Presidential Blunders
In 2006 a group of presidential historians were surveyed by the University of Louisville's McConnell Center were surveyed and asked to list the worst mistakes every made by a US President. (An article about the survey can be found here.) I'm not sure who participated in the survey, but the survey's top 10 presidential blunders were announced as part of a President's Day weekend conference called Presidential Moments.In reverse order, a la David Letterman, these are the top 10:
10. Bill Clinton having sex in the oval office with Monica Lewinsky.
9. Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra affair, in which arms were sold to Iran with the money being used to finanance an armed anti-communist group in Nicaragua.
8. John F. Kennedy allowing the Bay of Pigs invasion to occur, causing Cuba to participate in events leading to the Cuban missile crisis.
7. Thomas Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited trade with Europe during the Napoleonic Wars,
6. James Madison's failure to keep the United States out of the War of 1812 with Great Britain.
5. Richard Nixon's involvement in the Watergate cover-up.
4. Woodrow Wilson's refusal to compromise on the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War.
3. Lyndon Johnson allowing the Vietnam War to escalate and intensify.
2. Andrew Johnson siding with southern whites in opposing improvements for justice for African-Americans following the Civil War.
1. James Buchanan's failure to avert the Civil War.
If you had been voting in that survey, which would have been your number one?
10. Bill Clinton having sex in the oval office with Monica Lewinsky.
9. Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra affair, in which arms were sold to Iran with the money being used to finanance an armed anti-communist group in Nicaragua.
8. John F. Kennedy allowing the Bay of Pigs invasion to occur, causing Cuba to participate in events leading to the Cuban missile crisis.
7. Thomas Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited trade with Europe during the Napoleonic Wars,
6. James Madison's failure to keep the United States out of the War of 1812 with Great Britain.
5. Richard Nixon's involvement in the Watergate cover-up.
4. Woodrow Wilson's refusal to compromise on the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War.
3. Lyndon Johnson allowing the Vietnam War to escalate and intensify.
2. Andrew Johnson siding with southern whites in opposing improvements for justice for African-Americans following the Civil War.
1. James Buchanan's failure to avert the Civil War.
If you had been voting in that survey, which would have been your number one?
From those listed in the survey, which in your opinion was the worst presidential blunder?
James Buchanan failing to prevent the Civil War
4(9.8%)
Andrew Johnson failing to support African-Americans in the south affer the Civil War
14(34.1%)
Lyndon Johnson allowing the Vietnam War to escalate and intensify
6(14.6%)
Woodrow Wilson's refusal to compromise on the Treaty of Versailles after the First World War.
6(14.6%)
Richard Nixon's involvement in the Watergate cover-up.
2(4.9%)
James Madison's failure to keep the United States out of the War of 1812 with Great Britain.
1(2.4%)
Thomas Jefferson's Embargo Act of 1807, which prohibited trade with Europe during the Napoleonic Wars,
0(0.0%)
John F. Kennedy allowing the Bay of Pigs invasion to occur, causing Cuba to participate in events leading to the Cuban missile crisis.
1(2.4%)
Ronald Reagan and the Iran-Contra affair, in which arms were sold to Iran with the money being used to finanance an armed anti-communist group in Nicaragua.
5(12.2%)
Bill Clinton having sex in the oval office with Monica Lewinsky.
2(4.9%)