CNN article title that made me chuckle.

[Ben E Lou]

Obama looking for 'whose ass to kick' - CNN.com

That made me laugh, not for political reasons, but because I started picturing each President in my lifetime, and whether he could hold his own in a fistfight. Here's my take.

Obama--PRO: Grew up biracial in a time when that was tough. CON: Yeah, but it was in Hawaii and Indonesia. That's not like fightin' the powers that be in Alabama or Mississippi.

Dubya--CON: privileged rich kid. PRO: probably got in a few drunken Texas brawls in his younger, wilder days.

Clinton--PRO: Played rugby. CON: Clearly Bill is a lover, not a fighter.

Poppa Bush--PRO: Survived a jump from an airplane the Japs hit in WWII. Oh yeah, and he completed his bombing mission with his plane on fire before he bailed out. Yeah, uh, to paraphrase Dana Carvey: "Not gonna fight him."

Reagan--PRO: Played football in high school. CON: Was in the drama club in high school.

Carter--PRO: He's from Georgia. Duh. CON: Can you picture Jimmy Carter *ever* getting in a fight???

Ford--PRO: Played college football. CON: It was at Michigan. Plus, his real name was Leslie. And talk about *clumsy!*

Nixon--PRO: Perhaps the cussin'-est President ever, if you ever listened to those tapes. CON: Even apart from Watergate, he was perhaps the most weasel-y lawyer type President ever.

LBJ--PRO: Generally known as a tough-guy Texan who *asked* to be put in combat duty in WWII.
CON: Some say his Silver Star was the most undeserved ever.

So, there ya have it. I'm going with Poppa Bush as the President in my lifetime most likely to issue a beatdown, and Jimmy Carter as the least likely.

On the others:

LIKELY: LBJ, Ford, Dubya
UNLIKELY: Nixon, Obama
VERDICT IS OUT: Reagan, Clinton

[Neon_Chaos]

I'd turn that Indonesia thing into a pro.

Living in the third world, you need to know how to fight.

[JediKooter]

Teddy Roosevelt would kick all the other presidents asses combined.

[Ksyrup]

I thought quote had something to do with the Galarraga perfect game.

[I. J. Reilly]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Teddy Roosevelt would kick all the other presidents asses combined.

Andrew Jackson will take that challenge

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Teddy Roosevelt would kick all the other presidents asses combined.

I like Teddy, but I don't think anyone was as badass as Andrew Jackson.

[JediKooter]

Bah! Andrew Jackson was just a blow hard bully!

[fantom1979]

Taft was 6', 300lbs. He wins the weigh in.

[Ben E Lou]

Yeah, but none of those were I'm my lifetime. I mean, if Bucc had posted this, then sure, Andrew Jackson hands down.

[digamma]

I think Ford would have kicked 41's white arse. I'd rank them:

1. Ford
2. LBJ
3. Nixon
4. 41
5. 43
6. Obama
7. Clinton
8. Reagan
9. Carter

[molson]

Reagan would be too worried about messing up his pretty face.

Clinton is more the type to get his opponent all riled up, but then have his goon friend take over for the actual fighting part.

What about first ladies? I don't think there was a whole lot of contenders there. Maybe Betty Ford if she could summon drunk strength.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by digamma

I think Ford would have kicked 41's white arse.

Poppa Bush at age 25 vs. Ford at age 25 would be no doubt interesting.

As for the women? Wow. I'd pay to see Hilary vs. Michelle vs. Nancy vs. Lady Bird (again, all at age 25) in a Battle Royal.

[digamma]

I think Hillary was a late bloomer in the battle, so I wouldn't bet on her at 25, but I'd consider her a favorite at 45.

Michelle rules the ring at 25. Nancy just doesn't have the size, and the others...Rosylin, Lady Bird, Babs, really?

[JediKooter]

I have to agree with digamma on Hillary. She was more like Urkel at age 25 than what she is now.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by molson

Clinton is more the type to get his opponent all riled up, but then have his goon friend take over for the actual fighting part.

And hitting on his friend's wife/GF while he's distracted.

[King of New York]

Millard Fillmore--no one would take him seriously because of his name, and he would capitalize on his opponents' cockiness.

