Rating the presidents

[Colleen Thomas]

Colly,

I was unable to judge presidents of the last half century, due to brevity of time for their records to resolve from the swirl of current events. Since you did, I wonder at your reluctance to include JFK in the list of Great Presidents.

Whatever else we learn about what was really going on during the Cuban Missile Crises, one thing is already quite clear. The entire world was very close to a nuclear exchange which could have changed life on this planet, as we know it, possibly even the eradication of all life. That Kennedy exerted a calming influence on America’s war hawks, is public record.

What is emerging out of recently available Russian documents, is that the brinkmanship of that event was far more dire than we knew before. For example, there were four Russian nuclear submarines off the east coast, whose skippers had been given permission to fire their missiles, without recourse to Moscow.

Consider some of the less steady cold warriors who have occupied that office. What would have happened, had the crises occurred on their watch?

Some of the credit must go to the steady hand of Kruschev, in Moscow, also working for a way out of the impasse. There are still a few pieces missing, for historians to piece together a fully accurate account of the events.

However, John F. Kennedy – for Americans – was tested by the most severe crises of the nuclear age, and brought us through without any nearby mushroom clouds. I think that’s pretty Great!


In passing, how could such an appraisal be managed? Quite a few of them would probably encounter difficulty ... er ... deploying the equipment to be rated — even amongst the living presidents!

LOL,

I have no ide ahow it would be accomplished. But it would be a fun way to rate them would it not?

For me JFK falls into that select group of a select group. Those president's who died in office. How can you rate them, so much of their legacy is based on the promise they held. He did bring us through the Cuban missile crisis, but he, as much as anyone created the crisis too. That isn't to say that I don't think he did the right thing, but in the judgement of most of the world at the time, we (the U.S.) were in the wrong. Cuba is a soverign state, and if they forge a military alliance with the U.S.S.R. and nuclear proliferation occurrs, that's how it works. Strictly speaking, our blockade of Cuba and the interdiction of soviet ships was against international law. JFK was running just as maverick as GWB is, drawing on his status as C-inC to defy international law when the best interests of the U.S. were at stake. And while Bush is playing with the lives of thousands, JFK was playing for stakes much higher.

As I said, this was meant to be fun. I fully expected someone with an ironic sense of humor to rate them from top to bottom by their sexual escapades (it is a porn site after all).

-Colly

 

[ABSTRUSE]

James Buchanon was single, but was he a player?

 

[Colleen Thomas]

James Buchanon was single, but was he a player?

His sister served as first lady. Talk about story material

Wb!

*HUGS*

-Colly

 

[Pure]

In rating the more recent presidents, one standard might be the effectiveness of their measures against terrorist attacks; the responses.

Here's an interesting timeline of Ann Coulter. (Apologies to my liberal friends).

I think she's got a point about Carter. Of course the GWB stuff is hopeful PR.

But if you look at Reagan, you see interesting problems, even in her worshipful acct. Did the bombing of Libya help the problem.
(The Libyans stepped up terrorist acts, according to one study.)

Note that Reagans biggest non action, about the marinesin Beirut, is somehow the Dems fault.

I think it's clear that with the possible exception of Clinton (IF he was looking into al qaeda), all previous presidents had not the faintest idea what to do about the growing Islamic threat, which burst into hideous view 9-11.

Colly: Even--or especially!-- our 'pro military' ones.! (Same problem in LBJ, I agree.)

(About the bush Iraq war and terrorism, ms coulter doesn't touch that topic.)



http://www.anncoulter.org/columns/2004/033104e.htm

How 9-11 Happened
March 31, 2004



We don't need a "commission" to find out how 9-11 happened. The truth is in the timeline:

PRESIDENT CARTER, DEMOCRAT

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter allowed the Shah of Iran to be deposed by a mob of Islamic fanatics. A few months later, Muslims stormed the U.S. Embassy in Iran and took American Embassy staff hostage.

Carter retaliated by canceling Iranian visas. He eventually ordered a disastrous and humiliating rescue attempt, crashing helicopters in the desert.



PRESIDENT REAGAN, REPUBLICAN

The day of Reagan's inauguration, the hostages were released.
In 1982, the U.S. Embassy in Beirut was bombed by Muslim extremists.
President Reagan sent U.S. Marines to Beirut.
In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut were blown up by Muslim extremists.

Reagan said the U.S. would not surrender, but Democrats threw a hissy fit, introducing a resolution demanding that our troops be withdrawn. Reagan caved in to Democrat caterwauling in an election year and withdrew our troops – bombing Syrian-controlled areas on the way out. Democrats complained about that, too.

In 1985, an Italian cruise ship, the Achille Lauro, was seized and a 69-year-old American was shot and thrown overboard by Muslim extremists.
Reagan ordered a heart-stopping mission to capture the hijackers after "the allies" promised them safe passage. In a daring operation, American fighter pilots captured the hijackers and turned them over to the Italians – who then released them to safe harbor in Iraq.

