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Greatest U.S. President? Public Names Reagan, Clinton, Lincoln
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE ^ | 2/18/05 | Joseph Carroll

Posted on 02/18/2005 2:23:36 PM PST by NYGOPRULEZ

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Depending on where Americans live, on Monday they'll be celebrating the birthday of the nation's first president, George Washington, or Washington's birthday and President Abraham Lincoln's birthday. A recent Gallup Poll asking Americans to name, without prompting, the "greatest United States president," finds Americans most often mentioning Ronald Reagan. Republicans and Democrats differ sharply in their views of the greatest president, with Republicans most often mentioning Reagan and Democrats most often mentioning Bill Clinton. When asked to choose the greater president between Lincoln and Washington, Americans pick Lincoln by a wide margin.

Reagan Tops List

The poll, conducted Feb. 7-10, finds that Reagan is mentioned more often than any other president in history as the greatest, at 20%. Four other presidents trail closely behind: Clinton (with 15% of the mentions), Lincoln (14%), Franklin D. Roosevelt (12%), and John F. Kennedy (also 12%). The current president, George W. Bush, and the first president, Washington, are each mentioned by 5% of Americans.

(Excerpt) Read more at gallup.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abelincoln; gallup; impeachedx42; poll; presidents; reagan; topten
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To: NYGOPRULEZ

Clinton and Carter should be noted as THE WORST EVER!!!


101 posted on 02/18/2005 3:33:45 PM PST by Stellar Dendrite (Douche-ocrats.)
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To: Cyclopean Squid
I don't see Polk on your list. Polk was a superstar--he should have at least made it into your top 10!"""

Polk was a pro-slavery Democrat. Not my cup of tea.

102 posted on 02/18/2005 3:34:11 PM PST by churchillbuff
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To: churchillbuff
I can understand your aversion, but I think it a mistake to dismiss out of hand every president who harbored pro-slavery viewpoints. Polk's policies resulted in the spread of American civilization to vast tracts of untouched land. Over time, the practices of America came more and more into alignment with its inherent ideals. In this way, Polk is deserving of extending the American dream to the lands of the Southwest and the West. He, like all great men, was a flawed hero. His faults only serve to make his triumphs greater, for they remind us he was but a mortal and can be emulated.

I often think that many have potential greatness in them but do not pursue it out of modesty or timidity. This might be attributable to the tendency to write hagiography instead of biography on history's great men.
103 posted on 02/18/2005 3:46:47 PM PST by Cyclopean Squid (The 80s belonged to the Gipper, the Aughts belong to Dubya!)
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To: Recovering_Democrat

No, I'm not complaining....I was impressed with the photo.


104 posted on 02/18/2005 3:48:46 PM PST by My2Cents (Fringe poster since 1998.)
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To: drt1

Yeah, they should make the respondants name like 20 presidents and only poll the ones who can.


105 posted on 02/18/2005 3:54:01 PM PST by chudogg (www.chudogg.blogspot.com)
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To: Tarpaulin
Reagan?

He will never be great because in hindsight he failed miserably in responding to the growth Islamic terror.

A quick overview of Reagan and terror immediately excludes him from greatness as far as I'm concerned:

1)Beirut Embassy bombed 63 dead 120 wounded No response
2)Marine Barracks blown up 241 US Marines Dead - No response- US leaves Lebanon
3) Kuwait Embassy bombed No response
4) CIA Station Chief William Buckley taken hostage / murdered - No response
5) Pays bribes to Iranians to get hostages - against expressed US Policy
6) Kuwaiti Airliner hijacked-2 USID Employees Killed Iranians allow hijacker to leave unscathed. Reagan does nothing
7)American Airlines jet hijacked to Lebanon American Navy Seal murdered and tossed onto the tarmac Reagan has no response. Under pressure from Washington Israel released hundred of terror suspects in response to demands of terrorists.
8)1985- the Achille Lauro hijacked on the high seas-American citizen Leon Klinghoffer is murdered and tossed overboard. Hijackers eventually captured when their plane is forced down in Italy- Italian authorities eventually release Abu Abbas unharmed.
9) 1985 Rome and Vienna airports were bombed killing 5 Americans - No response
10)1986 discotheque in West Berlin is bombed killing US Servicemen. Reagan finally response by attacking Libya.
11) In retaliation for US bombing Palestinian Abu Nidal executed 3 US citizens who worked at American University in Beirut.
12) Qaddafi survives to arrange the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Scotland

Reagan's record regarding terror is arguably worse than Jimmy Carters.

