Talk Elections

Which of these presidents is the worst?

Nixon -unlike George W. Bush (whom I know many are going to pick anyway) he threatened the very institutions of our democracy through his actions that led up to Watergate. 

As opposed to Bush, who (together with Cheney) committed crimes on several occasions with no regrets.

Taking your partisan blinders off for a moment -what crimes did he commit that would outweigh those of Nixon? 

El Bee Jay caused the highest number of pointless deaths, so him.  They've all sucked though.

Reagan (normal)

Reagan, yeah. From a long term perspective.

LBJ. Among other things, he kept the war going even though he was of the opinion that it had become futile. He just kept the dying going like a deer in headlights, because he lacked the guts to admit it as an epic fail. And his guns and butter let the inflation genie out of the bottle, that took close to two decades to get back in.  And it took Clinton to shut down the welfare programs that were assisting greatly in maintaining the under class, and the breakup of black families. And he was a liar, and corrupt.  His name shall live in infamy in my mind for as long as I remain on this mortal coil.

Bush: Afghanistan, failure to prevent 9/11, PATRIOT Act (and entailing spying, restrictions on freedoms, seizures, indefinite detention, associated expenditures), torture, invading Iraq, occupying Iraq, making Homeland Security, Adam Walsh Act, Katrina, Iran Freedom Support Act, attempt to overthrown Chavez, supporting Ethiopian action in Somalia, funding attacks against the Islamic Courts Union, supporting Gaza civil war (Fatah vs Hamas), led to decreased stability in Pakistan, vetoed less than any other President, backing opposition to reforms in Bolivia, Andean Counterdrug Initiative, Operation Pipe Dreams, Project Safe Neighborhoods (specifically the "renewed enforcement of federal firearms law"), invented "free speech zones", TSA, et al (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_United_States_military_operations#2000.E2.80.932009). Need I continue?

W, because he was like a reincarnation of our worst two-term president, Wilson.

Johnson>Nixon>>>Bush>Obama.

Probably Nixon, Carter, or Obama. The latter two just weren't suited for the office.

It's kind of a shame. I think Obama could have been more effective if he'd spent some more time in the senate. His bid was a little premature. He would've been good as the number 2 on a Hillary ticket. He'd be better in '16.

I can't believe you would sully the name of Richard Milhous Nixon, putting it next to names like Johnson, Bush, & Obama.

Johnson is easily in the top 10 presidents; if not for Vietnam, he'd be just below Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt.

And short term as well. Iran-Contra showed what Reagan thought of ethics and the law.

Bush, then Nixon (normal).

I thought it was "best president", so I voted Reagan.  Oops!!!  My actual vote for the worst since WWII would be for Jimmy Carter.

Could somebody allow me to change my vote to Carter?

The poll can be edited to allow votes to be changed, but only the original poster can do that, not even a moderator such as myself can.

Your vote was already fairly accurate.

That is saddening that both the Gipper and Dubya are considered worse Presidents than Jimmy "lusting in the heart" Carter.

Agreed.  Except that I wouldn't resort to name-calling with Jimmy Carter.

Couldn't resist.

Carter had 4 years to screw stuff up; those 2 had 8. Since 8 is twice of 4, they could have (and did) screwed up twice as much stuff.

Ranking them from worst to best --

1. Richard Nixon
2. George W. Bush
3. Jimmy Carter
4. Gerald Ford
5. John F. Kennedy
6. Ronald Reagan
7. George H.W. Bush
8. Bill Clinton
9. Dwight Eisenhower
10. Barack Obama
11. Lyndon Johnson
12. Harry Truman
13. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Dubya with Nixon close behind and then Carter.

Everyone of them except for Clinton, Eisenhower, and about half of Carter, but if I had to go with the worst of the worst, then i still have three: Reagan, Bush, and Obama.

I'd probably say Bush because he pushed the already imperial power of the presidency into hyperdrive, although Obama has done nothing but push this even more.

Nixon? Seriously?

He definitively wasn't the second-worst President after WWII and ranking him next to Dubya is not just silly, it's extremely hyperbolic.

We're talking about President who initiated detente, opened on China, introduced sweeping einvironmental regulations and conducted pretty progressive economic policy, which is making a Democratic "hero", Bill Clinton, looking like Mr. Generic Conservative in comparision.

Watergate? Good point, but how it was diffrent from dirty tricks liberal heroes like JFK or LBJ were pulling regulary? The only major difference was that Nixon get caught. Also, unlike LBJ, Nixon wasn't making millions while in office.