On April 5, 1986, a West Berlin discotheque frequented by U.S. servicemen was bombed by Muslim extremists from the Libyan Embassy in East Berlin, killing an American.
Ten days later, Reagan bombed Libya, despite our dear ally France refusing the use of their airspace. Americans bombed Gadhafi's residence, killing his daughter, and dropped a bomb on the French Embassy "by mistake."
Reagan also stoked a long, bloody war between heinous regimes in Iran and Iraq. All this was while winning a final victory over Soviet totalitarianism.

PRESIDENT BUSH I, MODERATE REPUBLICAN
In December 1988, a passenger jet, Pan Am Flight 103, was bombed over Lockerbie, Scotland, by Muslim extremists.
President-elect George Bush claimed he would continue Reagan's policy of retaliating against terrorism, but did not. Without Reagan to gin her up, even Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher went wobbly, saying there would be no revenge for the bombing.

In 1990, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait.
In early 1991, Bush went to war with Iraq. A majority of Democrats opposed the war, and later complained that Bush didn't "finish off the job" with Saddam.

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, DEMOCRAT
In February 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed by Muslim fanatics, killing five people and injuring hundreds.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

In October 1993, 18 American troops were killed in a savage firefight in Somalia. The body of one American was dragged through the streets of Mogadishu as the Somalian hordes cheered.
Clinton responded by calling off the hunt for Mohammed Farrah Aidid and ordering our troops home. Osama bin Laden later told ABC News: "The youth ... realized more than before that the American soldier was a paper tiger and after a few blows ran in defeat."

In November 1995, five Americans were killed and 30 wounded by a car bomb in Saudi Arabia set by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

In June 1996, a U.S. Air Force housing complex in Saudi Arabia was bombed by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.
Months later, Saddam attacked the Kurdish-controlled city of Erbil.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, lobbed some bombs into Iraq hundreds of miles from Saddam's forces.

In November 1997, Iraq refused to allow U.N. weapons inspections to do their jobs and threatened to shoot down a U.S. U-2 spy plane.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

In February 1998, Clinton threatened to bomb Iraq, but called it off when the United Nations said no.
On Aug. 7, 1998, U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

On Aug. 20, Monica Lewinsky appeared for the second time to testify before the grand jury.
Clinton responded by bombing Afghanistan and Sudan, severely damaging a camel and an aspirin factory.

On Dec. 16, the House of Representatives prepared to impeach Clinton the next day.
Clinton retaliated by ordering major air strikes against Iraq, described by the New York Times as "by far the largest military action in Iraq since the end of the Gulf War in 1991."
The only time Clinton decided to go to war with anyone in the vicinity of Muslim fanatics was in 1999 – when Clinton attacked Serbians who were fighting Islamic fanatics.

In October 2000, our warship, the USS Cole, was attacked by Muslim extremists.
Clinton, advised by Dick Clarke, did nothing.

PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH, REPUBLICAN

Bush came into office telling his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, he was "tired of swatting flies" – he wanted to eliminate al-Qaida.
On Sept. 11, 2001, when Bush had been in office for barely seven months, 3,000 Americans were murdered in a savage terrorist attack on U.S. soil by Muslim extremists.

Since then, Bush has won two wars against countries that harbored Muslim fanatics, captured Saddam Hussein, immobilized Osama bin Laden, destroyed al-Qaida's base, and begun to create the only functioning democracy in the Middle East other than Israel. Democrats opposed it all – except their phony support for war with Afghanistan, which they immediately complained about and said would be a Vietnam quagmire. And now they claim to be outraged that in the months before 9-11, Bush did not do everything Democrats opposed doing after 9-11.
What a surprise.

 

[Clare Quilty]

1. Lincoln - Kept the country from disintegrating; ended the hypocrisy of slavery in this "land of the free"
2. FDR - Saved the World; Prevented half the country from starving to death
3. James Madison - Father of The Constitution, designer of checks and balances, federalist papers, favored strong federal government
4. Theodore Roosevelt - protected vast areas of unique natural resources, Panama Canal, Nobel peace prize
5. John F. Kennedy - devoted to civil & human rights, stood down the USSR in Europe and The Caribbean
6. William J. Clinton - presided over a golden age of low inflation & high employment and home ownership
   [/list=1]

 

[Clare Quilty]

JFK was running just as maverick as GWB is, drawing on his status as C-inC to defy international law when the best interests of the U.S.

This is true, but JFK motivation was to prevent nuclear missiles from being installed a mere 90 miles from Florida, while GWB is motivated by the financial interests of his friends at The Carlyle Group, Halliburton Energy Services Group and Lockheed Martin.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

George Washington never lived in the White House, but he did sleep around.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

George Washington never lived in the White House, but he did sleep around.

Up here you will find George slept everywhere. At least thrity or forty houses in the area boast that he slept there Curiously no notes survive on whether he slept alone or not

-Colly

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Up here you will find George slept everywhere. At least thrity or forty houses in the area bost that he slept there Curiously no notes survive on whether he slept alone or not

-Colly

They didn't have DNA testing back then.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

They didn't have DNA testing back then.

Judgeing by the pride with wich people say George washington Slept here, I would have to think he did something that night to leave a good impression

-Colly

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Judgeing by the pride with wich people say George washington Slept here, I would have to think he did something that night to leave a good impression

-Colly

You mean like bite marks from his wooden teeth?

