Which of these southern Presidents is your favorite and why?

[flaminbats]

I included 8 Democrats, 1 independent, and even a Republican.

[RoyGBiv]

1. Who's the Republican?

I assume you're referring to Andrew Johnson as the Republican, but he wasn't. He was a Democrat who ran on the so-called Fusion Ticket with the Republican Lincoln. And he sucked, btw. :-)

I had a hard time choosing between Madison and Jefferson, but I settled on the former because he had many of the same qualities of Jefferson without quite so many of the flaws. He had flaws, some severe ones, of course. But, the man was simply a genius in ways that supersede Jefferson's own genius.

As a related aside, note how many of these Southern Presidents are intellectuals of the first order.

[flaminbats]

2. I was referring to Johnson, who like Clinton was wrongly impeached

Good points..thanks to Madison and Monroe the U.S.-Canadian border became the longest unguarded frontier in the world..think of how many nations don't have this advantage, another reason why the trillions we pour into the military is such a huge waste of money.

[RoyGBiv]

4. Impeachment ...

I think Johnson's impeachment had at least a little more basis to it than Clinton's. What happened to the latter was totally bogus; in fact, it was childish.

I think you're basically correct, though, that Johnson shouldn't have been impeached, at least for the reasons he was impeached. But, it's hard for me to fault too greatly the motive behind it. I just wish the Congress had found another way to do what they were trying to do.

[Lithos]

3. Thanks for keeping Shrub off of this

He's a carpet-bagger from Connecticut...

L-

[flaminbats]

5. the only southern President I regret not including was Zachary Taylor..

if it wasn't for Taylor the Civil War probably would of occurred ten years sooner, but the poll stops at 10 ;)

[RoyGBiv]

6. How so?

Just curious what you think Taylor's role in preventing a Civil War was.

[flaminbats]

7. the compromise of 1850 effectively delayed the Civil War for a decade..

if the south had seceded in the 1850's..I doubt the United States would exist as we know it.

[RoyGBiv]

8. Okay, but ...

Taylor didn't have a great deal to do with that. He was dead before the final details were even put into place.

I suppose it could be said he provided some impetus to the creation of the compromise by declaring he'd hang anyone who tried to tear the Union apart. It would be interesting to see what might have taken place in the 1850's if a President with some conviction and courage like Taylor would have been in Buchannan's position rather than Buchannan.

Anyway, I was just curious on your take. Many historians fault him for creating a situation that required a compromise in the first place, but I tend to think that's putting all the apples in one, undersized cart.

[flaminbats]

9. Millard Fillmore deserves the most credit for this compromise..

but there was a huge push in the south to secede in 1850, but Taylor crushed this by pledging to lead the troops personally if it happened. John C. Calhoun also pushed a Constitutional amendment for regional Presidents, another idea Taylor found unacceptable.

IMO a Civil War was unavoidable with or without Taylor, but his leadership unintentionally opened the door for a temporary compromise which both sides could except. This just demonstrates that the best things which happen result from mistakes and unplanned events. 42

But I also feel that if the Civil War had occurred five or ten years earlier, the North would not of had the same political or strategic advantages as in the 1860s.

[Lithos]

10. Had it occured earlier

Either back in the 1820's when S. Carolina first threatened secession or even in the 1850's, you are right - the union would not have been preserved. The North won on the three points of industry, population and the railroad - none of which were at a critical mass 10 or even 5 years earlier.

L-

[RoyGBiv]

11. Good point ...

Thanks for your insights.

I haven't run across a lot of people who don't try to blame Taylor for pretty much everything that happened in th 1850's, so I was intrigued by your original comment about him. I'm not one who tends to level that blame, but I hadn't put a lot of flesh to that opinion.

Your point about the North potentially not having had the same political or strategic advantages had the war occurred in 1850 or so is a good one. I hadn't quite considered it from that end of the telescope before.

[Dob Bole]

12. Carter!

Ok, so I live 10 miles away from him. I had to vote for him.

He's just a really good person that inspires me to do really good things. Or at least think about doing them...

[RubyDuby in GA]

13. Ok, I think FDR qualifies to be on this poll

He bought property in Warm Springs, GA and lived there for many years, even dying there.

He was greatly effected by the things he saw all around him in rural podunk GA and took that knowledge with him to Washington.

With that having been said, it's all about JIMMY CARTER!!!!!! I love that man......just love him to pieces.