Historical Precedents of Americans Wanting a Bully For President

If you were to Google, "bully for President," a name likely to come up is New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. 

Well, the former big guy and poster adult for gastric bypass is having a bad week after his staff closed an important bridge in Garden State because the Democratic mayor of the city did not work for his re-election.  

Despite his attempts to get out of the potential mess, this big lug and bully, is trying to appear more likeable at his press conferences.  He now faces scrutiny of an alleged mishandling of Hurricane Sandy funds to make an advertisement showing he and the lovely Mrs. Christie and children on the Jersey shore. (Anyone knows that video was self-serving.) 

But regardless of his antics and if deemed not criminal, this skilled politician has arrived at a time in history that Americans may be ready for a bully to become President.  

Until the recent budget crisis, Obama was the poster child for the saying, "Nice guys finish last."  And wing- nut Republicans attempted to make Obama a lame duck President in the first year of his second term as President.  

Obama did not get to his position for just being a nice guy.  Behind the scenes ---heads have rolled in his administration and he quickly distanced himself from any potential embarrassments as his former minister and friends the Reverend Wright during his first run for President.

Let's face it not being a nice guy is not unique to Presidents, senators, and governors.

In the private sector both men and women have been ruthless climbing over others to get to the top of the corporate ladder.

So just maybe, Chris Christie's time has come.   People know he is a jerk---who twists peoples' arms--- but at least he gets things done.  

Excluding the current President, circulating there are many lists of which the Top 10 Presidents have been. 

Depending on who composed the list there is a general consensus that the following men were very significant leaders and managed to get things done and probably bullied a few people during their Presidency.

Abraham Lincoln (number one on every list) 

Franklin Roosevelt   (optimistic crippled womanizer who got us through WW2 and Great Depression---disliked by many Republicans) 

Woodrow Wilson  (yup, a former New Jersey Governor guided  us through WW1) 

Harry Truman  (not bad for a high school graduate and not too successful small store owner being allowed to have an A-bomb to nuke Japan) 

Lyndon Johnson  (most definitely a bully and is now popping  up on many lists,  though intensely disliked by many Americans for the Vietnam War)

James K. Polk  (this guy successfully fulfilled  100% of his campaign promises) 

George Washington  (father of our country etc.) 

Thomas Jefferson (increased United States size with Louisiana Purchase)  

Andrew Jackson (appears on some lists---but was the poster child for being a political bully who took no prisoners)

Bill Clinton (managed strong economy and redefined oral sex as not being sex)

Theodore Roosevelt   (trust buster and advocate for a larger navy as well as consumer and worker rights---and yes a stuffed animal was named after him)

    

John F. Kennedy   (good looks, lovely wife and death made him a legend---progressive press saint)

Ronald Reagan   (was he in charge or just acting?)

Dwight Eisenhower   (an extinct example of a good and patriotic Republican)