[palmer]

It depends on what your definition of "great" is. I think what Acton meant was someone both skilled and successful at grabbing power. Washington had power thrust upon him, Hitler did not. Clinton tried but failed to grab power, held in check by Congress and popular outrage (e.g. over Hillarycare). Bush is not a power grabber, therefore will never be great or evil in Acton's sense.

[RonF]

Clinton tried but failed to grab power, held in check by Congress and popular outrage (e.g. over Hillarycare). Bush is not a power grabber, therefore will never be great or evil in Acton's sense.

The President of the United States is one of the most powerful men on the planet Earth. To say that anyone who has been elected to that office either has failed to grab power, or is not a power grabber, is equally wrong.