Chile, Cambodia? We should remember, but was his foreign policy really worse than LBJ's intervention in Dominicana or escalation in Vietnam? At least he did a lot of others constructive things in foreign affairs.

Seriously, guys, liberal bashing of Nixon, considering all of the Democratic Presidents' sins, is annoying. I may be the only liberal here with some appreciation (or maybe just plain objectivity) to Nixon and I'm not ashamed of this.

Worst to Best:
Johnson = Nixon > W. Bush > Carter = Ford = Clinton >  Kennedy > Truman >  HW Bush > F. Roosevelt = Reagan > Eisenhower

In some cases (Carter and Ford, especially) the issue isn't necessarily political policy but leadership skills (or rather, lack thereof); to the contrary, Eisenhower, Reagan, and F. Roosevelt were all good leaders, whatever their political policies/actions were. Johnson, Kennedy, and W. Bush are dragged down by poor choices for Defense Secretary (Rumsfeld, McNamara; technically Ford qualifies as well but Rumsfeld's first term was short). Johnson, Nixon, Clinton, and to a lesser degree Kennedy were brought down by personal moral failures. Johnson, F. Roosevelt, Nixon, Reagan, and W. Bush among others instituted policies which lead to short-term gain but contributed to the nation's current financial woes. Note: by my grading standards even Eisenhower would only get a "C+"; Kennedy and below would get failing grades.

F. Roosevelt>Truman>Johnson>Eisenhower>Kennedy>Obama>Ford>Carter>Bush I>Reagan>Nixon>Clinton>Bush II

And if not for Booth, Mrs. Lincoln would have really enjoyed the play.  :)

I think it depends on the standard.  Was the country better off than when they started?  Were they effective in getting their policies enacted?  Did their presence diminish the office?

Jimmy Carter
Iran, stagflation, gas on alternate days, destroying Nuclear power, his lack of Soviet policy ext.


(though if I can include Roosevelt's early years (gutting the military in the 30's ranks as the worst foreign policy move in American history) he wins) to soon to judge Obama though his actions in the Arab Spring might prove to be worse then Carters

I have to agree that LBJ has to rank right up there.

Although he had some notable achievements in the social policy field and in civil rights, his escalation of the war in Vietnam, a conflict doomed from the start, needlessly causing the deaths of thousands of young Americans, and his giving into the military industrial complex to further their interests, is an act of unequalled stupidity and duplicity on the part of any U.S. President.   

Nixon was a fascist pig who should have been run out of office long before Watergate. LBJ would be marginally worse if not for the Civil Rights Act.

LBJ. Riots, incompetent conducting of the war in Vietnam, higher taxes. The civil rights act did some good, but that doesn't take away from the mega disaster that the rest of his presidency was.

Jimma

nixon

Jimmy Carter... do I really have to explain it???  I'll just quote NY Jew for you:
 
Yep.  One great big "malaise."  :)  Sky-high misery index, long lines at the gas pump (dare I use the cliche "pain at the pump?), Iranian hostage crisis, stagflation, stratospheric unemployment... the list goes on and on.
In terms of a person (rather than policy), Carter was one of the best presidents since WWII.  LBJ would probably be the worst (horrible racist and political opportunist who only signed the '64 CRA to boost his popularity), followed by Clinton, JFK, and maybe Nixon. 
However, back to policy.  I think Nixon, Watergate aside, was actually a pretty good president in terms of his policy.  As a person, not so sure.  But for the worst based on policy, the answer is pretty obvious.  The Ol' Peanut Farmer himself, Jimmy Carter.

Carter didn't destroy nuclear power, Three Mile Island did.

Dirty hippies overreacting to Three Mile Island did.

Nixon for brazingly breaking the law, and engaging in dirty tricks and law breaking for years.. followed by Bush, Reagan, Clinton for bad policy and some lawbreaking (deregulation, NAFTA, Iran contra, Iraq war, torture etc.) Then Obama for bad policy.  LBJ on other hand gets bad rap as does Carter.

Top FDR/LBJ

Bottom, RONALDO REAGAN.

LBJ. Escalating pointless wars and implementing costly entitlement programs.

Nixon, he get caught like an amateur. That's the supreme proof of incompetence.

I voted Reagan by mistake.  Oops!  Here's my list, from worst to best (it's hard for me to be unbiased, but here it is):

1. Carter
2. Johnson
3. Obama
4. Ford (I don't think he was bad, it's just that the next few guys on the list were better)
5. Bush I
6. Kennedy
7. Clinton
8. Nixon (Aside from Watergate)
9. Bush II
10. Truman
11. Eisenhower
12. Roosevelt
13. Reagan

Worst presidents?

