Who Is The Best Looking U.S. President Of All Time?
I was reminded today of the commonly held belief that since the advent of mass media – good looks is a critical advantage in winning the Presidency of the United States. So out of sheer curiosity (a common refrain in this blog), I pulled together the images of all 42 Presidents courtesy of the White House website. Are the Presidents of the mass media generation better looking? Who is the best looking President of all-time? Judge for yourself…












































Not sure that Nixon, LBJ, or Bush I would be considered “good looking”
The best – looking President is Barack Obama.
Obama is UGLY looks like his breath reeks of stank with purple lips and gums big ears yuck
All the presidents are ugly! Obama is the most best looking of them, accept it.
Interesting question. IMHO, I agree that the more recent presidents — of the mass media generation — are generally more good-looking. Excluding them, I’d say Franklin Pierce, FDR and Eisenhower, in that order.
While I’m not sure good looks is a pre-requisite to win in the mass media generation, it clearly was not a pre-requisite in the earlier days. Some of those guys look just a bit on the scary side if you ask me.
Franklin Pierce or Andrew Jackson — based on National Gallery portraits and not the images offered.
Franklin Pierce was nominated in part because he was good looking. Millard Fillmore and Chester Arthur were considered very good looking and well-dressed for their times. Warren Harding was also considered good looking in his day. I would assume most people alive today would pick Kennedy or Reagan.
Kennedy had the advantage of being in office when he was younger, but I assume he would have aged poorly. Or just died young.
I’m an actor of solo history — one-man shows. I “do” Calvin Coolidge and John Quincy Adams. http://www.crankyyankees.net After a Coolidge performance at the LBJ Library in Austin, TX back in the 1980s I spoke with an elderly lady who, as a girl had met Warren Harding. She said with considerable feeling, “He was the handsomest man I ever met!” Another lady recalled sitting on Calvin Coolidge’s knee and said it was very “bony.”
George Washington, of course! After all, he was British, albeit disloyally so.
Based on these pictures, I guess Ulysses Grant and Teddy Roosevelt. Taft gets honorable mention because I dig his ‘stache.
you’re glasses are very foggy.
president obama is the best looking president a man with some color and a nice snile slim and cool all roll into a nice packagage there is no way anyone of these other pale face can come close
Yuck he’s ugly you have bad taste he looks like he stanks BAD
You are very stupid!
http://mattoneal.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/young-ronald-reagan.jpg
/thread
Reagan is handsome
JOHN F KENNEDY!! You don’t get better than that! I mean come on! Marilyn Monroe WANTED him!!!!
I don’t think any are good looking, but if I had to pick one, probably Franklin D. Roosevelt.
He’s good looking I like Ronald Reagan he was handsome
There are some pretty stupid comments here…
-George Washington because he was “British”, Obama because “pale” men are “unattractive”. “only the guys with the mustaches”.
Lets be honest, all but Kennedy, Carter, and Clinton were ugly, except Reagan, he was just old as fuck.
They’re all pretty ugly but I’d have to go with Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Pierce, JFK, George W. Bush, and Jerry Ford.
I would say that all r not that attractive except bush jr., Clinton( he has so much charm), Reagan was cute in a old man way, Obama,grant nd Teddy Roosevelt( I lke his manly way). nd I don’t find Kennedy good looking at all
Come on look at James monroe, much better looking than Kennedy. Cleft chin, wavy hair, he almost looks like a male model. I would say Monroe, Pierce, Clinton and Obama
Yuck Obama he has big ears
Again, you are just very stupid!
I find Obama more sexy than handsome. He’s good-looking, but for me, Pierce and Kennedy win, hands down.
Yeah i know this may sound sorta creepy but I’ve always had a crush on Teddy and that cute little string attached to his glasses lol…..weird I know…then it’d probably be JFK and then Clinton…:-) (disgusting I know)
Every last one of them look digusting. How anyone can find any of these men attractive clearly shows that you all reek with bad taste in good looking men. If I had to choose at least three that I could possibly stomach it would be Obama, Clinton, and Kennedy (and he is not even that great looking either).
Lorna, quit drinking that haterade.
Also, Franklin Pierce is gorgeous.
Oh Please! Obama hands down!!
Obama is not handsome he looks like a dark version of the mad tv cartoon comics mascot
I’d say Polk, then Pierce!!!
Probably Pierce, Grant, Teddy, FDR, JFK, and Clinton.
definitely franklin pierce
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Franklin_Pierce_by_GPA_Healy,_1858.jpg (better portrait?)
No doubt, he’s got presidential stature!
He not bad actually
Warren Harding’s election was an argument against suffrage–he was the first president elected with the help of the women’s vote, a huge failure, and suffrage-opponents said that women had elected him because he was so good-looking.
