# Who is the Greatest Living U.S. President? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 13, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952 "2015-05-13T16:12:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/21 "2015-05-13T19:35:27Z")
I voted for Bush the Elder, just ahead of Clinton… but man, this is a weak group to choose from. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e79b87/32.png) [@The\_Joker\_and\_the\_Thief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Joker_and_the_Thief)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/22 "2015-05-13T19:42:10Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > At least I wrote the names down in a poll. Apparently, when the current crop of Republican candidates were asked “Who is the greatest living U.S. President?” by a reporter, a few of them answered “Ronald Reagan!”. Reagan is the once and future president. His spirit will live forever. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/23 "2015-05-13T19:44:59Z")
Looking pretty even so far among the top four…and one vote for Junior Juniper. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/24 "2015-05-13T19:48:59Z")
Clinton. Bush Sr. a runner-up. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/25 "2015-05-13T20:24:14Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > Jimmy Carter for Camp David, human rights, returning the Panama Canal, and just general swellness. Gee Wally… ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/26 "2015-05-13T21:29:53Z")
As a Brit, I don’t consider myself eligible to vote in the poll. My tuppence worth: Jimmy Carter wasn’t the greatest President listed, but he was the greatest ex-President. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/27 "2015-05-13T21:34:07Z")
I read the OP as “Who is the Greatest Lying U.S. President” and was amazed not to see Nixon on the list. Clinton would only be a distant second. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/28 "2015-05-13T22:10:14Z")
My top two would be the elder Bush followed by Clinton without it being a tough call. After that there’s a huge drop off although I respect Carter personally. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/29 "2015-05-13T22:55:45Z")
I voted Jimmy Carter. I have met all 3 of the Democratic ones, and he is the best, most decent human being of them all. What he’s done since his term, compared to the others, certainly re-confirms my opinion. He didn’t do well as President, partly because he was too decent a person – he expected that others in DC & Congress were as decent as he was, and so would deal honestly with him. They weren’t, they didn’t, and he got the blame for that. I think Obama was falling into that same trap, until this year, when he seemed to suddenly grow a pair. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/30 "2015-05-13T22:59:59Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > I voted Jimmy Carter. I have met all 3 of the Democratic ones, and he is the best, most decent human being of them all. What he’s done since his term, compared to the others, certainly re-confirms my opinion. > > He didn’t do well as President, partly because he was too decent a person – he expected that others in DC & Congress were as decent as he was, and so would deal honestly with him. They weren’t, they didn’t, and he got the blame for that. I think Obama was falling into that same trap, until this year, when he seemed to suddenly grow a pair. Well, I agree- as a\* ex\*-President he’s certainly the best- in fact one of the best of all time. But in office?- not so much. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/31 "2015-05-13T23:01:07Z")
> [@DinoR](#): > > My top two would be the elder Bush followed by Clinton without it being a tough call. After that there’s a huge drop off although I respect Carter personally. As a life long Dem, I still have great respect for Bush Sr. ---
**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:** [May 13, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/32 "2015-05-13T23:14:48Z")
Carter is the greatest living man who was President but he was an awful President. Clinton was a slime bag but overall the most successful President by far. Bush the Elder was the second best and the a fairly good man and decorated WWII vat. So I guess I’m voting for Clinton with Bush the elder as #2. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/33 "2015-05-13T23:37:13Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Carter is the greatest living man who was President but he was an awful President. > Clinton was a slime bag but overall the most successful President by far. > Bush the Elder was the second best and the a fairly good man and decorated WWII vat. > > So I guess I’m voting for Clinton with Bush the elder as #2. Bill famously charmed Bush the elder when they went around together after the tsunami. I wonder what they chatted about, comparing their mistresses? Did Bill do anything slimier than Bush 41 except get caught? Was Bill’s series of short affairs somehow _worse_ than George’s several year one with his “office wife” Jennifer Fitzgerald? ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2015, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/34 "2015-05-13T23:47:35Z")
I chose Carter because of his after-Presidency work ---
**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:** [May 14, 2015, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/35 "2015-05-14T00:10:16Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Bill famously charmed Bush the elder when they went around together after the tsunami. I wonder what they chatted about, comparing their mistresses? Did Bill do anything slimier than Bush 41 except get caught? Was Bill’s series of short affairs somehow _worse_ than George’s several year one with his “office wife” Jennifer Fitzgerald? Really, my voting for Clinton wasn’t good enough for you? Fine I’ll play your game. So we absolutely know that Clinton took advantage of a young intern in his employ and have fairly substantiated other cases of mistresses and flings and Bush has rumors of one long term affair? These don’t seem equal to me. Not sure Bush cheated or not and do know that if he did at least he was discrete about and did not embarrass himself and his family while in office. Oh also, WWII decorated vet vs. pretty much a draft dodger, just like Bush the Lesser. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/36 "2015-05-14T00:31:13Z")
Can’t vote. All our good past presidents are dead. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/37 "2015-05-14T00:51:38Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Can’t vote. All our good past presidents are dead. I find myself thinking the same but I went for Bush Sr even though I didn’t vote for him the first time. He didn’t do much good but probably did the least harm of those listed. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/38 "2015-05-14T00:54:50Z")
Are we looking for the guy who was the greatest during the 4-8 years he was in office? Or are we looking for the guy who has bee the greatest person before, during, and after his presidency? ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/39 "2015-05-14T01:10:49Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Carter is the greatest living man who was President but he was an awful President. > Clinton was a slime bag but overall the most successful President by far. > Bush the Elder was the second best and the a fairly good man and decorated WWII vat. > > So I guess I’m voting for Clinton with Bush the elder as #2. I’m still of the opinion that most of the goodness that was the Clinton presidency was largely inherited from Bush Sr. Bush’s job was basically to undo everything that Reagan had done and handle the pickup after the fall of the USSR. That’s what the man did, leaving the US as the major power of the world and everyone happy. All you had to do, to be a good president after that, was not rock the boat. Clinton only ever gave it a tiny jiggle whenever someone started to call him or Hillary on any one of their various unethical activities, but on the whole, he just accepted and carried forth a nation left in good repair. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2015, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952/40 "2015-05-14T01:20:13Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Really, my voting for Clinton wasn’t good enough for you? Fine I’ll play your game. > > So we absolutely know that Clinton took advantage of a young intern in his employ and have fairly substantiated other cases of mistresses and flings and Bush has rumors of one long term affair? These don’t seem equal to me. Not sure Bush cheated or not and do know that if he did at least he was discrete about and did not embarrass himself and his family while in office. Bush 41 took Fitzgerald with him to China, reportedly plunging Barbara into depression, and Secret Service agents talk about Bush younger and elder nearly coming to blows over it. > [@](#): > > Oh also, WWII decorated vet vs. pretty much a draft dodger, just like Bush the Lesser. You mean Rhodes Scholar vs Texas Air National Guardsman? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-greatest-living-u-s-president/719952.md?page=3)