# Will Bush go down as one of the top five Presidents of the last 100 years? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 3, 2005, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143 "2005-02-03T07:39:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/41 "2005-02-03T15:02:14Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > He won the Nobel Prize for brokering the Camp David peace treaty, something no successor has come remotely close to achieving. No he didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/42 "2005-02-03T15:04:10Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > Don’t mind him. He’s just listing Democrats until he runs out of them at 7. Come on, at least give him until 7:30. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/43 "2005-02-03T15:04:20Z")
I actually agree with all of those points, **BobLibDem**. But those were occasional successes in an otherwise failed administration. ---
**Author:** ![Domokun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c77e96/32.png) [@Domokun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Domokun)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/44 "2005-02-03T15:09:07Z")
Baring an alien invasion and subsequent heroic defeat a la Independence Day, it’d say that’s fairly unlikely. ---
**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:** [February 3, 2005, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/45 "2005-02-03T15:10:55Z")
> [@Captain Amazing](#): > > No he didn’t. From [the Nobel Prize organization.](http://nobelprize.org/peace/laureates/2002/press.html) > [@](#): > > During his presidency (1977-1981), Carter’s mediation was a vital contribution to the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, in itself a great enough achievement to qualify for the Nobel Peace Prize. At a time when the cold war between East and West was still predominant, he placed renewed emphasis on the place of human rights in international politics. OK, so he didn’t win at the same time as Begin and Sadat. But his work in the Camp David accord was cited by the committee as one of the reasons he won and was touted as sufficient in and of itself to win the award. When might we expect Bush to be nominated? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/46 "2005-02-03T15:18:00Z")
What didn’t anyone ask if **Roland Deschain** meant George Bush or George Herbert Walker Bush? Actually, that’s an irrelevant question. The answer is still “NO” ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/47 "2005-02-03T15:23:31Z")
> [@Mr. Moto](#): > > “Didn’t need no welfare state.” “Everybody pulled his weight.” ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/48 "2005-02-03T15:26:33Z")
Gee, my Kia Sportage ran great… ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/49 "2005-02-03T15:35:56Z")
Well most of them are dead, so unless Ford, Carter or Clinton make the top 5 the answer is no because I can’t see him going down on his father. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/50 "2005-02-03T15:37:07Z")
The OP meant **what**? ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/51 "2005-02-03T15:54:53Z")
> [@Menocchio](#): > > Wilson loses points for his racism… Racism, why? Because he liked _Birth of a Nation_? ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/52 "2005-02-03T16:07:59Z")
No. He’s tied with Nixon as the worst ever, and doing his damndest to beat ol’ tricky Dick post-haste. Had he died several weeks after his inauguration due to a lethal chill, he might have spared himself the F-minus grade, but it’s too late for that. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/53 "2005-02-03T16:43:59Z")
> [@Ukulele Ike](#): > > Racism, why? Because he liked _Birth of a Nation_? No. Wilson supported segregation in the southern states, and brought it to the federal government and the city of Washington both. Keep in mind he wasn’t a New Jersey native. He was born and raised in Virginia, and had a domestic political philosophy remarkable similar to that of the Dixiecrats a generation later. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/54 "2005-02-03T19:17:26Z")
We’d better post a guard at Mt. Rushmore. We’re gonna turn around, and it’ll be changed to Nixon, Reagan, Bush, and Jerry Falwell. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/55 "2005-02-03T19:24:10Z")
**World Eater:** _The OP is insane._ Absolutely. Not because he thinks Bush is one of the top five Presidents of the last 100 years—I don’t happen to agree with that assessment, but I wouldn’t call someone insane because of it—but on account of his schizorandomly selected Top Ten. I mean, how the holy hell can you believe that **both** FDR and Ronald Reagan were among the two greatest Presidents of their century? “FDR was a great President for giving Americans social support and economic security programs! And Reagan and Bush II were great Presidents for taking them away again!” C’mon, if you admire conservative small-government advocates like Reagan and Bush, why would you consider Franklin Roosevelt the century’s greatest President? And if you admire the liberal reforms and social progressivism of FDR enough to rank him #1, why would you like Reagan as his runner-up? I think the real title of the OP’s list is probably “Top Ten Presidents I Have Heard Of and Whose Names I Don’t Directly Associate with Losing a War”. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/56 "2005-02-03T19:29:38Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > I mean, how the holy hell can you believe that **both** FDR and Ronald Reagan were among the two greatest Presidents of their century? Leadership qualities and vision confronting their respective challenges. I believe that Reagan and Roosevelt were the two best presidents of the 20th century, and not necessarily in that order. Imma gonna let the current president finish up and then a few years elapse besides before I start sticking him in any rankings. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/57 "2005-02-03T19:37:30Z")
hhmm… I think Bush comes ahead of Nixon… his PR and image is much better managed and his “lies” weren’t caught. I’d really like the OP to explain why Bush deserves to be 5th… even hardcore conservatives aren’t that happy with Bush. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/58 "2005-02-03T19:40:57Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > CARTER??? You missed: JOHNSON??? Talk about your trumped-up, fucked-up war. I’m wondering if \*\*Bob \*\*remembers exactly why Johnson didn’t run for a second term. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/59 "2005-02-03T19:54:06Z")
**manhattan:** _Leadership qualities and vision confronting their respective challenges._ I just don’t get this argument. Can you really rank Presidents just on the basis of “leadership qualities and vision” without taking into account your opinion of **what** the vision was and **where** they were leading to? I mean, hell, Hitler and Stalin had remarkable leadership qualities and vision too. (Oops, sorry Godwin…) ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2005, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143/60 "2005-02-03T20:23:05Z")
Well sure, within reason of course. So whilst “rounding up citizens of a certain ethnicity and sticking them into camps,” which Roosevelt did, is undeniably bad and loses someone a lot of “greatest” points, “rounding up citizens of a certain ethnicity and sticking them into camps and killing them” gets you stricken right off any potential greatness lists. But you’re doubtless thinking of the differing economic policies of the two. ::shrug:: In Roosevelt’s instance historians will always debate whether the New Deal saved the country’s economy or if it would have come back anyways or if it was doomed with or without the New Deal absent the buildup to and entrance into WWII, but the point for someone fairly ranking presidents is that Roosevelt did something and it worked. The same is true for Reagan and not only the economy but also the fall of the USSR. Different times call for different leaderships and both Roosevelt and Reagan were exactly the right people for their respective times. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-bush-go-down-as-one-of-the-top-five-presidents-of-the-last-100-years/288143.md?page=4)