Who is the greatest ever American?

[Shuemue]

This thought randomly sprang into my head late last night after I read a reference to King Arthur and wondered whether he was the greatest ever Englishman. I then wondered who you guys would consider the greatest ever American? Who embodies what you believe is the best of your nation?

No poll, just interested to read a few opinions. If it's somebody who you think isn't amazingly well known, add a summary of their most poignant achievements please. Don't feel limited by politics, gender or religion, if you think an author, actor, industrialist or other fits the bill, I'd like to hear why.

[Beckwin]

Paul Bunyan

[Dimmauk]

Matt Lauer did a show in 2005 on this subject.

In the finale the top 5 "Greatest Americans" were announced as well as what percentage of the votes each had received. Votes were taken through a toll free (if calling from a land line) phone number, through text messages from cell phones, and through online voting. Voters were allowed to vote three times per voting method, so anyone had a chance of voting at least nine times. The three states with the most votes being received were California, Texas, and Florida (ranked 1st, 2nd, and 4th in population).

1. Ronald Reagan - 24%
2. Abraham Lincoln - 23.5%
3. Martin Luther King, Jr. - 19.7%
4. George Washington - 17.7%
5. Benjamin Franklin - 14.9%
6. George W. Bush
7. Bill Clinton
8. Elvis Presley
9. Oprah Winfrey
10. Franklin D. Roosevelt
11. Billy Graham
12. Thomas Jefferson
13. Walt Disney
14. Albert Einstein
15. Thomas Alva Edison
16. John F. Kennedy
17. Bob Hope
18. Bill Gates
19. Eleanor Roosevelt
20. Lance Armstrong
21. Muhammad Ali
22. Rosa Parks
23. The Wright Brothers
24. Henry Ford
25. Neil Armstrong

[Charismatic]

Obviously me.
Summary would be too long.

[Shuemue]

Beckwin, who the fuck is he and why?

and I don't give a fuck about a 3 year old poll, I want opinions from people here.

[Norelco]

FDR man...fucker was a 4-termer.

[Mizango]

Paul Bunyan

This is the absolute correct answer.

Why? Because he had a blue Ox named Babe and giant Lumberjacks are the epitome of manly.

[Shuemue]

Forget it, if you wankers can't even be bothered to type out a few lines about notable achievements and such, it's pointless

[Dimmauk]

Forget it, if you wankers can't even be bothered to type out a few lines about notable achievements and such, it's pointless

Yeah not in the mood for a book report at the time.

My answer is Buckaroo Banzai
Dr. Buckaroo Banzai, a physicist, neurosurgeon, Samurai, rock musician, Jet Car driver, and comic book hero, saved the world by defeating a band of inter-dimensional aliens called Red Lectroids from Planet 10.

[Iced]

Harriet Tubman, here is a link, don't feel like typing out what she accomplished.

http://americanhistory.about.com/od/...iet_tubman.htm

[Charismatic]

he

[Shuemue]

You're all obviously very proud of your country and inspired by these people.

Awesome.

[Iced]

Sorry, said I didn't feel like typing and it showed.

[Wintermute]

14. Albert Einstein

My history is pretty bad but wasn't Einstein German? Or was the list for people with US nationality?

[Headspace]

Jack Bauer.

[Ksandra]

My history is pretty bad but wasn't Einstein German? Or was the list for people with US nationality?

He helped invent a bomb that almost wiped out a country. IF that's not american I don't know what is. :/

[Isiolia]

Offhand, I'd say Abe Lincoln.


Paul Bunyan was one of the subjects of "tall tales". Seriously, huge lumberjack, giant blue Ox named babe, etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bunyan

I think it's an odd comparison to make. I'm sure if you had to pick a completely historical figure for Britain, Arthur would probably not be the top. He embodies the ideals, perhaps, but the real Arthur (assuming there was one, as historical evidence is sketchy), wouldn't have done half the stuff attributed to him.

We've got plenty of historical figures with grand accomplishments, but so does England, and many other nations. For the most part I'd say that the closest we get to something like King Arthur would be some of founding fathers...but the trend has been more towards finding the skeletons in their closets than building their legends it seems.

[quannum]

shigeru miyamoto

.. o wait

Rodney Mullen (fuck daewon)

also thomas jefferson and thomas paine.

[Daeman]

George Washington Carver

He invented Peanut Butter! It goes with everything!

[Maxxthepenguin]

My history is pretty bad but wasn't Einstein German? Or was the list for people with US nationality?

He did almost all of his work here and lived almost all of his life here.