FDR, JFK, LBJ The greatest Dems of the 20th century

[Trumpocalypse]

were known by their initials.

Who will be next great Dem known by their initials?

[gabeana]

1. He is not known by his initials

but the one I admire the most is James Earl Carter (JEC)

his admin very underrated

[Sanity Claws]

2. I wouldn't put LBJ in the same category

His Vietnam War record fatally detracts from his otherwise good record.

[MineralMan]

12. Nor would I.

That SOB caused the unnecessary deaths of thousands of draftees and Vietnamese civilians.

But, then, FDR send thousands of people, including US citizens, of Japanese descent to what were concentration camps.

JFK wasn't around long enough to really know what he might have done.

Each President is unique, but none are 100% good men.

[volstork]

3. AOC

n/t

[Trumpocalypse]

6. Thank you

for being the only person to actually answer my question instead of arguing about the past. That is why we lose elections.

[UTUSN]

4. I'll trade you an HST and initial-less Jimmy for one JFK.

[volstork]

7. JFK did keep the world from blowing up.

Which is probably why he was killed...

[UTUSN]

8. See post #5, below.

I think his impression on others is what got us to that place, and maybe the converse to your theory on the plot, among his other risky behaviors?

[volstork]

11. Referring to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Not VietNam.

[UTUSN]

13. I was talking Cuba. & in mundane voting terms he lost us the Cuban vote

for a couple of generations, maybe also his life at their hands.

[book_worm]

5. JFK is one of the most over rated presidents

He didn't want to upset the Southern chairmen in congress so for two years he went slow on Civil Rights. Finally events forced him to act and he did come up with a good program but one that was stalled in congress. It took LBJ to get much of the Kennedy program including the tax bill, foreign aid and Civil Rights thru Congress.

I know that everybody blames LBJ for Vietnam but JFK actually began the process and Johnson inherited JFK's advisors who were almost unanimous in advising Johnson to expand the war. Johnson early on was skeptical but people like Rusk, Bundy, and McNamara (JFK's Best and Brightest) were urging him on. Of course that doesn't absolve Johnson, but I also don't think JFK should be given a pass on Vietnam.

[UTUSN]

9. Am *totally* with you on this!

[DFW]

10. I'd add one from the 20th Century who was a Dem in spirit

Even though he wore the Republican label, it was less than 50 years after Lincoln, and vestiges of their former benevolence remained. I'm talking, of course, about Theodore Roosevelt, known even today as TR.

As for this century, BHO springs to mind. And we can only speculate what might become of an HRC presidency.