Best Politician Of All Time?

[JacobEvans]

In your opinion, who do you think was the best politician of all time?
It doesn't need to be someone who is well known either, just say why you chose them.

 

[JacobEvans]

Also, how you define 'greatest' is up to you.

 

[irmerk]

I know not much about many politicians. However, from what I do know, I would say Adolf Hitler.

 

[felixthecoach]

The best (or worst however you might see it) might be Winston Churchill. Somehow he turned everything he did wrong into a success.

 

[Shapeshifter]

Mikhail Gorbachev

 

[JacobEvans]

why Gorby?

 

[JBeukema]

defining 'good politician' as 'good career politician' and in turn as one who keeps his own power...

Talleyrand, arguably the ultimate Machiavellian statesman

 

[WolfAU]

It depends what you feel a politicians job is... sadly it isn't to look out for the masses, merely to keep us distracted and in check. So what? Great military leaders, Alexander the Great and Napoleon probably, the greatest influence on their nation? Adolf Hitler I'd say. Greatest humanitarian? I have no idea.

To me this is like debating who was the most noble serial killer of all time. It makes no difference because they're all fucked.

 

[JBeukema]

Greatest humanitarian? I have no idea.

I nominate Ghandi

 

[Homunclus]

I nominate Ghandi

I second that

 

[JacobEvans]

Like I said the way you define politician is up to you

 

[Cryogeneric]

The Governator

 

[ImprobableJoe]

Bill Clinton. How else could a Republican run as a Democrat, win the election, stab the Democrats in the back at every turn, screw all kinds of hot and less-than-hot chicks, use the damnation of the Republicans to catapult him to ridiculous popularity, and then walk away from it all to a career in public speaking that nets millions...

... and then his wife gets to be a senator and then Secretary of State based on a combination of native skill and name recognition. Bill has some serious skills.

 

[JacobEvans]

^ true dat.

 

[acerba]

Teddy Roosevelt if for no other reason than for the Food and Drug Act / Meat Inspection Act.

Besides, you know a guy is good when the British Ambassador to the United States said of him "You must always remember that the President is about six."

 

[desertedcities]

Teddy Roosevelt if for no other reason than for the Food and Drug Act / Meat Inspection Act.

Besides, you know a guy is good when the British Ambassador to the United States said of him "You must always remember that the President is about six."

What about the fact that he believed that the President was the highest representative of the people?

Or the fact that he's responsible for the National Parks System?

It took TR and Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle to establish the FDA. So all the credit can't just be given to TR.

 

[darthrender2010]

It took TR and Upton Sinclair's book The Jungle to establish the FDA. So all the credit can't just be given to TR.

I'd say most of the credit goes to the Jungle for public awareness and the ensuing outrage which lead TR to even consider it

 

[JacobEvans]

yay! socialism

 

[desertedcities]

I'd say most of the credit goes to the Jungle for public awareness and the ensuing outrage which lead TR to even consider it

Yeah, that's what I was getting at.

 

[darthrender2010]

I was just adding on/reaffirming your statement