[John H K]

Bump for the greatest President in American history.

Regardless of the opinion of Lincoln I've always found it a bit odd how Washington gets ignored in "Greatest President" arguments.

He's so OBVIOUSLY our greatest President even having a debate seems silly. He DEFINED what the office of President is.

Basically, pretty much every armed revolution or civil war in history results in the newly-created government being taken over by a dictator. Washington broke that pattern when he served two terms, refused to be a king, and went home.

Resisting that temptation to be a dictator when you COULD be a dictator is UNBELIEVABLY difficult, even for the most pure-hearted person.

[republicanwizard]

Not after the abuse Washington took at the end of his term. He never had to make the death of hundreds of thousands of young Americans into a great moral cause, thereby rallying an apathetic nation which was willing to compromise.

[wideminded]

Regardless of the opinion of Lincoln I've always found it a bit odd how Washington gets ignored in "Greatest President" arguments.

He's so OBVIOUSLY our greatest President even having a debate seems silly. He DEFINED what the office of President is.

While visiting Mount Vernon I picked up a book called something like Maxims of George Washington. I was disappointed at the contents. I think the reason that Washington sometimes is less regarded is that he doesn't come across as having anything like the intellectual power of Lincoln. National Geographic once published a map showing all the pieces of land owned by Washington which were numerous and some very large. Acquiring land seems to have been one of his main goals in life.

[beckett]

Your point is well taken. I certainly wouldn't want to get into a p***ing contest over who was better, Washington or Lincoln. I have a special regard for Lincoln because I read lots of books about him when I was a teenager, so I've been well versed in his life and place in history for a good part of my life. Only later did I come to appreciate Washington's enormous importance, especially for, as you say, defining what an American President is.

I am more than willing to assign both men the top spot in the hierarchy of American Presidents, and even, if push came to shove, to give good ol' Georgie a leg up on Abe.