The 12 Worst Presidents We Almost Had
![The 12 Worst Presidents We Almost Had](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/3/0/0/892300_320x180.jpg)
Ah, the history of presidential hopefuls! It’s a fascinating and sometimes strange journey, full of colorful characters and unexpected twists and turns. From Henry Ford, who refused to run because of his controversial views about Jews, to Dan Rice, the 19th century celebrity who tried to run for president but had to drop out, to David Duke, the former KKK leader who won a seat in the Louisiana House of Representatives, to George Wallace, whose campaign was funded by wealthy oilmen and famous people, to John G. Schmitz, whose bigotry paid off in the form of a million votes, to Pigasus the Immortal, who was arrested for his presidential run, to Joseph Smith, the religious leader who wanted to bring about a moral revival but was killed before he could become president, to "Nobody," who got 43% of the vote, including ours, had we been alive.
This list is a testament to the potential of human ambition, and the sometimes unpredictable outcomes of those ambitions, and the frequently appalling levels of morals and/or brainpower behind that ambition.
Mess-maker-in-chief.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS ROSEANNE BARR In 2012, Roseanne announced her run for president as the Green Party candidate on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Her campaign slogan was, vote for me, I'll fix this mess! With the benefit of hindsight, we sort of dodged a bullet. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/7/891587.jpg)
Moral revivalist, polygamist, president-hopeful.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS JOSEPH SMITH (Yes, that one) The religious leader wanted to bring about a moral revival. Не was killed in 1844 before he could become president, but his secret life of polygamy and his marriage to a 14-year-old girl kind of tarnished his reputation. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/9/0/891590.jpg)
Bigotry pays off -- but only so much.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS GEORGE WALLACE Wallace, a 1968 presidential candidate who was a white supremacist and really anti-big government guy, did surprisingly well, winning five Southern states. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/9/2/891592.jpg)
OK, bigotry does not always pay off.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS A GUY TOO BIGOTED FOR THE RIGHT WING Conservative John G. Schmitz ran for president in 1972 with the American Independent Party. Не got over a million votes, but was forced to leave the party in 1973 after offensive comments about minorities, LGBTQ+ people, and pro-choice advocates. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/8/891588.jpg)
Segregationist wins (some of the) South.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS STROM THURMOND Thurmond ran for a party that wanted states to have more power in 1948, and won in four Southern states. His campaign was based on segregation, and it was basically as racist as you'd expect. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/9/1/891591.jpg)
Failed presidential hopeful.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS IA FAMOUS CLOWN Dan Rice was a 19th-century entertainer and clown who was a huge celebrity, and even tried to run for president in 1868, but had to drop out when it became clear he wouldn't win. Just imagine the presidential portrait we could have had. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/9/891589.jpg)
Challenge accepted, Gary.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS A GUY TOO DUMB TO HIDE HIS CHEATING In 1987, Gary Hart was the top pick for the Democratic nomination for president. Не dared the press to follow him around and prove the gossip about his cheating. Five days later, he quit the race after reporters spotted him with a woman at his place. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/6/891586.jpg)
Democrats’ plan: fail.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS A DEAD GUY In 1872, the Democrats decided to support Horace Greeley, the candidate of the Liberal Republicans, to beat Ulysses S. Grant. Unfortunately, he died after the polls closed-and so, interestingly, his votes got split up among four other candidates. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/3/891583.jpg)
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration/Wiki Commons
Ford: "No Jews."
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS HENRY FORD Ford was a popular choice for president in 1924, but he decided not to run because he didn't want to get involved in politics, and had some... uh... controversial views about Jews. History is thankful to him for that choice. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/2/891582.jpg)
KKK leader to ... politician?
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS DAVID DUKE The former leader of the Ku Klux Klan, attempted to become the governor of Louisiana in 1991 and ran for president in 1980, 1988 and 1992. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/1/891581.jpg)
Nobody wins 43%.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS FLURIBU NOBODY In 1976, a campaign to elect Nobody for president became popular and they traveled around the U.S. to spread the word. On election day, a huge celebration was held when 43% of all eligible voters had voted for nobody. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/4/891584.jpg)
Pigasus: Imprisoned, not elected.
![PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS EU CAR PIGASUS THE IMMORTAL The 1968 Democratic Convention saw a group called the Yippies nominate an actual pig, named Pigasus the Immortal, for president. Unfortunately, he was arrested shortly after at a press conference. Anyway, politics just isn't what it once was. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/8/5/891585.jpg)