Strong or Weak?

George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt have what in common?

They are all strong presidents who followed generally weaker presidents.

Washington followed the Articles of Confederation, which had a president, but of Congress, not an executive. His term built the presidency. Lincoln followed James Buchanan who basically did nothing about seceding states, because he didn't think he had the right. At the same time, he didn't think they had the right to secede. Lincoln then saved the Union. Roosevelt followed Hoover, who is blamed for the Great Depression and failed to do much to make it better.

Roosevelt had great popularity because he wasn't Hoover. Washington was successful because the Constitution was fresh and he could interpret it however he wished. Lincoln was successful because most of his opposition seceded from the nation, and he forced himself into emergency powers.

When I consider these cases, I find it difficult not to draw a parallel to Barack Obama. George Bush isn't exactly a weak president, as he did get a lot done, but he was probably a poor one, like Buchanan and Hoover.

Unlike these cases however, Obama does not yet seem to be very successful. Perhaps he just needs his full term and maybe a second to prove his worth.

But what if Congress stays deadlocked?

Could Barack not follow these three examples and instead shift federal politics to be more like those of the Gilded Age?

The Gilded Age is notable for Congress' domination of politics. That, in turn, echoed of the presidents from Taylor to Buchanan. Is it perhaps time for the executive branch to become weaker again?

There's one major problem with weak presidents now that was not apparent last time. When the Gilded Age ended, expansionism began. The United States became firmly, and stays today, involved in the politics of the world. If the single man (or maybe woman) leading the executive branch is not strong, then the country will become weaker on the international field.

That singular leader is needed to be the representative of the United States. And he cannot be a pushover that the world takes advantage of, he needs to be strong but fair.

Thus, we must hope that Obama does follow the scheme of Washington, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. Because a Congress overtaking the president again could be bad for America.

Top 10: Coolest Looking VPs

In my last of the top 10 lists for a while, I examine the Vice Presidents, in terms of how awesome they look. Their names are links to pictures.

Presidential names in parentheses.

10. Millard Fillmore (Taylor)
This seems to be the only picture to do him justice.

9. James Sherman (Taft)
I don't know quite what it is about him. Maybe the spectacles just pull off the right effect.

8. Thomas Hendricks (Cleveland 22)
I think the hair/sideburns just work for Hendricks.

7. Adlai Stevenson (Cleveland 24)
Oddly enough, the baldness only makes him look more awesome.

6. Garret Hobart (McKinley)
Just like Adlai, but a step up in cool.

5. Thomas Marshall (Wilson)
He kinda seems like an ancestor to Eric Foreman on That 70s Show.

4. Charles Curtis (Hoover)
Just a good looking moustache.

3. Schuyler Colfax (Grant)
The only Vice President with a beard. This baffles me.

2. Chester Arthur (Garfield)
Gotta love the friendly mutton chops. Or the "Chester Arthur" as they are sometimes known. Which I plan to grow someday.

1. Levi Morton (Benjamin Harrison)
Chester Arthur just got out-"Chester Arthur"ed.

Top 10: Underrated

This list is very debatable. Let me make that absolutely clear. By no means is this list comprehensive or correct. But it is my best attempt to rank the top 10 underrated presidents by their recognition in the eyes of the common American.

10. James K. Polk
The last of the strong chief executives before the Civil War.

9. Richard Nixon
People seem to forget that he did anything as president other than resign due to Watergate.

8. John Tyler
The fact that he's a president is what he should be given credit for. His assertion in making himself successor to the deceased William Henry Harrison set the Vice President's position as first backup for a presidential death.

7. James Garfield
The man didn't have time to do much, I know. But he did manage to both play the political game in satisfying Stalwarts long enough to be elected, and then be president by not becoming Roscoe Conkling's dog on a chain.

6. William Taft
This big fella may have been a generally poor president, but we have to remember that he did more trustbusting than TR did.

5. Chester Arthur
He rose above party factions and possibly parties themselves. Then he reformed civil service. He also modernized the navy.

4. William McKinley
This man is the first modern president. He brought back power to the position, and thus ended the Gilded Age's streak of generally weaker presidents.

3. Lyndon Johnson
His work for civil rights, as well as his appointment of a black cabinet member, are often overlooked due to his involvement with the Vietnam War.

2. Millard Fillmore
He gave a boat to Commodore Perry, which would lead to relations with Japan. In addition, he supported the Compromise of 1850 (even while VP, doing so against the views of Zachary Taylor) which helped postpone the Civil War a bit

1. Benjamin Harrison
His signing of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act is what let TR, Taft, and Wilson go trust busting.

Top 10: Ugly

Who are the top 10 presidents in terms of ugly? I know the question has been bothering you for so long. So I shall put this to rest for you. They are as follows.


10. Abraham Lincoln
9. James Buchanan
8. Grover Cleveland
7. Grover Cleveland (if he's 22 and 24, he can be ugly twice too!)
6. Martin Van Buren
5. Gerald Ford (who ironically, was a model)
4. Lyndon Johnson
3. William Taft (mostly due to his weight)
2. Richard Nixon
1. John Quincy Adams

The Gilded Age Test

Following is a set of 20 multiple choice questions about the Gilded Age. Submit your answers to me via whatever you want, and I'll give you your grade.

1. Approximately how many pairs of pants did Chester Arthur have while in office?
a 20
b 40
c 60
d 80

2. Why is the Pendleton Act significant?
a Reformed civil service
b Created the presidential life of succession
c Gave land to Native Americans
d Ended Reconstruction

3. Which listed presidential candidate won the popular vote, but lost the election?
a Benjamin Harrison
b Winfield Hancock
c Samuel Tilden
d Millard Fillmore

4. The Panic of 1873 occurred while ________ was president.
a James Garfield
b Rutherford B. Hayes
c Ulysses S. Grant
d Andrew Johnson

5. Industrialization was a major theme of the Gilded Age. When was the Industrial Revolution begun in America?
a Before the Civil War
b Before the Revolutionary War
c During Reconstruction
d After Reconstruction

6. Which of the following pieces of legislation did Chester Arthur sign?
a Dawes Act
b Chinese Exclusion Act
c Sherman Anti-Trust Act
d McKinley Tariff Act

7. What presidential election was won by 1 electoral vote, making it the closest in terms of electoral votes in history?
a 1876
b 1880
c 2000
d 1824

8. What presidential election was won by about 2000 popular votes nationally, making it the closest in popular vote in history?
a 1876
b 1880
c 2000
d 1824

9. Benjamin Harrison was grandson to William Henry Harrison, the nation's 9th president. What else made him special?
a He was the "Centennial President"
b He remained unmarried
c He had a Ph.D.
d He used more vetoes than any other president

