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5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
#5: Richard Nixon
#4: Ulysses S. Grant
#3: Andrew Jackson
#2: Teddy Roosevelt
#1: George Washington

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radiochief
10/25/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
Lincoln by far, he presided over the most bloody war in our history (US) and put the union back together. You can't beat Lincoln, as long as he has the Amazing Screw-On Head on our side!

With him in charge, it would not be all, "Bully" for all you TR fans. But he would win. I like Nixon as a choice, but my only fear is since he was so paranoid- he'd cause the invasion and THEN repulse it.

Also for those of you enamored with Clinton, I'd suggest the 19th century version of him-- Thomas Jefferson. #usavsaliens
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Mathmos
10/25/09

@radiochief: I was surprised Lincoln wasn't on the list. To paraphrase Janwillem van de Wetering in one of his mystery novels: "When one thinks of the superior man, does not Abraham Lincoln come to mind?" #usavsaliens
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Daveinva
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
I'm ashamed of all you for allowing the above statement to pass without comment:

"I'm not making it a story point or anything, but [Clinton] puts his pants on one leg at a time, y'know?"

Yes, but it's when he takes his pants off that he's REALLY dangerous.

(Seriously, commenters. . . ashamed) #usavsaliens
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Hlaode
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
I for one am glad that Nixon made the list. He may be a douche and a horrible president, but he would be exactly what is needed in the event of alien contact. Very careful diplomatic relations trying avoid actual conflict at all cost, since their technology would devastate us in practically any battle. At the same time nuclear weapons would be the only thing with the slightest hope of combating an invasion, and not only would he discretely put plans into place for their use but he would subtly let it be known that he would use them regardless of the cost were we facing invasion. #usavsaliens
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cletar
10/24/09

@Hlaode: What if they landed when he was drunk or crazy? I'd rather have Truman or FDR or Eisenhower. #usavsaliens
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creamed_corn
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
Obama. And it really has nothing to do with him as a president. The generals are going to be the ones laying out the strategy and tactics, and it just so happens our current generals are battle-hardened, have the most advanced weapons humanity has ever seen at their disposal (which you better believe you're going to need in order to fight an advanced intelligence), the largest population of draftable servicemen, and 4000 years of armed conflict to reference for ideas (history is our best teacher). #usavsaliens
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Makidian
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
Even though I put this below, I want to officiate it again by saying Teddy Roosevelt. He is the majority on the thread because he is the only president who could take them on properly. They would come in guns blazing at dawn and they'd be shining his shoes at dusk. #usavsaliens
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Chip Overclock
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
Harry Truman. He was president when the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was formed. He'd support the Near Earth Aerospace Treaty Organization (NEATO). #usavsaliens
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se7a7n7
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
Ronald Reagan was really into this stuff... #usavsaliens
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cletar
10/24/09

@se7a7n7: Franklin Roosevelt would be better than Reagan. FDR actually won a global shooting war for Earth dominance. #usavsaliens
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wingdynasty001
10/24/09

@cletar: Reagan led the free world to victory in a NON-shooting war for Earth dominance. I'd prefer to go that route.
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cletar
10/24/09

@wingdynasty001: No he didn't. You're confusing him with Gorbachev, the guy who ended the Cold War. #usavsaliens
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antimatty
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
TEDDY ROOSEVELT . the most badass president of all time , and one of the most badass americans of all time. there doesn't need to be a list of five people . we only need the one. #usavsaliens
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Atomictao
10/24/09

@antimatty: Tales From the Bully Pulpit was a one-off comic that featured Teddy Roosevelt and the ghost of Thomas Edison fighting, among other things, martians.

