Who Is The Greatest President Of The 20th Century? Bill Clinton Or Franklin Delano Roosevelt?

Question

FDR won World War 2 and got America out of the great depression.

Bill Clinton lead America out of the Bush Recession to a booming economy and unparalelled respect around the world. He kept America safe from major terrorist attacks like 9/11 even while he was demonized by a corrupt Republican congress.

Which of these Presidents, in your opinion, is the greater success?

Answer 1

FDR, by far created the New Deal, helped us out of the Great Depression and led the charge during WW2. All from a wheelchair.

Answer 2

I'd go with FDR for reasons others have already listed.

RRR did a few good things too, as many mentioned, but blaming Carter for the "stagflation" that started under Nixon and Ford is a cheap shot. Carter didn't stop the recession, but he didn't start it either. I have no problem with crediting RRR with ending the recession of the 70's though.

I don't see much difference under Clinton than during the Bush years (either the Bush before or after him), except for the Iraq wars. I didn't like that Clinton approved permanent favored trade status with China while the government there still denies labor the rights workers should have for "free" trade to be an accurate term.

Bernie
http://www.yaktivist.com

Answer 3

FDR was the greatest president of the 20th century, no doubt. Clinton is not nearly the man that FDR was. Remember it was Clinton who gave us NAFTA which is leading to a North American union with Mexico and Canada, and is partly responsible for America's trade deficit reaching enormous heights. You forget that Clinton did little to punish our enemies when they bombed two of our embassies in Africa and bombed the USS Cole.

FDR got us through the great depression and WW2 which were the greatest crises of the 20th century. No one comes close to him, but I would pick Ronald Reagan second, not Clinton who was impeached.

Answer 4

I really like most of the things FDR did. He led us through most of the Second World War, he helped get us out of the Great Depression, he started the Social Security Administration, and helped provide jobs for millions during the Depression by setting up various public works programs that benefitted nearly everyone. On the downside, though, I think the internment of the Japanese Americans in POW camps is definitely a dark chapter in our history.

Answer 5

History views neither as “greatest”. They both had strong parts of their administrations but both were pretty lame at other than playing to their strengths. Of the two you mentioned – FDR was certainly more of a shaker and mover than Bill who spent most of his time focus grouping and listening to polls. FDR was more of his own man. But overall, neither will be more than a footnote in the 20th century.


When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world. - George Washington Carver

Answer 6

Good grief.... don't even mention Clinton within a 1000 words of FDR... trust me... Clinton was no FDR... and he had nothing to do with ending a recession that had been on going long before Regan was elected... learn a little economics 101 for Pete's sake

Answer 7

Nice try in your attempt to stack the deck by means of your choice of finalists.

In my opinion the greatest president of the 20th century is one of these five men, in chronological order of their presidencies, three Democrats and two Republicans:

Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Harry S Truman
Dwight David Eisenhower
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Ronald Wilson Reagan

Of those five, I believe that Reagan was the greatest and that Roosevelt was second.

Answer 8

FDR was one of the few Democrats I believe was a very good President, I would go with him.However you realy should list other options, they were not the only 20th century leaders. For example, Reagan was a fine president, so was Eisenhower, and others to (not just Republicans, but those were the only ones that came to mind)

Answer 9

To put Bill Clinton on the same plane as FDR is like comparing Hillary to a real Presidential Candidate.

Answer 10

I disagree.

General Dwight D. Eisonhower as supreme commander of the allied forces won World War II.

As president he initiated the interstate system, which IMHO did more for the US Economy than any other president.