[Adam Y.]

Apart from George Washington, none of the Founding Fathers made it into the list of “Greatest Americans.” That’s incredible! In my opinion, the list begins and ends there.

Ummmm.. There are four founding fathers on that list. Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson and Washington are on the list. (Ehhh perhaps Hamiliton isn't a founding father but close enough) To be honest I like this list and sure you can point to a few people and make a case against them but the vast majority of them deserve to be on that list. In fact Im surprised that some of these people are on the list considering the fact that they would not be my first,second,third, or even forth choice.

I have nothing against these people personally, but I'm wondering for anyone who doesn't have issues with this list (mainly you, wetzel ) what qualities you see in the following people that make them deserving of being named to such a list:

Tom Cruise
Clint Eastwood
Brett Favre
Mel Gibson
Tom Hanks
Michael Jordan
Madonna
Elvis Presley
Babe Ruth
Arnold Schwarzenegger (He's a body builder, made movies, and became governor through an election that featured a porn star, and a midget actor as candidates. So what?)
Frank Sinatra
Martha Stewart (This one really irks me. HOW did she get on this list?)
Tiger Woods
:

Clint Eastwood won the Kennedy Center Honor which honors people for their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts. Tom Hanks is a member of a organization that supports space endavours like the x-prize and created a miniseries based on the Apollo program. Elvis. Well let me just quote wikipedia.

In 1977 President Carter was quoted to say "Elvis Presley's death deprives our country of a part of itself. He was unique and irreplaceable. His music and his personality, fusing the styles of white country and black rhythm and blues, permanently changed the face of American popular culture. His following was immense and he was a symbol to people the world over, of the vitality, rebelliousness, and good humor of his country. Or as James Brown once put it, 'he taught white America to get down.'"

Tiger woods faced racism and completely changed the world of golf because of ethnicity. Im stopping now. Im tired of searching through wikipedia. PS. You forgot Michael Jackson in your list.