[saldana]

a con you missed for nixon - he was a Quaker....was actually exempt from combat duty because of religious pacifism

also a pro for daddy bush...the guy was the head of the CIA...probably knew a thing or two about hurting people

ill take GHWB ftw.

[rowech]

Easily Bush Sr. in my lifetime. I'd go with Jackson all-time but Grant's alcoholism could produce more intensity.

[QuikSand]

Presumably there will be a full-fledged FOFC draft, and then a vote to see whose set of presidents kick the most ass. That's how we do.

[JPhillips]

Ford looks prettt badass here:

[Karlifornia]

William Henry Harrison seems like he'd have the most stamina.

[timmynausea]

Reagan survived getting shot. He's like the 50 cent of presidents.

GHWB has too much of a wimpy personality, I think, to be considered tough.

[JediKooter]

Teddy Roosevelt survived being shot AND gave a 90 minute speech after he was shot.

[DanGarion]

Originally Posted by QuikSand

Presumably there will be a full-fledged FOFC draft, and then a vote to see whose set of presidents kick the most ass. That's how we do.

That will end up being given up on a quarter of the way into it.

[DanGarion]

Harding would bet on the event I'm sure, and lose...

[DanGarion]

Cracked listed the most badass presidents of all time a couple years ago.

1. Teddy
2. Washington
3. JQ Adams
4. Kennedy
5. Jackson

[Greyroofoo]

Adams?

[cuervo72]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

Adams?

YOU FACKS BETTAH BELIEVE IT! YOU GAWTTA LOVE QUINZEE!!!!

[MJ4H]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Poppa Bush--PRO: Survived a jump from an airplane the Japs hit in WWII. Oh yeah, and he completed his bombing mission with his plane on fire before he bailed out. Yeah, uh, to paraphrase Dana Carvey: "Not gonna fight him."

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by JediKooter

Teddy Roosevelt survived being shot AND gave a 90 minute speech after he was shot.

Bored with the presidency, Teddy decided instead to go to Africa on safari with his son Kermit. The kind of safari that involves a staff of 250, takes a year, and involves shooting 1100 animals.

..also was apparently the first American to attain a brown belt in judo, after having his retina detached in a boxing sparring match while president. Good times. But really the getting shot during a speech thing is pretty hard to beat.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by Ben E Lou

Ford--PRO: Played college football. CON: It was at Michigan.

I always heard that southerners were dumb, but it's neat to finally have some confirmation.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Greyroofoo

Adams?

Ya, that one makes no sense. John Quincy worked in politics his entire life. And he looked like this:



Sam, I could see - he was a little rougher around the edges. But was never president.

[Ben E Lou]

Originally Posted by Karlifornia

I always heard that southerners were dumb, but it's neat to finally have some confirmation.

And I always heard that some people on this board are too dumb to understand tongue-in-cheek humor, but it's neat to finally have some confirmation.

Lighten up, Francis.

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

Bored with the presidency, Teddy decided instead to go to Africa on safari with his son Kermit. The kind of safari that involves a staff of 250, takes a year, and involves shooting 1100 animals.

..also was apparently the first American to attain a brown belt in judo, after having his retina detached in a boxing sparring match while president. Good times. But really the getting shot during a speech thing is pretty hard to beat.

Yes! I think he did the African safari for the Smithsonian? He was blind in one eye from that sparring match and kept that secret while president. One of the best quotes I heard regarding his death was something along the lines of: "Death HAD to come while he was sleeping, otherwise there would have been a fight".

[sterlingice]

I love the " Clearly Bill is a lover, not a fighter."

SI

[ISiddiqui]

Originally Posted by molson

Ya, that one makes no sense. John Quincy worked in politics his entire life. And he looked like this:

According to Cracked:

Adams also maintained a strict, Rocky-like regiment of constant exercise that included a swift swim across the Potomac every morning. Even at 58 years old, Adams could reportedly swim the width of the Potomac in an hour. Also, the nudity; Adams famously exercised and swam nude, presumably, in case he ever came across some emergency that needed immediate boning while out exercising.

Also, since we're talking about ridiculous things that JQA did that have nothing to do with being president, he kept a pet alligator in the East Wing of the White House.

[Autumn]

JQA, the pres who will bring an alligator to a fistfight.