered this.

My choice for most underrated president has to be Harry S Truman. All he had to do was come in and replace a great leader in FDR and one of the first things he decided to do was release the atomic bomb on Japan. Talk about having to make a decision! Wow! And of course, one of the most famous pictures in American history is HST holding up that newspaper that said "Dewey Beats Truman!" But there was more to Truman than those things. He was an extremely warm and friendly individual and he had such an outstanding character about himself.

 

Gerald Ford, because he likes beer, football and nachos.

 

Underrated? Did you forget about the huge "Truman Revival" in the late 80's and 90's. In the span of a few years, a huge amount of ink was spilled about him, presidents and wannabe presidents were trying to be like him, etc.

 

FDR - The new deal, getting people back to work etc. He had a plan and he managed revolutionary programs. He helped build the highways, rural electrification, and other services from the govt. that didn't exist before FDR. He also had one hell of a wife, who advocated many causes on her own.

 

not going to go into a huge explanation, but i feel its lincoln. he was a political genius. even though he said racist bigoted things he did them so he could gain acceptance into political society and once he was in there he could finally begin to make changes. there is a significant amount of evidence (which i don't have on hand with me ) that can show how lincoln changed in his views and how he was a revolutionary and probably did not believe a lot of the racist stuff he said due to what he actually did when he had power.

additionally, lincoln led the country thru an event that was as important as the revolutionary war since it united the 2 parts of the nation that had been growing apart ever since its creation. world war II was amazing but nazism and fascism never would have made it to america no matter what happened in europe. and japans attack on hawaii wasn't an attack on continental america or american values. the cival war was a war that was decisive in what values america would follow. there is so much to say about that but i am really too lazy to type it all out right now unless someone wants to ask me about it.

lincoln was the man!