Monday, February 20, 2006

Windspike's President's Day Challenge

Who's your favorite President?

List the reasons why in less than ten sentences in a comment to this post. Blog on all.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do I have to respond seriously to this? No...OK:

Best Hair: Martin Van Buren (love those mutton chops)

Best Nickname: William Henry Harrison ("Old Tippecanoe")

Best Smile: Theodore Roosevelt

Best Smile (honerable mention): Jimmy Carter

Snappiest Dresser: Woodrow Wilson

Anonymous said...

OK, now for the serious answer: I'd have to say Harry Truman for four reasons. First, Truman followed the toughest act in Presidential history, Franklin Roosevelt and did a pretty good job, nonetheless. Second, Truman was the first President to govern during the most difficult transition in American history, from large but isolationist country to a world superpower. Third, Truman gave the toughest order in Presidential history, the order to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It was the right decision and practically Truman's first act as President. Fourth, and finally, Truman was one of a very few Presidents that understood the notion of responsibility and embraced it.

Truman was not the most skilled politician or President; His was not the most successful administration; He was not free from controversy or scandal; But Truman embodied the best qualities that a man could bring to the Presidency...much like Lincoln. But defending Lincoln is way too easy.

Anonymous said...

I'm a day late, sorry, but I vote for LBJ, because he was larger than life. And he said ...

"For this is what America is all about. It is the uncrossed desert and the unclimbed ridge. It is the star that is not reached and the harvest sleeping in the unplowed ground. . ."

Because during his term he nominated Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court.

Because during his term he signed: The Civil Rights and the Voting Rights acts.

Because under his term Medicare came into being.

Because he was a man with many, many gifts, but also many, many shortcomings. His decisions on Viet Nam were, granted, very unfortunate. However, he did not start Viet Nam, he inherited it.

Because he left office a broken man, which makes me cry.

pissed off patricia said...

My favorite pres. will be the next one if he or she can take our country back to sanity. If this person can restore our reputation in the world and if he or she can be trusted, that person wins.

Neil Shakespeare said...

Dan Hedaya as Nixon was good. Bill Bob Thornton in 'Love Actually'. That guy who played 'Dave'...

Anonymous said...

Windspike...my pleasure. After all of the ragging the rest of us were doing on President's day. I thought getting a little more traffic on this post might be a good way to end the day.

Ken Grandlund said...

Okay- Better Late than Never!

I guess I'd have to go with Washington- primarily because he tried to instill the notion that a president is still just a citizen, not some kind of imperial ruler. His humility, coupled with his strength and wisdom, helped put this country off on a good start.
Sadly, those who came after him discarded his notion to varying degrees, but a better first president for our nation could not have been found.

Sure, he had his faults too, but this is a rather simple answer, without attempting to parse all presidents or their pros/cons.