A C-SPAN survey of 58 U.S. historians has concluded that Bill Clinton is
the president with the lowest 'moral authority' -- beating out Richard
Nixon for last place, Monday's NEW YORK TIMES is set report.
TIMES scribe Marc Lacey reports that the historians -- from all over the
political spectrum -- position Clinton as 21st overall president based upon
many criteria including "crisis leadership, administrative skills, vision,
pursuit of justice and 'performance within the context of the times.'"
Abraham Lincoln fared best among the historians followed by Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, George Washington and Theodore Roosevelt.
At the bottom of the list were James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Franklin
Pierce and Warren G. Harding.
Ronald Reagan finished 11th.
Among the historians who took part in the survey were Stephen Ambrose,
Douglas Brinkley and David Kennedy
"It often takes the passing of time to understand the full meaning of one's
leadership ability. I suspect that that's more a reaction to reading the
tabloids than a fair reading of history."
To: bmwcyle
Clinton spokesman Joe Lockhart took issue with the C-SPAN findings:
"It often takes the passing of time to understand the full meaning of one's leadership ability.
I agree. This President's leadship ability in steering this country down a spiral of degradation and "Everybody does it" no matter how sick the act, is unsurpassed by none.
5 Posted on 02/21/2000 04:41:32 PST by sirchtruth
To: newsman
"It often takes the passing of time to understand the full meaning of one's leadership ability. I suspect that that's more a reaction to reading the tabloids than a fair reading of history."
Lockhart is right.. .we need the passing of time to accurately assess the Clinton presidency. . .
OK. .one. . .two . ..three. . .HE BLOWS!!!
6 Posted on 02/21/2000 04:43:41 PST by McBuff (buffalo@huskynet.com)
To: McBuff
"It often takes the passing of time to understand the full meaning of one's leadership ability. I suspect that that's more a reaction to
reading the tabloids than a fair reading of history."
I agree 100%, 21 st place is much too high for this scumbag. After a period of proper reflection, surely his score will be lower.
7 Posted on 02/21/2000 04:49:46 PST by HangThemHigh (uranus@spacewar.com)
To: newsman, all
- I
think history will view this much differently.
- -----the
First Psychopath
-
-
- History
will regard him as a great president.
- -----oxymoronic
AlGoreRhythm at clinton's post-impeachment rally
-
clinton's
ranking will likely get worse over
time.
Economic issues fade in importance over time. Moral issues presist
and grow. (paraphrase)
- ------Douglas
Brinkley, history professor, on Washington Journal discussing
C-SPAN poll
-
-
- It is
not the strength but the duration of great sentiments that makes
great men.
- -----Nietzsche
- History
Lesson
- by
Mia T
-
- Someone--was it
Maupassant?--
- once called history "that
excitable and lying old lady."
- The same can be said of
historians.
-
- Surely it can be said of
Doris Kearns Goodwin,
- the archetypical
pharisaical historian,
- not-so-latently
clintonoid,
- Lieberman-Paradigmatic
- (i.e., clinton is an unfit
president;
- therefore clinton must
remain president),
- intellectually dishonest,
- (habitually doing what the
Arthur Schlesingers of this world do:
- making history into the
proof of their theories).
-
- The Forbids 400's argument
is shamelessly spurious.
- They get all unhinged over
the impeachment of clinton,
- claiming that it will
- "leave the presidency
permanently disfigured and diminished,
- at the mercy as never
before of the caprices of any Congress."
-
- Yet they dismiss the real
and present--and future!!--danger
- to the presidency and the
country
- of not impeaching and
removing
- this admittedly unfit,
(Goodwin)
- "documentably
dysfunctional," (NYT)
- presidency-diminishing,
(Goodwin)
- power-abusing,
- sociopathic
thug.
-
- Doris Kearns Goodwin and
those 400 other
- hog-and-bow-tied-save-clinton,
- retrograde-obsessing
historiographers
- are a supercilious,
power-hungry,
- egomaniacal lot in their
own right.