106 posted on 02/18/2005 3:58:05 PM PST by zarf
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To: Libloather

It's not just you.


107 posted on 02/18/2005 3:58:58 PM PST by Howlin (Free the Eason Jordan Tape!!!)
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To: NYGOPRULEZ

Klintoon ... maybe the greatest Clymer


108 posted on 02/18/2005 3:59:46 PM PST by clamper1797 (This Vietnam Vet ain't Fonda Kerry)
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To: NYGOPRULEZ

and from these results we can determine that 27% of those polled are retarded.


109 posted on 02/18/2005 4:00:27 PM PST by WindOracle (The burst radius of a grenade is always one foot further than your jumping range.)
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To: zarf

Reagan?

Soviet Union.


110 posted on 02/18/2005 4:01:06 PM PST by Tarpaulin (Look it up.)
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To: Cyclopean Squid
Polk's policies resulted in the spread of American civilization to vast tracts of untouched land."""

But they were undertaken in order to get more territory for the expansion of slavery. This is why anti-slavery politicians like Lincoln opposed the Mexican War.

111 posted on 02/18/2005 4:03:25 PM PST by churchillbuff
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To: NYGOPRULEZ

Ronald Wilson Reagan is on the top of my list. Sorry, but Bill Fellatio Clinton is not even close.


112 posted on 02/18/2005 4:05:55 PM PST by JarheadFromFlorida (Ooorahhhh........Get Some! Semper Fi')
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To: churchillbuff
"But they were undertaken in order to get more territory for the expansion of slavery."

Say WHAT!?!? Suuuure, and all those settlers who swarmed into the west had nothing to do with it.

113 posted on 02/18/2005 4:08:15 PM PST by WindOracle (If at frist.. if att firts.. if at first you don't succeed...)
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To: NYGOPRULEZ

They obviously asked the wrong question. I would asked "Among the presidents who have not been impeached, have not had their licenses to practice law revoked, and who upheld the oath they took to preserve and protect against all enemies, foreign or domestic, who would you consider to be America's greatest President?"


114 posted on 02/18/2005 4:13:02 PM PST by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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To: zarf

The greatest threat by far to the U.S. and her future during Reagan's time was global communism. He faced that threat head on and won. That's greatness.

Your argument is like saying Jefferson and Adams did not respond to the north/south divide that engulfed the country fifty years later so they failed miserably.

I'm not buying it.


115 posted on 02/18/2005 4:17:07 PM PST by 2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten
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Comment #116 Removed by Moderator

To: libertyman

why not......i'm just rearranging another guy who said washingont, reagan then lincoln........i just reversed lincoln with Reagan....what's the problem with that


117 posted on 02/18/2005 4:22:44 PM PST by NorCalRepub
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To: Ditto

and that is why I named Washington #1 and Lincoln #2...been to both their homes both at Mt Vernon and in Ill...respect both men immensely.....Lincoln being the first Repub President did save the union.......and Washington was the Father of our country.......and well deserved......


118 posted on 02/18/2005 4:25:51 PM PST by NorCalRepub
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To: RWR8189

Wow! Clinton mentioned by 15% and GW by 5%. I don't think people are that stupid. I believe this is media manipulation... but who knows - maybe they are, lol.


119 posted on 02/18/2005 4:28:14 PM PST by Victoria Delsoul
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To: wk4bush2004

Seriously, Clinton will never rank in the top 20, What legacy ?


120 posted on 02/18/2005 4:29:45 PM PST by John Lenin ( Hollywood is where they shoot too many pictures and not enough actors...Walter Winchell)
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