 

[Colleen Thomas]

You mean like bite marks from his wooden teeth?

You siad it, not me


-Colly

 

[ABSTRUSE]

You siad it, not me


-Colly

Yeah, but I bet you were thinking it..

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Yeah, but I bet you were thinking it..

LOL,

Never can tell what I am thinking

-Colly

 

[ABSTRUSE]

LOL,

Never can tell what I am thinking

-Colly

Girl, I read your stories. I KNOW what you thinkin, and it ain't about Georgie's wooden teeth.

 

[lucky-E-leven]

It's all about the hair!

The following are ranked in order of best hair. Tallest to shortest.

W. Clinton - Tallest, thickest and most natural without crap in it all the time.

J.F. Kennedy - Hands down the best hair, imo, but slightly shorter than Clinton's. Great smile too.

R. Reagan - Great hair color and thickness, but sadly it was always full of brill cream or whatever it is.

J. Carter - The style is simple but would still work today. Not bad.

F. D. Roosevelt - Good hair and a genuine smiley grandpa face.

L. B. Johnson - Really good hair, though he sported it in a mobster slick back coiffe.

Harry Truman - Pretty good hair and a friendly face.

Woodrow Wilson - Good hair. A little bit thin, but otherwise nice.

R. Nixon - Good hair, styled like L.B.J. but the nose!

G. Bush - Same as the last few in style, sheen and hurricane proofing.

G. Ford - Not a huge fan of the hair, but it's alright. It's the eyebrows that need help on this one.

Herbert Hoover - The hair isn't all that great, but no amount of stylinlg would have helped his face.

Teddy Roosevelt - Serious helmet hair and a bushy handlebar moustache.

W. H. Taft - Awful hair and moustache. Up: He gave the White House its first set of "wheels." He had the stables converted into a garage for four cars, all ordered in 1909. (This simple fact puts him at the top of my list, but sticking to the hair premise his sucks.)

Warren G. Harding - Total troll.

Calvin Coolidge - Three miles of forehead.

Dwight Eisenhower - Five miles of forehead. Nuff said.



~lucky

Lighten up, folks. And be really happy if you've got good hair...or any hair at all.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Girl, I read your stories. I KNOW what you thinkin, and it ain't about Georgie's wooden teeth.

LOL,

Guilty.

-Colly

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Polk had crazy hair.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Re: It's all about the hair!

The following are ranked in order of best hair. Tallest to shortest.

W. Clinton - Tallest, thickest and most natural without crap in it all the time.

J.F. Kennedy - Hands down the best hair, imo, but slightly shorter than Clinton's. Great smile too.

R. Reagan - Great hair color and thickness, but sadly it was always full of brill cream or whatever it is.

J. Carter - The style is simple but would still work today. Not bad.

F. D. Roosevelt - Good hair and a genuine smiley grandpa face.

L. B. Johnson - Really good hair, though he sported it in a mobster slick back coiffe.

Harry Truman - Pretty good hair and a friendly face.

Woodrow Wilson - Good hair. A little bit thin, but otherwise nice.

R. Nixon - Good hair, styled like L.B.J. but the nose!

G. Bush - Same as the last few in style, sheen and hurricane proofing.

G. Ford - Not a huge fan of the hair, but it's alright. It's the eyebrows that need help on this one.

Herbert Hoover - The hair isn't all that great, but no amount of stylinlg would have helped his face.

Teddy Roosevelt - Serious helmet hair and a bushy handlebar moustache.

W. H. Taft - Awful hair and moustache. Up: He gave the White House its first set of "wheels." He had the stables converted into a garage for four cars, all ordered in 1909. (This simple fact puts him at the top of my list, but sticking to the hair premise his sucks.)

Warren G. Harding - Total troll.

Calvin Coolidge - Three miles of forehead.

Dwight Eisenhower - Five miles of forehead. Nuff said.



~lucky

Lighten up, folks. And be really happy if you've got good hair...or any hair at all.

LOL,

Now that's what I was expecting in this thread. thanks lucky for the smiles

*HUGS*

-Colly

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Polk had crazy hair.

Andy jackson had a perpetual bad hair day.

-Colly

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Andy jackson had a perpetual bad hair day.

-Colly

Well we can't all be expected to have hair as fabulous as yours, Red.

~lucky

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Well we can't all be expected to have hair as fabulous as yours, Red.

~lucky

Possibly, bt my hair isn't very presidential

-Colly

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Possibly, bt my hair isn't very presidential

-Colly

That all depends on which presidency you're referring to.

I nominate you for president of hot stories and wet panties. Your hair is perfect for that! Just long enough to wind ones hands in a time or two and...

Shit, sorry. Got carried away again...

~lucky

 

[Colleen Thomas]

That all depends on which presidency you're referring to.

I nominate you for president of hot stories and wet panties. Your hair is perfect for that! Just long enough to wind ones hands in a time or two and...

Shit, sorry. Got carried away again...

~lucky

Tease!


-Colly

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Tease!


-Colly

~lucky

p.s. I made it up to you in the Lit Olympics story.