Who, in your opinion, was the best and worst US president of the last 50 years?

[Mama Kin]

Since I'm not American and am fairly young, I'd vote Clinton as the best and Bush and Reagan as the worst.

Though folks seemed to love JFK.

[GeorgeSteele]

Best - Clinton

Worst - LBJ

[Mal Brossard]

JFK, Clinton, and Reagan (both Ronald and Nancy) are all fairly widely known to have cheated.

I wasnt aware of Reagan cheating.  Source?

It seems that George H.W. Bush did, however.

I'll have to see if I can find the Reagan stuff again.  Now that I think of it, I think it may have been before he became president, and we all know what happens to all that stuff-- history conveniently forgets or just ignores it as much as possible.

Of course, I could get into the whole male prostitute "Capital Hill Call Boy" scandal from the late 80's, but I won't bother with that... yet.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

There are no accounts of either Nancy or Ronald cheating....

[D]

It takes a true die Hard Democrat to not admit how horrible Jimmy Carter was.

[Mal Brossard]

There have been allegations of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Reagan.

As for Ronald, two words: Christine Larson.

[Layne Staley's Sunglasses]

Wasn't during his presidency though.

[Communist China]

Best - Nixon
Worst - LBJ

I'm always surprised at the way Nixon is seen, his policy of detente and recognition of China were very positive steps taken in those times. Of course I didn't live through his era so that's an argument you could use against my opinon.

[cliffburton]

Best - Nixon
Worst - LBJ

I'm always surprised at the way Nixon is seen, his policy of detente and recognition of China were very positive steps taken in those times. Of course I didn't live through his era so that's an argument you could use against my opinon.

You're not going to find too many people here who remember living during Nixon's Presidency or were eeven born.  We have some members that were born during Clinton.

[The Dog]

There have been allegations of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Reagan.

As for Ronald, two words: Christine Larson.

I don't think Reagen remembered if he cheated or not   

[Mal Brossard]

Wasn't during his presidency though.

So cheating on your wife while you're president matters, but if it happened before you were president, it doesn't?

[Edward Rose]

Kennedy was the best, from 1961-1963 

Bush Sr. was the worst, from 1980-The Present (minus the clinton years) 

[freedom78]

Come on...Kennedy isn't the best.  Our views of Kennedy are less of his actual two year Presidency and more of his "coulda, shoulda, woulda" had-he-lived Presidency.  Maybe he WOULD have been the greatest...

As for the question, I don't know that I can really answer it. 

Nixon gets points for China, despite the fact that he's remembered so much more for Watergate. 

Clinton gets points for welfare reform, even though he's remembered more for gettin' his rocks off.

Reagan gets points for handling the USSR. 

Most have their positives and their negatives. 

So, I pick William Henry Harrison.  Because even Dubya couldn't have fucked up the country in the one month Presidency that Harrison had.

[Surfrider]

There is so many different things to look at; it is hard to really say.  For example, Clinton did some things well, but completely screwed up on other things such as the Supreme Court.  Same with Bush Sr., JFK, Nixon, etc.  I would probably say:


Best - Reagan (no question)

Worst - Carter with GW coming in second

[GeraldFord]

Kennedy was the best, from 1961-1963?

Bush Sr. was the worst, from 1980-The Present (minus the clinton years)?

I don't think Bush sr. had much of a role in the Reagan White House. The two didn't even like each other too much from what I've read.

[mrlee]

Since I'm not American and am fairly young, I'd vote Clinton as the best and Bush and Reagan as the worst.

Though folks seemed to love JFK.

they love him for the same reason people love dead rockstars. he was shot and killed at a fairly young age. (well, i think it was him who was assassinated right?)

[CheapJon]

Since I'm not American and am fairly young, I'd vote Clinton as the best and Bush and Reagan as the worst.

Though folks seemed to love JFK.

i think it was him who was assassinated right?

yeah

[Dr. Blutarsky]

Best - Reagan (ended the cold war)

Worst - Carter ( good man, bad president)

[GeraldFord]

Best - Reagan (ended the cold war)

 

Oh bullshit.

[cliffburton]

Best - Reagan (ended the cold war)

 

Oh bullshit.

If you're gonna call bullshit on that, you better call bullshit on anyone who says Clinton helped the economy.  Regan had more to do with the end of the coldwar than any other president.  Regan also appointed Greenspan who got our economy up.