Who was the best president of US from 1961 onward?

[WI_DEM]

Poll question: Who was the best president of US from 1961 onward?

and why do you think so?

[shenmue]

1. Close choice

I was almost going to say either Clinton or Carter, but even though I didn't live in his time I had to pick Kennedy.

[gatorboy]

2. What?

No votes for Nixon?

[Gruenemann]

4. Hell, I'd vote for Nixon over Reagan...

..but apparently at least one person preferred the Bonzo's buddy.

[flaminbats]

23. I would have voted for Bush I over Bush II..

strange how the few things a father did right can be blown away by his son.

[Ron Green]

3. Somebody voted for Reagan. It's amazing how many people still think

he was a great President. The hallmark of American culture is confusing image with reality.

[DanCa]

JFK or Bill Clinton -

I just can't decide between these two greatmen.

[ShrewdLiberal]

13. I agree with you--JFK or Clinton

Both are clearly near-great presidents. I suppose had JFK lived longer, perhaps, just perhaps, Viet Nam might have never developed the way it did, obviously. The whole debacle wasn't as bad as the Iraq War strategically; however, it was horrific in terms of death and destruction.

JFK became great in his short time. I love Bill Clinton, though. I'm 33 years of age so I wasn't even born when JFK was president, but I've seen news reels of him and his family during his presidency. Jackie was beautiful beyond belief, and so were the children and the rest of the clan. He had his ups and downs but showed his grasp of the issues during the Cuban Missle Crisis. He saved mankind from insane hawks in the military who wanted to take us into World War III--nuclear annihilation.

Now we have a truly insane fuckhead bombing everything that moves, whether innocent or not, and who justifies it with lies and deceit. Had we had the House, the motherfucker would have been impeached by now. Bush is the worst president in American history without a doubt. I'll take Nixon over him, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, or U. S. Grant.

God damn do I ever miss Bill Clinton. My vote goes to Clinton, a man of wisdom and good intent. But my ideals are with Kennedy. Both men are beloved by our beloved Democratic Party, and rightfully so!

[rzemanfl]

5. I voted for Ford because you could always count on him for a

pratfall. No other President was such a cut-up. Plus, being purely an appointed President he wasn't tainted by a political campaign and he did his whoring and payback right out in front of everyone.

[wiley]

6. JFK was great. Clinton had more years, obviously

and Big Dog rules!

[Danger Duck]

7. You forgot to put Haliburton on the list.

[MsUnderstood]

8. Did you name all the presidents?

Then why a choice none of them?

If you didn't like any of them, the question still indications choose the best one. . .

[WI_DEM]

14. well somebody didn't like any of them

and that is for them--relatively few that there may be.

[speedoo]

9. Not even close.

Clinton by a mile.

No major international fuckups and the greatest economic performance of any president in modern times.

[Little Star]

21. My sentiments exactally

Big Dawg Best President Ever. And I loved Jack Kennedy.

[Eugene]

10. LBJ delivered the goods on JFK's New Frontier

I voted LBJ on balance, in spite of Viet Nam.

[Adelante]

15. I would have said LBJ but for the war

Voted Clinton.

[Douglas Carpenter]

20. I would say obviously LBJ

Although it is absolutely true that the insanity of cold war assumptions brought about the Viet Nam war and destroyed the Great Society and split the Democratic Party in a way in which we have still not recovered.

But in fairness it was not LBJ himself or even his administration that is the root cause of this catastrophe. It was misguided thinking of cold war assumptions that ended the possiblity of building the Great Society thus curbing what would have been the greatest progressive leap forward in America history.

[HereSince1628]

11. I think I am a psychopath. I see Kennedy and Clinton as popular

Undoubtedly they are the most popular presidents in that time frame. I should probably take a plunge and go with one of them. But I can't.

In my bones, I think the greatest president was the one that never was. Bobby Kennedy. True enough, he didn't survive to get elected so he never got to sign a bill. And true enough he did some things as AG that could be described at best as very tough.

But, he stirred the spirit of the country in a way that really did leave a legacy. John Kennedy mostly left an unfinished dream. I am not at all sure Bill Clinton left any legacy. The remarkable economy and end of debt has already been wiped out.

[Just Me]

12. Definitely, JFK!!! He ebbed the power of the military/industrial,...

,...corporate thugs. That's why he was assassinated.

[madokie]

16. The Big Dawg

that was too easy

[sonsera]

17. I wonder what the results would be

if a poll was taken to see how many who voted in this poll were of voting age in 1961. Remember the legal age in 1961 was 21 and lowered to 18 in 1971. You would have to be at least 65 today. :-(

[newyawker99]

18. Hi sonsera!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[LSdemocrat]

19. Clinton: he wasn't quite great, but everyone else so flawed

Unfortunately JFK's "flaw" was that he didn't get at least a full term. If he had, there's a good chance he'd be my top choice.

Everyone else just has too many major flaws bringing them down.

[Ignacio Upton]

22. None of these guys were perfect, but I voted for Clinton

JFK would have been my choice had he finished his term (I don't like LBJ much because of Vietnam.)

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Tough choice between Kennedy and Clinton

Kennedy gave vision to the country and Clinton really helped us a lot with our economy. I love them both but in the end chose Clinton. He's been the best so far in my life time (of course I'm only twenty-three).

[B Calm]

25. I voted for Clinton. I think he could have done a lot more if he didn't

have to drag the republican congress with their heels stuck in mud.