President Ford was certainly the right man for the time, and one of the most likable Presidents ever. The press seemed to relish making him look foolish, as when he stumbled that time. They had nothing else to go on.
GHWB was no slouch, and certainly had one of the best resumes ever for a President. I don't think he liked the job all that much, and let Clinton beat him with fluff.
GWB is no slouch either. Given a less hostile press and a more cohesive electorate I think he would have been able to do more with less. His problem was the legions of people trying to defeat everything he said and did, for no other purpose than to make him fail. Some of the things he endured, in another time, would have resulted in a duel.
Clinton was just lucky, not good.
Ike was the first President I remember, although I do remember the Korean War reports on the radio when Truman was President. I never could figure out what a 'dog fight' was (a one on one battle between fighters), and I have no recollection of Truman. I do remember to a word the announcement that "Stalin is dead." That's all there was in the way of coverage. These days we would have a month of raking through the muck.
JFK was overrated and would have gotten us into trouble if he'd survived. Johnson was awful.
Nixon crapped in his own nest, or tried to hide that somebody did, but he was better than given credit for.
I voted for and liked Carter at the time, but he has managed to destroy any regard I had for him since.
That leaves Reagan. Like you, he is my favorite.
The thing that I regard highest in a President is their stand on principle. Reagan had that in spades. I think GHWB and GWB do too, but lack his charisma. |
