# What President would handle this best? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 23, 2001, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309 "2001-09-23T06:11:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nymysys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Nymysys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nymysys)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/21 "2001-09-25T04:25:57Z")
Well, _I’M_ surprised there’s only been one vote for Carter. Gods know I was happy when someone finally woke that guy up to ask for a diplomatic, intelligent POV. I think he was the last President we had that didn’t make me wake up in the middle of the night screaming from a nightmare of him trying to order a pizza and pushing the big red button on the phone. A convoluted sentence, but the thought is 100% honest. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/22 "2001-09-25T04:51:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\*mswas wrote: > > > [@](#): > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by furt \* > > > \*\*Gotta throw in a vote for poppy Bush, because he had more international diplomatic skills than most presidents; which he showed in the Gulf. > > > \*\* > > > > Japan too! > > You mean, when he barfed all over the Japanese Prime Minister? \*\* Yeah, that’s what I was referring to. 😉 Erek ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/23 "2001-09-25T05:37:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sam Stone \* > \*\*I’m surprised that no one has mentioned Eisenhower, who after all was the supreme allied commander in WWII. > (-: \*\* 😕 Several of us have mentioned Eisenhower (who is the same person as Ike, in case you didn’t know) including myself in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/24 "2001-09-25T05:59:31Z")
Yeah, I know who ‘Ike’ was. In fact, ‘I Like Ike’. Anyway, my apologies. ‘Ike’ is just such a small word that I missed it when going through the first time. ---
**Author:** ![Eternal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@Eternal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eternal)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/25 "2001-09-25T06:24:29Z")
Only President Kang can stir the people to bold patriotic action through the construction of a giant death ray that we can use to oblierate our enemies. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/26 "2001-09-25T06:38:28Z")
Don’t blame me - _I_ voted for Kodos! ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/27 "2001-09-25T21:41:34Z")
Those who said Bill Clinton please reconsider - no arguement that he is a good politician, but given the Middle East attitude toward women and how they should be treated, I think Bill would create more problems than he would solve :o Woodrow Wilson comes to mind… ---
**Author:** ![DaveX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/96bed5/32.png) [@DaveX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveX)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/28 "2001-09-25T21:51:36Z")
Another vote for Carter here… ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/29 "2001-09-25T23:14:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tradesilicon \* > Those who said Bill Clinton please reconsider - no arguement that he is a good politician, but given the Middle East attitude toward women and how they should be treated, I think Bill would create more problems than he would solve :o What in the world does this mean?? ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/30 "2001-09-26T04:02:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tradesilicon \* > **Those who said Bill Clinton please reconsider - no arguement that he is a good politician, but given the Middle East attitude toward women and how they should be treated, I think Bill would create more problems than he would solve :o** In other words, you would choose James Buchanan? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Doctor\_Goo\_Fee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Goo_Fee)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/31 "2001-09-26T04:40:03Z")
For his character, integrity and intelligence among other things, I would have to pick Carter. If only Jimmy were in office now! ---
**Author:** ![Boxcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Boxcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boxcar)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/32 "2001-09-26T05:06:53Z")
I just can’t buy the Clinton angle. I never really felt he was leadership material for international situations. His specialty seemed to be in following the polls, not rallying people to an unpopular course of action. Empirically, his record handling terrorists and military matters in general is not that good. He seemed unwilling to take the risks necessary to achieve military goals. GW is doing well now that he has his feet under him. He has good advisers and seems to be setting policy and rallying the American people while letting the pros handle the details of the military ops. In this, he is following in the footsteps of FDR, Ike, JFK, Reagan, and his father. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/33 "2001-09-26T05:08:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doctor Goo Fee \* > \*\*For his character, integrity and intelligence among other things, I would have to pick Carter. > \*\* Let me tell you something. For many years there was a certain brand of beer that many stores sold. It was very cheap so alot of us young college guys bought it. Then, suddenly, they stopped making it. Every now and then I think about that beer, not because it was any good, but because of the memories of my youth that are associated with it. I think some of you Jimmy Carter fans are reminiscing about bad beer, so to speak. The last 21+ years have eroded your memories. It’s easy for all of us to mention Licoln & Teddy Roosevelt because none of us can personally testify about what they would have done. But Carter. Christ, I lived through 4 years of him, including botched military missions. Yes he has character and intelligence. So does my dog. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Ash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b3f665/32.png) [@Dragon\_Ash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Ash)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/34 "2001-09-26T05:39:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pkbites \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Doctor Goo Fee \* > > \*\*For his character, integrity and intelligence among other things, I would have to pick Carter. > > \*\* > > Let me tell you something. For many years there was a certain brand of beer that many stores sold. It was very cheap so alot of us young college guys bought it. Then, suddenly, they stopped making it. Every now and then I think about that beer, not because it was any good, but because of the memories of my youth that are associated with it. > > I think some of you Jimmy Carter fans are reminiscing about bad beer, so to speak. The last 21+ years have eroded your memories. It’s easy for all of us to mention Licoln & Teddy Roosevelt because none of us can personally testify about what they would have done. > But Carter. Christ, I lived through 4 years of him, including botched military missions. Yes he has character and intelligence. So does my dog. \*\* Disagree here. History has been very kind to his administration, although I admit this may be because of the dimwits that have followed. I love your last paragraph though… ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/35 "2001-09-27T20:18:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gadarene \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by tradesilicon \* > > Those who said Bill Clinton please reconsider - no arguement that he is a good politician, but given the Middle East attitude toward women and how they should be treated, I think Bill would create more problems than he would solve :o > > What in the world does this mean?? \*\* Sorry, Gadarene, it was a bad attempt at a half-funny joke. I meant that since Bill does like to fool around, and most Muslims do not appreaciate that kind of behaviour, he would create mor problems by pissing people off, or worse. > [@](#): > > In other words, you would choose James Buchanan? Buchanan, OK. How about Wilson, what’s wrong there? ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/36 "2001-09-27T21:03:23Z")
I vote for Henry Fonda, followed by Morgan Freeman. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2001, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309/37 "2001-09-27T21:34:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Wumpus \* > \*\*I vote for Henry Fonda, followed by Morgan Freeman. \*\* So you’d like to see the rest of NYC destroyed too? (reference to movies where these two have play Presidents and NYC gets destroyed, i.e. _Meteor_, _Fail Safe_, and _Deep Impact_) I’m just glad you didn’t mention Peter Sellers. Sheesh. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-president-would-handle-this-best/83309.md?page=1)