1. Nixon
2. Nixon
3. Nixon
4. Nixon
5. Nixon
6. Nixon
7. Nixon
8. Nixon
9. Nixon
10. Nixon

Worst to Best:

1. Reagan
2. Nixon
3. W.
4. Carter
5. Ford
6. Bush II
7. Clinton
8. JFK
9. Obama
10. Eisenhower
11. LBJ
12. Truman
13. Roosevelt

Worst to Best:

1. W. Bush
2. Reagan
3. Nixon
4. H.W. Bush
5. Ford
6. Carter 
8. Obama
9. Clinton
10. Eisenhower 
11. Truman
12. LBJ
13. Roosevelt

What ag said. Though Bush certainly needs a shout out.

How on earth is the answer anything but Nixon?

Certainly not part of the cult of liberals who inexplicably love Nixon, but there is:

()

Because despite his personal foibles, Nixon was as far as policy went not too bad, and he showed a willingness to learn from his mistakes, something W never appeared to be able to do.

Yep. Nixon may have been a vile crook but at least he was competent and his policy was good comparatively.

The only thing I like about Nixon was that he embraced some good foreign policy at points. Opening up to China was great. Most other parts of his Presidency though...

I voted Nixon because Bush is too easy to pick.

I've always asserted that anyone who thinks the current President (not just Obama, but any current POTUS) is the best or worst President ever is a partisan hack.

Nixon might have been a paranoid creep and a thug, but at least he was a competent ruler, all things considered.

Dubya wrecked America to an extent hardly conceivable.

1. FDR
2. Obama
3.Carter
4. LBJ
5. Nixon
6. Bush 43
7. Bush 41
8. Clinton
9. Ford
10. Truman
11. JFK
12. Ike
13. Reagan

It's close between Dubya and Reagan.  Dubya is worse because Reagan was at least able to contemplate raising taxes when necessary, and for all that his policy of "massive military spending to spook the Soviets" has put us in a bad situation budget-wise (and entailed a lot of morally dubious actions at the time), it did sort of have its intended effect.  As for Nixon, anyone who signed the EPA into law automatically escapes the basement pretty much no matter what.  The EPA is that important.

Fun fact: I actually do accept that much of the anti-regulatory zeal of the Reagan presidency was actually warranted.  But most of the rollbacks that actually made sense were actually the accomplishments of one Mr. James Carter, noted free-market reformer.  For instance, freight railroads and beer were both saved by his deregulatory pen:

http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-chait/76819/how-jimmy-carter-saved-beer#

Bush, followed by Nixon, Reagan and Carter/Ford.

Because most of the participants here don't remember his presidency first hand, whereas with George W. Bush, his presidency is still (frighteningly) recent.

As for myself, I wasn't alive during Nixon's time in the White House either, but I am trying to keep perspective here.  

Carter

If it was before WW2 then Hoover, but may I chime in with Johnson and Carter? I don't want to jump out and say (high pitched annoying little child voice) "Obama is horrible!" Dubya did bad, really bad. But other than Dubya and Obama, Johnson and Carter (and Hoover) are all tied in my mind.

I chose Johnson, He did the same types of illegal activities as Nixon, plus he gets credit for the Vietnam debacle, failed "great Society" programs, with thier budgetary time bombs, and his "guns & Butter" policies created the stagflation of the 70s

You don't need to continue YOUR A DEMOCRAT we get it! Much of your list was either none of Bushes fault, or "vetoed less than any other President" has nothing to do with either being good or bad. It might not even be historically accurate, as most early presidents didn't use the veto alot.

For What? Failed social programs? Budgetary time bombs? Screwing up the economy? The only thing he got right was civil rights, which he only did to buy black votes. Historians don't look kindly on Grant, and he was for civil rights when it was unpopular. Even without Vietnam, he'd be a very poor president.

Says more about the voters than the presidents

Reagan, for moving the Republicans far to the right and starting the cycle of financial deregulation that led to the current economic crisis.

Deregulation did not begin under Reagan.  The credit/blame for that goes to Carter.

Reagan left us worse economically in the long run with what he implemented, Nixon's War on Drugs were pretty bad too, and W... is something special isn't he?

Dubya without a doubt. His good policies were relatively minor: some free trade pacts, and aid for AIDS victims in Africa while his bad policies were large and incredibly harmful such as his tax cuts, and the Iraq War.