For those of you not in the know, the Discovery Channel ran a "Greatest American" series of programs back in June. I think I may have been part of the survey that generated the original nominees. Through viewer polling they finally reached a final five: George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Ronald Reagan. Not bad company to be in, eh? --Especially if you're Ronald Reagan.
I was surprised to see him make the top five, honestly. Let's compare the field.... George Washington: charismatic, "Father of Our Country," leader of the Continental Army, and landslide-winner as our first President; as much responsible for shaping the trappings of the Presidency as the Constitution is. Benjamin Franklin: charismatic, "The First American," instrumental in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, statesman, author, scientist. Abraham Lincoln: a quiet, strong leader who led the country through the Civil War, preserving the Union and thereby the idea that "all men are created equal." Martin Luther King, Jr.: charismatic, eloquent speaker, the embodiment of the Civil Rights movement. Ronald Reagan: charismatic, actor, statesman, politician.
Now, we can all debate until we're blue in the face how responsible Reagan was for the downfall of communism, or his place in the top five. But the masses have spoken, and they ranked him the greatest American.
Honestly, I'm as baffled as you are.
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