That’s the consensus of 43 conservative bloggers asked to rank the 25 worst figures in American history. Charles Manson didn’t make the list. Neither did Jeffrey Dahmer or John Wayne Gacy. Or even Jim Jones. An ineffectual one-term president who deregulated the beer industry ranked first, followed by Barack Obama and FDR. McVeigh finished 9th — right behind Ted Kennedy and the president who passed the Civil Rights Act.
This is what happens when rabid partisanship infects the brain. Say goodnight, perspective.
I’d go with John Wilkes Booth, FDR, Obama, Aaron Burr, and Benedict Arnold as my top five. A mass murderer is limited in the damage he does, unlike an anti-American President. Booth is an exception; he wrought Reconstruction whereas we would have had reconciliation instead.
Carter was thankfully limited to one term. He doesn’t make the grade.
Louis Farrakahn would be in my top 25 for the anti-semitism he has spread for nearly 50 years. Few people realize how widespread black muslim recruitment is in the prisons in this country, thanks in no small part to Farrakhan.
McVeigh isn’t a lot worse than John Muhammed, the D.C. sniper, or Ted Bundy. They all deserved to ride the spike, but the long-term damage was minimal.
Tony LaRussa might make my list. I just don’t like him.
The president who led us through WWII is the second-worst figure in American history? Wow. Agreed on LaRussa, however.
Let’s play with blockquote:
McVeigh was at least 3 dimensions worse than a serial killer:
(a) He and Nichols had (and still has) factional support (moral and/or actual).
(b) The difference between blowing up a building full of people and serial killing is the difference between terrorism and murder.
(c) Disruption of government operations and capability was a secondary effect of McVeigh and Co.’s attack. Serial killers do not have that kind of impact.
jack, your rationale for not including carter is he was only limited to four years, but obama has been in office for less than two years and he’s the third worst american figure? please explain.
Kim Jong Il is conscious that his finish is approaching moreover like every capable dictators is in the process of empire building using the set up of his son. A son that wasn’t known about until incredibly recently. How this will likely affect this troubled part of the world remains to be observed. I am certain they will still continue as global outcasts only supported by China and rogue nations