February 23, 2007

StreetTalk by Carol Rosen

In honor of President’s Day, who do you think is the United States’ greatest president, who was the worst, and why?
(Asked at Evergreen Village Square)

“Ronald Reagan was our greatest president. He brought the United States together and was a non-partisan. The worst president, in my opinion, was Jimmy Carter. The country’s misery index was really high under him. There was high unemployment; high inflation and oil prices were rising. Everything was high.”

Robert Hipwell, 56
Evergreen
General in the Army Reserve and consultant


“The greatest president was John F. Kennedy. All the changes he made were positive for the United States. The worst is George W. Bush. The whole thing with the war; he needs to let our troops come home and end the war.”

Anita Vasquez, 45
Evergreen
Human resources at San Jose State


“Teddy Roosevelt was our greatest president because of all the changes he made. George W. Bush is our worst because of the Iraq War.”

Steven Figures, 17
Evergreen
Junior at Mount Pleasant High School


“Abraham Lincoln was the greatest president because he freed all humans in America. The worst, that’s a question for history. Everyone makes mistakes. I guess morally, President Clinton because of his lack of accountability and his bad leadership as an adult to our country’s children. He should have known that you can’t always get what you want.”

Christine Jimenez, 49
Evergreen
Alza


“In current times, I thought Bill Clinton did a lot of good for our economy especially here in Silicon Valley. Given our present situation and the way other countries view us and the president with the lowest IQ—would be [George W.] Bush light or Bush the younger.”

Matt Melena, 29
Evergreen
Paramedic


“I think Bill Clinton is the greatest because he brought our economy back in four years. That’s how my husband and I were able to buy our house. I don’t know which president was the worst."

Ha Ngo, 42
Evergreen
Accounting