10. What branch of the federal government was most in control during the Gilded Age?
a Executive
b Legislative
c Judicial
d Parliamentary

11. What did all the bearded presidents have in common (aside from beards)?
a Same party
b Not re-elected to a second term
c Assassinated
d Vice presidents without beards

12. "Good ballplayers make good citizens" according to Chester Arthur. However, he was not a ballplayer. Which of the following was he?
a Governor
b Lawyer
c Doctor
d Know-Nothing

13. What defines the end of the Gilded Age?
a William McKinley's presidency, because he was a strong executive
b Grover Cleveland's second term, because of economic troubles reshaping the country
c Anti-trust legislation being passed for the first time
d A series of clean-shaven presidents

14. Thomas Nast took down whom with a cartoon?
a Chester Arthur
b Roscoe Conkling
c Boss Tweed
d Adolf Hitler

15. "No man ever entered the Presidency so profoundly and widely distrusted, and no one ever retired... more generally respected," said Alexander K. McClure. Who was he talking about?
a Ulysses S. Grant
b Rutherford B. Hayes
c James Garfield
d Chester A. Arthur

16. A president was assassinated during the Gilded Age. Who was it?
a James Garfield
b Chester Arthur
c Grover Cleveland
d Benjamin Harrison

17. Which of the following did not have experience in the Civil War?
a Ulysses S. Grant
b Rutherford B. Hayes
c Grover Cleveland
d James Garfield

18. The Presidential Polonaise was written by whom?
a Chester Arthur
b John Sousa
c Francis Scott Key
d a scribe

19. How long did the Chinese Exclusion Act exclude Chinese?
a 20 years, subject to extension
b 10 years, subject to extension
c 10 years, non-renewable
d 20 years, non-renewable

20. February 22, 1885, Chester Arthur did what?
a Die
b Shave
c Dedicate the Washington Monument
d Refurbish the White House

The Good Samaritan

Know that story told by Jesus? The Good Samaritan?

In a nutshell, the people expected to help a dying man don't, and the person thought to be evil does help the dying man.

The Good Samaritan, then, could be likened to Chester Arthur.

When he first ascended to the presidency, the nation collectively groaned, saying "Well these four years aren't going to be worth a pile of horse poop as far as civil service reform."

But, as we know today, Chester Arthur is known as "The Father of Civil Service Reform" because it was under him that Congress passed the Pendleton Act in 1883. It was completely unexpected for the Stalwart president to go completely against the Stalwart platform of "To the victor goes the spoils" and actually take a knife and shove it through the heart of the spoils system.

Final Round

John Kennedy vs George H. W. Bush

I know the general assumption out there is that JFK wins because he's younger and more charismatic. But you have to be careful when you make assumptions.

These two men are very different. For one, they're of different parties, so we're looking at who can win the swing states. Neither man is going to convert states of the other party. Second, I look at Bush and see a fatherly figure, whereas Kennedy seems more like a big brother. And I don't mean that in a 1984 sense.

Bush has some Navy pilot experience, a couple of terms in the House, other assorted political jobs including Chair of the RNC, and two terms of vice presidency. Kennedy had a couple of terms in the senate, and Naval experience.

At this point, we must reflect of similarities to the Election of 1960. Richard Nixon was also an older (than Kennedy) Republican, with experience in the armed forces, a couple Congress terms, and two VP terms. Nixon lost in a close election, quite possibly due to Kennedy's better appearance in the television debates.

Now that we've acknowledged that, let's notice the differences between Bush and Nixon. Bush was a bit more active as Vice President, perhaps making him more qualified. He's better with the television debates than Nixon was, at least in terms of appearance. So he and Kennedy would be on an even television playing field.

Another aspect of the Election of 1960 that helped Kennedy win it was his Vice Presidential pick of Lyndon Johnson to appease the South. However, we are matching up only the presidential candidates, and the South has become less dominated by the Democratic party as time has passed.

All these factors compounded, we're gearing up for one of the closest elections in history. All the Republican states comfortably go to Bush, and all the Democratic states comfortably go to Kennedy. But the swing states would have much less of a clear result. Some would go each way.

In the end, Kennedy performs very well.

But not quite as well as George Bush. The debates would only affect the votes of some of the most moderate candidates. Everyone else would have been predisposed to think in favor of one candidate or the other. Bush and Kennedy would break fairly even in these debates, both on television and on the radio. And thus, with Kennedy losing his main buffer in 1960, he loses to George H. W. Bush by just a few electoral votes and not many popular votes either.


Congratulations to George H. W. Bush for winning the Presidential Super Tournament.


P.S. Yes, I know you all disagree with me. No, I didn't make it happen this way just to piss you off/make you scratch your head/contradict your thoughts.

Road to the Finals

I'll be honest, I started this because I didn't feel like researching a bit into something else. I thought, eh I'll just pick one and give a few sentences of explanation for a while and then eventually somebody will win and I can go back to regular blog stuff yeh.

Well, this became a greater undertaking than I had imagined. For nearly every match, I did some research into the presidents before they were president and analyzed how well they would do against each other. My decisions were not infallible, but no one can say I didn't honestly try.

And so, in the day before the John Kennedy vs. George H.W. Bush final matchup, let's examine what happened to get them here and what happened to the candidates I initially thought would do well.

The man I thought would win it all was Theodore Roosevelt. In Round 1, he was matched up against Abraham Lincoln (to the disappointment of some). Roosevelt won in a landslide. In Round 2, he took on Chester Arthur. Corruption is Arthur's downfall as Roosevelt defeats him comfortably. Round 3, Roosevelt finds himself against Ronald Reagan. Roosevelt wins in a second landslide. Moving along to the quarter-finals, Roosevelt matches up with Lyndon Johnson. Lyndon pulls out a narrow victory, and TR's hopes are dashed, so he goes on an African safari.

I trusted that if TR lost, James Garfield would win. In Round 1, he matched up against Martin Van Buren. Garfield wins comfortably. Round 2, Garfield vs. Harding. Harding's policies decided this one, and he lost by a small margin. Round 3, Garfield finds himself overwhelmed by a modern politician. George H.W. Bush defeats him mainly due to Garfield's lack of modern campaign abilities.

These two men were my initial favorites to win the whole deal. But neither made the Final Four.

Now, to examine our finalists' journeys.

John F. Kennedy in Round 1 found himself against John Adams and won in a landslide. Round 2, he runs against Andrew Johnson and wins in a second landslide. Round 3 brought a closer election, but still a win, against Dwight Eisenhower. Going into the quarterfinals, Kennedy faced Harry Truman and won by Catholic and youth votes. In the semi-finals, he defeated Barack Obama. Just barely.

