There are too many great presidents to really single out the best.
But, there are presidents who were a perfect fit for the time that they served.
1. Washington: He had the instincts that all great Generals had. His cat & mouse strategy of "fight and flee' against the British enabled the rag tag army to hold on long enough for the French assistance to arrive. As president, he formed the "cabinet of advisers" that is still being used today. He patiently stood clear of the congress and senate (for the most part) while they were going loggerheads over bills. Washington knew that they would eventually come up with something worthwhile and only vetoed two bills during his time in office.
2. Lincoln: A mixed bag of myths and fact. His view on black people wasn't exactly pretty, but at the same time, he hated slavery. He slowly evolved with his views on the intelligence of black people, but I think he was still of the mindset that blacks couldn't take care of themselves. I also think that there was no better man at the time for the office when it came to saving the union. He fired five "do nothing generals" before appointing Meade who finally took the Northern Army on the offensive. What Lincoln saw in General Meade and General Grant went against the grain, but you can't argue the results. His "Proclamation Of Emancipation" speech is still one of the most important in American history, but not for the reason a lot of people believe today. Britain and France were tinkering on the idea of helping the confederates to expand western their influences, and Lincoln knew this. Lincoln knew that the citizens of France and Britain were against slavery and endless wars. The "Declaration Of Proclamation" gave the war a focal point of ending slavery which the citizens of Britain and France were is support of.
3. FDR: OK....he was a big spender and I won't argue that point. But, he also initiated some of the best social safety nets ever for the American citizens. He was the working man's pit bull. His list of accomplishments will never be duplicated IMO.
4. Reagan: He was playing chess while the Soviets were playing checkers. His star wars (SDI) program was one of the greatest bluffs ever in geopolitical history and faked the Soviet Union into spending it's way into a massive debt. As a politician, he was polite and had a good sense of humor.
People might not have liked all of his policies, but they liked the man. Reagan swept 49 states in 1984, and I don't see this happening again any time soon
Just my opinion......your mileage may vary.
opcorn2:
