Who was better: George Romney or Nelson Rockefeller?

[Deblano]

George Romney and Nelson Rockefeller were both moderate Republicans who ran for the GOP nomination in 1968 but lost to Richard Nixon.

Which of these two men do you like more and would have been a better president?

I personally liked Romney more because I dislike Rockefeller's super tough drug policies and his response to the Attica Prison Riots.

[Maxwell]

Obviously Romney. George was the only semi-okay Romney.

[Mr. Smith]

Romney.

Both were pretty good for Republicans, but Romney's the nicer man personally, and that tips the scales.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Romney seemed like he had principles.

[Goldwater]

Romney, easily.

[Deblano]

I'm mildly surprised how many people picked Romney over Rockefeller.

Not that I disagree with those people, mind you.

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Romney, easily.

[bagelman]

Romney didn't have the last name "Rockefeller" so him

[Antonio the Sixth]

Romney didn't have the last name "Rockefeller" so him

Hey, Jay Rockefeller was quite a FF!

[Phony Moderate]

Rockefeller was the Trump of his day, Romney was just a gaffe machine. So the latter.

[Maxwell]

If you added Winthrop Rockefeller to this list, I might have gone with Winthrop - the most left-wing Governor of Arkansas.

[Kingpoleon]

If you added Winthrop Rockefeller to this list, I might have gone with Winthrop - the most left-wing Governor of Arkansas.

Not really, at least economically.

[Blair]

The one who didn't die on top of his secretary

[Santander]

The Mexican

[TDAS04]

Romney.

[RINO Tom]

George, though Nelson gets WAY too much hate here.

[RINO Tom]

If you added Winthrop Rockefeller to this list, I might have gone with Winthrop - the most left-wing Governor of Arkansas.

Not really, at least economically.

Yeah, that's just a crazy claim.  Faubus was literally a socialist, wasn't he?  The fact that he was a racist doesn't exclude him from being left-wing, though that's always oh-so-hard for our forum Dems to come to terms with.

[President Johnson]

Easy vote: Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller.

Probably the best, but at least one of the best, governors in the entire American history. I really admire this man and wish he would have been elected president in 1968.

But George wasn't bad as well.

Why is Rocky so hated here?

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

If you added Winthrop Rockefeller to this list, I might have gone with Winthrop - the most left-wing Governor of Arkansas.

Not really, at least economically.

Yeah, that's just a crazy claim.  Faubus was literally a socialist, wasn't he?  The fact that he was a racist doesn't exclude him from being left-wing, though that's always oh-so-hard for our forum Dems to come to terms with.

But, but, I was told in school that the two parties switched places!  The Republicans were liberals and the Democrats were conservatives!  Modern political labels apply perfectly to the 19th century!

[Kingpoleon]

If you added Winthrop Rockefeller to this list, I might have gone with Winthrop - the most left-wing Governor of Arkansas.

Not really, at least economically.

Yeah, that's just a crazy claim.  Faubus was literally a socialist, wasn't he?  The fact that he was a racist doesn't exclude him from being left-wing, though that's always oh-so-hard for our forum Dems to come to terms with.

Faubus was more like an extreme LBJ, socially center-right and economically left-wing, who didn't have to pretend to not be racist.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

If you added Winthrop Rockefeller to this list, I might have gone with Winthrop - the most left-wing Governor of Arkansas.

Not really, at least economically.

Yeah, that's just a crazy claim.  Faubus was literally a socialist, wasn't he?  The fact that he was a racist doesn't exclude him from being left-wing, though that's always oh-so-hard for our forum Dems to come to terms with.

But, but, I was told in school that the two parties switched places!  The Republicans were liberals and the Democrats were conservatives!  Modern political labels apply perfectly to the 19th century!

Everyone knows that political ideologies are basically just grab bags of assorted policies that never change, regardless of the historical context. Andrew Jackson was a conservative visionary opposed by leftist Northern Whigs (we know they were leftists because they supported "big government" and fair trade). Then, in 1932, FDR got elected and said "let's all be liberals now!" The Democrats traded platforms with the GOP and remain the party of Hamiltonian progressive Marxism to this day.

[Zioneer]

If you added Winthrop Rockefeller to this list, I might have gone with Winthrop - the most left-wing Governor of Arkansas.

Not really, at least economically.

Yeah, that's just a crazy claim.  Faubus was literally a socialist, wasn't he?  The fact that he was a racist doesn't exclude him from being left-wing, though that's always oh-so-hard for our forum Dems to come to terms with.

It's almost as if critiquing the Republicans and Democrats of the 1950s through 70s is hard because there were liberals, conservatives, people who were liberal in one area but arch-conservative/reactionary in another. Nowadays, the parties are more strictly aligned in most areas. Faubus would not be welcome in either party.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Hmm...both great Republicans who fought for civil rights and maintaining a safety net.  Rockefeller has the advantage of his drug laws and tough law and order stance, but Romney was from my home state.  I'll sit this one out.