George H. W. Bush faced Calvin Coolidge in Round 1, and won with a large landslide. Round 2 brought FDR against Bush. Bush won again, by a leg. Round 3 put him up against Thomas Jefferson, where he won by "not quite a landslide." The quarterfinals pitted him against James Garfield, and Bush out-politic'd him. In the semi-finals, he faced off against Lyndon Johnson and won in a fairly close election.

So both candidates have shown massive power in their paths to this point, slowing only in the semi-finals against some quality opponents. The only question that matters now is how they ultimately match up against each other.

Excerpt from "Gentleman Boss: The Life and Times of Chester Arthur"

In honor of Chester Arthur Appreciation Day, an excerpt from a book about him.

The Civil War is raging and Chester is the brigadier general of New York.

~~~~~

After New York's initial thirty-eight regiments were recruited, all sorts of adventurers flocked to Washington to wangle commissions to raise troops. The War Department was desperate for manpower and frequently authorized prominent citizens to raise a regiment. Once permission was recieved, these gentlemen dubbed themselves high-ranking officers, set up headquarters, surrounded themselves with subordinates (who often purchased their commissions), passed out handbills, and began to recruit. At one point there were near a hundred such organizations in the state.

One such successful applicant was "Billy" Wilson, an aldderman who represented one of New York City's most crime-ridden areas. Wilson recruited a gang of toughs from his district who proceeded to plunder local restaurants in full uniform. Police were unwilling to crack down on Wilson and his boys because of their great popularity in the vicinity. The harassed restaurant owners finally appealed to the state for relief, and Governor Morgan ordered Arthur to put a stop to Wilso's marauding.

Upon request, Billy appeared one day at Arthur's office and swaggered through the door in a colonel's uniform. When told of Arthur's objections to his recent activities, Wilson bellowed:

"Neither you nor the governor has anything to do with me. I am a colonel in the United States service, and you've got no right to order me."

"You are not a colonel," Arthur replied indignantly, "and you will not be until you have raised your regiment to its quote of men and received your commission."

"Well, I've got my shoulder-straps anyway," said Wilson, "and as long as I wear them, I don't want no orders from any of you fellows."

At that, Arthur rose to his feet, ripped the straps from Wilson's shoulders, flung him into a chair, and had him put under arrest.

~~~~~


Arthur's work during the Civil War is often considered to be his best work. He was honest and efficient as brigadier general and quartermaster general through 1863.

It isn't until after this when he began to fall into the political machine of Roscoe Conkling and become a strong supporter of the spoils system.

Semi-finals

If you don't mind, I'm reversing the match order. If you do mind, suck it up.

Lyndon Johnson vs George H. W. Bush

Earlier in the tournament, I believe it was Round 1, perhaps Round 2, there was the matchup of Lyndon Johnson and George W. Bush. I actually gave no explanation, saying merely "LBJ wins. 'Nuff said."

One may expect similar results from LBJ/Elder Bush.

One may expect incorrectly.

This is a Democrat vs. Republican election, so it is safe to assume that the blue states stay blue and the red states stay red. ...Right?

Wrong. Texas has suddenly become a swing state. Both presidents are from there, and so this large, generally solid red state comes into dispute.

Not to oversimplify matters, but let us assume that the winner of Texas wins the election. This would definitely be true in the case of an LBJ victory, but is somewhat less certain in a Bush victory. However, it is still a generally accurate indicator of who will become the victor in this election.

In past matchups, LBJ has had vast and varied political experience as his greatest asset. Bush has experience in the House of Representatives and as Vice President. His time as Vice President was far more active than most.

In addition, Bush has experience as a pilot in World War II.

With his advantages over LBJ, Bush easily wins Texas. The other swing states would likely be less of a runaway, but still give enough electoral votes to Bush for him to win the election.




John Kennedy vs Barack Obama (tl;dr version included at bottom)

Apparently this is the preferred final match to a number (2) of the readers. I certainly understand why. It may be percieved that these two men are the strongest in the tournament. We will see in the finals if that is true.

But in addition to their strength, they are interesting as a
matchup because they're so similar. Neither has significant amounts of political experience, but both seem to be calm in campaign. They have similar ideological views.

The questions become:
Who wins the Democrats? By how much?
Who wins the Republicans? By how much?
Do the Republicans vote in full force?

First, let us address who the Republican side is more likely to support. Republicans are seen to be a more pro-war party. Thus JFK has a significant margin over Obama in the Republican clothespin voting. But don't think for a minute that Obama won't get a significant minority of Republican clothespin votes. Black Republicans and other Republicans largely in favor of progression of minorities (both of which exist, albeit not in large numbers) would vote for Obama.

I have twice referred to clothespin votes. This brings me to my second point. Republicans will not turn out in full force. Those who would cover their nose and choose Kennedy as the lesser of two evils are more likely to abstain than those who would vote for Obama based upon his race. This appears to give Obama the advantage on the Republican side. But then, Kennedy takes over the Republicans again through all the ones who do not want a black president. And so Kennedy wins the Republicans by a small margin.

The Democratic vote is much simpler to explain. Black Democrats definitely vote for Obama. White Democrats split, probably about 70/30 in favor of Kennedy.

What this fails to take into account are two things about JFK. First, his endocrine problems. But, if he could hide them 50 years ago, he could probably hide them now. Second, his affairs. These would have an effect on his campaign if they became public. However, the effect would be small, mostly taking away Republican votes, but not converting them to Obama. Plus, the morality issues mean less and less to the public as time passes.

And thus John Kennedy defeats Barack Obama. Not by much. But enough to win.

tl;dr version: JFK wins.











And so the stage is set.

JFK vs. George H. W. Bush in the final election of the tournament.

Friday.

Semi-finals Announcement

1 John Kennedy 4 Barack Obama
2 Lyndon Johnson 3 George H.W. Bush

I'll do both matches tomorrow! Until then the poll stays open, just in case anyone else wants to put their 2 cents in.

Round 4

6 Harry Truman 1 John Kennedy (Victor will be assigned number 1)

John Kennedy by the Catholic and youth votes. The two are evenly matched aside from that.


8 Theodore Roosevelt 7 Lyndon Johnson (Victor will be assigned number 2)

TR has the same things I've mentioned every other time. San Juan Hill, Secretary of the Navy, orator abilities. LBJ has a wider array of elected experience.

