Note: #1 seed Rutherford Hayes, born in Delaware, Ohio, receives a first round bye.
#2 George W. Bush - 43rd President: George W. Bush is the former owner of the Texas Rangers, a baseball club heralding the proud tradition of Western lawmen. Early on, Bush was quite the party boy, known for having battled alcoholism and drug abuse. He may not be the most trustworthy of fellows and W. is well-known for pursuing a war to reconcile his Daddy’s vendetta. Additionally, there was controversy around his supposed service in the National Guard. Not known for his intellectual prowess, he did read 14 Lincoln biographies while President.
#11 Benjamin Harrison - 23rd President: Harrison was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison and served in Union Army as Brigadier General, though history has troubling remembering anything remarkable he did while in service. His administration is remembered most for economic legislation, including the McKinley Tariff and the Sherman Antitrust Act, and for annual federal spending that reached one billion dollars for the first time. He died from influenza in the years following his Presidency.
#3 William Taft - 27th President: Taft owns the honorable distinction of being the only President to also serve as Chief Justice. While serving as War Secretary before he lived in the White House, Taft generally concentrated on major developments, including the Philippines and the Panama Canal, much to the detriment of departmental housekeeping problems, including factionalism within the Department. He didn’t actually want to be President despite his predecessor’s Roosevelt’s strong grooming efforts. Taft was a large man and had to special order a bathtub big enough for him to get in, which we think helps him in battle.
#10 Calvin Coolidge - 30th President: In 1919, in response to rumors that the Boston Police Department planned to form a union, Police Commissioner Edwin U. Curtis issued a statement saying that such a move would not be tolerated. Coolidge would have none of it. “There is no right to strike against the public safety by anyone, anywhere, any time," he said, gaining a reputation for being a hard-ass.
#4 Grover Cleveland - 22nd and 24th President: When given the option to fight in the Civil War, Cleveland instead paid $150 to a Polish immigrant to serve in his place. That said, he did serve as Sheriff of Erie County and personally executed two murderers. Cleveland was the leader of the pro-business Bourbon Democrats who opposed high tariffs, Free Silver, inflation, imperialism and subsidies to business, farmers or veterans. Cleveland won praise for his honesty, independence, integrity, and commitment to the principles of classical liberalism.
#9 Lyndon B Johnson - 36th President: Johnson ascended to the presidency following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He was responsible for designing the "Great Society" legislation that included laws that upheld civil rights, public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid, environmental protection, aid to education, and his "War on Poverty." Johnson was renowned for his domineering personality and the "Johnson treatment," his coercion of powerful politicians in order to advance legislation. Johnson escalated American involvement in the Vietnam War, from 16,000 American advisors/soldiers in 1963 to 550,000 combat troops in early 1968, despite never actually “being at war.”
#5 Abraham Lincoln - 16th President: Reared in a poor family on the western frontier, Lincoln was mostly self-educated, and became a country lawyer, a Whig Party leader and Illinois state legislator during the 1830s. Due to his preoccupations with Mary Todd, his clinically insane wife, and his ability to get lost in his own thoughts, Lincoln may not be so focused on the battlefield. However, he was extremely politically savvy, exemplified by one of his most famous feats: the Emancipation Proclamation, which, in truth, only ended slavery in southern, rebel states.
#8 Franklin Pierce - 14th President: Pierce served as a Brig. Gen. in the Mexican-American war, enlisting in the volunteer services. As a leader of men, Pierce took command of a brigade of reinforcements for Winfield Scott's army marching on Mexico City. During a battle, Pierce was seriously wounded in the leg when he fell from his horse. He returned to his command the following day, but during the Battle of Churubusco, the pain in his leg became so great that he passed out and had to be carried from the field. Bitch.
#6 Harry Truman - 33rd President: Truman served in WWI as a Battery Commander and was known to maintain order of a division long known for poor discipline. He is most well- known for dropping two bombs on Japan, one in Hiroshima and one in Nagasaki that led to the end of WWII. Tensions with the Soviet Union following the aftermath indirectly caused the Cold War. Scary.
#7 Richard Nixon - 37th President: Fun facts: his Middle name was “Milhous” and Nixon was given a commendation in the Navy, receiving two stars for his effort but saw no actual combat. He was a known alcoholic and paranoid (android), the latter of which led to a whole bunch of taped conversations and scandal that led to his downfall. Due to his instability, Nixon may not have the best odds. On the other hand, his cautious nature could keep him out of trouble and propel him far.
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