-
- For them, clinton
validates
- what Ogden Nash merely
hypothesized:
- Any buffoon can make
history,
- but only a great man can
write it.
-
- Epilogue:
- I suspect that, to
spite us all,
- Arthur Schlesinger
will probably live to 120
- just so he can write
- the definitive
clinton hagiography.
- --------Mia T,
Musings:
Senatorial Courtesy Perverted
16 Posted on 02/21/2000 05:31:55 PST by Mia T
To: Coop
I took the liberty of passing this item on to the White
House staff. I'm sure they'll be shocked to learn this! :-D
Thanks for the idea, Coop. I think I'll e-mail these results to all the congressional democrats from my state who defended this jackass during his impeachment. Kind of rub their nose in it!
20 Posted on 02/21/2000 06:32:37 PST by newsman
To: flamefront
"Pursued equal justice for all: Category ranking (5)"
The Historians must have turned a blind eye to the women and children that Reno, at Clinton's behest, shot, gassed, and burned to death at Waco. Also, with Clinton's encouragement, race baiting, affirmative action, preferential treatment, etc., have soared to new heights.
Pursued equal justice for all? Only a nitwit like Doris Kearns Goodwin would think so.
23 Posted on 02/21/2000 07:43:22 PST by Peggy
To: Mr. Bird
How did Kennedy break the top 10? Any ideas?
You have to read between the lines: "TIMES scribe Marc Lacey reports that the historians -- from all over the political spectrum. . ." All over the political spectrum means radical leftists, liberals and left-leaning moderists.
How else could Kennedy break the top 10, while Reagan finishes 11th?
I wonder how much overlap there is between these historians and the 400 historians who defended the right to receive fellatio and analingus in the Oval Office, commit perjury and witness tampering er, the Constitution. My guess is around 90%.
24 Posted on 02/21/2000 08:03:53 PST by William Wallace
To: True Grit
I agree, TG, the legacy Billy Jeff has so long pursued is at hand. Not exactly what he had in mind, but strangely enough it'll still serve a purpose, as long future generations learn about avoiding the temptation of placing power in the hands of individuals such as him.
The ironic thing about this "legacy" obsession is that, try as we might, our control over determining how future generations will judge us is limited and usually short-sighted. For instance, Lincoln thought his few words spoken at the dedication of the military cemetary at Gettysburg were a failure and would be quickly forgotten. But the power and importance of that address will live on far past any self-created monument to himself Clinton devises, and I believe it's because Lincoln spoke from his heart and not from the results of an opinion poll. Slimey Bill could've taken a lesson from this man. A little less narcissitic need for approval from future historians based on present-day pollsters, and more concern about doing his job legally, ethically and morally, and Billy Jeff might have ensured for himself the positive place in history he desired. But to have done that he would've needed morals, ethics, and a desire to obey the law. And we all know the answer to that!
26 Posted on 02/21/2000 08:25:01 PST by Exeter
To: Coop
Not really, Coop. I actually enjoy Mia's art work. Today most people consider a crucifix in a jar of urine art. I think the cartoon is very clever. And true. Sometimes it may get hard if there is much of it, my desktop isn't the most powerful in the world, and loading times can take very long, but oh well. She has something intelligent to say, and it's a refreshing break from listening to non-sensical liberal diatribes, etc. Go for it, Mia.
27 Posted on 02/21/2000 09:06:13 PST by patriot x
To: TheHeterodoxConservative
"Funny, when they were writing letters opposing impeachment, these historians were experts. Now they spend their time "reading the tabloids."
Good one!!! It's SOOOOO obvious these jerks are trying to soften the inevitable blows (read: bombshells) that will follow the most unethical administration in our history! The tell-all books, movies, etc. will expose any journalist who's still on Clinton's bandwagon as an utter fool and a joke. You bet they're starting to jump off!
31 Posted on 02/22/2000 08:05:36 PST by right wing