It's really a very tough decision to decide between these two. When I think of their main ideological goals, TR was for expansionism and LBJ was for civil rights. Expansionism no longer has a place in our world. Civil rights isn't as prevalent anymore, but it is still needed.

Landslide Lyndon wins by less than 100,000 votes.


4 James Garfield 5 George H.W. Bush (Victor will be assigned number 3)

Republican vs. Republican. Neither has a record that would put them over the other. Garfield has the reform of the spoils system on his side. Bush has modern politicial knowlegdge on his side.

As much as I love Garfield and his beard, Elder Bush wins by a mudslinger.


2 Warren Harding 3 Barack Obama (Victor will be assigned number 4)

Up to this point, Warren Harding's main asset was his good looks. But Barack Obama, too is an attractive man. So the ideology of the candidates would decide the election, and laissez faire leads to a laissez fair loss in the election. Obama wins.



Round 5 will be announced tomorrow. In the meantime, there has been a poll added in that right column at the top. Vote for who you think will end up winning the Presidential Super Tournament. Underneath that, congrats to TR/McCain for winning the mock extremely small sample set election, with FDR/LBJ and Garfield/Arthur as the runners up, and Buchanan/A. Johnson coming in last, failing to be redeemed.

Round 3

Here's all of round 3 in it's glory (or lack thereof).

4 Dwight Eisenhower 6 John Kennedy (Victor will be assigned number 1)

This is a difficult choice. Dwight Eisenhower is one of the greatest modern war heroes. But JFK is so "young" (for presidents) and when I see him, I just think to myself how easy it'd be to vote for someone that looks like him without knowing the issues.

Eisenhower, in the end, would probably find himself not overtaken on the issues, but overtaken by a combination of the female and youth votes. It would be a close election, no doubt. Strongly Republican states would stay with Eisenhower, but the swing states would strongly favor Kennedy.

JFK wins.


15 Warren Harding 2 Richard Nixon (Victor will be assigned number 2)

"A Return to Normalcy" is a slogan that would work perfectly with today's people. On top of that, Harding is generally considered attractive by historians. I don't see it myself, but I won't go against professionals with college degrees and all that fancy jazz.

Nixon's not known for his appearance or charisma.

Harding wins by a large electoral vote, but small popular vote.


7 Barack Obama 3 Gerald Ford (Victor will be assigned number 3)

Barack Obama wins by virtue of being black and this being a Democrat vs. Republican election, thus winning him most of the swing states and all the solidly Democratic states.


10 James Garfield 16 Chester Arthur (Victor will be assigned number 4)

Personally, I believe these men both would have served the 1881-1885 term well. But this isn't about the presidencies and what could have been. Let's be honest with ourselves. Chester Arthur was the Vice Presidential candidate for two reasons.

He was needed to appease New York and the Stalwarts. He wasn't a standout man politically.

Then again, Garfield was a dark horse candidate. Could that hurt his chances? Well, against some, yes. But he doesn't have a record of corruption like Arthur. He faught in the Civil War, while Arthur was a Quartermaster in New York.

Garfield wins in a landslide.

Goodbye, Chestermagne. You won't be conquering this tournament... :'(


9 George H.W. Bush 13 Thomas Jefferson (Victor will be assigned number 5)

Jefferson is too shy to take on Bush exceedingly well in direct debates. Some people will see this as a "Cool, Laid-back Dude" but honestly, Bush wins, with a larger margin than most elections, but not quite a landslide.


5 Harry Truman 12 Franklin Roosevelt (Victor will be assigned number 6)

What is it with Assassinated President vs. Rising Vice President this round?

Well, both candidates are Democrats, so it's not as simple as deciding who the swing states would favor. But these men are both good Democrats. FDR is a bit more extreme than Truman, though. Between that and Roosevelt's being a cripple, America chooses Harry Truman, but only barely.


11 Lyndon Johnson 1 Bill Clinton (Victor will be assigned number 7)

Another Democrat vs. Democrat election. I'm not dissing Bill Clinton, he's a good candidate, but Lyndon Johnson is just slightly better in terms of experience and appearance. He's also the second tallest president we've had, so if we go by the tall guy wins theory, I'm further affirmed in my thoughts.

Lyndon Johnson wins.

8 Theodore Roosevelt 14 Ronald Reagan (Victor will be assigned number 8)

Golly gee, this round is the best!

Theodore Roosevelt has that ability as an orator to get people excited. His voice may be a little funny, but he's just overcome so many obstacles and done some cool stuff in war.

Ronald Reagan is a popular actor with extreme conservatism. He's good looking and moderately charismatic.

Both men, of course, are remembered quite fondly today. But Theodore Roosevelt would out-campaign Reagan, and Reagan is too conservative for the people of today.

Theodore Roosevelt wins in a landslide. (Sorry, Reagan. I still love you!)




That was fun! Round 4 starting and ending tomorrow!

Round 3 Matchups

The matchups for the 3rd of what should be 7 rounds.

4 Dwight Eisenhower 6 John Kennedy
15 Warren Harding 2 Richard Nixon
7 Barack Obama 3 Gerald Ford
10 James Garfield 16 Chester Arthur (This'll be one to watch!)
9 George H.W. Bush 13 Thomas Jefferson
5 Harry Truman 12 Franklin Roosevelt
11 Lyndon Johnson 1 Bill Clinton
8 Theodore Roosevelt 14 Ronald Reagan

Due to LBJ/Reagan popping up randomly, I did run the random sequence generator a second time to prevent the same matchup from occurring twice.

Round 2, Wild card round

The losers of round 2 are as follows:
William Taft
Chester Arthur
Franklin Roosevelt
Warren Harding
Ronald Reagan
James Madison
Jimmy Carter
Thomas Jefferson
Rutherford Hayes
James Polk
Andrew Johnson


From these 11 losers, I must select 5 wild cards.

Of these men, the top three from C-SPAN's 2009 presidential ranking list move on.

Taft (24)
Arthur (32)
FDR (3)
Harding (38)
Reagan (10)
Madison (20)
Carter (25)
Jefferson (7)
Hayes (33)
Polk (12)
A. Johnson (41)

And so Franklin Roosevelt, Thomas Jefferson, and Ronald Reagan are assigned the numbers 12, 13, and 14, respectively.

The final two spots will go to the two remaining candidates who had the closest Round 2 losses, according to my opinion.

Warren Harding is the only one left that is stated clearly in the blog to have a close election. He is assigned the number 15.

The number 16 then goes to either Hayes or Arthur, as they both lost by "comfortable margins" but weren't blown out. To be fair:

Rutherford Hayes vs. Chester Arthur (Victor will be assigned number 16)

Hayes may offend no one, but Arthur lives a high life and makes friends in the political arena that help further him. In the end, Arthur could just have a better campaign put together to outmanuvuer Hayes in an election.

