Osler's Razor

James A. Garfield, because every time I think of him I see Garfield the cat in a top hat shaking hands and kissing babies, that and everyone seems to forget he got assassinated.
But really- George Washington, that man has straight up class. He could have gone for ultimate power, but restrained himself for the greater good, and truly believed and held out for the USA to be. Sure there are things of the time that he could have/ should have stood on, but I think you can say that about anyone.
 

Hmmm ... certainly FDR turned the country around. And Truman made the tough decisions. But I'd guess, having just spent four years researching the influence of black sacred music on the Civil Rights Movement, the incredible, life-changing, life-affirming legislation spear-headed by LBJ in the '60s is what most impresses me. Forget Vietnam. What this man did for the cause of Civil Rights AND, later, the poor and the hurting with his Great Society legislation -- against incredible venom and hatred -- is unbelievable 50 years later.
Bob
 

Richard Nixon. Because no matter what, no matter what screwup the Democrats field, he'll always be a step above Nixon.

(Also a fan of FDR and Clinton... not so much JFK. He embargoed Cuba, making it hard for me to obtain Cuban cigars.)
 

TR- Walk silently and carry a big stick.

Eisenhower- Really not the milquetoast kind of guy he is portrayed to have been.
 

Reagan.

He brought us out of the economic malaise that 40 years of progressivism had wrought on this country since the New Deal. Was a catalyst in bringing about the end of the cold war. Stood up to unions. When I think of leadership, I think of Reagan.

Nixon.

Because he hated hippies.
 

Which president was the "West Wing" about? Because that guy was great. I think he was the best.
 

RRL-

Nixon hated the American people in general, not just hippies.
 

Justin, hates. Nixon hates the American people. His head is preserved in a jar, and will one day be attached to a robot body and set loose on the unsuspecting populace again.

That is, unless we perfect our tape-recording technology. It's his only weakness.

(Also, RRL, how do you square Nixon's support of universal health care with your own opposition to it? Mildly curious.)
 

James Polk! Brought Texas and California into the union. Plus, he promised not to run for re-election, kept his promise, and, during his one term, he worked so hard he died three months after he left office.
 

Teddy.

I would love to sit around a campfire with him and listen to his stories.
 

They Might Be Giants have a great song about Polk. And he was the most successful and influential President of the 1800's before Lincoln... and I am including Jackson, Jefferson, Madison and Monroe when I make that statement.

He had many flaws, however, and the annexations were done to preserve slavery as much as to add territory. So although I would have him in the top 10, he gets some major demerits.

Every President had blindspots, bad ideas, criminal underlings and other flaws, even the two best, Lincoln and Washingon.

I agree that Eisenhower should be in the top 5.

Reagan... who knows what he really believed or why.... Weird, weird stuff. Same could be said for FDR too. Very much a cipher as to what he actually believed in. But you can't argue with success, so put them on the top 5 list too.

I love TR, but he should have listened to his own advice and kept silent at times. So he's only in the top 10, with Polk, Cleveland, Truman and McKinley (another guy who deserves better from history).

Bush I and Clinton both are going to look better in the future, btw

Now, lets talk about the worst Presidents. Nixon, LBJ, Jackson, Monroe, Jefferson....

(not Grant or Harding -- they did not cause long term damage)
 

Jefferson? Are you baiting me?
 

Worst Presidents:

Buchanan and Pierce--not surprising that their two terms led up to the CW.

Two Greatest Presidents:

1. GW--the sine qua non of the AR. If not for GW, we would not have emerged from our tumultuous period of gestation and infancy as a fledgling experiment in liberty.

2. AL--without him, we would not have survived our adolescence.

A Sentimental Favorite:

John Quincy Adams--probably the smartest man to ever serve as president. Not surprisingly, he was not very successful.

A Few Shout-Outs to Previous Commenters:

Anon, 1:39. Amen, brother. LBJ does not get the credit he deserves as the Civil Rights president. He is the one on that count.

