Who was the smarter candidate in past presidential elections?

[tpfkaw]

Do not do this based on ideological agreement or disagreement, or whether you think their policies were "smart" or "stupid" - this is about who you thought had the greater processing power in his brain.  You may note that I'm choosing the "wrong" candidate (from my perspective) as the more intelligent one more often than not.

1796/1800/1804 - Thomas Jefferson (Adams was no slouch and Pinckney certainly wasn't stupid either - Jefferson is just one of the most brilliant people to ever live)
1808/1812 - James Madison
1816 - James Monroe
1824 - John Quincy Adams among the top two, Henry Clay among all
1828 - John Quincy Adams
1832 - Henry Clay
1836 - Martin Van Buren, or Daniel Webster among all
1840 - Martin Van Buren
1844 - Henry Clay
1848 - Lewis Cass, or Martin Van Buren if he counts
1852 - Winfield Scott
1856 - John Frémont
1860 - Stephen Douglas
1864 - lean Abraham Lincoln
1868 - Horatio Seymour (not even close, though I expect hackery here)
1872 - Horace Greeley (who may have been smarter dead than Grant was alive)
1876 - Samuel Tilden
1880 - lean Winfield Hancock
1884/1888/1892 - Grover Cleveland
1896/1900 - William Bryan
1904 - lean Teddy Roosevelt
1908 - lean William Bryan
1912/1916 - Woodrow Wilson
1920 - lean James Cox
1924 - John Davis
1928/1932 - Herbert Hoover (I expect plenty of hackery here; Hoover was one of three certifiable geniuses to hold the office of President, along with Jefferson and Wilson; Roosevelt was a "C" student at Harvard after never receiving a single grade higher than a "B" at his elite prep school while Hoover, who self-educated himself having never gone to high school, went to Stanford and became the world's most distinguished and respected mining engineer while he wasn't translating obscure classical texts in his spare time.  It's funny that Roosevelt, who had every advantage in life handed to him on a silver platter, is the "man of the people," while Hoover, who really did have to "pull himself up by his bootstraps," is the evil capitalist, a position made all the more absurd by the fact that Hoover was easily the most left-wing president ever at the time, and Roosevelt attacked him as a "socialist" during the '32 campaign.  Enough editorializing).
1936 - lean Franklin Roosevelt
1940 - Wendell Willkie
1944 - lean Franklin Roosevelt
1948 - Harry Truman
1952/1956 - Adlai Stevenson
1960 - Richard Nixon (not even close)
1964 - this one's a toughy; lean Lyndon Johnson since I don't want to be biased
1968 - another toughy; lean Richard Nixon
1972 - Richard Nixon
1976 - Jimmy Carter
1980 - this one's tough; brings to mind the phrase "different types of intelligence."  Anderson was obviously an idiot.  Lean-Reagan if pushed.
1984 - Reagan
1988 - Lean-Bush, though this one wasn't exactly a brain trust
1992 - Clinton, or Perot if he counts
1996 - another "different kinds of intelligence" one, lean-Clinton if pushed.  Perot was getting a bit daffy by this point, but still lean-Perot if he's included.
2000 - Al Gore, Nader if he counts
2004 - George W. Bush (surely the dumbest major party slate ever)
2008 - Barack Obama (this one fights with 1988 for the number 2 slot)

[RIP Robert H Bork]

[waiting for the Democratic hacks to come here and respond with the Democratic candidate in each election]

[Niemeyerite]

1932, 1936, 1940, 1944 FDR
1948 Harry Truman
1952, 1956 Dwight Eisenhower
1960 Richard Nixon
1964 LBJ
1968 Hubert Humphrey
1972 Richard Nixon (but Wallace very intelligent, too)
1976 Gerald Ford
1980 Jimmy Carter
1984 Ronald Reagan
1988 GHWB
1992 Ross Perot
1996 Ross Perot
2000 Al Gore
2004 John Kerry (bush is too dumb)
2008 Barack Obama

[Dancing with Myself]

Here's my opinon of 1900 on:

1900- Mckinley
1904-Roosevelt
1908-Bryan
1912-Roosevelt
1916-Wilson
1920-Cox
1924-Coolidge
1928-Hoover
1932-Hoover (The ironic part about hoover is that any other Republican including Cooolidge would have done the same things he did regarding the depression. Republicans believe in the free market, little if none interference in the economy. If Roosevelt or another Democrat won in 28 and the economy was not going well Hoover would have won. Imagine that)
1936-Roosevelt
1940- Willkie
1944-Roosevelt
1948-Truman
1952-Eisenhower
1956-Eisenhower
1960-Nixon
1964-Johnson
1968- Nixon or Wallace
1972-Nixon
1976-Ford
1980-Reagan, I agree Anderson was an idiot, but he did help Reagan win.
1984-Reagan
1988-Bush
1992- Clinton or Perot
1996- Clinton
2000-Nader
2004-Bush
2008-Obama

