to all my american blog visitors. My guess is that I know much more about your country's history than all of you combined know about mine, but that's only to be expected with the exposure to US media we have here.
I think two of my favorite documentary series were Ken Burns' on the Civil War, and the one he did about the American presidents. My family couldn't quite get my taping these shows and insisting on watching them all, but then I don't quite get how they can stand watching those American and Canadian idol shows.
So, my question, should you choose to answer, is "Who is your favorite president"? You don't have to think he was the best president, it might just be one you've always felt more partial to than the others. Of course, you could also give your most hated, if you preferred.
I've always been partial to Woodrow Wilson, though he couldn't get the states to join the League of Nations, and Jimmy Carter, because despite some of the shortcomings his administration had, he always seemed (and still seems) like a genuinely decent man.
Enjoy your day. Wear sunscreen.
12 comments:
I like the one who had an affair... Clinton was it? He seems pretty badass.
Thanks! In addition to knowing more about Canadian history, you probably also know more about US history than I do :-). I always zoned out during history class. That being said, my favorite/least favorite presidents don't go back too far. I think my favorite presidents are John F Kennedy and Bill Clinton (yes, he was the one who had an affair). Least favorite is most definitely George W and his dad, George HW.
My favorite (and I know a little bit about U.S. history ;) ) is Franklin D. Roosevelt. I watched a special on the History Channel about him a few months ago, and he's just so interesting. Especially the stuff on his paralysis and how he coped with it. It helps that he was a Democrat, too.
I could say I hate George W. the most, but I want to see how much he's fucked up the country after he leaves off, and gauge my opinion on that. ;)
I think history will be kind to Clinton--he comes across like the smartest president, aside from a weakness for chubby interns--of any in the last 40 or so years. We don't dismiss Kennedy, who probably cheated on Jackie 50 times just during his white house time alone, if revisionist history is accepted.
I also like FDR, Kate--and he kept a mistress living in the White House with the knowledge of his wife for his entire presidency.
Oh, and I've never liked Johnson, even if he seen as a civil rights president; I always figured he either was somehow complicit in the Kennedy assassinaiton or he knew who really was behind it.
J.
My favorite presidents are not presidents. But my fave presidential influences are Roosevelt women: Eleanor, FDR's wife, and Alice, Teddy Rooselvelt's daughter. They had a profound effect on those presidencies, for the postive I'd say.
But as far as actual presidents go... hm, I like different ones for different reasons. Eisenhower, because he got a ball rolling on civil rights, even though he totally ducked out on any deep legal changes. Teddy Roosevelt, because of his commitment to the preservation of public lands. FDR for his eventual commitment to change the way our economy is run at a national level. LBJ, because he was a son of a bitch, and he chose to use his power as a son of a bitch to help others, even thought I firmly believe he did so to aggrandize his own legacy. Washington, for establishing a clear example of respectful leadership that to one degree or another, all presidents since have had to pay some heed towards. Clinton, for his sense of fiscal responsiblity.
katiedid--
I think all of those are valid points. As a non-U.S. "western hemispherian", I'm not a big fan of Teddy Roosevelt--I think his time in the Spanish-American war helped develop his ideas about America's right to dominate and control this continent, and his creation of Panama to get around the obstacle of Columbian objections to the canal project was an updated and expanded Monroe doctrine.
If a government won't cooperate with you, change it--be it in Panama, Chile or Iraq. I think he is the ideological father of much of the foreign policy thinking in Washington today.
I too like his nephew, though--his approach to the depression was more farsighted than anything that we had from our feds during that time.
JFK for sure, if for no other reason than that I'm partial to Jackie and Marilyn.
Um...I'm not really "partial" to any of them. Sorry to duck out of the question but I'm not feeling like an informed enough person to answer...
Okay, probably Carter b/c Habitat for Humanity is prettydarn cool. But I don't know much about him. (Except the killer swimming rabbit story -- that's funny) Or any of them, really. Except that they were politicians which doesn't raise my opinion at all...(;
Happy 4th. Or 5th, as the case may be. We did fireworks tonight though, so it feels more like the 4th than yesterday did. Oh, and check out "5th of July" by Eddie From Ohio. Good song, great band... And Tom Paxton's "Bunny Wunny" song if you are curious abou the Carter/rabbit comment from earlier...
Jatue
I always liked the Habitat for Humanity thing too. I got a chuckle out of the Simpsons--I can't remember why they had some sort of reference to Carter, and the stereotyped pimply voice-cracking kid says "he's history's greatest monster"
can I say ross perot?
seriously, though, I'd probably have to go with Eisenhower. maybe. it'd take a lot of really deep thinking to actually come to a real decision, so i won't. i'll just say Dwight, because I like Ike.
Good choice. I forgot to add him. Really, when you think of his background as a general and the timing of his presidency in the Cold War communist paranoia days, it's amazing how clearly he saw the danger of the "military-industrial" complex. He knew that war could and would become a for-profit industry if the country allowed it to, and he had the guts to speak out.
Sadly, I think too few paid heed to his prediction.
I like this about Ike, too. Radio Free America? His brilliant idea. You wouldn't peg the old guy as canny enough to figure out that the best way to inspire democracy would be rock and roll, but he did. However, his behavior regarding cover actions in other countries was downright EVIL. The whole United Fruit/CIA thing in Guatemala is directly responsible for the tragedy of "Los Desaparecidos" that occured later on.
Reagan reputedly was very enamored of, and influenced by, Eisenhower's presidency.
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