Outside the Beltway

20 GREATEST AMERICANS

· Monday, July 21, 2003 · 4 comments

John Hawkins of Right Wing News sent out a survey to 90-odd bloggers last Friday asking us to list, in no particular order, up to twenty people we considered to be “the greatest Americans.” The results are up.

Since John asked us to keep the project a secret until he had the list compiled, and I put mine together over the weekend from home, I don’t have my list with me. Still, all of the figures on the consensus list except Lincoln, MLK, FDR, Hamilton, Patton, Grant, Paine, Douglass, and Truman were on mine. If he’d occured to me, Hamilton would have made mine. Lincoln, FDR, Patton, Paine, and Truman occured to me but I omitted them for various reasons.

FILED UNDER: Religion, ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Paul says:
    Monday, 21 July 2003 at 09:33

    You should post your list when you’re able James. I’d be interested in seeing your choices, as I’m sure others would. I’m curious about your other nine.

  2. Paul says:
    Monday, 21 July 2003 at 13:42

    Hamilton would have made mine

    huh- I woulda lost that bet. You don’t seem too Hamiltonian.

  3. James Joyner says:
    Monday, 21 July 2003 at 13:49

    Paul (Sanity’s Edge): Will do.

    Paul (*@b..com): I disagree with much of Hamilton’s thinking, but he’s undeniably one of the more important figures in US history. Lincoln and FDR qualify in that regard, too, but I think the problems they caused outweigh their good.

  4. Paul says:
    Monday, 21 July 2003 at 22:40

    I disagree with much of Hamilton’s thinking

    OK, I feel better, thanks.

    P

    —

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