Best President you never had

[OttoVonBismarck]

Hamilton possibly could have been great. Hamilton was a singular mind when it came to understanding just what exactly America needed in terms of the economy, and really what America needed in terms of its future. Not necessarily his constitutional plan we discussed in the other thread, but just the concept of us as a united nation etc. Jefferson wasn't entirely on board with that and never was, Jefferson penned a lot of works that, some 20 years after his Presidency was resurrected ideologically by the nullifiers.

I've gone back and forth on my feelings for Jefferson over the years, but basically I think he wanted a certain type of United States because he felt that was in the best ideological interests of the American people. The whole decentralized government, focus on yeomen farmers etc. I think his idealism maybe wasn't so terrible, but Hamilton knew the truth. A great power needed centralization of a sort, it needed strength. Confederacies are fine if you're a small state like Switzerland, but a great Empire cannot be ran in such a way.

Hamilton was pragmatic, when his ideal system didn't get much attention at the constitutional convention...he was especially miffed at his New York delegation that didn't support him, but once the new Constitution was agreed upon Hamilton was one of its most ardent supporters and advocates in the Federalist Papers. Hamilton recognized he didn't get what he wanted, but the new constitution at least would be a dagger to the heart of this foolish confederation style "association of free states" that was the status quo and was wholly unfit for the future of the country.

But the problem Hamilton had is he was great as a ministerial type, running the Treasury, he was good in the cloakroom with allies and building factions and etc. Where Hamilton fizzled is his ability to work at all with the opposition. The Democratic-Republicans basically ever expanded their big tent and their coalition until it was the entire electorate. Hamilton for whatever reason, maybe he was personally grating or whatever, was not able to do well at that sort of thing. He created an enemy for every friend he made.

[CountDeMoney]

Inspired by CdM's Avatar, who do you think's the best President/PM/Chancellor you never had?

As much as I adored the General for his sensible and practical conservative economic plans, his solid but flexible anti-Communism through benevolent strength, and his insistence on holding both Reagan and subsequently Bush accountable for Iran Contra, I also believe Bob Dole in 1988 would've been a very, very good president as well.

But the man history would've embraced the most is Al Gore.

[Ed Anger]

I liked 'southern senator' Gore. Hippy Gore? Not so much.

As for the question, William Walker.

[CountDeMoney]

Hamilton was pragmatic, when his ideal system didn't get much attention at the constitutional convention...he was especially miffed at his New York delegation that didn't support him, but once the new Constitution was agreed upon Hamilton was one of its most ardent supporters and advocates in the Federalist Papers. Hamilton recognized he didn't get what he wanted, but the new constitution at least would be a dagger to the heart of this foolish confederation style "association of free states" that was the status quo and was wholly unfit for the future of the country.

But the problem Hamilton had is he was great as a ministerial type, running the Treasury, he was good in the cloakroom with allies and building factions and etc. Where Hamilton fizzled is his ability to work at all with the opposition. The Democratic-Republicans basically ever expanded their big tent and their coalition until it was the entire electorate. Hamilton for whatever reason, maybe he was personally grating or whatever, was not able to do well at that sort of thing. He created an enemy for every friend he made.

Hamilton was never embraced by his New York delegation because he never embraced New York, he wasn't from there, he didn't have the filial allegiance to it that so many other delegates held dear about their own  states, and it struck many as a type of carpetbaggery.

He was far too exotic, and he always admitted as much himself, which turned some people off from him.  The man was a genius and was adored by those who truly knew him, but he stood out like a big, foreign, elitist nail compared to the rest of the Convention.

[CountDeMoney]

I liked 'southern senator' Gore. Hippy Gore? Not so much.

Hippy, populist Al Gore debuted about 10 years too early.

[Phillip V]

Hamilton was pragmatic, when his ideal system didn't get much attention at the constitutional convention...he was especially miffed at his New York delegation that didn't support him, but once the new Constitution was agreed upon Hamilton was one of its most ardent supporters and advocates in the Federalist Papers. Hamilton recognized he didn't get what he wanted, but the new constitution at least would be a dagger to the heart of this foolish confederation style "association of free states" that was the status quo and was wholly unfit for the future of the country.

But the problem Hamilton had is he was great as a ministerial type, running the Treasury, he was good in the cloakroom with allies and building factions and etc. Where Hamilton fizzled is his ability to work at all with the opposition. The Democratic-Republicans basically ever expanded their big tent and their coalition until it was the entire electorate. Hamilton for whatever reason, maybe he was personally grating or whatever, was not able to do well at that sort of thing. He created an enemy for every friend he made.

Hamilton was never embraced by his New York delegation because he never embraced New York, he wasn't from there, he didn't have the filial allegiance to it that so many other delegates held dear about their own  states, and it struck many as a type of carpetbaggery.

He was far too exotic, and he always admitted as much himself, which turned some people off from him.  The man was a genius and was adored by those who truly knew him, but he stood out like a big, foreign, elitist nail compared to the rest of the Convention.

In what accent did Hamilton speak English?

[dps]

Dukakis (though H.W. did some good things, also ran a nasty campaign and appointed Clarence Thomas). Maybe Humphrey.

Dukakis, I think, would have been a disaster.  If you want to name a liberal Democrat, I think Mondale would have made a better President than Dukakis, and probably even better than Humphrey (if you could ever get Mondale to admit that he's a liberal). 

Of course, as a conservative, I'm not going with any of them.  I'll say Jack Kemp.  If you want to limit it to people who actually got nominated by a major party, and keep it fairly recent (say, post-WW2), then probably Tom Dewey.  If that's not recent enough, Bob Dole.

[CountDeMoney]

In what accent did Hamilton speak English?

He grew up in St. Croix with a Scottish father, but I don't know if he had a strong brogue or not;  it wasn't his accent so much as the air he carried himself, a bit foppish.  Adams called him a brat.

[Neil]

Maj. Denis Healey

Really?  No love for Kinnock?

[jimmy olsen]

President George Romney

President Mitt Romney

They would have had completely different economic policies. How can you approve of both?

[Razgovory]

In what accent did Hamilton speak English?

He grew up in St. Croix with a Scottish father, but I don't know if he had a strong brogue or not;  it wasn't his accent so much as the air he carried himself, a bit foppish.  Adams called him a brat.

I imagine a lot of people felt threatened by the fact the guy was a genius.  Franklin was a genius as well, but he never disagreed with people.  He just subtly manipulated them to the point they did what Franklin wanted and thought it was their own idea.  Hamilton was a bit more forward with his intellect.

[DGuller]

Of course, as a conservative, I'm not going with any of them.  I'll say Jack Kemp.

One of the biggest advocates of an utterly discredited and never-should've-been-credited economic policy?  Color me not surprised.

[Razgovory]

Oh, Kemp wasn't so bad.  He was a stand up guy.  He could also throw pretty well.

[Razgovory]

Anyway, I think my pick is Hannibal Hamlin.  If only Lincoln kept him on as VP in 1864.

[Valmy]

William Jennings Bryan...just kidding.

I guess the best never-was in American History was Henry Clay.  Do they have to be guys who were likely to be elected?