# Greatest American elimination game (game thread) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 10, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423 "2010-02-10T15:08:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/161 "2010-02-19T11:47:26Z")
The Alien and Sedition Acts were very bad and Adams deserves his share of the blame for them - he did use them. But I don’t see them as making Adams the equivalent of Nixon. The Alien and Sedition Acts may have been bad laws but they were laws - Congress passed them and Adams was using them the way they had been intended. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/162 "2010-02-19T14:09:24Z")
Yes, Adams was by no means in the same league as Nixon. Adams did what he thought he had to, using duly-passed legislation, to protect the country from foreign subversion. Of course we now see he was wrong. But Nixon’s crimes flowed from his ego, ambition and paranoia. He was bound and determined to get reelected and did everything he possibly could, including repeatedly breaking the law and ordering others to do so, to secure a second term. I think no President has ever broken his oath of office as often and as flagrantly as Nixon did. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/163 "2010-02-19T14:30:17Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Yes, Adams was by no means in the same league as Nixon. Adams did what he thought he had to, using duly-passed legislation, to protect the country from foreign subversion. Of course we now see he was wrong. But Nixon’s crimes flowed from his ego, ambition and paranoia. He was bound and determined to get reelected and did everything he possibly could, including repeatedly breaking the law and ordering others to do so, to secure a second term. I think no President has ever broken his oath of office as often and as flagrantly as Nixon did. And got caught doing it, no. Seriously, “he meant well” as a defense for throwing dissenters in jail? You can’t be serious. I don’t give a damn if it was legal. It was unamerican, and he has no place on this list. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/164 "2010-02-19T14:44:28Z")
Vote tallier’s request: please vote Firstname Lastname # with the # as number of votes, if more than 1. (I don’t mind the repeated votes by repeating the name, either, but “five votes for Name”, or worse “I think blahblah, therefore I’m going to place five votes for Name” makes the tallying more difficult). ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/165 "2010-02-19T14:46:56Z")
Thanks for the heads up, Tom. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/166 "2010-02-19T14:53:55Z")
John Brown **x5** Langston Hughes **x3** Tecumseh Aaron Copland ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/167 "2010-02-19T17:18:49Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Thanks for the heads up, Tom. Likewise. Much obliged! ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/168 "2010-02-19T17:34:58Z")
Helen Keller **x3** Joshua Chamberlain Dwight D. Eisenhower Lewis and Clark James Madison J.P. Morgan Jesse Owens John J. Pershing ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/169 "2010-02-19T20:57:43Z")
Since I probably won’t post to this thread before Monday, the current standings: 1 Andrew Carnegie 15 2 George S. Patton 13 3 Thomas Jefferson 10 3 J.P. Morgan 10 5 Audie Murphy 7 6 Leonard Bernstein 6 6 John Brown 6 6 James K. Polk 6 6 Tecumseh 6 10 John Adams 5 10 Aaron Copland 5 10 Philo T. Farnsworth 5 10 John Marshall 5 10 Sitting Bull 5 Henry Bergh 4 Langston Hughes 4 Helen Keller 4 Joshua Chamberlain 3 Albert Einstein 2 Thomas Nast 2 Jackie Robinson 2 Jim Thorpe 2 Jesse Owens 2 John J. Pershing 2 Dwight D. Eisenhower George Gershwin Lewis and Clark James Madison Edward R. Murrow Edgar Allen Poe Will Rogers Jonas Salk John von Neumann ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/170 "2010-02-19T21:29:09Z")
Thanks, Tom. It does hurt that we seem to be on the verge of voting Thomas Jefferson off at such an early stage. Jefferson was one of the great locutors of American liberty, and his model in the University of Virginia paved the way for the land grant institutions that form the backbone of American academe. He is such an utterly important man, regardless of personal shortcomings. Not good. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/171 "2010-02-20T03:25:44Z")
Save James K. Polk! Anyone supporting me? ---
**Author:** ![Stowed\_Bob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stowed_bob/32/3312_2.png) [@Stowed\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stowed_Bob)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/172 "2010-02-20T09:39:47Z")
Andrew Carnegie x2 George Patton x2 J.P. Morgon x2 James K. Polk x2 Philo T Farnsworth x2 Nice to finally know who to scapegoat for TV. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/173 "2010-02-20T19:36:03Z")
Joshua Chamberlain x2 Jesse Owens x2 Upton Sinclair x2 Jim Thorpe x2 Walt Whitman x2 ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aca169/32.png) [@Red\_Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/174 "2010-02-20T19:49:31Z")
Although, I would like to vote carnegie, much for same reasons that I voted chavez, I’m gonna shore up the next runners up, in hopes that we can get a rally going: “Save Jefferson”. Audie Murphy Audie Murphy Leonard Bernstein Leonard Bernstein John Brown John Brown James K. Polk James K. Polk Tecumseh Tecumseh ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/175 "2010-02-20T20:30:12Z")
> [@Red\_Skeezix](#): > > I’m gonna shore up the next runners up, in hopes that we can get a rally going: “Save Jefferson”. No offense whatsoever to Red Skeezix (some of my voting has been on a similar basis), and just as a suggestion for next game, _ **this** _ is what I was thinking of: Red could have cast _opposite-signed_ votes for Jefferson, the _absolute values_ of the votes needing to sum to 10. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/176 "2010-02-22T03:48:21Z")
Just a reminder, the current round of voting will conclude at noon EST tomorrow, Washington’s Birthday, Mon. Feb. 22. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/177 "2010-02-22T05:15:28Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Save James K. Polk! Anyone supporting me? Calm down, kid. Polk is gonna be safe this round, no one’s gunning for him. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/178 "2010-02-22T13:37:03Z")
Standings update: 1 Andrew Carnegie 17 2 George S. Patton 15 3 J.P. Morgan 12 4 Thomas Jefferson 10 4 James K. Polk 10 6 Audie Murphy 9 7 Leonard Bernstein 8 7 John Brown 8 7 Tecumseh 8 10 Philo T. Farnsworth 7 John Adams 5 Aaron Copland 5 John Marshall 5 Sitting Bull 5 Joshua Chamberlain 5 Henry Bergh 4 Langston Hughes 4 Helen Keller 4 Jim Thorpe 4 Jesse Owens 4 Albert Einstein 2 Thomas Nast 2 Jackie Robinson 2 John J. Pershing 2 Upton Sinclair 2 Walt Whitman 2 Dwight D. Eisenhower George Gershwin Lewis and Clark James Madison Edward R. Murrow Edgar Allen Poe Will Rogers Jonas Salk John von Neumann ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/179 "2010-02-22T14:01:32Z")
> [@ToeJam](#): > > Calm down, kid. Polk is gonna be safe this round, no one’s gunning for him. You were saying? This is turning out to be a very strange game. Still think Washington is going to take it again. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/180 "2010-02-22T14:21:23Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > John Adams x 5 > George Patton x 5 Given the way this round has played out, I am forced to change my votes: James Polk George Patton Audie Murphy 2 Leonard Bernstein 3 John Brown 3 It does hurt to have to cast votes for people I genuinely respect, but as I said above, Jefferson is too important a figure in American history to bounce like this. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423.md?page=10)