The Atlantic Unveils 100 Most Influential Americans List

Yahoo ^ | 11/22/06

[CollegeRepublican]

96 is pretty disturbing.

Surely Michael Jordan is more influential than Nader. :)

[SuzyQue]

So, a Republican president made it as #1 on the list!

[wordsofearnest]

#49 Fredrick Law Olmstead? I had to google his name to find out he was a landscaper! I'm sure he did good work but top 100 influential persons.

[StoneWall Brigade]

I'm shocked to see that JFK didn't make it

[goodnesswins]

You forgot Margie Sanger's racist ideas too!

[Hawthorn]

> These lists are always interesting because they are so subjective. <


Should be re-phrased, to say:

"These lists are always worthless because they are so subjective."


[For example, like those "best cities" lists -- which almost always come up with a list topper that has average winter temperatures in the Fahrenheit 'teens!]

[riverdawg]

Who is/was Jonathan Edwards - the one on the list?

And no Bill O'Reilly?/sarc

[Walkingfeather]

but in terms of influence? I guess we should define what influence is. Desegregating a game, compared with basically creating a trillion dollar industry? Along with all the jobs ideas and communication ??/

[Borges]

Paine's 'Common Sense' was the impetus for the American Revolution more then any other text.

[Red Badger]

I didn't forget them, and neither will God............

[Steve_Seattle]

Thanks. Bennett and Louis Sullivan were the only names I didn't recognize.

[JamesP81]

When Abraham Lincoln is listed as more influential than any of the Framers, there's something wrong with the list. Or the author has an agenda.

[Steve_Seattle]

"I'm shocked to see that JFK didn't make it."

And, perhaps in his own sick way, Lee Harvey Oswald.

[Tanniker Smith]

IMHO, "Most Influential" is way too broad a category.

Word!
Yo, this be bogus. Where 2Pac?? Or my man Biggie?

[StoneWall Brigade]

Well Goodwin did help

[Busywhiskers]

Well we got the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Jonathan Edwards, Margaret Sanger and Betty Friedan.

[Borges]

Elvis' rise sped up the Civil rights movemment more then anything else by bringing up 'Black' music into white homes.

[Pharmboy]

Washington should have been 1, no doubt. In general, I think it is a pretty good list. A glaring omission is William F. Buckley. Also, I question Frederic Law Olmstead--yes, Central Park is great, but he could have been in the next 100.

[Tanniker Smith]

Someone needs to defend W.E.B. Dubois' and Thomas Paines' high ranking, too.

Well, as far as Paine goes, without his pamplets, public opinion could have gone against the Revolution -- and that includes the young (and old) men who were fighting it. So no Paine, no ... (nah, won't say it). No Paine, no America, no most influential Americans list (or most of the Americans on the list, either.)

[Hawthorn]

> Jonathan Edwards, Margaret Sanger and Betty Friedan <


So the Atlantic likes Jno. Edwards, but not Jno. Kerry! How refreshing!