# Which President would you most like to be serving during the current crisis? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 16, 2020, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740 "2020-06-16T01:00:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/1 "2020-06-16T01:00:53Z")
So you can pick any US President, from Washington to Trump. Who do you think has the temperment and knowledge to best lead this country right now? With everything that is happening, from COVID 19, to the Black Lives Matter protests to the upcoming elections, even the murder hornets! ---
**Author:** ![SoToasty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sotoasty/32/2803_2.png) [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/2 "2020-06-16T01:35:50Z")
F.D.R. He knows what disease can do to people. He can work with others so would work with China on COVID not against them. He was a war time president, and I believe he could motivate people and business to do what’s right for the country. He might do well with BLM, but no body is perfect. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/3 "2020-06-16T01:41:23Z")
Obama. Smart, no drama, competent. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/4 "2020-06-16T01:45:47Z")
I’d go with Bush Sr. He was more common-sense and rational than either Reagan or his son. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/5 "2020-06-16T01:54:24Z")
Of the ones during my lifetime, Obama. Steady head, informed by facts and evidence. I wasn’t born yet, but I have the impression that Eisenhower would probably be good, too – sensible, reassuring, and able to get buy-in from people who might ordinarily be opponents (which is a potential weakness with Obama). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/6 "2020-06-16T01:57:15Z")
From my lifetime: Obama, Clinton, or Bush Sr. I could live with: Carter, W. Bush, or Reagan Ohpleasenonoteveragain: Trump ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/7 "2020-06-16T02:00:28Z")
My answer is pretty much always going to Theodore Roosevelt. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/8 "2020-06-16T02:05:31Z")
I’m going with Bubba. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/9 "2020-06-16T02:05:59Z")
Bush Sr Obama FDR Eisenhower Clinton Kennedy Truman They’d all do a fine job. I give the upper hand to Bush Sr because of his skill with the end of the Cold War. German reunification, the revolution against Yeltsin and Gulf War I. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/10 "2020-06-16T02:28:57Z")
Franklin Roosevelt. He handled two major crises well during his administration. He listened to experts, made decisions, delegated people to jobs, saw what needed to be done, set up programs to achieve goals, managed resources, communicated to the public, remained flexible to changing circumstances, and kept a good sense of what the goals were - all the attributes of a good crisis manager. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/11 "2020-06-16T03:18:02Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Franklin Roosevelt. He handled two major crises well during his administration. He listened to experts, made decisions, delegated people to jobs, saw what needed to be done, set up programs to achieve goals, managed resources, communicated to the public, remained flexible to changing circumstances, and kept a good sense of what the goals were - all the attributes of a good crisis manager. What he said. For presidents in my lifetime, probably George H. W. Bush. I’m not a fan of his presidency overall, but he was levelheaded and could get stuff done. His depth of previous experience would help too. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/12 "2020-06-16T04:59:01Z")
In Order: Obama FDR ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/13 "2020-06-16T06:35:33Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Franklin Roosevelt. He handled two major crises well during his administration. He listened to experts, made decisions, delegated people to jobs, saw what needed to be done, set up programs to achieve goals, managed resources, communicated to the public, remained flexible to changing circumstances, and kept a good sense of what the goals were - all the attributes of a good crisis manager. Then again he also was completely blind to the fact the Soviets were going to stab us in the back and be a major thorn in our side for the next 50 years. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/14 "2020-06-16T08:06:12Z")
Obama. If he’d had a third term, we’d have had a plan back in January to deal with this thing, and we’d have had a chance to keep the death toll down to three or four figures. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/15 "2020-06-16T10:00:01Z")
Obama. Best. President. Ever. I’d take Clinton, Kennedy or FDR as well. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/16 "2020-06-16T10:07:36Z")
Obama. Provided the Republicans weren’t in control of either House. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/17 "2020-06-16T10:51:53Z")
Lincoln surprised nobody named him yet ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/18 "2020-06-16T10:54:47Z")
Sad to realize that the talent and skill to handle these crises is still right here and available, but we are not allowed to tap it. ---
**Author:** ![Mallard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Mallard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mallard)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/19 "2020-06-16T11:36:47Z")
ABT (Anybody But Trump) ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2020, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740/20 "2020-06-16T12:42:34Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Obama. Smart, no drama, competent. This. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-president-would-you-most-like-to-be-serving-during-the-current-crisis/855740.md?page=2)