[pissant]

Jefferson was absolutely brilliant. 2nd only to Benjamin Franklin in the genius department. A great man, a good president, and a patriot.

Fortunately he reconciled with his long time rival John Adams late in life, making for one of the greatest human interest stories ever recorded!

[jla]

He was very intelligent yet also human, thus made mistakes.
His cuts in military strength and expenditures, especially in our Navy, put him on precarious ground when the British set up their blockade of American commercial ships en route to France. (The prelude and cause, which eventually culminated in, the War of 1812)
The sailors on the captured Amercian commercial vessels were literally kidnapped by the British and made to serve on their ships. The U.S. couldn't retaliate because TJ all but ignored our defense needs, again, especially our Navy.

Thomas Jefferson, in my opinion, was more of a great thinker, than he was a great doer. If one really gets into learning about our Founding Fathers they would find that all of them had warts just as any other human did. No doubt they were intelligent men, but be careful throwing words like "genius" around.
Patrick Henry , (my personal favorite of the 'Founders'), refused to attend the Constitutional Convention.
I personally think that in terms of vision, leadership and spirit, not a single one of our Founders matched Ronald Wilson Reagan...save Patrick Henry.

[Sam Gamgee]

It is sad that Adams became a federalist.