Poll: Clinton outperformed Bush

[Puck]

Poll: Clinton Outperformed Bush [ARTICLE]

I personally find it difficult to believe that people would compare to Presidents when history hasn't even had a chance to write itself. Also, seeing that Bush still has some time left in office, I don't think it is possible for people to intelligently debate who was better. None the less, I still thought this was rather interesting.

[Republican_Man]

I'll compare the presidents right now.
Clinton = bad president; Bush = good president.

[borgslayer]

President Clinton made more friends than enemies. Except for those in congress of course.

He did a lot of work in eliminating the economic problem faced after the first gulf war which sort of ruined the economy for a few years.

Clinton was for Healthcare, for Education, for Peacekeeping, and for Military.

Being loved by almost everyone on this planet it is no surprise people like him this much.

[Republican_Man]

I'm low on time, so I'll just say this: the only good things Clinton did were welfare reform, letting Reaganomics run through, and a few other minor decent things, such as, as Exalya would praise, nanotechnology advancements and whatnot.
But most of those things were due to the Republican Congress, not Clinton. The only reason why people think Clinton was a good president is not because he was a good president, but because he could campaign like no other.
As my grandpa says, all Clinton knew how to do was to campaign. Got a bill to sign? Make an event out of it. He was always out there campaigning, not leading or actually doing stuff, and that is what he excelled in as President, nothing more.
He gave Bush a recession, reacted almost negligably to several terrorist attacks under his watch, didn't do anything that could have prevented 9/11, let bin Laden get away, lied to the American people...There are a number of bad things Clinton did.
In retrospect, Clinton was NOT a good president. He's only very likeable. Bush, however, IS, overall, a good president, and his first term was phenominal. He actually did what Clinton didn't do, and responded to a terrorist attack with full force.
Again, Clinton = bad president, Bush = good president overall.

[Hitchhiker]

Hmm . . . I'd have to say that while Clinton is still in the lead, Bush has almost had as many scandals, so he may very well catch up by the end of his presidency.

[Republican_Man]

Scandles themselves don't make the presidency, though. They are key to it, but they don't make it. Just look at Nixon. He was pretty liberal and had Watergate, but he wasn't a horrible president.
Bush's scandles, however, aren't really scandles; the media is just making it seem that way.
Scandles aside, though, Bush is much better than Clinton, the lier.

[TrekkieMage]

I forget which political scientist said this, but there is a common theory that presidential power is all in the ability to persuade. Clinton did a really good job of that. Granted, he was better with the public than with Congress, but Congress didn't elect him.

In terms of 'who was the better president', I'm not going to really form an opinion about it, or at least I'm not going to set one in stone. If I do that it'll really come back and bite me

It is impossible to tell whether a president is a failure or a near great/great president right after/during his administration. Just look at LBJ and JFK. Up until recently JFK was great/near great and LBJ was seen as a failure. Now political scientists have listed LBJ as near-great and JFKs ranking has dropped slightly.

You never know what could happen.

[Founder]

Not to mention that war time presidents are always unpopula. Lincoln was HATED by many during the Civil War, but now? He is the most written about president in American history and is USUALLY under good light.

[charlie]

Clinton was not a good president. Adultery! People bash Bush for the war in Iraq, well Clinton sent us to Bosnia and Bosnia was not a just cause. Iraq was but Iraq is a totally different matter. Cause if you hadn't been, you wouldn't understand no offense.

I could go on and on about Clinton. But, I got to go to work unfortunetly.

[Leo Wyatt]

Oh no! Let's not even go here. Politics enough to have a discussion like these j/k

I personally get where I don't care anymore. Clinton was bad and other people think Bush is bad... We are never going to be pleased with any president. But I do try to care though. I guess I voice an opinion later.

Or maybe now. Because I do forget to come back and explain things sometimes.

I don't like Clinton that is that. I wasn't pleased with him when he was in. People think Bush should be empeached( I know i didn't spell right, I apologize). But Clinton came close. People want to put Clinton on a pedalister cause he is democrat. Doesn't make him a good president when he was in either. He was all what polls said not what the people thought.

[Republican_Man]

As I said before, his polls were high simply because he's an excellent campaigner, plain and simple.
And actually, Clinton was impeached, for lying, in the House. The Senate, however, did their thing and disagreed with it, not punishing him for the impeachment.
And Bosnia and Kosovo were just causes, I would argue, but that wasn't the reason Clinton did them, I would say. I would say--and I could be wrong--that he did it merely to get people's mind off of the Lewinski scandle. But again, that could be wrong, but that's my suspection.
But Bosnia and Kosovo didn't even get congressional approval, making it actually what Iraq isn't for Bush--Clinton's war.
And look at how we're still there, after how many years? And people are calling for a complete withdrawal from Iraq now? How does that figure?
But I digress.

[WeAz]

Adultery is not consdered a crime in the US...is it?

[Republican_Man]

No, that's not the case. What Clinton did breaking the law, in terms of the impeachment, was lie to the American people, etc. It was lying that he broke the law through.

[TrekkieMage]

I'm not saying that Clinton was a good president (I think he was, but that's not quite my point here), but I think what was done to him on that Senate panel was absolute bull. They cornered him with issues that he had already closed and was done with. Issues that had been 'finished' in the court. Also: many of those who were ranting about Clinton's adultry were quickly found out to have done similar things. I don't know names, but I know that the Congress isn't exactly honest about their personal lives. That doesnt mean that they are bad legislators or leaders. I feel like it was the pot calling the kettle black.

Also, keep in mind that Clinton's poll numbers were higher than Bush's. This is because Americans sympatized with him and felt that he was being poorly treated.

I don't think what he was doing was right, by any means. But try and think about what he's been through. Look at his biography. He has overcome a lot in order to become a good president - at least in my opinion.

[borgslayer]

Let me point out the Bush mistakes.

First he says "Iraq wants to buy uranium from Nigeria"
Second he retracts that statement
Third the statement he makes returns
Fourth he says "The war in Iraq is over" Mission Accoplished (yet soldiers are still on the ground fighting)
Fifth he's administration "Karl Rove and other guys stands trial for crimes.
Six many generals dissaprove of the so called "Donald Rumsfeld"
Seven he riggs a talk between him and soldiers.
Eight he completely and underly failed on immigration.
Ninth he still hasn't caught bin landen despite him telling everyone the "U.S. Troops are closing in"
Tenth he says "We cannot beat terrorism" then the next day says "We can beaat terrorism"

Clinton's Mistakes? He cheated on his wife and got an impeachment trial. That's about it I would say.

I rest my case.

[IntrepidIsMe]

You seem to have left the part about him breaking the law. Biased much?

[TrekkieMage]

[IntrepidIsMe]