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| Reagan named 'Greatest American' |
| 2005-06-29 |
| US television viewers handed Ronald Reagan the title of "Greatest American" ahead of legendary president and national savior Abraham Lincoln and civil rights trailblazer Martin Luther King Jr. Reagan, who died last year aged 93, headed a list of 25 contenders sorted by votes of three million viewers in a live finale to the Discovery Channel/AOL "Greatest American" campaign. Supporters credit Reagan, dubbed 'The Great Communicator' who served as president from (1981-1989) with winning the Cold War and restoring American morale after a string of foreign policy reverses. Opponents however contend that Reagan's legacy has been boosted artificially by supporters since he left office. Assassinated president Lincoln, who saved the American union from breaking up during the Civil War, came second, one place ahead of King. George Washington, the first US president was fourth. Statesman, inventor and philosopher Benjamin Franklin was fifth. Current US President George W. Bush was sixth, immediately ahead of predecessor Bill Clinton, who edged out the 'King' Elvis Presley, by one spot, despite being impeached over a sex scandal. Talk show diva Oprah Winfrey came ninth, and was top woman in the poll, results of which appeared heavily weighted towards recent American personalities. Franklin W. Roosevelt, who as president safeguarded US civilization twice, once during a cataclysmic banking crisis and then in the battle against Nazism and imperial Japan, came tenth. Other noted US luminaries failed to creep into the top 10, including evangelist Billy Graham, scientist Albert Einstein and software mogul Bill Gates. Another current hero, cyclist Lance Armstrong, about to open his quest for a seventh consecutive Tour de France after beating cancer, came in 20th place - and was the top sporting star, one place ahead of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #16 no grizly adams? thisn rig. srprize chainey nota listend. goddamer yoo blakbox votin! |
| Posted by: muck4doo 2005-06-29 23:45 |
| #15 There is hope yet.... |
| Posted by: Rex Mundi 2005-06-29 23:29 |
| #14 "Did you know I have 3 Purple Hearts?" - John sKerry |
| Posted by: Rick90467 2005-06-29 20:13 |
| #13 Dar, If you think about it, President Reagan probably would have agreed with you. He was a very modest man when it came to his comparisons with history. And God, I miss him so. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2005-06-29 19:54 |
| #12 The Byrds will have to get together to rewrite He's a drug store truck driving man. Maybe the could just retarget it to Sen Byrd... (that head of the ku klux klan line...) |
| Posted by: 3dc 2005-06-29 15:11 |
| #11 BWAHAHAHAHHAAAAAA. It killed Matt Lauher to read that. I thought I actually saw him snear when he read that. Of course all of the talking heads in the MSM tried to foust off "its because americans are stupid" argument for picking Ron over Abe. I am still laughing that Dubyah beat out Slick Willie......NOW that was a real treat for me. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...I had better stop I almost wet my pants laughing at all of the media types puking in the wastebasket. |
| Posted by: SockPuppetofDoom2 2005-06-29 13:37 |
| #10 Good catch, Ship, but he thought he was "fifty percent American and 100% British." |
| Posted by: Matt 2005-06-29 13:28 |
| #9 Winston Churchill was the greatest American. |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-06-29 12:54 |
| #8 "Bush stole the vote, man, just like in 2000 and 2004." I agree with Dar: no Washington, no America. But I also agree with DN: This result is better than putting a tack on John Kerry's chair. |
| Posted by: Matt 2005-06-29 12:07 |
| #7 why do i always see things differently? I see this as oprah and clinton trying to rub off the star power of real stars. Oprah Winfrey. Give me a break. She's a freaking talk show host, barely two steps above Jerry Springer. |
| Posted by: 2b 2005-06-29 11:56 |
| #6 Dar, In complete agreement with you, but just the entertainment value of getting to say "Ronald Reagan, Greatest American" and irk the moonbats is worth it. |
| Posted by: Dreadnought 2005-06-29 11:37 |
| #5 Oprah Winfrey is the Greatest American Woman of All Time? Oh that's just what her ego needs to get even bigger... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2005-06-29 11:14 |
| #4 I like Reagan too, but over GW and Honest Abe? He's in mighty good company there but definitely #3 in a very strong field. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-06-29 11:03 |
| #3 Agreed, Dar! And I love Reagan as much, so put him in at #2. |
| Posted by: BA 2005-06-29 10:36 |
| #2 Much as I love Ronnie, George Washington is--without a doubt--my number one American! If not for him, we wouldn't even be discussing who the greatest American is, because there would be no such creatures. |
| Posted by: Dar 2005-06-29 10:31 |
| #1 Must've killed the editors to write that headline... |
| Posted by: Raj 2005-06-29 10:29 |