[feeblepizza]

1900-Bryan
1904-Roosevelt
1908-Close, but Bryan
1912-Roosevelt
1916-Wilson
1920-Cox
1924-Coolidge
1928-Hoover
1932-Hoover
1936-Roosevelt
1940-Willkie
1944-Roosevelt
1948-Truman
1952-Eisenhower
1956-Eisenhower
1960-Nixon
1964-Goldwater
1968-Another close one, but Nixon
1972-Nixon
1976-Carter
1980-Carter
1984-Reagan
1988-Bush
1992-Clinton or Perot
1996-Clinton or Perot
2000-Nader
2004-Bush
2008-Obama

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Since 1900:
Bryan
Roosevelt
Bryan
Wilson
Wilson
Cox
Davis
Hoover
Hoover
FDR
FDR
FDR
Trumnan
Stevenson
Stevenson
Nixon
LBJ
Nixon
Nixon
Carter
Carter
Mondale
Bush
Bush
Clinton
Gore
Bush
Obama

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

1900: Bryan
1904: Roosevelt
1908: Bryan
1912: Wilson
1916: Hughes
1920: Cox
1924: Coolidge
1928: Hoover
1932: Hoover
1936: Roosevelt
1940: Wilkie
1944: Roosevelt
1948: Truman
1952: Stevenson
1956: Stevenson
1960: Nixon
1964: Goldwater
1968: Wallace
1972: Nixon
1976: Carter
1980: Reagan
1984: Reagan
1988: Bush
1992: Perot
1996: Clinton
2000: Gore
2004: Kerry
2008: Obama

[phk]

1900: Bryan
1904: Roosevelt
1908: Bryan
1912: Wilson
1916: Hughes
1920: Cox
1924: Coolidge
1928: Hoover
1932: Hoover
1936: Roosevelt
1940: Wilkie
1944: Roosevelt
1948: Truman
1952: Stevenson
1956: Stevenson
1960: Nixon
1964: Goldwater
1968: Wallace
1972: Nixon
1976: Carter
1980: Reagan
1984: Reagan
1988: Bush
1992: Bush
1996: Clinton
2000: Gore
2004: Bush
2008: Obama

[Stranger in a strange land]

1928: Hoover
1932: FDR
1936: FDR
1940: FDR
1944: FDR
1948: Dewey
1952: Stevenson
1956: Stevenson
1960: Nixon (close one - Nixon was one of the smartest men ever to sit in the Oval Office, but perhaps the most amoral. Kennedy was very smart too, and his social intelligence was undoubtedly far superior.)
1964: LBJ (close one)
1968: Nixon
1972: Nixon
1976: Ford
1980: Reagan
1984: Mondale
1988: H.W. Bush
1992: H.W. Bush
1996: Clinton
2000: Gore
2004: Kerry
2008: Obama

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Ford and Reagan were the dumbest modern presidents.

[UpcomingYouthvoter]

Ford and Reagan were the dumbest modern presidents.

Bush 2 beats both of them in terms of dumb. Ford wasn't a Stevenson but still was brighter then W will ever be. Reagan, I agree with in terms of dumbest. I would add Harding to the list as well.

[Skill and Chance]

2008: Obama
2004: lean Bush  (gave it to Bush for his higher Yale GPA)
2000: Gore
1996: Clinton
1992: lean H.W. Bush
1988: H.W. Bush (overwhelmingly)
1984: Reagan
1980: lean Reagan
1976: Carter
1972: Nixon
1968: Nixon
1964: lean LBJ
1960: Nixon
1956: Eisenhower (planning the second half of WWII takes some serious brains)
1952: Eisenhower
1948: Truman
1944: FDR
1940: lean FDR
1936: FDR
1932: Hoover (smartest of the 20th century, horrible economic luck)
1928: Hoover
1924: Davis
1920: Cox
1916: Wilson
1912: lean T. Roosevelt (over Wilson)
1908: Bryan
1904: T. Roosevelt
1900: Bryan


Also, how about 2012: Obama vs. Daniels

Too close to call?

[tpfkaw]

Ford and Reagan were the dumbest modern presidents.

Ford graduated in the top third of Yale law school.  Reagan had "genius-level" interpersonal skills and was certainly no slouch at discussing obscure issues in depth.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

1968 Hubert Humphrey
1972 Richard Nixon (but Wallace very intelligent, too)

Wallace didn't run as a party's nominee in 1972. My guess: 1968 Humphrey v Nixon, 1972 McGovern v Nixon v Wallace, when Wallace was actually in 1968.

[Niemeyerite]

OK, so 1972 Nixon. 1968 Nixon with Wallace coming 2nd.

