Sunday, February 19, 2006

A thought for President's Day

A group of presidential historians have rated the 10 worse mistakes US Presidents have made.

On top of the list is President James Buchanan, for failing to avert the Civil War.
Enough said.

In 2nd place is Andrew Johnson, who (just after the Civil War ended) decided to side with Southern whites and oppose improvements in justice for Southern blacks beyond abolishing slavery.
We continue to pay for Johnson's errors,” wrote Michael Les Benedict, an Ohio State University history professor emeritus.

A well-deserved 3rd place goes to Lyndon Johnson for allowing the Vietnam War to intensify.
Legions of Americans are still paying the price.

Woodrow Wilson's refusal to compromise on the Treaty of Versailles after World War I (or the Great War as the Brits call it) ranks him 4th in this list.
Not sure about the historical implication here - it seems that the Krauts were upset.

The 5th place goes to Richard Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate cover-up .
The sad thing is – he would have won anyway.

Number 6 is President James Madison failed to keep the United States out of the War of 1812 with Britain – big mistake, never get involved in any bellicose activities.

Thomas Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807 ranks 7.
It was a self-imposed prohibition on trade with Europe during the Napoleonic Wars.
Looks like a Dumb Move to me – I am sure that the little Corsair didn’t give a damn one way or the other.

John F. Kennedy ranks 8 for allowing the Bay of Pigs Invasion that led to the Cuban Missile Crisis.
That was one scary episode that nearly started another world war.

Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra Affair occupy the 9th place for the effort to sell arms to Iran and use the money to finance an armed anti-communist group in Nicaragua.
I know, it sounds like a bad storyline in a B-movie.
But what do you expect from a C-list actor?

And our charming Bill Clinton is ranked at 10 for his Monica Lewinsky involvement.
I find this quite surprising.
Let’s face it– the presidents ranking 1-9 blatantly disregarded human rights, went to war, harmed the economy, threatened world peace and committed felonies.
All Bill did was engage in some extra-matrimonial activities that the person most harmed by it (his wife) publicly forgave him.
So what’s the big deal? He was even able to stay in office.
Will history even remember the Clinton Scandal? I doubt it since it didn't have an impact on American history or its people.
May be in another 300 years, a filmmaker will produce some racy miniseries about this colorful President.
In the mean time, I rank Clinton as a President that didn’t go to war, boosted the economy and could charm the birds from the trees.
Let’s see if the other Clinton will be able to follow in her hubby’s footsteps…..

Happy President's Day