# 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:** 39
**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 14, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/761 "2009-12-14T21:27:47Z")
John Fitzgerald Kennedy is voted out; who knows where he would have finished if he’d survived a full term or even two. George Washington (None, 1789-1797) Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican, 1801-1809) James Monroe (Democratic-Republican, 1817-1825) James Polk (Democrat, 1845-1849) Abraham Lincoln (Republican, 1861-1865) 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) Lyndon Baines Johnson (Democrat, 1963-1969) 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) 22. George Herbert Walker Bush (Republican, 1989-1993) 23. John Quincy Adams (Democratic-Republican, 1825-1829) 24. Chester Arthur (Republican, 1881-1885) 25. John Fitzgerald Kennedy (Democrat, 1961-1963) I will vote for William McKinley, imperialist extraordinaire. Barring another runaway, voting closes at 2 PM on Wednesday, December 16. ---
**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 14, 2009, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/762 "2009-12-14T21:29:45Z")
Wow! I’ve been voting JFK for so long I don’t know what to do now. Somebody tell me why McKinley or Taft deserves to go. ---
**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 14, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/763 "2009-12-14T21:32:51Z")
McKinley: Got the US into a nasty war in an East Asian country that killed hundreds of thousands of people. > **[Philippine–American War](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine%E2%80%93American_War)** > > American victory > 1899–1902: United States > 1899–1902: Philippine Republic ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/764 "2009-12-14T21:36:09Z")
Hey, we voted out our first assassination victim! On that note, McKinley. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/765 "2009-12-14T21:49:00Z")
The voters have not been kind to presidents who took the US to war (look out Polk - you are flying under the radar), somewhat unfairly on occasion IMO, but McKinley does look to deserve the boot next and gets my vote. After the next departee, we will be left with the top third. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/766 "2009-12-14T22:25:31Z")
Again, Taft. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/767 "2009-12-14T22:38:53Z")
Taft. > [@amarone](#): > > The voters have not been kind to presidents who took the US to war (look out Polk - you are flying under the radar), somewhat unfairly on occasion IMO, but McKinley does look to deserve the boot next and gets my vote… Let’s face it. Power requires ambition and execution; Empires and their leaders need ruthlessness. Without men like McKinley (and Polk) America might not be the strong rich powerful country it is today. Imperialism? Maybe. Would the world be a better place without American superpower? Doubtful. (And as to dispensing with War Presidents altogether, these include Washington, Lincoln, FDR and Truman.) Taft. Leave McKinley alone. ---
**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 14, 2009, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/768 "2009-12-14T23:38:47Z")
Clinton for repealing Glass-Steagall. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/769 "2009-12-14T23:56:22Z")
Mckinley for pure spite. ---
**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 15, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/770 "2009-12-15T00:22:47Z")
Bill Clinton. Let’s eliminate the few remaining mediocraties on the list (along with Taft and Cleveland). ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/771 "2009-12-15T00:29:39Z")
I’ll stick with Taft, although I won’t be sad to see Clinton go. ---
**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 15, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/772 "2009-12-15T00:47:38Z")
Taft also; he probably had the least to show for his time in office of any that remain. Speaking only for myself, I would strongly discourage vote trading. I’d rather each vote be on the merits of each President. For **septimus** and JFK’s other critics… although he’s now gotten the boot, if you want to read more about him, I’d recommend _The Essence of Decision_ by Graham Allison (the classic study of the Cuban Missile Crisis); _President Kennedy_ by Richard Reeves (a comprehensive but very readable overview of his administration from 30-some years later); _Kennedy’s Wars_ by Lawrence Freedman (a British historian’s take on JFK’s diplomacy and military policies), and _A Thousand Days_ by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. (a fine contemporary account by JFK’s resident intellectual). Read any or all of them, and I think you’ll come away with a higher opinion of the man. ---
**Author:** ![Algorithm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/algorithm/32/12204_2.png) [@Algorithm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algorithm)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/773 "2009-12-15T00:55:39Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Speaking only for myself, I would strongly discourage vote trading. I’d rather each vote be on the merits of each President. Agreed. I didn’t want to mention it until the previous round had ended. ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/774 "2009-12-15T01:49:17Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Taft. > > Let’s face it. Power requires ambition and execution; Empires and their leaders need ruthlessness. Without men like McKinley (and Polk) America might not be the strong rich powerful country it is today. Imperialism? Maybe. Would the world be a better place without American superpower? Doubtful. (And as to dispensing with War Presidents altogether, these include Washington, Lincoln, FDR and Truman.) > > Taft. Leave McKinley alone. You have a point with Polk, but I think the history of Britain (and France, for that matter) in the 20th century shows us where imperialism leads, and it’s often far from pretty. Had McKinley lived, it could have been worse than our gorefest in the Philippines–which itself could have gone much worse. McKinley. Spare the last Unitarian standing. ---
**Author:** ![Makeitstop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@Makeitstop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Makeitstop)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/775 "2009-12-15T02:23:05Z")
Lyndon Baines Johnson. Domestic Policy(The Great Society, Civil Rights Bill): B+ Foreign Policy(Vietnam): F- ---
**Author:** ![gloriye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e95f7d/32.png) [@gloriye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gloriye)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/776 "2009-12-15T03:03:41Z")
McKinley’s next. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/777 "2009-12-15T03:14:34Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Bill Clinton. Let’s eliminate the few remaining mediocraties on the list (along with Taft and Cleveland). Absolutely. like the Onion said, “thank the era of peace and prosperity is finally over”. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/778 "2009-12-15T03:23:34Z")
Edit “thank god the era of peace and prosperity is finally over” Curtis must live under a rock. ---
**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 15, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/779 "2009-12-15T03:25:16Z")
Taft. For being so big they had to put in a special bathtub for him. ---
**Author:** ![Cullain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cullain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cullain)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317/780 "2009-12-15T04:30:55Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > Taft. > > Let’s face it. Power requires ambition and execution; Empires and their leaders need ruthlessness. Without men like McKinley (and Polk) America might not be the strong rich powerful country it is today. Imperialism? Maybe. Would the world be a better place without American superpower? Doubtful. (And as to dispensing with War Presidents altogether, these include Washington, Lincoln, FDR and Truman.) > > Taft. Leave McKinley alone. Maybe it’s naive, but I am much more a fan of American exceptionalism than American imperialism. I don’t have an issue with a president bringing us to war, but I do have an issue with a president bringing us to a war with no real benefit to us, and a substantial cost to the country we attempt to subjugate. McKinley. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317.md?page=38) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-elimination-game/511317.md?page=40)