Scott Davis and (it goes without saying I applaud IPLG): IKE was a great manager and, like Washington, unfairly criticized for not being an intellectual. Great executive with a genius for running organizations with efficiency and integrity.

RRL: Reagan really was Great: revived the economy, won the Cold War, offered an unapologetic defense of American ideals, and reignited optimism about our American future.

Note on RR: the above statement re RR is shorthand. Some of you will be tempted to argue with me on those big statements. I welcome a more nuanced conversation about Reagan. I feel confident I can defend my position on my four basic assertions. And will enjoy the exercise.

Anon, 1:57. Polk is a top ten president. Good one.

IPLG: Great point on Teddy. Irresistible Logic on RR and FDR.

Points of disagreement: I like Jackson a lot; respect LBJ a lot; like Monroe (mainly because I give him credit for all of JQA's accomplishments as Sec'y of State).

Jefferson is a separate post.
 

WF-

John Quincy Adams was a deacon at the New York Ave. Presby. Church, and they have some of his stuff, too. Fascinating place.
 

William H. Taft, because he was over 300 pounds on average and a whole new bathtub had to be built for him to fit into it!

Another odd fact:
He was the last president to have facial hair. (Mustache)

Lucy aka Mitzy
 

Mark,

I did not know about JQA and NY Ave. Great stuff! Thanks to you for bringing all this to the forefront of my mind, I am definitely making it a stop on my next visit.
 

THE BEST PRESIDENT WAS GEORGE W. BUSH. HE WAS THE BEST BECAUSE OF THE PEACE AND THE ECONOMY AND THE SPORTS AND GUNS. ALL THAT WAS GOOD. HE ALSO DID NOT LET THE LIBERALS DO THEIR LIBERAL THINGS, LIKE TAKING AWAY OUR GUNS OR MESSING WITH THE $5 MILLION BUDGET OF THE ALABAMA AGRICULTURE COMMISSION.
 

Nixon would be considered a liberal by today's definition.

I like Bush 1 and Bush 2 for comedic value.
 

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE.

GEORGE W. BUSH WAS UNDOUBTEDLY ONE OF THE GREAT PRESIDENTS, BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT THE ONLY PERSON WORTHY OF ELECTION TO THIS GREAT COUNTRY RIGHT NOW IS OUR FRIEND RICK PERRY. HE'S A CONFEDERATE, HE'S A CREATIONIST, AND HE'LL PUT ALL THOSE HIPPIES IN LINE.

I WILL BE GIVING A LARGE CONTRIBUTION TO THE DALE PETERSON CAMPAIGN, THOUGH.

OIL IS A NATURAL PROCESS!!1!


--ALL CAPS GUY


P.S. AGAIN WITH THE RIP-OFFS. SERIOUSLY, QUIT IT, YOU HIPPIE. YOUR LEFTY VIEWS AND IRRESPONSIBILITY WITH TAX DOLLARS ARE POISONING DEMOCRACY.
 

ALL CAPS GUY HERE AGAIN...

I FORGOT TO ADD THAT I WROTE ALL THAT ON OPPOSITE DAY. I THINK "HIPPIE" IS JUST A SLOPPY WORD USED NOW TO LET RIGHT-WING HAWKS AVOID SERIOUS POLITICAL DISCUSSION WITH OPPOSING VOICES.

I DIG FDR AND CLINTON. I VOTED FOR OBAMA (BUT ONLY BECAUSE HILLARY GOT SHUT OUT AND I COULDN'T VOTE FOR HER).

HUGS AND KISSES,

ALL CAPS LIBERAL DUDE
 

I hate having to agree with RRL, but Reagan. He was the calming grandpa's lap for America to sit on when she needed it oh, so badly.
He also made clear the frightening fact that modern-day politicians need to be great actors in order to be considered great politicians.
That saddens and frightens me.
Also, he was just plain, old badass.