Arthur wins by a less-than-comfortable margin.


And so the wild cards are set.

Round 3 matchups randomized and announced tomorrow.

Round 2, Part 2

10 Barack Obama 11 William Taft (Victor will be assigned 7)

"Taft was big and fat and had a mustache." Taft only won the first round because America isn't ready to elect a gay man to the presidency. Barack Obama's appearance should be enough to catapult him past Taft in an election.

2 Chester Arthur 4 Theodore Roosevelt (Victor will be assigned 8)

Arthur is accused of corruption. He responds by pointing to his strength in power during the Civil War. Roosevelt and the Rough Riders bring a better story, and Roosevelt has no corruption accusations.

Roosevelt wins with a comfortable margin.

8 George H.W. Bush 6 Franklin Roosevelt (Victor will be assigned 9)

The elder Bush has such a wide array of political experience with few major blemishes on it that he would probably blow FDR out of the water. I know, FDR is considered one of the greatest presidents of all time. But the man is in a wheelchair. No matter how much you try to disguise that, it would become a major thing in today's world where people are so judged by their appearance. And unfortunately, in a presidential race, there's no handicap for Roosevelt.

5 James Garfield 15 Warren Harding (Victor will be assigned 10)

Lassez faire + Lassez campaigning = Harding loss, but by a small margin.

7 Ronald Reagan 18 Lyndon Johnson (Victor will be assigned 11)

Lyndon Johnson had vast amounts of experience in politics. Reagan had a decent amount himself, mostly gubernatorial experience in Cullif--California. However, Reagan's extreme conservatism is unlikely to take root, just 30 years after he initially became president. Lyndon Johnson wins, though in a close election due to Reagan's being an actor.



5 Wild Cards announced tomorrow... somehow.

Round 2, Part 1

The first half (rounded up) of Round 2 matches:

3 Bill Clinton 21 James Madison (Victor will be assigned number 1)

Appearance is important in elections, and the 5 feet 4 inches Madison pales in comparison to 6 feet 2 inches Clinton. Madison is, however, well versed in political theory. Bill Clinton seems to have been in the right election at the right time, but he did manage to earn the title of "The Comeback Kid."

I say Clinton comes out with the W.

22 Jimmy Carter 9 Richard Nixon (Victor will be assigned number 2)

When Carter won the presidency, there were two main factors. He campaigned hard and strategically well, and he was an outsider of Washington so he wasn't connected to Watergate. Speaking of Watergate, Richard Nixon was pretty well liked through his vice presidency, and expanded the job to be more active. He proved to be a bit weak in campaigning in 1960, but better in 1968.

Being an outsider from Washington probably wouldn't be as much of an asset for Carter now, thus Nixon wins.

*14 Gerald Ford 1 Thomas Jefferson (Victor will be assigned number 3)

Ford is not a man known for presidential campaigning. This is because he was appointed VP then ascended to the presidency. However, he could be a decent candidate.

Thomas Jefferson is a bit of a quiet candidate, on the other end of things. His shyness can only be put on a balance against his understanding of the inner workings of the Constitution. However, his unwant for fervency in campaigning does become most clear when he and Aaron Burr were tied in 1800. The man who caused the tie to break was Alexander Hamilton, not Jefferson.

So after correction, Ford wins.

12 Dwight Eisenhower 13 Rutherford Hayes (Victor will be assigned number 4)

Superstar war hero Eisenhower vs. Offend No One Hayes. Not being offensive isn't enough. Eisenhower's positive image as a victorious general overtakes the bland idea of being just liked. Eisenhower wins comfortably.

20 James Polk 19 Harry Truman (Victor will be assigned number 5)

Two active campaigners without any major blemishes on their record. Give 'em Hell Harry was just a bit more into his campaigning and could give a piece of that hell to Polk.

16 Andrew Johnson 17 John Kennedy (Victor will be assigned number 6)

Unfortunately, Andrew Johson is going to be blown out of the water. John Kennedy is too charismatic and honestly we don't have much evidence that Andrew Johnson could run a very good campaign. Kennedy wins in a landslide.


Tune in tomorrow for the second batch of matches.


*Thank you, non-president Harrison.

Abraham Lincoln and James Buchanan

I'm sorry if anyone is disappointed by the lack of Presidential Super Tournament in this post, but I had the most interesting conversation with a friend today about pre-Civil War presidents.

I mentioned that I liked Millard Fillmore for his dedication to preserving the Union, even if he wasn't wholly successful. (Of course, Fillmore is another blog.) My friend then said he didn't understand why wanting to preserve the Union was necessarily a good thing in a president. This point really struck me.

Think about it. Preserving the Union at all costs is an infringement on states' rights. States' rights vs. federal rights has been the main issue of American government from the founding, and we decide in modern times that states' rights in this case is the wrong side, and thus preserving the Union is a positive point on American presidents. Thus we say James Buchanan is a poor president (worst, according to my... sadly unupdated... list), because he did nothing to preserve the Union, and we say Abraham Lincoln is a good president (best, according to my list, because he went to war to save the Union).

As these thoughts rushed through my mind, I replied, "So if the United States lost the Civil War, we'd remember Abraham Lincoln as our worst president and James Buchanan as the best!"


Chew on that one for a while.

Round 2 matchups

Now that Round 1 has been completed, with some delightfully interesting matchups, my main goal is to actually finish this and be at least somewhat entertaining and educatimating.

Round 2 matchups have been run through the random sequence generator again and are as follows:

3 Bill Clinton 21 James Madison
22 Jimmy Carter 9 Richard Nixon
14 Gerald Ford 1 Thomas Jefferson
12 Dwight Eisenhower 13 Rutherford Hayes
20 James Polk 19 Harry Truman
16 Andrew Johnson 17 John Kennedy
10 Barack Obama 11 William Taft
2 Chester Arthur 4 Theodore Roosevelt
8 George H.W. Bush 6 Franklin Roosevelt
5 James Garfield 15 Warren Harding
7 Ronald Reagan 18 Lyndon Johnson


Damn you, random sequence generator. You had no good reason for putting 2 and 4 together.

However, if you'll notice, there are 22 presidents remaining in this tournament. Thus, we will have 11 after this round. There will then be 5 wild card presidents who also move onto Round 3, bringing the total to 2^4 presidents. How the wild cards will be picked will be announced later on (when I decide how to pick them [which may be when I figure out how to ensure Chester Arthur in them {which might not happen so expect it by the end of Reagan vs. NUMBER 18!!!}]).

