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Smartest and Dumbest Presidents List

that's just plain stupid

if you believe its true then you are really dull
 
that's just plain stupid

if you believe its true then you are really dull

Some of the one's on the "smart" list make sense, though, especially Adams and Jefferson.
 
Some of the one's on the "smart" list make sense, though, especially Adams and Jefferson.

GHWB was one of the most intellectually gifted men to hold the office--my late father was in that class and GHWB graduated in three years and was one of the few Junior Phi Beta Kappas (top 1%) at the time of election.


W was not in the same league but according to objective sources he is as smart as many of the other presidents including Kennedy, FDR etc.

In modern history, Bush, Clinton and Nixon are generally regarded as the brightest.

Ford was far smarter than that idiot spoof piece noted. You don't graduate from Yale Law and on the law journal unless you are very bright-neither clinton was able to do that second task.
 
Mad that they bad-mouthed Reagan, eh?

its idiotic-and I would bet the people who wrote that aren't exactly mensa members or as successful as Reagan was
 
its idiotic-and I would bet the people who wrote that aren't exactly mensa members or as successful as Reagan was

But...it didn't mention GHWB either way so what is your beef..oh yeah Regan. Are you saying Jefferson and Adams wasn't smart though? Are you unpatriotic?
 
This "article" doesn't take itself very seriously; why should anyone else?

By the way, GWB wasn't the 42nd President, geniuses.
 

Considering the total number of elected presidents and the comments of the average respondent, I'd say it would be an honor to be incuded anywhere on the list. Considering their explantions on the individuals cited...I'd say they authors probably qualify for a special 'moron' list of their own.

There is a line in MASH (the book, I dont know if it made the movie) where they were discussing the Seoul hospitals football team and players and one of the doctors asked Jones if a certain player was any good. Spearchuker Jones response was, to me, timeless..."Anyone ever ask YOU to play professional football, boy?" I tend to apply that to pretty much ANYONE that presumes to attack others intelligence. Did YOU ever graduate from college, let alone a major university with an advanced degree? have you ever passed the Bar (or any other state licensing exam)? Intelligence is a very relative term. I have worked with some prisoners that test in the 80's but figure out ways to commit criminal activities that are brilliant.

So...before I ever presume to attack anothers intelligence I hope I am wise enough to honestly compare myself, my accomplishments, my ability at public speaking, etc.
 
GHWB was one of the most intellectually gifted men to hold the office--my late father was in that class and GHWB graduated in three years and was one of the few Junior Phi Beta Kappas (top 1%) at the time of election.


W was not in the same league but according to objective sources he is as smart as many of the other presidents including Kennedy, FDR etc.

In modern history, Bush, Clinton and Nixon are generally regarded as the brightest.

Ford was far smarter than that idiot spoof piece noted. You don't graduate from Yale Law and on the law journal unless you are very bright-neither clinton was able to do that second task.

I don't know about GHWB, but I suspect you are correct. In my lifetime, the two Presidents that I thought were, intellectually, the smartest were Nixon and Clinton.

And I agree. Ford always gets a bad rap. To me he was one of the most underrated Presidents. I wish he had beaten Carter. Bet he would have done better.
 
i think it's obvious that this was a poll of people who favored academia. wilson belongs nowhere on the list of smartest presidents. and madison was smarter than jefferson and adams put together.

I agree in the sense that this was more of an academic list. In that respect, Wilson is certainly top 5 and Jefferson is probably number 1. But being smart doesn't always make you a good President.
 
I agree in the sense that this was more of an academic list. In that respect, Wilson is certainly top 5 and Jefferson is probably number 1. But being smart doesn't always make you a good President.

i think the difference i was working with there was the seperation between being 'smart' and being 'intelligent'. sure, Wilson had a PhD. but he lacked wisdom in bucketloads.
 
Coolidge was dumb because he was shy and quiet? Okay....
 
Coolidge was dumb because he was shy and quiet? Okay....

And Gerald Ford was dumb because LBJ said he was.

(Gotta give the authors of the piece credit. At least they did their research.....)



.
 
Coolidge was dumb because he was shy and quiet? Okay....

yeah. coolidge; what a fool.


oh wait no, he was one of the best presidents we've ever had; but he wasn't a progressive, which is why progressive historians don't like him.
 
yeah. coolidge; what a fool.


oh wait no, he was one of the best presidents we've ever had; but he wasn't a progressive, which is why progressive historians don't like him.

There is another more collegic survey what are your qualms with that?
 
i think the difference i was working with there was the seperation between being 'smart' and being 'intelligent'. sure, Wilson had a PhD. but he lacked wisdom in bucketloads.

Though I don't completely agree with you about Wilson, I completely agree with there being a distinct difference between smart and intelligent.
 
Coolidge was dumb because he was shy and quiet? Okay....

No, Collidge wasn't dumb because he was shy and quiet. I'm not even sure he was dumb. Worst President other than Buchanan? Absolutely.
 
And Gerald Ford was dumb because LBJ said he was.

(Gotta give the authors of the piece credit. At least they did their research.....)

Yeah, I always think that Ford was extremely underrated. People just look at his clumsiness, his pardoning Nixon, and his gaffe about eastern Europe during a debate with Carter and think he's dumb. There was a lot more to him than that.
 
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