# Who was the best looking U.S. President? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 24, 2013, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714 "2013-11-24T23:31:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/21 "2013-11-25T12:58:50Z")
Reagan and Clinton are tied for charisma and good lucks. Young FDR was quite handsome. JFK was handsome and charismatic but he just doesn’t do much for me. Obama is too thin, IMO. It’s a shame that someone who looks like Lincoln would never make it in politics today. I wonder how many great leaders we passed on because they weren’t more photogenic. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/22 "2013-11-25T14:33:41Z")
I guess it really depends on if you are talking about in their prime or when they were president. A lot of them have been old men by the time they were president and time is a bitch. I am 100% hetero and have a hard time telling how some people are considered attractive. To me Obama barely gets above “not ugly” and looks kind of goofy. To my untrained eyes it seems that young [Navy JFK](http://www.mrconservative.com/files/2013/05/Lieutenant-John-F.-Kennedy.jpg) was quite handsome. However, you can see by the time he was killed he was starting to not age well. Like many of the men in his family. If he lived to a ripe old age he would probably have gotten a giant Kennedy head like Teddy. > [@](#): > > It might be personal charisma too. I’ve heard that about JFK and Clinton, that both had tremendous charisma that came across in person like a freight train. Numerous people have written about meeting Clinton, that it felt like - even though you were in a room full of people and he’d gone around meeting dozens of people before you - that you were the only person he wanted to spend time with at that moment when you were talking with him. I think that is at least partway true of all the recent presidents. I’ve heard that about George W and Reagan as well. I know its likely to get me stoned around here to say something nice about him but I have read accounts from many who greatly disliked Bush’s politics who said it is impossible to dislike the guy if you meet him. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/23 "2013-11-25T16:18:01Z")
You know who I forgot? Bush senior was quite handsome as a [young man](http://www.trans-int.com/wordpress/wp-content/GHW-Bush-Barbara-Wedding1.jpg). ---
**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:** [November 25, 2013, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/24 "2013-11-25T16:28:13Z")
[Young Gerald Ford](http://www.fordlibrarymuseum.gov/images/avproj/new-images/H0016-03.jpg) If you’re into blond football players with a cleft chin, Ford might trip your trigger. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/25 "2013-11-25T17:54:27Z")
Obama, pretty much by a mile. Although I can totally get Clinton’s charm. I have a soft spot for [Ulysses S. Grant](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqydx9HnKw1qeu6ilo1_500.jpg). By all accounts (and despite his shortcomings as a businessman and president), he was a loving husband and father. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/26 "2013-11-26T00:18:35Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Quite honestly, I think he looked like Archie, and not in a good way. This is one of the greatest posts that I have ever seen! ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/27 "2013-11-26T00:20:30Z")
BTW, didn’t anybody else notice that Clinton’s nose sort of looked like a man’s dangly part? Also, I think that we are doing George the Younger a disservice in not including him. He waren’t no punk. [http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&rlz=1T4AURU\_enUS498US502&biw=1680&bih=807&tbm=isch&tbnid=u8Mn2G9MGBfqQM:&imgrefurl=http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/18/top-10-hottest-us-presidents-in-history-slideshow/george-w-bush-2/&docid=Oy03-56MdiPleM&imgurl=http://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/George-W-Bush-e1361137058446.jpg&w=630&h=802&ei=s-mTUumfHKbc2gXLoYDwDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=544&vpy=92&dur=1312&hovh=253&hovw=199&tx=108&ty=151&page=1&tbnh=157&tbnw=122&start=0&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:30,s:0,i:184](http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&rlz=1T4AURU_enUS498US502&biw=1680&bih=807&tbm=isch&tbnid=u8Mn2G9MGBfqQM:&imgrefurl=http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/18/top-10-hottest-us-presidents-in-history-slideshow/george-w-bush-2/&docid=Oy03-56MdiPleM&imgurl=http://cdn01.dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/George-W-Bush-e1361137058446.jpg&w=630&h=802&ei=s-mTUumfHKbc2gXLoYDwDg&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=544&vpy=92&dur=1312&hovh=253&hovw=199&tx=108&ty=151&page=1&tbnh=157&tbnw=122&start=0&ndsp=37&ved=1t:429,r:30,s:0,i:184) ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bruce\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Wayne)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2013, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/28 "2013-11-26T00:22:25Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > [young FDR](http://www.fdrsuite.org/annual%20lecture.html) Anyone else notice the resemblance to actor Ryan Gosling? ---
