Greatest U.S. President? Public Names Reagan, Clinton, Lincoln

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE ^ | 2/18/05 | Joseph Carroll

[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.

[1stFreedom]

Lincoln tops the list, IMO. Read his speeches and you'll see his convictions....He was truely a Godsend..

[1stFreedom]

Lincoln tops the list, IMO. Read his speeches and you'll see his convictions....He was truely a Godsend..

[clyde asbury]

You mean the guy on the dollar bill?

I wonder if he is a president...

[Recovering_Democrat]

actually, no. I thought it was much smaller. sorry.

[cloud8]

> [c]linton is one of the 5 worst presidents

Mind if I rank yours? There were some real duds in the 19th century...

5. Wilson
4. FDR
3. LBJ
2. Carter
1. clinton (may allah bless his soul)

[Dog Gone]

Eisenhower doesn't belong in the top 10. I'd rate him right there with Gerald Ford in the "he did no damage, but didn't do anything, either" category. I don't think FDR was great, either, unless greatness means impact.

I'd put Teddy Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan in a tie in the top five, and Dubya already ranks above Truman at the start of his second term.

[1stFreedom]

An unnecessary war? Please.. if the States don't function as a Union, we have serious problems. I would expect no less of the Feds now either....

Any idiot can write a book.. and on that note, Lincoln wasn't a saint, and he was a politician, but still the best president...

[Cicero]

How many Democrat presidents have we had in recent times? Jimmuh Carter and clinton, and before that Roosevelt and Truman.

Few of the people polled were alive when Roosevelt or Truman were presidents. So the only Democrat presidents they know, or perhaps have even heard of, are Carter and clinton.

Not a very big choice.

[Cicero]

PS: And Kennedy is now ancient history too. Sorry, I forgot him. Once he was famous, now he's vanishing down a crack in the floor.

[Undecided]

Clinton did things that no other President could dream of doing. Welfare reform would have gotten a republican impeached if not assasinated.

Some of his accomplishments were accidental, but without him the accidents wouldn't have occurred. Republican control of the house without Hillary-sCare never happens. Senate control was a complete fantasy among Republicans before bubba.

Before Clinton, stock trading was something "the evil rich" did. When Clinton was in office the MSM advised everyone to jump in. Now, when the liberals give their "evil corporation" speaches, most of the public rolls their eyes since they have ownership in corporations.

If Clinton hadn't been Clinton, GWB never gets elected and I hate to even imaging the mess Gore would have this country in right now.

[Ditto]

I think Lincoln though comes pretty close to Washington...

Much of it has to do with the times. As Lincoln himself said... "I confess that events have controlled me and I have not controlled events."

That's true. And Lincoln usually (not always) did well in responding to those events. Washington, on the other hand, controlled events. True, Lincoln saved the Union in a very difficult time, but it was not the most difficult time in the life of our nation. The most difficult was the birthing process. It was a touch-and-go thing.

The Presidency of Washington created the lasting Union against all odds. His wisdom and leadership, and his "nonpolitical" political skills are the only reason there was a Union to save in 1860. He was a masterful politician in the best sense of the word.

His 8 years in office set every major president for the executive branch and he was the only man alive who could do what was necessary while controlling opposing factions that threatened the Union during it very birth. As Fletchner said, Washington was the Indispensable Man. We owe him everything.

[Dog Gone]

Ever hear of LBJ?

[libertyman]

Absolutely. GW was an incredible man. The people would have continued to re-elect him as long as he wanted, but he knew better & set a precedent for others to follow (which they did, until FDR came along).

Too bad we ignore what Washington said in his Farewell Address regarding "The Spirit of Party". Rather than looking to the Constitution as our guide for government, we care more about the politicians that are given to us by the party Establishment...& out nation's sovereinty, liberty, & way of life are @ risk as a result.

[Calif Conservative]

Freepers bring a chuckle at times.

Rather than fume about Clinton, how about celebrating the fact the REAGAN is considered the best U.S. president?

My list would be"

Washington, Lincoln, FDR, Reagan, leaving a spot in the top 5 for GWB, depending on how his second four years plays out.

-George

[libertyman]

All I can say about that is.....

"SIC SEMPER TYRANNIS!"

[Major_Risktaker]

The greatest President Ever Was:
John Hanson
American Patriot
and
First President of the United States
(1715-1783)

Hanson, as President, ordered all foreign troops off American soil, as well as the removal of all foreign flags.

This was quite a feat, considering the fact that so many European countries had a stake in the United States since the days following Columbus.

Hanson established the Great Seal of the United States, which all Presidents have since been required to use on all official documents.

President Hanson also established the first Treasury Department, the first Secretary of War, and the first Foreign Affairs Department.

Lastly, he declared that the fourth Thursday of every November was to be Thanksgiving Day, which is still true today.

He took office just as the Revolutionary War ended. Almost immediately, the troops demanded to be paid.

As would be expected after any long war, there were no funds to meet the salaries. As a result, the soldiers threatened to overthrow the new government and put Washington on the throne as a monarch.

All the members of Congress ran for their lives, leaving Hanson running the government. He somehow managed to calm the troops and hold the country together.

If he had failed, the government would have fallen almost immediately and everyone would have been bowing to King Washington.

[PISANO]

George Washington without a doubt in my mind! He could have been KING, he could have had as much POWER as he saw fit. He could have served until death. Instead this humble General and the First President of the United States SET the predicate for our posterity.

[swilhelm73]

Bill Clinton for God's sake?

What is wrong with leftists nowadays???

Let's look at this from a leftwing view fo a moment.

FDR passed a horde of leftwing social programs the left loves, and got the US into WWII. This is a legacy even if *I* think the first part was mostly a failure.

What did Clinton do? Ignore terrorism, fail to pass his socialized medicine scheme, and get away with perjury. This makes him great?!?!?!?

[infidel29]

"Oh GREAT, Mr. President. Now how am I going to get that ...stain out?!"

[Owl558]

"There have been other very good presidents, but none have been even close to Washington."

I have always thought that Roosevelt (Teddy) was one of the greatest, but I have to agree with you about Washington. The fact that the man stepped away from the presidency in an era where such a thing was unthinkable elsewhere is, in itself, one of the greatest, single acts that a president has ever performed.