Because he was probably the most manipulative and corrupt politician of the antebellum era.
As a Texan, if he was elected in 1844, I think in the long run that would have been better for Texas, but not the US.
Who Is The Worst President America Never Had?
- Thread starter vultan
- Start date
Because he was probably the most manipulative and corrupt politician of the antebellum era.
As a Texan, if he was elected in 1844, I think in the long run that would have been better for Texas, but not the US.
Sean Mulligan
Banned
I volunteered for Kucinich's 2004 and 2008 presidential campaigns. He is one of the few good men in Washington. Spitzer was tough on Wall Street.
Grey Wolf
Donor
Curious, but one does wonder what he would actually have been like as president, presuming he can use his office to keep a lid on the scandal. He may have been a reasonable figurehead who just let Kissinger get on with actual policy? Or were his relations with HK not that good?
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
BlairWitch749
Banned
Strom Thurmond.
Aaaand now I have the creeping horrors.
in his later years strom reformed himself considerably
he was the first member of the sc delegation to appoint a black staffer
he voted to renew the civil rights act
he voted to make martin luther king's birthday a holiday
he voted to renew the voting rights act
plus he was bad ass, he won 18 medals in the 82nd airborne and jumped on dday
in 1948 yea, douche... later not as bad
BlairWitch749
Banned
Dennis does get points for consistency BUT he bankrupted Cleveland and was nearly recalled (so much for executive experience) and his politics are well to the left of the country and the core of his party; if someone he get in, his office would be effectively paralyzed
Spitzer was touch on wall street because he had personal vandetta's against people, just check out the dick grasso case and you will have an idea.... spitzer was a hugely corrupt dishonest douchebag
Have you read "Fear, Loathing, and Gumbo on the Campain Trail '72"?
It tends to color the opinions of many on this site.
DC Stephenson is my vote for the absolute worst.
Dishonorable mentions: Aaron Burr, John C. Calhoun, George Wallace, Jesse Helms, Douglas MacArthur and Curtis LeMay.
Dishonorable mentions: Aaron Burr, John C. Calhoun, George Wallace, Jesse Helms, Douglas MacArthur and Curtis LeMay.
There seem to be a lot to choose from starting with Aaron Burr who is also one definate example of a lone nut assassin. William Jennings Brian although Congress may have reigned him in and he may well have had to act against the U-boats and Zimmerman cable. D.C Stephenson probably came nowhere near gaining power. Huey Long was more dangerous than any listed before as he may not have let Congress reign him in and his goons may have siezed total power.
Following WW11, Douglas Mcarthur ranks high as being liable to start World War 111, Joe McCarthy probably never stood a real chance as he obsession with imaginary Communists eventually turned him into a figure of ridicule,
Barry Goldwater may have been regined in by Congress and his opposition to civil rights was based on his regarding it as a states rather than federal issue. Goldwater later became a critic or the so called moral majority. Spiro Agnew? Useless and corrupt like Warren Harding but not dangerous like Mcarthur.
Wallace and Le May both prime contenders especially Le May who wanted to start World War 111 over Cuba and whose strategic bombing of Japan made Bomber Harris look like a pinko.
One not mentioned so far is Charles Lindberg who may have enabled Hitler to dominate the world by avoiding war with Nazi Germany.
So its a toss up between Lindberg, Le May and Mcarthur. However maybe the American system is robust enough to keep all the people listed above out of the White House so that the worst Presidents are merely useless and corrupt like Harding rather than dangerous. Maybe Democracy works
Following WW11, Douglas Mcarthur ranks high as being liable to start World War 111, Joe McCarthy probably never stood a real chance as he obsession with imaginary Communists eventually turned him into a figure of ridicule,
Barry Goldwater may have been regined in by Congress and his opposition to civil rights was based on his regarding it as a states rather than federal issue. Goldwater later became a critic or the so called moral majority. Spiro Agnew? Useless and corrupt like Warren Harding but not dangerous like Mcarthur.
Wallace and Le May both prime contenders especially Le May who wanted to start World War 111 over Cuba and whose strategic bombing of Japan made Bomber Harris look like a pinko.
One not mentioned so far is Charles Lindberg who may have enabled Hitler to dominate the world by avoiding war with Nazi Germany.
So its a toss up between Lindberg, Le May and Mcarthur. However maybe the American system is robust enough to keep all the people listed above out of the White House so that the worst Presidents are merely useless and corrupt like Harding rather than dangerous. Maybe Democracy works
Orville_third
Banned
To be fair to LeMay he was an opponent of segregation. He pointed out that integration had worked in the USAF.
Oh, and it's HENRY AGARD Wallace, not Charles.
Grey Wolf
Donor
Er no. never heard of it
Most of what I know of 1970s US politics came from my research for the long-forgotten "Eleventh Hour" timeline with its multitude of decade titles. I looked into Nixon a lot, and by extension his cabinet and policies, but I didn't really read around the subjectBest Regards
Grey Wolf
And, continuing to be fair to him, I'm not sure if he advocated nuking Vietnam or just suggested it. But it's a bit disingenuous to run on a ticket with Wallace, of all people, and act surprised when people assume you agree with him.
Why I mentioned Robert Taft earlier. People don't realize how close he came to the 1940 gop nomination and he likely would have avoided war with Japan and Germany at all costs, and cut off aid to Britain.
He was a lot more likely presidental contender than Lindbergh. Though in his case I think his Nazi alliegences are overstated and he wouldn't have been the American Hitler everyone makes him out to be.
Impeachment would take care of that. But yeah
Funny that they didn't turn out to be all that imaginary, but that's hindsight for you.
Thande
Donor
Er no. never heard of it
Best Regards
Grey Wolf
I would recommend it GW, it's one of the most well researched, detailed and interesting TLs on the site.
Why so much hate for MacArthur as a possible POTUS?
Sure he was a pompous, attention seeking arsehole, but he did do a remarkable good job running Japan during the occupation, proving to be a pragmatic, cultural sensitive el-supremo.
Sure he was a pompous, attention seeking arsehole, but he did do a remarkable good job running Japan during the occupation, proving to be a pragmatic, cultural sensitive el-supremo.