Most morally bankrupt President? A poll

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

I feel the need for some Nixon bashing tonight, so I put forth Dick as my nomination for most morally bankrupt president. No doubt his moral bankruptcy is the most well documented. I also believe his presidency was the straw that broke the camel’s back so far as the “average American citizen’s” faith in goverment.

But perhaps I need to be more educated in the miserable performance of other presidents. I spent my adolescence under Dick’s presidency, and lost faith of a lot of things in that same period, so perhaps I’m biased.

So with Nixon as a standard of sleaze, does anyone care to make a better case for another?

#2

I wouldn’t let that Rutherford B. Hayes clean my toilet. Scumbag.

#3

For me it’s a toss up between Chester A Arthur (who did put that great big penis in the middle of Washington DC) and Grover Cleveland who was a BACHELOR of all things. Just think of the relief when he was married in office and the populace realized he wasn’t a confirmed bachelor.

not that there’s anything wrong with that

#4

Reagan

It began with the hostage negotiations, saw the deregulations of S&Ls that cost the nation trillions, cover-ups of the beginnings of the banking scandals, astrologers in the White House, family values being touted by the first divorced president (who had no relationship with his older son/grandchildren, whose second wife was pregnant at their wedding with a daughter who later posed nude and wrote a tell-all book, and whose self appointed biographer pronounced him a man of “encyclopedic ignorance”), Ollie North, the highest peacetime medal being given to Sinatra, etc… Disgusting.

#5

Three will get you five that this is gonna wind up either in GREAT DEBATES or THE BBQ PIT, btw.

#6

Another vote for Reagan, but holding ballot for two years.

#7

In that order… heh.

I’d have to say Nixon with Dubya quickly catching up…

#8

I wouldn’t include Reagan on my list. I see him as a clueless idiot, rather than morally repugnant. Kind of like Gentle Ben.

#9

Since this is a moral judgment, Nixon, then Clinton, then Kennedy.

#10

Seriously, Kennedy then Clinton. Clinton’s more pathetic because he’s stuck with Hillary so I can find some compassion for the chump.

#11

Nixon, Nixon, Nixon.

Yes, it’s a crime even when the president does it.

#12

Harding and Grant were remarkably sleazy. If major-party Presidential candidates count, I’d put James G. Blaine (1884 Republican nominee) as sleazier BY FAR than anyone already mentioned.

#13

Not sure who I’d pick, but the recent presidents don’t have a monopoly on despicability. For instance, I seem to recall Andrew Jackson got Pitted a couple months ago.

#14

George Bush Senior or LBJ. The LBJ thing might get me killededed…

hrh

#15

I’m no presidential historian, but I don’t see any of them after Lincoln who’s worth a shit. Rich men runnin a rich country their own way for their own political or personal gain. FDR led us into the fallacy of the Government Knows Best mentality and the escalation of control and snooping of it’s own citizens and the following prez’s just getting more assinine and hypocritical as the years go by.

#16

Reagan, hands down, for reasons previously cited. Not only was his personal morality repugnant, he ushered in the era of “yes, there is a free lunch and I’m getting it!” His cowardly tax cuts have put this nation in debt forever, and now his half-witted sycophant is trying to once again mortgage the future for the votes of today.

#17

Jimmy Carter, for abdicating American responsibility, cozying up to dictators, and ignoring established rules concerning ex-presidential decorum.

The man wrote speeches for Arafat, for crying out loud.

#18

I’d go with Nixon, who almost destroyed the government. But Dubya hasn’t been in office very long. Give him time.

In terms of sexual behavior, Nixon is probably the LEAST bankrupted. My vote is for Jefferson.

#19

Nixon, Reagan and I’ll see how the next two years go.

#20

Whatever the aspect, any top five worst president list must include Harding.

He’s far enough back that most of us don’t know much about him but if you do a bit of research it will be apparent he belongs near the top.