No kidding, the other day I was thinking the same thing: "when was the last time the Republican Party came up with a decent leader?" ... and I came up with Teddy Roosevelt. There are some nimrods who will of course come up with Ronald Reagan because he was so "popular," but popular didn't make him a decent president. He was the Iran Contra president, the S &l deregulation apologist president, and he credited himself (!) with the communist downfall even though it was really going to happen no matter who was president. In fact, as I recall, the Berlin Wall coming down was really a surprise to everyone. I think in reality Reagan was weak (not just because I support Dems), he just knew how to mug for the cameras.

.... and not to get off the subject, but the Reagan & Bush also credit themselves with a successful lower crime rates, but I was listening to an analysis of this statistician (?) who was saying that actually, legalized abortion had more to do with lowered crime rates because children who were born after that were wanted, and thus the crime rate was lower among yound adults..... all very interesting.

.... and speaking of presidents, Nixon's policies were actually far more liberal than ANY (yes, including Clinton) presidents since Reagan was elected.

You know, Repugnicans love to be proud of Abe Lincoln as one of their own, even though old Abe had more in common with modern day progressives than any neocons of today, that's fordamnsure.

TR is usually ranked in the top five of all time great presidents. Most historians rank him at #3 or #5.

I personally might rank him at #1.

His cousin Franklin I'd rank just behind him at #2.

Roosevelts are all good. I really respect Woodrow's idealism, but he may have lived a little bit in la la land. Timely intervention in World War I but. Can Condi become the second Prez with a PhD? Probably not...

Condoleezza is pro choice. That won't sit well with the religious right.

It's a baby's right to choose, man.

Har, har, har

See, now we can agree on something!



"Great women and great men make great and eloquent speeches; the wildflower has greater power to render the soul speechless"
~~carefulcarpenter

Really? I would have it the other way 'round. Why do you think Teddy was better?

I liked Teddy better because he would piss off the two political ideologies I detest: the radical left and Libertarians.

The left would hate him because Teddy was an imperialists. He believed the US should spread its influence around the world. If he could use diplomacy to achieve it he would, if he needed military muscle, he wasn't afraid to use that either. After the first attack on the world trade center I doubt he would have allowed Islamic terrorist a second chance. I don't see 9/11 happening.

Libertarians would have been appalled at him because he didn't trust corporations. He thought big business should be regulated. He also felt the federal government would be a better protector of the environment than state or local officials. If he were around today you can bet he would make global warming a top priority and I can't believe he would let the big oil companies get away with making huge profits at the expense of the American public. If he was president 10 years ago when the subject of global warming was first being talked about I bet we'd all be driving electric cars today.

His zeal for hunting I wouldn't have liked but it was his zeal to be outdoors that made him realize how fragile our environment is. I think today he might not have been a member of PETA, but he sure would be the Sierra Club.
Actually I think it was the founder of the Sierra Club who influenced him.

Those are good points. I really admire his zeal for forest protection/environment and not trusting corporations. You know, I think ppl are glorified after they're dead to a certain degree, but it certainly seems that the leaders of almost a century ago were far more stalwart than the leaders today. There's a difference between integrity/strength and stupidity/stubbornness. I mean, just comparing Teddy to Bush--- good god has the Repugnican Party sunk to an all-time LOW!

The GOP has been going downhill since Reagan.

I mean, Barry Goldwater called the Republicans that came in after Reagan, a bunch of kooks.

He was right. Even Reagan was a weird anomaly too. I mean, "Bedtime for Bonzo"? How embarrassing. compare That to Teddy Roosevelt too!

Yes, the "Bull Moose Party" was sooo mature, hey Rocky?

That was after his presidency.

And yes, compared to the Republican party in the last 25 years. TR's "Bull Moose Party" was very mature.

"A fish rots from the head--down"
~~Ronald Reagan

Exactly

Ha agreed. I've got a soft spot for Clinton.

Bill Clinton turns 60 and Monica turns 21...

umm, she's 33. but what's your point?

My point is Bill Clinton is a normal man...

Most men love women younger than they are...

Is Clinton Daughter also 33?