Round 1, Part 3

As we come to a close with Round 1:

17 Andrew Johnson 12 Zachary Taylor (Victor will be assigned the number 16)

Zachary Taylor's status as a war hero could not overshadow the fact that he doesn't really campaign on the issues. Andrew Johnson would (conceivably) win this merely because he'd at least try to campaign.

35 John Kennedy 2 John Adams (Victor will be assigned the number 17)

John Kennedy is charismatic and just seems to secrete likability. John Adams really doesn't have much political campaigning ability to match up with Kennedy, who wins in a landslide.

36 Lyndon Johnson 43 George W. Bush (Victor will be assigned the number 18)

LBJ wins. 'Nuff said.

10 John Tyler 33 Harry Truman (Victor will be assigned the number 19)

Harry Truman is one hell of a campaigner, and he will give that hell to you. Tyler flip-flopped between parties a few times. Truman wins in a landslide.

5 James Monroe 11 James Polk (Victor will be assigned the number 20)

The media would portray Monroe as a man quick to use military force, but unknowledgable on the issues. He was ambassador to France and assured them of American neutrality, but could not explain the Jay Treaty with Britain to them because he didn't have a copy. He also put down Gabriel's Rebellion while Governor of Virginia.

Polk was an active campaigner and not afraid to use governmental power, but didn't really have any major blemishes on his political career. Polk wins in a small landslide.

4 James Madison 6 John Quincy Adams (Victor will be assigned the number 21)

James Madison was a bit of a flip-flopper. Originially he sided with Hamilton, then Jefferson, then as president his views were more Hamiltonian again. He had no notable campaigning.

John Quincy Adams had treaty experience and strongly supported neutrality prior to his being president. In a time where we seem to be in constant war with someone, this man would become more popular.

However there are still some who'd want to go and fight, which James Madison was not afraid to support while in Congress (though Washington prevented such fight). Madison edges this one out due to necessity to finish wars.

24 BYE 39 Jimmy Carter (Victor will be assigned the number 22)

You may question why 24 is a bye. Well, Grover Cleveland wasn't allowed in the tournament twice. He implored me for it to be so, but I said no. I made 24 the bye, rather than 22, because 22 was a smaller number. It was honestly pure coincidence that 24 ended up in the last line. Random sequence generator apparently liked me.

So if you haven't figured it out yet, Carter beats the bye with a small electoral margin.


Round 2 matchups announced tomorrow!

"The Presidents" by Jonathan Coulton UPDATE

2009 version, live

The line with Garfield being assassinated in 1882 was fixed. The audience actually shouted "ONE!" as he sang the fixed line, which made me so happy.

He screws up a few times, but he has fun with it.

For instance, Jesus Christ kicked some ass in World War I.

Barack Obama has been added in.


Enjoy.



*Thank you, "Anonymous" for commenting on the original song review and showing me this video. I think I'll call you Arthur every once in a while if I feel like it.

Round 1, Part 2

Next 7 matchups:
22 Grover Cleveland 37 Richard Nixon (Victor will be assigned number 9)

Richard Nixon was twice Vice President. Grover Cleveland had a bastard child and payed someone in order to dodge draft. I think Nixon is a clear winner here.

31 Herbert Hoover 44 Barack Obama (Victor will be assigned number 10)

Hoover provided vast amounts of aid overseas in World War I. His sheer amount of humanities experience shows a strong paternalistic foreign affairs agenda. There doesn't seem to be anything against him, except for no elected political experience.

Obama, on the other end, is an above average orator. He served as a senator. And he's black. We must be realistic. Black people, while generally Democratic anyway, are more likely to vote for a black candidate than a white one.

This could quite possibly be the closest election of this round. I have to say Hoover wins the popular vote, but Obama wins the election.

15 James Buchanan 27 William Taft (Victor will be assigned number 11)

I'll be completely honest. James Buchanan doesn't have a chance because while America is moving towards being homo-tolerant slowly, we're not far enough yet for a gay man to become president. Taft wins.

34 Dwight Eisenhower 13 Millard Fillmore (Victor will be assigned number 12)

Dwight Eisenhower was a military god, almost. He was courted by Republicans and Democrats alike to run for president. As much as I like Fillmore, he doesn't stand a chance. Eisenhower wins with a comfortable margin.

19 Rutherford Hayes 25 William McKinley (Victor will be assigned number 13)

The most interesting thing about this matchup is that Hayes and McKinley served together in the Civil War. Hayes was his superior, and twice promoted McKinley. They also both actively campaigned for the other politically at some point.

Their war service cancels out between the two. Hayes is best known for his ability to offend no one. McKinley is best known for high tariffs and siding with big business. In the current political atmosphere, McKinley's views just don't cut it. Hayes wins. And in a fair manner, with the popular vote on his side, no less.

38 Gerald Ford 7 Andrew Jackson (Victor will be assigned number 14)

This election almost has nothing to do with Gerald Ford. Andrew Jackson would shoot himself in the foot, just because he's a bit too extreme for the American people of today. He was a war hero, but he also seemed a bit too out on his own.

Gerald Ford wins by a large popular vote and small electoral vote.

29 Warren Harding 14 Franklin Pierce (Victor will be assigned number 15)

Warren Harding's greatest advantage is that he (under the opinion of many) just looks like a president. This appearance overcomes many shortcoming. (Think televised Nixon/Kennedy debates and how Nixon was said to have done better on radio than on television.) However, Harding was a real dark horse candidate and had only Ohio recognition. He also didn't put much effort into campaigning.

Pierce, another dark horse of his day, won his election mainly because he didn't take a strong stance on any issues. In today's world, this would never fly. People want to know what to expect.

Pierce is weaker than Harding, so Harding wins by a small margin. In fact, I think this matchup is the third party's best chance of winning a state.


Final matchups of Round 1 tomorrow.

Round 1

I apologize for any disappointment caused by the gods of the Internet not finding favor with me last night.

Keep in mind, we're assuming none of these men have yet been president, just for purposes of not making another ranking list, in disguise, and taking a fresher perspective as how these men would do in modern times.

1 George Washington 3 Thomas Jefferson (Victor will be assigned number 1)

This is an interesting battle. Two early politicians of America. Or wait... one politician and one other dude. George Washington never really got into the game of politics too much. Yes, he aligned himself with the Federalists, but he never had to campaign on a party platform or anything.

But then, Thomas Jefferson was a man of early politics. Could he really play the game of politics that much better than the Revolutionary War hero?

