Non-Republicans Only: Rank the Republican Candidates

[hcallega]

1-Eisenhower: very similar to me ideologically
2-Reagan: a very strong leader in a time when we needed one the most
3-Ford: didn't do anything bad really
4-Nixon: pushed for health care reform, but also failed to address urban issues and allowed Vietnam to linger. Also im not a big fan of detente.
5-H. W. Bush: solid manager of the end of the Cold War
6-McCain: certainly better than many of his colleagues
7-Dole: did some good, but was a facilitator of Gingrich-style conservatism towards the end
8-W. Bush: may have voted for him in 2000, but was a terrible President
9-Goldwater: ushered in the entire conservative era as we know it

[hcallega]

2-Reagan: a very strong leader in a time when we needed one the most

Explain please.

We were coming off of five straight presidencies in which the executive branch had lost credibility. First you had JFK being shot. Not a mark against him, but very trying for the nation. Then you have Johnson, who plunges our nation into the tragedy that was Vietnam. A large number of Americans loose faith in the President. Next comes Nixon, who employs divisive tactics to drive a wedge between Americans to win. Of course there is Watergate as well, and even more Americans loose faith in the White House. Then Ford, who failed to lead the nation forward and continued to struggle with the energy and inflation crises. Finally Carter, who was truly incompetent and told the American people what they didn't want to here (an important thing for the President to do, but very bad timing and a lack of action to back it up.)

Reagan came at just the right time and helped to rebuild faith in the executive branch. Certainly an overrated President, but at the same time one who made Americans proud again.