Franklin Pierce, followed by John Tyler. I have never heard of their names before, but based on the pictures provided, those two look the best. Especially Franklin Pierce. Pierce has what I deem a perfect nose, and his features are all proportional. Great-looking man.
obama is hands the best looking president ever come if you dont think so ur a hater HATERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not a hater but he is not attractive and you are probably a black person
That is an incredibly racist comment and I don’t like your additude. How would you like it if someone came and ragged on all your comment. “Reagan is handsome.” With something as cruel as ‘Reagan handsome!?! What a cracker!’ What a hater.
Commenting on every comment saying Obama is handsome? Yeah, you have no life. Sipping that haterade (stolen from someone above).
Oh, and Reagan is not that good looking.
I’m just saying.
Franklin Pierce…. he looks very charming and he was a real looker
John F Kennedy
hands down
JFK, mmm.
I like Ronald Reagan he was a movie star and Franklin D Roosevelt was handsome too.
There is no doubt that John F. Kennedy is the nicest us President ever
Theodore Roosevelt is the sexiest president to hold the office. The man was pure badass. Plus look up pictures of young Teddy and try not to swoon.
you have to be one of TR’s great grand kids!
I vote for Abe Lincoln. His character almost exudes from his appearance.
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Franklin Pierce. Unf.
well when ronald reagan was younger, he was really good looking. JFK would definitely be on the list too. and probably young FDR.
I would honestly say that all of them are either “ugly”, “butt ugly” or “will do” at best (here I would put Clinton and Obama, he has a friendly and lively face, but still I wouldn’t call him handsome). The thing that I just can’t understand is the fascination with JFK and I strongly suspect that it comes from the fact that when he became the most powerful man on Earth (which women will always dig) he was still quite young.
Other than that, I simply don’t get it, I would go as far as place him between “ugly” and “butt ugly” (granted – closer to the former). His eyes frankly looked like a crossover of a retard with and elderly man – droopy, asymetric and saggy (this might be the effect of the steroids and all the mysterious shit he was taking). I would bet a hundred bucks that if JFK was not the man we know him as, but a nameless dock worker from Brooklyn, not too many women would swoon over him.
And yes, if you’re wondering, I don’t have a life :O
oh my god i am so gland i am the only one that feels this way. to me jfk has a serious case of squirrel face!
JFK all the way!
Franklin Pierce looks like a pretty boy, and his head was sort of a weird shape.
Whether or not Obama is attractive is the most subjective. Some people think black people are hot, others think they’re ugly. I think he’s easy to look at, except for his ears, which poke out too much.
Abe looks like a manly man. He was tall too! Although, he did have really big ears and that mole on his face is distracting, but I still think he’s easy to look at.
JFK looks classy, but his skin was odd because of his disease.
Reagan had wrinkles, but in his prime was probably the best looking of the presidents.
Romney would beat everyone except for Reagan, IMO.
I still don’t think even in this mass media day and age that physical looks make much of a difference in a presidential election in the US, unless whoever is running is flat out hideous. If the American people think a candidate is smart and trustworthy and like the ideas of the candidate, the next most important thing is probably character and personality. Looks come after all that. Of course, I think we proved in 2008 that affirmative action is practiced even in presidential elections, so that is a factor as well, I guess.
Barack Obama is so the best looking president of all!
i’m really not sure… this is a weird topic. But i think all of them are not good-looking.
Reagan when he was young…
Almost too handsome to be a president…
http://reddogreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Reagan-Young-Actor.jpg
Regan is very hand some all time presidents
JFK is the best-looking president. Next would be either Clinton or Obama.
John Tyler’s sihoullette takes my breath away. <3 James Monroe has those adorable eyes.
I really admire Taft's moustache. And Clinton has a charming smile.
I think the concept of who or what “good looking” changes with time. I believe that all the presidents were generally considered good looking in their era. Often over time, the same question has different answers – it’s what makes life interesting.
Bill Clinton
I think Thomas Jefferson is the best looking. Also, he’s probably the most intelligent president ever.
1. Pierce Top 5
2. FDR
3. Monroe
4. Clinton
5. JFK
Franklin Pierce. Barack Obama.
I think that in order to judge a president by their appearances, we should first evaluate the time period he lived in, his character on the inside, and his appearance at a younger age. For example, Washington was a very good looking man when he was young. He didn’t age well- but given all the responsibility he was given, that’s not surprising. Washington was only in his mid- sixties when he was president, but he looked a lot older. I think the way that Washington carried himsef and presented himself is an attractive quality in a man. James Monroe was reasonably attractive when he was younger as well. I think Franklin Pierce was handsome, but as he aged he had a rough and rugged look about him. I think Reagan was probably a good looking man when he was younger, he had some really nice, even features. I personally don’t find Barack Obama attractive but I can see where other women might. I do find his deep voice to be mildy attractive though.
It goes without saying!
3) Franklin Pierce 2) Bill Clinton 3) John F Kennedy
John F. Kennedy……..it’s not even close!