Which President Cared More About the Country and Less About Reelection?

[ruggerson]

Poll question: Which President Cared More About the Country and Less About Reelection?

I'm going to leave Obama out of this, since that would turn into a flamewar.

So which of the last ten Presidents genuinely cared most about what was good for the country instead of his chances for reelection?

[Hawkowl]

1. Ford

He knew he wasn't getting elected, let alone re-elected after he pardoned Nixon.

[Creideiki]

2. Pardoning Nixon was "what's best for the country"?

[Hawkowl]

12. In his own mind

In my mind, it was the beginning of the end. This precedent was the direct antecedent of the Bush torture regime.

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Actually that could've been a political decision for Ford

Ford was unable to accomplish anything with the nation's attention fully focused on Watergate. So had he not pardoned Nixon, his presidency would've been completely overshadowed by the scandal and he would've likely lost anyway. It was a damned if you do, damned if you don't kind of thing. And in the end Ford almost got himself re-elected.

[William769]

3. No question about it.

Lyndon B. Johnson.

[HockeyMom]

4. Jimmy Carter

because no matter how he performed as POTUS, he truly CARED about people. He STILL does. So many of these candidates today, scream about how how "righteous" Christians they are, but Mr. Carter WALKED THE WALK and does today.

[txlibdem]

15. Not to mention that the Carter Energy Plan would have had us energy independent by the year 2000

Which is why Reagan worked tirelessly to kill every provision of it.

The solar panel industry and wind turbine industry were showing steady growth... till Reagan killed the tax incentives and both industries disappeared.
Carter's goal of energy efficiency for homes and commercial buildings would have slashed our energy consumption... but Reagan killed that too.

When you think of the word TRAITOR does Benedict Arnold come to mind... or is it Ronald Reagan.

[rurallib]

5. I would say Ike

Ike knew he was unbeatable. What he did in Little Rock etc was so against his personal and political beliefs, but did the right thing anyway.
There are a couple of close honorable mentions.

[Kaleva]

11. I picked Ike for the same reason you said.

He knew he was pretty much unbeatable in the '56 election so he could concentrate on what he thought best for the nation.

[treestar]

6. I'm sure they all care somewhat about being reelected

I don't really hold that against them. I'm sure I'd feel the same.

Really, I would think George Washington was the only one who truly didn't care about being re-elected.

Besides, that desire is consistent with doing what their constituents want. So what's so awful about it?

[Name removed]

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[Hippo_Tron]

8. James K Polk certainly didn't care about re-election

But I don't think DU would care so much for his imperialistic practices. But to answer your question, it's probably Jimmy Carter. If he'd cared a little more about his re-election he probably would've started a war with Iran.

[OhioBlue]

10. I honestly don't know... but much of the time

they may be thinking that their re-election IS what is best for the Country. I guess I would have to go with Johnson.. only b/c he bowed out of the primaries for his second elected term and he passed civil rights legislation knowing that the South would swing to the Republican side.

[bhcodem]

13. I decided Jimmy Carter

even before I got to the list of options!

[Armstead]

14. I'd say LBJ

Johnson basically pushed through a liberal social agenda. Although he obviously also wanted to win reelection the actual goals seemed ultimately more important to him.

The Vietnam Wat was a wrongheaded and awful disaster. So I am not defending his wisdom on this. But as it bercame more of a morass, he knew the politically expedient thing to do would have been to pull the plug and get out. But he didn't think it would be wise to do that, so he basically sacrificed himself to focus on trying to resolve it....In retrospect, he was dead wrong on that, but in terms of the OP, he did place what he thought was best for the country over his own political future.

[MichDem10]

16. I'll take FDR for $2000 Alex

[Tiggeroshii]

17. I was torn between Bush and Reagan...

...since nobody else put them I figure they need a gag vote. I mean, Nixon got one! Hell Johnson got, like 5!

[joshcryer]

18. Obama should be an option, because reelection is part and parcel to the state of the country.