Greatest American

[TheAnalyst]

Here is the top 25.

[web]http://tv.channel.aol.com/greatestamerican[/web]

Most of these I can almost live with. Our current president does not belong there or Bill Clinton or Oprah or Lance. Guess it depends on your definition of great.

The top 100 list is here.

[web]http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/gr ... op100.html[/web]

Interesting names here are Rush Limbaugh, Michael Moore, Tom Cruise and Madonna.

So who is your greatest American?

[Gunner18]

Gen John A Lejuene
Capt. Samuel Nichols
Gen. Michael Hagee
Sgt. Maj. Estrada

[once a runner]

I can't see how anyone can put sports figures or actors on this list. They may be great at what they do, but in the long run, their impact on society is minimal and fleeting. How many of these people will still be famous in 100 or 500 years? Those who are still known for positive achievements are the greatest.

With that being said, my vote goes to Thomas Edison.

[count2infinity]

I'd have to go with FDR...getting America through one of the toughest times in History. I'd also have to go with every firefighter and police officer in NYC during 9/11

[fleaflicker]

Much of the list doesn't make sense. What are Michael Moore and Rush Limbaugh doing on there? Same with Brett Farve, especially noting the absense of Joe Montana, Peyton Manning, John Elway, Terry Bradshaw, and other great QBs. This is obviously biased towards today's world.

Lance Armstrong and Jesse Owens belong because they made an impact on sports at an international level and brought honor to our country.

Otherwise, many of today's musicians don't belong on there, especially Michael Jackson. He's in court for molesting kids, and guilty or not, the man is really messed up in the head. I would be ashamed to have him on that list. But where is Andrew 'Old Hickory' Jackson, the one that guided his troops through the battle of New Orleans?

So for some people that do belong: Neil Armstrong, Lance Armstrong, Andrew Jackson, Ray Charles, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Abe Lincoln, and Jesse Owens.

At the very top of the list, are the two greatest: George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Any order could be argued, but those are the two most influential men in our country's history.

[Gunner18]

sports stars dont get remembered....thats a good one...i guess babe ruth candybars were named after some betty homemaker from the 60's. i guess pele (although not American) did nothing for society.

to say that sports figures do nothing for society is quite laughable....think about it...how much revenue does the sports industury bring into the United States economy every year...heck even every day....what about the welfare and morale of the citizens of this country...if it werent for sports, america would go to hades in a hand basket, and you can mark my words on that!

[DCPassarelli]

Greatest scientist:
Nikola Tesla. Though maybe not as famous as Edison, he had a much greater impact on America. Unless of course you want a power plant every five miles or so.

Greatest politician: This is a hard one, as there are few good choices and the good choices are so close.
I am going to go with Eisenhower. By far one of the best presidents (even if 11th man somehow convinced a group of 20 people Nixon was better).

Greatest Military Mind:
George Marshall. How did he not make the list?

Overall greatest American ever? Thomas Jefferson.

[El-Moldo]

The Baby Ruth candybar was named after the daughter of President and Mrs. Grover Cleveland.

[El-Moldo]

Too bad Thomas Jefferson today is known more for having relations with a female slave than for all those other things he did.

[Pale Rider]

I agree that list is slanted towards celebs and modern athletes. They should be on lists of similar nature. Michael Moore? Ellen Degeneres? What a farce.