Posted on 05/14/2015 8:36:15 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
There are only five living US presidents, but many of the Republican 2016 hopefuls seem to have trouble ranking them.
Last weekend during the Freedom Summit in Greeneville, South Carolina, CNN's Chris Moody asked many of the likely GOP candidates to name the greatest living president. The question left many of them stumped. CNN on Wednesday released a video of the awkward encounters.
Several of the people questioned by Moody cited Ronald Reagan, who died in 2004. One candidate, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, acknowledged he didn't know how to answer the question.
"I don't know. I'd have to think about that one for a long time," Carson said, adding: "I think everybody has their good points and their bad points."
The question poses obvious problems for the Republican field. Of the five living presidents, three are Democrats: President Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton, and President Jimmy Carter. The two living Republicans, President George H.W. Bush and President George W. Bush, are relatives of a likely 2016 candidate, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R). Furthermore, President George W. Bush left office as one of the most unpopular presidents of all time, and some members of the current GOP field have taken shots at him.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Florida), Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), and Republican businessman Donald Trump all named Reagan in response to Moody's question.
"I'll leave that for the people to decide," Cruz said of his choice for the greatest living president. "Certainly, the greatest president of recent generations was Ronald Reagan."
(Excerpt) Read more at businessinsider.com ...
Double-dumb stupid question and questioner.
The recent Bush would be the best but he’s seriously flawed.
Reporter: Where was Obama born?
Republican candidate: I don’t know.
Headline: Republican presidential candidates had trouble answering this very basic historical question
He must be getting pretty old these days.
"None of the living Presidents were great. Therefore, by definition, none of them could be "greatest".
Chris Moody asked many of the likely GOP candidates to name the greatest living president. The question left many of them stumped.Simple. There aren't any "great" living presidents.
To paraphrase Kay from Men In Black "George Washington is not dead, he just went home". ; )
Agreed, none of the above.
Why didn't they ask about underwear preferences?
There isn't one.
But here is the most GRATING of them all, dead or alive.
Loaded question. The only possible answer is Goerge Dubya but it’s entirely through lack of competition, so no one want to be on record saying that.
That's the reason for the question. To align the candidate with Bush so that they can use it against them.
Five living presidents, all with issues:
* Carter - if it weren’t for Obama, he would be the worst President ever. Not even a Democrat would claim Carter for this question.
* GHWB - “read my lips”, Iraq I, generally a poor substitute for Reagan, his predecessor.
* Clinton - what Republican is going to give this answer with the possibility of Hillary on the other side of the race? Or, frankly, even without Hillary to contend with.
* GWB - Iraq II, existing punching bag/whipping boy for every ill, real or imagines, deserved or not
* Obama - See “Carter”.
The reason they “can’t” answer is that there *IS* no good answer. The whole point of the question is to try and get them to tie themselves to either GHWB or GWB, both of whom are electoral albatrosses.
Ask hitlary the same question. lol
(Can I run for president, mom? Everybody else is!)
Once again, when dealing with the enemedia, the correct answer is “do you have a serious question, or should I move on to someone who matters?”
It is a dumb question with a fairly easy answer. A tie, George H W and George W. but they’re the best of the five. Neither is great and history will remember neither as great. If we continue on the path we’re on Carter, Clinton and Obama will be remembered as great because of their subversion of our Constitution and government expansion and support for socialist ideals and the dividing of the American citizenry.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.