**Author:** ![Beelzebubba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Beelzebubba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beelzebubba)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/29 "2013-11-27T02:12:27Z")
Even though I hated him as a President and don’t like him any better as a human being in general, I’ll be honest. DUBYA was the most physically attractive President that we’ve ever had, to my knowledge. u I can’t help but think about Margaret Cho talking about the Bush Administration and how none of them were sexy. My favorite part was when she acknowledged that Laura Bush was ‘pretty’…but you her pu$$y tastes like LYSOL!!! ⭕smack: Then she said at least it wasn’t Barbara Bush…that would be straight up MOTH BALLS! :eek: ---
**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:** [November 27, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/30 "2013-11-27T02:24:39Z")
[Even Richard Nixon looked OK when he was young.](http://31.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lxyh26godP1qz84n6o1_500.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/31 "2013-11-27T02:49:45Z")
They said women found Nixon’s big head (in relation to the rest of him) sexy. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/32 "2013-11-27T03:26:05Z")
Obama by far. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/33 "2013-11-27T05:15:28Z")
As a hetero male I’m not getting the Obama = good looking determination. He’s attractive to women in the way powerful, confident alpha male men are attractive, but in terms of “good looking” he’s a “B”, a solid “B”, but a “B” at best. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/34 "2013-11-27T05:16:57Z")
Obama, hands down. Nobody else is even in the running. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/35 "2013-11-27T05:27:19Z")
Much as I don’t think Jackie O was a great beauty although she had loads of class, I didn’t find JFK a handsome guy, either. He was okay. Men can be okay and still be hella successful and so can women, now although their looks will be commented on. Maybe Reagan was okay looking when he was young but by the time he was prez he was kind of out of contention for best looking, too. So, in my lifetime, gotta go with Dub. I think he was a lousy president but if you ignored the deer-in-headlights look he frequently got, he looked okay. I have met Clinton. In person, the man packs a helluva wallop. I mean he would focus on someone for 15 seconds and they would essentially melt into a puddle at his feet (well, the women, of which I am one). But just on looks alone, no. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/36 "2013-11-27T05:47:52Z")
As I understand it, Harding got to be president mainly on the basis of his looks, and he had very few other other qualifications for the job (which he screwed up royally, rivaled in sheer incompetence only by Bush II). That doesn’t necessarily make him _the_ most handsome (and anyway, it was probably more a matter of looking authoritative rather than of looking sexy), but he probably is the one whose handsomeness was most important. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/37 "2013-11-27T12:31:27Z")
> [@astro](#): > > As a hetero male I’m not getting the Obama = good looking determination. He’s attractive to women in the way powerful, confident alpha male men are attractive, but in terms of “good looking” he’s a “B”, a solid “B”, but a “B” at best. Yeah I’m not seeing it at all. In fact, until this thread I didn’t think it was a thing. To me he is in the not ugly category with most guys but not particularly good looking. ---
**Author:** ![crucible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@crucible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crucible)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/38 "2013-11-27T12:45:47Z")
Jefferson was an extremely attractive man in full. But the ladies went for Franklin, every time. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/39 "2013-11-27T12:51:31Z")
> [@SerafinaPekala](#): > > For me? its not just the looks, its the character and the charisma. > > Ciinton: > looks & charisma +1, > character 0 > > JFK: > looks & charisma & character +1 > > Obama: > charisma +1, > character & looks 0 Not sure how you can give JFK a + on character. He was every bit as much a horn dog as Clinton. I don’t know about looks but I certainly find Clinton by far (BY FAR) the sexiest. ---
**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:** [November 27, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714/40 "2013-11-27T12:57:00Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > Not sure how you can give JFK a + on character. He was every bit as much a horn dog as Clinton. Though LBJ seems to have been far worse, despite looking like a basset hound. > [@](#): > > I don’t know about looks but I certainly find Clinton by far (BY FAR) the sexiest. By all accounts including the one above, although Clinton may not have been the most handsome of presidents he was a monster of personal charisma. Even Kim Jong-Il liked him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-was-the-best-looking-u-s-president/674714.md?page=3)