Everyone has their own opinion when it comes to what makes a truly great president of the United States, and Monday The Star-News asked locals to name their favorite leader, past or present, while observing this year’s President’s Day holiday.

At Lurleen B. Wallace Community College in Andalusia, Shelby Brashaw was quick with an answer.

“Lyndon Johnson, because of what he did with the war on poverty,” Brashaw said. “He helped a lot of the programs that people depend on today, like basic Social Security and he started Medicare and Medicaid. He also helped kick off the Apollo program, even though Kennedy became famous for it.”

Also at LBW, student Darryl Shepherd said his favorite president was Bill Clinton.

“I would say Clinton because he gave up a lot of modern liberal principals, but he did it for a good cause, which got the budget balanced and gave us one of the biggest surpluses in history,” Shepherd said.

For LBW students Caleb Petty and Lauren Beasley, as well as many others in Covington County, the choice for best president was simple – Abraham Lincoln.

“He provided every person with freedom,” Petty said.

Red Level resident Deidra Lamont concurred.

“(Lincoln) was the most honest president we have ever had, and I’m sure he will be the last,��� she said.

Brandon Jeter, a student at Straughn High School, chose a more recent president.

“George W. Bush, because he refused to bow down to radical Islam,” Jeter said.

Opp resident Ashley Barbaree voiced her opinion through Facebook without saying, or typing, a word. Barbaree simply posted a photo of John F. Kennedy.