[NHI]

1928: Hoover
1932: FDR
1936: FDR
1940: FDR
1944: FDR
1948: Truman
1952: Eisenhower
1956: Eisenhower
1960: Kennedy
1964: Johnson
1968: Nixon
1972: Nixon
1976: Ford
1980: Reagan
1984: Reagan
1988: Bush
1992: Clinton
1996: Clinton
2000: Gore
2004: Bush
2008: Obama
2012: ?

[UpcomingYouthvoter]

1900-Bryan

1904-Roosevelt

1908-Bryan

1912-Roosevelt

1916-Hugues

1920-James M. Cox

1924-Robert La Follette, Sr.

1928-Herbert Hoover

1932-FDR

1936-FDR

1940-FDR

1944-FDR

1948-Henry Wallace

1952-Stevenson but Eisenhower was intelligent too

1956-Same as 1952

1960-I will hand this one to JFK but Nixon was no dumby

1964-Barry Goldwater but similar to 1960 and 50's elections where both two party had intelligent nominations for president

1968-Richard Nixon

1972-Richard Nixon

1976-Jimmy Carter

1980-Jimmy Carter

1984-Have to go with Raygun on this one

1988-George HW Bush

1992- Toss up between Ross H. Perot and William Jefferson Clinton

1996-Saxophone player

2000-Ralph Nader

2004-David Cobb

2008- Barack Obama

[Nichlemn]

Wasn't Stevenson considered the "intellectual" candidate? Was that just image?

[UpcomingYouthvoter]

Wasn't Stevenson considered the "intellectual" candidate? Was that just image?

Actually that was not just a image thing. He really was a intellectual candidate and one of the most of the intellectuals we had run for president.

[rbt48]

McGovern has to be pretty smart.  He has a PhD in history from Northwestern and was a history professor.

[WillK]

1796/1800/1804 - Thomas Jefferson (Adams was no slouch and Pinckney certainly wasn't stupid either - Jefferson is just one of the most brilliant people to ever live)

Rubbish.  Adams was definitely smarter; Pinckney possibly.

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I'd pick King over Monroe.

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Id say Adams over Clay.

1836 - Martin Van Buren, or Daniel Webster among all

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James G. Birney for both elections

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I might pic Bell

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Wow, some intense Grant hatred.

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Not a chance.  Garfield by a mile. 

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Really?

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I think Hughes was smarter.

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I think your expectations are misplaced -- I agree about Hoover, not about the other two.

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Didnt you earlier say that "Roosevelt was a "C" student at Harvard after never receiving a single grade higher than a "B" at his elite prep school"?  I'd pick Dewey.

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Dukakis was smarter.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

To the OP:

What do you mean by "certified geniuses"?

[WillK]

To the OP:

What do you mean by "certified geniuses"?

He wrote "certifiable" which according to the American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language means either
1) something that can be certified
or
2) Fit to be declared insane.

Could it be number 2? 

[Badger]

Carter finished well within the top 10% at the US Navel Academy, and was ultimately certified to command nuclear submarines. Not the greatest president, but in terms of raw IQ measured smarts he should be ranked much higher here.

[SmokingCricket]

1796 - Thomas Jefferson
1800 - Thomas Jefferson
1804 - Thomas Jefferson
1808 - James Madison
1812 - James Madison
1816 - Rufus King
1820 - Vladimir Putin
1824 - Henry Clay
1828 - John Quincy Adams
1832 - Henry Clay
1836 - Daniel Webster
1840 - Martin Van Buren
1844 - Henry Clay
1848 - Martin Van Buren
1852 - Winfield Scott
1856 - John Frémont
1860 - Stephen Douglas
1864 - Abraham Lincoln
1868 - Ulysses S. Grant
1872 - Horace Greeley
1876 - Samuel Tilden
1880 - James Garfield
1884 - Grover Cleveland
1888 - Grover Cleveland
1892 - Grover Cleveland
1896 - William Bryan
1900 - William Bryan
1904 - Teddy Roosevelt
1908 - William Taft
1912 - Woodrow Wilson
1916 - Woodrow Wilson
1920 - James Cox
1924 - John Davis
1928 - Herbert Hoover
1932 - Herbert Hoover
1936 - Franklin Roosevelt
1940 - Franklin Roosevelt
1944 - Franklin Roosevelt
1948 - Harry Truman
1952 - Adlai Stevenson
1956 - Adlai Stevenson
1960 - Richard Nixon
1964 - Barry Goldwater
1968 - Richard Nixon
1972 - Richard Nixon
1976 - Jimmy Carter
1980 - Jimmy Carter
1984 - Ronald Reagan
1988 - Michael Dukakis
1992 - Ross Perot
1996 - Bill Clinton
2000 - Al Gore
2004 - George W. Bush
2008 - Barack Obama