The answer, as evidenced by the stunningly modern, mud-slinging Election of 1800, is a resounding yes. Thomas Jefferson wins by out-campaigning and out-slandering Washington.

21 Chester Arthur 9 William Harrison (Victor will be assigned number 2)

From Wikipedia: "In the wake of the [economic depression], [opponent] was widely unpopular, and Harrison, following Andrew Jackson's strategy, ran as a war hero and man of the people while presenting [opponent] as a wealthy snob living in luxury at the public expense. Although Harrison was comfortably wealthy and well educated, his “log cabin” image caught fire, sweeping all sections of the country.

Harrison avoided campaigning on the issues, with his Whig Party a broad coalition with few common ideals."

Let's be honest, War Hero Harrison could campaign very similarly against Chester Arthur. The latter is known for 80 pairs of pants that he'd change multiple times a day.

However, Chester Arthur may have an edge campaigning on the issues. Since we assume he's already nominated, we can assume he goes into president mode. He wasn't the best man as veep, but as president he rose above parties.

Rising above parties would appeal to the people of the country, who seem to dislike extreme partisanship and favor "reaching across the aisle" in today's world. Chester also appeals to blacks because of his strides in civil rights. Chester Arthur wins by a small margin.

42 Bill Clinton 23 Benjamin Harrison (Victor will be assigned number 3)

Okay, Benjamin Harrison didn't even win the popular vote in his day. He then proceeded to lose to Grover Cleveland in a second election. I think it's pretty clear that Bill Clinton wins, seeing as we're assuming the Lewinsky deal hasn't happened.

16 Abraham Lincoln 26 Theodore Roosevelt (Victor will be assigned number 4)

Interesting matchup again. Two of the (generally considered) top 5 presidents. Abraham Lincoln is notable for losing multiple elections, and only winning 1 prior to presidency. What's the issue? He's known for great speeches. Is he just outmatched, unattractive to voters, or something intangible?

Theodore Roosevelt is a dynamic man who gives uprising speeches and seems to overcome nearly any obstacle, almost without regard to its size. San Juan Hill was him leading a cavalry unit without its horses and still winning. He beat an incumbent president as a third party candidate later in his career. He beat asthma to a pulp.

While the two are technically pretty close in their popularity (with the United States) at their times, TR's views are more modern. "Save the Union" may not be a great platform anymore, and honestly, Lincoln isn't notable for having views on foreign policy or anything pertinent in today's world. Plus TR wins in the intangibles. TR wins in a landslide.

20 James Garfield 8 Martin Van Buren (Victor will be assigned number 5)

All signs point to James Garfield being a relatively strong president. Martin Van Buren, not so much. In our current state, America picks the more dynamic, and Garfield wins. With a more comfortable victory than he had in 1880.

32 Franklin Roosevelt 18 Ulysses Grant (Victor will be assigned number 6)

A cripple vs. a drunk.

America takes the cripple.

40 Ronald Reagan 28 Woodrow Wilson (Victor will be assigned number 7)

Ronald Reagan is just too popular and too charismatic to lose to Wilson.

30 Calvin Coolidge 41 George H. W. Bush (Victor will be assigned number 8)

Calvin Coolidge is most famous for being quiet and answering no to multiple questions followed by "Now remember, don't quote me." He'd never win an election today.

Bush the Elder takes a victory, with a close electoral vote but popular vote landslide, nearing LBJ's landslide victory.




The next 7 matchups will be examined tomorrow.

Re: Rankings update

I am sorry to say that today my internet has been down, and henceforth cannot update the presidential rankings and reasons. How am I posting this then, you ask? Because i have a crazy awesome friend. Come back tomorrow to see any updates.

President Super Tournament: Announcement

Today we announce the matchups for the first round of the brand-spanking new President Super Tournament. The Chief Executives match up mano a mano to see who would be more likely to win an election, solely based on their ideology and track record.

The matchups for the first round are as follows:

1 George Washington 3 Thomas Jefferson
21 Chester Arthur 9 William Harrison
42 Bill Clinton 23 Benjamin Harrison
16 Abraham Lincoln 26 Theodore Roosevelt
20 James Garfield 8 Martin Van Buren
32 Franklin Roosevelt 18 Ulysses Grant
40 Ronald Reagan 28 Woodrow Wilson
30 Calvin Coolidge 41 George H. W. Bush
22 Grover Cleveland 37 Richard Nixon
31 Herbert Hoover 44 Barack Obama
15 James Buchanan 27 William Taft
34 Dwight Eisenhower 13 Millard Fillmore
19 Rutherford Hayes 25 William McKinley
38 Gerald Ford 7 Andrew Jackson
29 Warren Harding 14 Franklin Pierce
17 Andrew Johnson 12 Zachary Taylor
35 John Kennedy 2 John Adams
36 Lyndon Johnson 43 George W. Bush
10 John Tyler 33 Harry Truman
5 James Monroe 11 James Polk
4 James Madison 6 John Quincy Adams
24 BYE 39 Jimmy Carter

I used a "random sequence generator" to create these matchups. The first 8 matchups will be explored in tomorrow's post. The blog will be dedicated to this tournament until a victor is found.

Presidential Polonaise

You probably know "Hail to the Chief."

What song could be more appropriate for the President of the United States?

Songs adapted from the Scots are, after all, extremely American and every president (at least since John Tyler, when the song was first used for the president) accepted the song.

Every president except Chester Arthur.

When Arthur learned of the origins of the song, he asked John Philip Sousa to write an alternative tune.

Sousa responded with the "Presidential Polonaise." Here is a link for your listening pleasure. The polonaise is a Polish musical style in 3/4 time. However Sousa manages to give the song a more Spanish feel. It's designed to keep people moving through the White House.

The song was first performed in 1886, both after Arthur's term and his death. The song did not last and "Hail to the Chief" quickly returned as the song of the presidents. It's a shame, really. "Presidential Polonaise" is an enjoyable tune and had great potential.

Instead, history continues to try and erase Chester Arthur from the minds of Americans.

Song Review: "The Presidents" by Jonathan Coulton

Link to the Song

Lyrics:

Washington came first and he was perfect.
John Adams kept us out of war with France.
Jefferson made Louisiana Purchase.
In 1812 James Madison kicked the British in the pants.

James Monroe told Europe they could suck it.
John Quincy Adams looked just like his dad.
Andrew Jackson got rid of all the Indians.
Van Buren served one term, but he wasn't bad.

William Henry Harrison died early.
John Tyler annexed Texas from Mexico.
James K. Polk fought Mexico to keep it.
Taylor was a Mexican War hero.

