In your opinion who was the worst President in U.S. History and Why do you think so?

Question

I want to hear more. Your answers have been fantastic, well thought out and full of details. keep it coming!

Answer 1

Ulysses S. Grant. His administration was the most corrupt administration in the history of the government.

As for Johnson being lenient towards the South, actually the reverse is true. It was feared that Lincoln would treat the South too kindly after the war was over, and it was Johnson who wanted to handle the Southern states with a heavy hand. Lincoln believed in reconciliation; Johnson believed in revenge and punishment. Johnson was the one responsible for Reconstruction, something that Lincoln never would have done. Johnson sent military troops to occupy each of the Southern states, stripped the states of their legislative authority, appointed military governors of each state, and - flying right in the face of Lincoln's stance that the Southern states had never really left the Union - forced all of the Southern states to go through a "readmission" process before they could have representatives in Congress again. A part of this readmission was the requirement that each of the Southern states ratify the 19th Amendment prohibiting slavery. An excellent idea, to be sure, but it was shoved down the throats of the Southern states - if they ever wanted to get rid of the Yankee troops running their states, they had no alternative but to ratify the amendment.

Johnson and Reconstruction were the worst things to ever happen to the South...but that's for another question.

Answer 2

Tough question.... There has been such monumental incompetence in the oval office over the last two centuries I'll have to think about it.

Richard Nixon for destroying the comfortable illusion enjoyed by most Americans that their politicians were ethical.

Andrew Johnson for screwing up the opportunity to heal the wounds of the Civil War and generally just making things worse.

Jimmy Carter for letting Iran become the rogue state that it is today. He also loses points for letting his brother embarrass the whole country.

Lyndon Johnson for escalating a retarded war in South East Asia, and dividing the nation to the point that kids felt compelled to protest the soldiers returning from Viet Nam by calling them horrible names and spitting on them.

George H. W. Bush for putting military bases in Saudi Arabia, thereby making us the target of all Jihadists.

I could go on, but these are some of the biggies IMO.

Answer 3

To name a couplefew 20th century - Lyndon Johnson for the Vietnam mess, Jimmy Carter for the middle east mess in Iran, Bill Clinton for dismantling the US military while lobbing spitballs into the middle east, parts of Africa, also Afghanistan.

Answer 4

I would have to say that Warren G. Harding was the worst President because, he choose to be popular rather than be a good leader. He appointed many corrupt cabinet members and prevented America from joining the League of Nations. When he died of a heart attack in his sleep after falling ill from suspected food poisoning, rumors began that his wife had poisoned him to save him from the corruption charges that were overtaking his administration.

Answer 5

I would have to say Bill Clinton. While he was great for our economy, he was terrible for his integrity. Truth is the most important thing in life, without that what do you have? Every time you lie you kill a part of humanity. He also messed around with the military too much. Don't ask, don't tell is a weak policy that he used to appease both sides. What it all boils down to is his honesty and integrity issues.

Answer 6

Andrew Johnson for kissing up to the southern states after the civil war, and trying to stop civil rights. He certainly did not have the diplomacy necessary to handle something as sensitive as reconstruction. Had he been more proactive, I don't think that it would have taken so long for fair rights for all Americans.

Answer 7

William Henry Harrison....He didn't have enough sense to come out of the rain, he is also the shortest termed president due to the longest inaugeraul speech in US history, and caught pnuemonia....and died 30 days later.The other one i can think of is LBJ, for starting vietnam,and Of course bush for starting iraq

Answer 8

Taft

Answer 9

Bill Clinton, worse morals I ever care to hear about.

Answer 10

John Fitzgerald Kennedy started to get the US into Vietnam the cuban missile crisis We were lucky. He ran around with other women while married to Jackie He was a spoiled rich kid I didn't cry when he died though I didn't wish for his death JFK rip