# The President Elimination Game **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 24, 2009, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317 "2009-09-24T01:36:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 32
**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:** [December 3, 2009, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/621 "2009-12-03T19:54:27Z")
Zachary Taylor had a plan. But then, so did the Cylons, and how did that work out for them? George Washington (None, 1789-1797) Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican, 1801-1809) James Monroe (Democratic-Republican, 1817-1825) John Quincy Adams (Democratic-Republican, 1825-1829) James Polk (Democrat, 1845-1849) Abraham Lincoln (Republican, 1861-1865) Chester Arthur (Republican, 1881-1885) Grover Cleveland (Democrat, 1885-1889, 1893-1897) William McKinley (Republican, 1897-1901) Theodore Roosevelt (Republican, 1901-1909) William Howard Taft (Republican, 1909-1913) Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Democrat, 1933-1945) Harry S. Truman (Democrat, 1945-1953) Dwight Eisenhower (Republican, 1953-1961) John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Democrat, 1961-1963) Lyndon Baines Johnson (Democrat, 1963-1969) George Herbert Walker Bush (Republican, 1989-1993) William Jefferson Clinton (Democrat, 1993-2001) Eliminated Presidents: 1. James Buchanan (Democrat, 1857-1861) 2. Franklin Pierce (Democrat, 1853-1857) 3. Andrew Johnson (National Union, 1865-1869) 4. Warren Harding (Republican, 1921-1923) 5. Millard Fillmore (Whig, 1850-1853) 6. Richard Milhous Nixon (Republican, 1969-1974) 7. Herbert Hoover (Republican, 1929-1933) 8. Ronald Reagan (Republican, 1981-1989) 9. Andrew Jackson (Democrat, 1829-1837) 10. Rutherford Hayes (Republican, 1877-1881) 11. Ulysses Grant (Republican, 1869-1877) 12. John Tyler (Whig, 1841-1845) 13. James Earl Carter (Democrat, 1977-1981) 14. James Madison (Democratic-Republican, 1809-1817) 15. Martin Van Buren (Democrat, 1837-1841) 16. Woodrow Wilson (Democrat, 1913-1921) 17. Calvin Coolidge (Republican, 1923-1929) 18. John Adams (Federalist, 1797-1801) 19. Benjamin Harrison (Republican, 1889-1893) 20. Gerald Ford (Republican, 1974-1977) 21. Zachary Taylor (Whig, 1849-1850) I’ll continue to vote for John F. Kennedy. The Vietnam War was a very big mistake, and I don’t think the good things he did outweigh that mistake. Voting closes at 2 PM Monday. What does anyone think about going to Monday/Wednesday/Friday, at least until we’re down to the last 10 or so? ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/622 "2009-12-03T20:27:33Z")
So Old Rough and Ready finally went. Damn. Kennedy and Jefferson are the most overrated presidents left, but I’m not ready to vote for either of them. The short list, I’d think, would be Monroe, Adams, Arthur, McKinley, and Taft. I’ll take Adams this time out. A very good Secretary of State prior to the presidency, and a notable opponent of slavery after, but as president…not one of our country’s greatest leaders. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/623 "2009-12-03T20:50:00Z")
John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Terribly overrated. Benefits from being killed before his mistakes caught up with him (and from being young and handsome). ---
**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:** [December 3, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/624 "2009-12-03T20:51:06Z")
Looking at Quincy Adams’ [wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Quincy_Adams), I can certainly see the argument. He deserves credit for standing up for Native Americans, though his ineffectiveness opened the doors to Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/625 "2009-12-03T20:54:37Z")
In fact (sorry Skammer), I think I’m going to drop Kennedy for the moment in favor of John Quincy Adams. ---
**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:** [December 3, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/626 "2009-12-03T21:31:51Z")
J.Q. Adams for me, too. A capable diplomat before the White House, a courageous congressman and advocate (the _Amistad_ case) after, but no great shakes as President. JFK didn’t begin U.S. military involvement in Vietnam; Truman and Eisenhower had both sent advisors. It was under LBJ, of course, that we went whole hog. There is contemporary evidence that JFK would have reduced the U.S. commitment there in his second term. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/627 "2009-12-03T22:16:53Z")
The picking is getting tougher. Polk, for starting the Mexican war. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2009, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/628 "2009-12-03T23:08:37Z")
Huzzah! The average voice of the polls has finally spoken! Chester A Arthur, because he’s next on my list. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2009, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/629 "2009-12-04T00:27:22Z")
Polk did everything he said he would do. In terms of truth in political advertising, and solid accomplishments during a single term in office (whether or not you like what he did), Polk is hard to beat. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/630 "2009-12-04T00:34:16Z")
JFK was a Papist! ---
**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:** [December 4, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/631 "2009-12-04T03:54:22Z")
I’ll join the John F Kennedy bandwagon to save better Presidents likes Messrs. Polk, JQ Adams, and McKinley. As for why, three words: Bay of Pigs. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2009, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/632 "2009-12-04T04:28:23Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > JFK was a Papist! Catholic, yes, but no Papist: [American Rhetoric: John F. Kennedy -- Address to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association](http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkhoustonministers.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cullain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cullain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cullain)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/633 "2009-12-04T04:39:51Z")
J.Q. Adams for me, as well. Not a terrible president, but certainly not a good one. Time for him to go. ---
**Author:** ![Makeitstop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@Makeitstop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Makeitstop)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/634 "2009-12-04T05:20:55Z")
Yay! I get to vote for someone new! I think I’ll jump on the J.Q. Adams bandwagon. I believe in his policies. He was a staunch supporter of the Monroe Doctrine, being one of its designers. He also supported the rights of Native Americans and in general fought against Jacksonites. Unfortunately, he was an ineffective president. He just didn’t know how to get the Jacksonites on his side, and he didn’t do enough to combat them. Though part of his failures as a president have to do with the sheer power of his opposition. Lets face it; how many presidents could have managed to compromise with such a powerful political movement? John Q must go. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2009, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/635 "2009-12-04T10:10:43Z")
Bush again, for the reasons already stated. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2009, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/636 "2009-12-04T10:51:37Z")
George Walker Bush. I’m jealous of everyone whose candidate gets no traction for long stretches. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2009, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/637 "2009-12-04T11:19:41Z")
Don’t forget the “Herbert” - GWB was Bush Jr, G **H** WB was Bush Sr. Honestly, apart from running out the clock on the Cold War and booting Saddam out of Kuwait, what **did** Bush Sr do that in any way made America or the world a better place? ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/638 "2009-12-04T11:26:00Z")
I find it hard to believe GHWB is better than average - it is past time for him to go, so he gets my vote. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2009, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/639 "2009-12-04T12:50:53Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > I’ll join the John F Kennedy bandwagon to save better Presidents likes Messrs. Polk, JQ Adams, and McKinley. As for why, three words: Bay of Pigs. The Bay of Pigs was indeed a disaster. But it taught JFK to not accept everything the military told him. This saved all of us during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the military was advocating a full nuclear attack on the USSR. If George W. Bush had been president then, we’d all be dead now. ---
**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:** [December 4, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/640 "2009-12-04T14:38:26Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The Bay of Pigs was indeed a disaster. But it taught JFK to not accept everything the military told him. This saved all of us during the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the military was advocating a full nuclear attack on the USSR. If George W. Bush had been president then, we’d all be dead now. I agree. One of the members of ExComm (the executive committee of the NSC), I think it might’ve been Paul Nitze, said shortly afterwards that, if any of the other candidates for President in 1960 had been in charge in October 1962, World War III would have broken out. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317.md?page=33)