Perfect example.
How bout Hugo Chavez?
And what about the Napoleonian Code Wars?
Margaret Thatcher would be near the head of the queue of recent politicians here, with Tony Blair coming up on the outside rail for many people (including some of the same people).
If it had not been for WW2 then Churchill would have a terrible reputation; General Strike, Gallipolli. I know, that’s a bit of a, “Apart from that, how did you enjoy the play Mrs Lincoln” statement…
I think Fritz Haber woulld qualify, it is said that his work has allowed the continued survival of 2 out of every 5 people currently alive, he was resonsible for the synthesis of nitrates for use in fertisliser, it also allowed the WW1 german war machine to continue far longer than it might have. He is probably the classic case of mixed achievement.
He genuinely believed that poison gas would shorten WW1 and save lives
Bill Clinton
Barack Obama
…however ridiculous it is to call them evil, people still do.
The Pope (pick your ‘favorite’)
I’m surprised no one has brought up Ronald Reagan.
I tried to, but there was a night watchman.
John D. Rockefeller
Andrew Carnegie
William T. Sherman
Ulysses S. Grant
Oliver Cromwell
Henry VIII
Henry Kissinger
I must admit to being quite amused by people who were OUTRAGED by her memoirs, wherein she admitted to not always having been a nun, and owned up to having had Teh Seks before becoming one. For some reason, even parts of her supporters went all “what a wanton SLUT !” about it. I guess it ain’t easy livin’ on a pedestal not of one’s making.
There are other non-prurient reasons for which she’s villified. Christopher Hitchens famously (or infamously, depending on your point of view) has carried on a long campaign against her, writing books and articles on the subject, claiming that her humanitarian credentials are basically fraudulent. There have been various threads on the SDMB about her (sorry, don’t have time to search for a good 'un right now). Interestingly, Hitchens was called as a witness by the Vatican during MT’s beatification process. (I say interestingly because engaging a “devil’s advocate” like this is one of the more enlightened things the RC church does, IMHO)
Christopher Columbus: enough of a national hero that he has his own holiday, yet considered a villain by many (for his treatment of the Native Americans, for one).
Among historical politicians, Andrew Jackson is one who gets a lot of admiration and a lot of disdain.
He did indeed report, “These people are kind and gentle. They would make good slaves.”