March Madness - Presidential Edition
March Madness - Presidential Edition
Before you spend the rest of your day wondering why you picked Ohio State to win the title, check out this other disappointment from the Buckeye state. Next edition of presidential rankings!
We are at the halfway mark of March Madness. Sixteen college basketball teams remain. Each one has survived – literally, the death plague, along with unusual game protocols and environments – and now are a weekend away from the Final Four and a place in history.
How are your brackets doing?
What a perfect time to chime in with our next two presidential rankings! These guys caused their own March Madness as soon as they were sworn in – which was March, in case you miss the joke.
There is nothing particularly sweet about these subsequent two presidents, other than the fact we as a country overcame their terrible leadership.
Let’s get after it – finishing up the 40’s!
41: Warren Harding
29th President
2017 Ranking: 41
2019 Ranking: 41
Term – March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923
The Good:
Harding appointed Herbert Hoover Commerce Secretary, which was an excellent choice at the time. That's all I got, really.
The Bad:
Harding was president for just over two years, and in those two years, 77.8% of the people he appointed to office were corrupt. It’s a proven stat. Even the friends he brought from Ohio were considered a gang, and that gang had a name - called the Ohio Gang.
The Ugly:
It has been discovered Warren had multiple extramarital affairs before and during his time in office. One woman, Nan Britton, claimed they did it in the White House and that Harding was her child's father. Wild stuff.
Why did I rank him here?
The bottom third of these rankings can be shuffled around like the chairs on the deck of the Titanic. Harding didn't serve out a full term, but man, what half of term it was. Albert Fall, his Secretary of Interior, is the only convicted cabinet member, coining the term “Fall Guy.” That’s pretty awesome.
40: Franklin Pierce
14th President
2017 Ranking: 40
2019 Ranking: 40
Term – March 4, 1853 – April 4, 1857
The Good:
If you watch a lot of Fox News, you’ll be glad to know that Pierce almost single handily brought down the Democrat Party rule. If only Tucker Carlson was born two centuries earlier.
The Bad:
The Pierce administration can be summed up by the election of 1856. At the Democratic Party national convention, Pierce became the only elected president not to be nominated for reelection while actively seeking the nomination. Ouch.
The Ugly:
Our presidents, 12-15, were pretty terrible. However, in their defense, they were put into this position because they were viewed as uniters – or so supporters thought. If you thought Pierce was terrible, check out the guy who replaced him.
Why did I rank him here?
I sorta feel bad for Pierce. His son died in a train accident shortly after he was elected. I don’t believe Pierce ever recovered from that. He began drinking heavily, tried to appease everyone, which is a strategy destined for failure.
40: Franklin Pierce
14th President
2017 Ranking: 40
2019 Ranking: 40
Term – March 4, 1853 – April 4, 1857
The Good:
If you watch a lot of Fox News, you’ll be glad to know that Pierce almost single handily brought down the Democrat Party rule. If only Tucker Carlson was born two centuries earlier.
The Bad:
The Pierce administration can be summed up by the election of 1856. At the Democratic Party national convention, Pierce became the only elected president not to be nominated for reelection while actively seeking the nomination. Ouch.
The Ugly:
Our presidents, 12-15, were pretty terrible. However, in their defense, they were put into this position because they were viewed as uniters – or so supporters thought. If you thought Pierce was terrible, check out the guy who replaced him.
Why did I rank him here?
I sorta feel bad for Pierce. His son died in a train accident shortly after he was elected. I don’t believe Pierce ever recovered from that. He began drinking heavily, tried to appease everyone, which is a strategy destined for failure. There is a university in New Hampshire named after this dude.