Your answer could change the course of human history

[humandoodad]

[Poll #1614717]


Andrew Jackson:
Jackson fought 13 duels, many nominally over his wife's honor. Charles Dickinson, the only man Jackson ever killed in a duel, had been goaded into angering Jackson by Jackson's political opponents. In the duel, fought over a horse-racing debt and an insult to his wife on May 30, 1806, Dickinson shot Jackson in the ribs before Jackson returned the fatal shot; Jackson allowed Dickinson to shoot first, knowing him to be an excellent shot, and as his opponent reloaded, Jackson shot, even as the bullet lodged itself in his chest. The bullet that struck Jackson was so close to his heart that it could never be safely removed. Jackson had been wounded so frequently in duels that it was said he "rattled like a bag of marbles."[53] At times he coughed up blood, and he experienced considerable pain from his wounds for the rest of his life.

On January 30, 1835, what is believed to be the first attempt to kill a sitting President of the United States occurred just outside the United States Capitol. When Jackson was leaving the Capitol out of the East Portico after the funeral of South Carolina Representative Warren R. Davis, Richard Lawrence, an unemployed and deranged housepainter from England, either burst from a crowd or stepped out from hiding behind a column and aimed a pistol at Jackson, which misfired. Lawrence then pulled out a second pistol, which also misfired. It has been postulated that moisture from the humid weather contributed to the double misfiring.[50] Lawrence was then restrained, with legend saying that Jackson attacked Lawrence with his cane, prompting his aides to restrain him. Others present, including David Crockett, restrained and disarmed Lawrence.


Theodore Roosevelt
While Roosevelt was campaigning in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 14, 1912, a saloonkeeper named John Schrank shot him, but the bullet lodged in his chest only after penetrating both his steel eyeglass case and passing through a thick (50 pages) single-folded copy of the speech he was carrying in his jacket. Roosevelt, as an experienced hunter and anatomist, correctly concluded that since he wasn't coughing blood, the bullet had not completely penetrated the chest wall to his lung, and so declined suggestions he go to the hospital immediately. Instead, he delivered his scheduled speech with blood seeping into his shirt.[66] He spoke for 90 minutes. His opening comments to the gathered crowd were, "Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot; but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose." Afterwards, probes and x-ray showed that the bullet had traversed three inches (76 mm) of tissue and lodged in Roosevelt's chest muscle but did not penetrate the pleura, and it would be more dangerous to attempt to remove the bullet than to leave it in place. Roosevelt carried it with him for the rest of his life.

Comments

[impertinence.livejournal.com]

teddy roosevelt always wins.

[cidercupcakes.livejournal.com]

:( (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presidents_Race#Teddy.27s_losses)

I'm still cheering for him though, on account of TR > everyone.

[mwestbelle.livejournal.com]

TR is the baddest prez around, no questions

[strigine.livejournal.com]

I voted for Roosevelt, but Jackson would make him work for it.

[jcalanthe]

This!

[strigine.livejournal.com]

It'd be one of those action-movie climax (heh) scenes where the hero and the villain who use to be his best friend beat the ever-loving shit out of each other. amirite?

[speshope.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Only neither of them would shoot into the air while shouting in frustration because they just couldn't kill the other. They don't roll like that. The other guy would never respect you if you didn't follow through.

[strigine.livejournal.com]

Oh jeez, Teddy would be like "SHOOT ME YOU PUSSY OR I WILL SHOOT MYSELF"

Or something like that.

[jcalanthe]

I am laughing so hard now. Historical Presidents RPF here we come.

[pearldrop.livejournal.com]

Do not even get me started on the glory that is Theodore Roosevelt. The man was outrageous. Amazing. Ridiculous. He once killed a mountain lion with his bare hands. Okay, not quite his hands, he had a knife, but he did what several hunting dogs could not. He CURED HIS OWN DEBILITATING ASTHMA just through being a badass. He used to make political hanger ons swim in the ice cold water of the Potomac just for funsies. Hikers in Rock Creek Park learned to keep an eye out for him, as he liked to run through the park shooting at things just because he could. He convinced the country to go to war for Cuba's freedom, just so he could found the Rough Riders. He had a pet badger. A PET BADGER. When he was living in North Dakota some guys stole his boat. So he tracked them across that godforsaken piece of land and made them give it back. By kicking their asses. He single handedly stop the Germans from invading Venezuela. He was soo badass that when he died, it was said that Death had to take him while he was sleeping because other wise there would have been a fight. Mark Twain called him the most popular human to ever live.

HE DID A LOT OF OTHER REALLY COOL STUFF. BASICALLY, THEODORE ROOSEVELT WAS THE BEST DUDE EVER. MOST. BAD. ASS.

[speshope.livejournal.com]

I am not arguing his bad assery! But, I mean, Andrew Jackson was one mean old cuss and I think he at least has a fighting chance. I mean, they could shoot each other and just keep fighting because tch getting shot? no big deal.

[pearldrop.livejournal.com]

lololol yeah, sorry, I've been reading Theodore Rex and now any time I have the excuse I end up going on these big rambling trips to nowhere about how awesome Teddy Roosevelt is. I admittedly know a lot less about Andrew Jackson, but I know Teddy was no fan of Jackson's. There's this awesome lecture on the Library of Congress' webpage about Theodore Roosevelt as historian and it talks about his opinions on previous presidents. I think it mentioned he didn't care for Jackson. I know he very much disliked Jefferson. Okay, on a tangent again.

[speshope.livejournal.com]

I was totes the same way when I was reading American Lion about Jackson, so I definitely understand. :D &Presidential Nerdery;

[cidercupcakes.livejournal.com]

I think it mentioned he didn't care for Jackson. I know he very much disliked Jefferson.

YESSSSSSS

ME AND TR, WE'RE KINDRED SPIRITS

I have to admit, I'm on Team Teddy partly because of his incredible badassery but also partly just because I fucking hate Jackson a lot. w/e w/e I have to use my history degree for something, having grudges against Presidents is as good a use as any.

[thesleepingkat.livejournal.com]

Your love of history brings me joy.

[speshope.livejournal.com]

Me too! Imagine that. :D

[fleurdeliser.livejournal.com]

COMPELLING ARGUMENTS COULD BE MADE FOR EITHER.

[speshope.livejournal.com]

INORITE? Thus, a totes scientific poll.

[riorhapsody.livejournal.com]

Teddy was more badass but Jackson was fucking crazy. Too close to call.

[speshope.livejournal.com]

This is pretty much my exact thought process before I put up the poll. I imagine Jackson being like a Terminator and Teddy's throwing badgers in his face and shooting him with his elephant hunting gun and he just. keeps. coming. all wild eyed and crazy haired.

[riorhapsody.livejournal.com]

LOLOL YES! I would support Teddy to no end but Andrew Jackson. He was just too crazy for this world.

[happy-coconut.livejournal.com]

SUSIE >:( I HATE THAT I CAN'T ANSWER THIS POLL HOW I WANT TO >:(

[speshope.livejournal.com]

WHAT.

[cool-rain-kiss.livejournal.com]

DAMMIT SUSIE NOW I HAVE BATTLE OF NEW ORLEANS STUCK IN MY HEAD

[speshope.livejournal.com]

:D

[magentatulip.livejournal.com]

This link goes to something very funny, as well as à propos:

http://www.cracked.com/article_15895_the-5-most-badass-presidents-all-time.html

[speshope.livejournal.com]

It was actually another cracked article that got me wondering about it! I love that website.