Fillmore gave a boat to Commodore Perry.
Pierce repealed the Missouri Compromise.
Buchanan saw the Civil War's beginnings.
Lincoln saved the Union, then he died.

Andrew Johnson just survived impeachment.
General Grant enjoyed a drink or two.
Rutherford B. Hayes ended Reconstruction.
Garfield was assassinated in 1882.

Arthur suspended Chinese immigration.
Cleveland made the railroad people squirm.
Harrison signed the Sherman Anti-Trust Act.
Grover Cleveland served another term.

McKinley kicked the Spanish out of Cuba.
Roosevelt was handy with a gun.
Taft was big and fat and had a mustache.
Wilson kicked some ass in World War I.

Harding said "Let's Laissez Faire with business."
Coolidge made the roaring 20s roar.
Hoover screwed the pooch in the Great Depression.
Roosevelt beat the Nazis in the war.

Truman dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.
Eisenhower kept the Commies well in hand.
Kennedy was killed by a magic bullet.
Johnson murdered kids in Vietnam.

Nixon was a sweating, filthy liar.
Ford gave Nixon pardon for his crimes.
Carter lusted in his heart for peanuts.
Reagan won the Cold War, and lost his mind.

George Bush Sr. poked at Saddam Hussein.
Clinton gave an intern a cigar.
W's legacy's a work in progress.
That is all the Presidents so far.

In the year 2005 we're out of money.
Somewhere, surely, freedom's on the march.
I don't like to make political statements.


This song, first and foremost, is appealing to the ear. It's important for a song to sound good.

Lyrically some of the things Coulton says about the presidents are worthless, incorrect, or I just don't like them.

Most egregiously, he says James Garfield was assassinated in 1882. He was assassinated in 1881. How this error made it into the song just baffles me. You have to do the research.

Surely there's something better to say about John Quincy Adams than him looking like his dad. Plus I don't think they even look remotely similar. I mean, JQA is an ugly man, but his father looks pretty alright for the times.

Arthur did suspend Chinese immigration, but the bill had come up at least once prior to his presidency only to be vetoed. He also vetoed it himself once, signing it only after the term of no Chinese immigrants was halved.

Maybe I just wasn't alive during Carter's administration and am missing the joke, but "Carter lusted in his heart for peanuts?" On one hand, it captures the way no one took him seriously, but on the other why not come up with some fact about him?

The song isn't all bad though, the line about James Madison kicking the British in the pants, while leaving out that America was also kicked in the pants, is probably the best line in the song. "Reagan won the Cold War and lost his mind" is a close runner-up.

Overall, this is a pretty good song, and would be a great way to just get a quick tidbit about all the presidents into a young audience.

Recognition of the Presidents

Here, have some interaction, rather than just reading.

This is a quiz where you name as many presidents as you can within 10 minutes, last names suffice. When you're done, you can view data about what percentage of the quiz takers got each president correct and other such data. This blog will be about said data.

Quiz: Linkage

From the quiz, after being taken 1,881,862 times, here is the listing of presidents, in order of their recognition percentage.
1 George Washington 98%
2 George W. Bush 96.3%
3 George H. W. Bush 95.8%
4 Bill Clinton 94.4%
5 Abraham Lincoln 93.7%
6 John Adams 92.4%
7 JFK 91.9%
8 John Quincy Adams 91.6%
9 Richard Nixon 90.8%
10 Franklin Roosevelt 90.6%
11 (tie) Theodore Roosevelt 90.4%
11 (tie) Thomas Jefferson 90.4%
13 Ronald Reagan 89.6%
14 Lyndon Johnson 86%
15 (tie) Andrew Johnson 85.8%
16 (tie) Jimmy Carter 85.8%
17 Gerald Ford 82.6%
18 Andrew Jackson 81.4%
19 Dwight D Eisenhower 79.6%
20 James Madison 78.1%
21 Herbert Hoover 76.4%
22 James Monroe 76%
23 Harry S Truman 74.5%
24 William Taft 74%
25 Ulysses S Grant 73.8%
26 William Henry Harrison 70.9%
27 Benjamin Harrison 70.3%
28 Grover Cleveland 69.8%
29 Woodrow Wilson 69.7%
30 James K Polk 67.8%
31 Barack Obama 67.2%
32 Calvin Coolidge 66.8%
33 John Tyler 64.6%
34 James Garfield 64.5%
35 William McKinley 64%
36 Zachary Taylor 63.3%
37 Martin Van Buren 62.5%
38 Millard Fillmore 57.9%
39 James Buchanan 57.6%
40 Warren Harding 56.4%
41 Franklin Pierce 56.1%
42 Chester Arthur 55%
43 Rutherford B Hayes 53.3%

There are a few things I notice about this list. First thing is Barack Obama's being low on it. But this can probably be explained by the quiz adding him in after 30ish percent of the people already took it, so cast this aside from your mind.

The next thing I personally notice is Chester Arthur being second to last. I'm disappointed at this, but not surprised. There's probably not 100 people in America who find Chester Arthur to be their favorite president.

William Henry Harrison has over 70% recognition and is 26th on the list. What did this man do? He died within a month of inauguration. He also gave the longest inaugural speech. But I'm thinking the majority of this recognition is due to the former. It's unfair to men like Pierce, Arthur, and Hayes, that William Henry Harrison who didn't do anything is more highly recognized than they are. Hayes may not have been a very good president, nor Pierce, but at least they did something. Arthur is generally underappriciated anyway, but I won't go off on a tangent about him.

Interestingly, George Washington is number 1, but Abraham Lincoln falls behind the Bush's and Clinton. This tells me that there are likely a number of people who know the recent presidents (within their adult life) and the first, but not even the other important ones like the Roosevelt's and Lincoln.

Other than that, there's not much to glean from this information. The more famous presidents understandably get more recognition than Gilded Age and pre-Civil War post-Missouri Comprimise presidents.

What's Wrong With a Foreign Born President?

The Constitution clearly states that all presidents must be natural-born citizens. This has come up as an issue twice in our history, with Barack Obama and Chester Arthur. And I understand that this was originally made to keep foreign intrests out of the White House.

But what purpose is left today?

I know your first thought may be election of some closet terrorist. But do you honestly believe the people would elect someone like that? I have more faith in America than that.

Now I'm not saying let some French guy come over to America for a year than decide to run for president. But why can a man be Governator of California but not be president? We need a Constitutional Amendment allowing Americans born on foreign soil and even naturalized citizens run for president. Make them live in the country for 20 years. Deny anyone who has been a dual citizen with any other country at any point in the past fifteen years. But don't discriminate against good Americans whose parents just weren't in the right place when their child was born.