Teddy knew his stuff. Bully! #usavsaliens
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Makidian
10/24/09

@antimatty: That's exactly what I was going to say! Teddy would eliminate the need for a list because he would take out the people on the list and take out the aliens. #usavsaliens
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cletar
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
You know Eisenhower basically conquered Europe, right? With modern weapons and airpower and whatnot? He might be a little better equipped than 18th or 19th century guys to fight a space-age enemy. If you are going for a president who was also a general, the guy who beat Hitler might be a better choice than one of the pre-industrial dudes. FDR also has a pretty good track record as a war-fighter.

But Nixon? Are you frakkin' serious? In addition to being batshit insane, he also has a crappy record, military victory-wise. Vietnam was not, you know, a victory.
Loser + crazy = not a good choice #usavsaliens
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Star Kid: Romulus Rex
10/24/09

@cletar: I 'll just leave this here... #usavsaliens
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cletar
10/24/09

@Star Kid: Romulus Rex: Oohh. I didn't realize you meant Robot Nixon. I thought you meant tragically flawed crazy-ass Meat Nixon.

My apologies. #usavsaliens
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caritas
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
Eisenhower, anyone? He was a five star general during WWII, where he also held the title of Supreme Commander of the Allied forces. #usavsaliens
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txtphile
10/24/09

In reply to #5: Richard Nixon
Only Nixon could go to Ceti Alpha V. #politicalsciencefiction
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txtphile
10/24/09

In reply to #2: Teddy Roosevelt
Everyone knows lasers auto-cauterize. Lightsabers, too. #politicalsciencefiction
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gutlesswonder
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
It's a tie between Teddy Roosevelt and Andrew Jackson.

There are no other correct answers #usavsaliens
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cletar
10/24/09

In reply to #5: Richard Nixon
I would like to point out that Nixon was unable to actually win the one war he actually prosecuted. I'm not sure I would want America's second-worst president at the helm when the aliens land. #politicalsciencefiction
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LegalizeRoofies
10/25/09

@cletar: You can't blame Nixon for the catastrophe of Vietnam, the four presidents that were involved before him didn't do any better. He actually managed to get the troops out. And before you go off saying that I'm just a blind republican, I'm Canadian, and I just studied Korea and Vietnam in political science, so not biased. #politicalsciencefiction
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cletar
10/25/09

@LegalizeRoofies: Nixon didn't start Vietnam, but he ran the war longer than anyone else, and he was the author of it's conclusion. He owned plenty of the catastrophe. He would have been president when South Vietnam was finally over-run, too, if he hadn't already been forced out of office for being one of the worst, most corrupt presidents ever. I wouldn't put Johnson or Kennedy on the list, either. All I'm saying is, if the question is "which president is the best war-fighter," no way is the answer Nixon. No way is Nixon better than FDR, Eisenhower, or even Lincoln. To any question "what president would be best at X," the answer is pretty much NRVER Nixon, unless x= "screwing things up." #politicalsciencefiction
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richardmkeane
10/25/09

Nixon was no saint, but the man was the first President who stopped writing off China as an evil power tied to Russia and re opened diplomatic relations. This redefined the diplomacy of the Cold War, turning China into a possible ally against a hostile Russia. Despite Nixon's corruption, he was able to change 20th century politics, and stopped the United States from their backward US vs any communist thinking. With an alien invasion looming Nixon's diplomatic prowess would be a great asset. I'd mark him up a few points.
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cletar
10/25/09

@richardmkeane: Nixon's diplomatic prowess is over-rated. It was more a matter of China opening up to the US than the US opening China. Nixon happened to be president when China opened the door. The China-USSR split was not Nixon's doing. #politicalsciencefiction
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Mathmos
10/24/09

In reply to 5 US Presidents Best Equipped To Handle An Alien Invasion
Just to be a contrarian, I'll mention Jimmy Carter, who trained for engineering officer on a nuclear sub, negotiated a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel, and saw a UFO. #usavsaliens
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antimatty
10/24/09

@Mathmos: bah. jimmy carter? #usavsaliens
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Mathmos
10/25/09

@antimatty: you're not amused? #usavsaliens
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