# Greatest American elimination game (game thread)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423>\
**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:** 1\
**Showing post:** 23

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**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 11, 2010, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-game-thread/528423/23 "2010-02-11T10:58:18Z")

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At some point the ambiguity of _“Great”_ will bite us. I imagine those voting against Malcolm X and Henry Ford are eliminating _because_ of these men’s significance not _in spite_ of it. (Looking up “great” in Webster’s I see “great bloodshed” used as an example, suggesting that Hitler might be considered one of the “greatest” Germans!)

I regard Henry Ford as clearly belonging in the Top 30, and am disappointed to see he might disappear in the first round! For how many rounds will such multiple votes be allowed?

I’m sorry my name got associated with this voting method, which I mentioned once:

> [@Greatest American elimination game (setup thread)](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-american-elimination-game-setup-thread/527145/90):
>
> Anyway, I hope there’s an opportunity to “lobby” for some of the nominations before they’ve lost any chance to appear on the Final List of 40.
> 
> … Can I start by lobbying for John Brown?.. how about this compromise: Each voter gets ten votes in the initial round to use as he/she sees fit, but can spend all on the _same_ candidate. For example, if I felt strongly enough, I could cast all 10 votes for John Brown.

My suggestion clearly dealt with _supporting_ votes (John Brown was my own nominee), not (necessarily) _elimination_ votes.  
The following votes are chosen _solely_ for the purpose of protecting Henry Ford this round.

Lucille Ball - 2 votes  
Jimi Hendrix - 2 votes  
Daniel Bliss - 2 votes  
Carl Sagan - 2 votes  
Robert Heinlein - 2 votes

(Sorry if this seems to be “gamesmanship.” I’m generally opposed to such, but feel explicit _rules_ are the way to go.)

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