Who is the smartest: Mickey, Donald, Goofy, or Pete?

[Prudence]

Commence discussion.

Based off a debate I had with someone in the real world the other day.

[JEANYLASER]

I voted for Mickey Mouse because he is the smart mouse!

[Prudence]

I'd really like to see reasons here, folks!

[Lazario]

I really haven't seen very much of most of those characters. Mickey is very nice, but I wouldn't call him smart. He is in some of the cartoons, but the ones I saw as a kid- he wasn't all that bright at all. Maybe he was smarter in the black and white cartoons.

I voted for Pete, but to tell you the truth, in one way or another all these characters are pretty dumb. From what I've seen of them.

[Prudence]

Well, the discussion began with wondering who was the least dumb. I voted for Pete because he continually outwits the others.

[WDWLocal]

My vote definetely goes to Mickey on this one.

[Margos]

I voted for Mickey, too. My reasoning is just that:
1. Donald seems average in the IQ department, but when he is angry or too amused, he tends to do really stupid things that end with him getting injured.
2. Goofy is, I think, smart in his own way. He isn't really stupid, he's just simple. But still, he can't seem to do much right on purpose.
3. Pete is pretty clever, but he always loses fights to Mickey (in the older shorts, anyway). Despite having the advantage of brawn, Mickey is able to outwit him.
And so, I think that Mickey is smarter than the other three.... But I think that Minnie has more sense, in the end.

[BelleGirl]

Mickey Mouse is the smartest! You only need to look at "Brave Little Tailor" to know this. Mickey outsmarted a giant none the less. I dont' see Donald or Goofy do that. Pete is the villain so he's got to lose in the end.

[houseofvillains]

Most often, Donald would act more like an adult than Mickey would, but there are times where it would be contrasted. I think on the whole, Mickey would be more mature than Donald would be, but I think that is mostly because of Donald's bad temper. Mickey also seems too holier-than-art-thou nowadays to be that mature, but rarely, would Mickey have a bad temper due to some small mishap. As for Goofy and Pete, yes Goofy is not that smart, honestly he is not, lovable perhaps, but not that bright, and Pete, um, Pete is much brighter than Goofy is, but as with Mickey, Pete seems too into himself to convince the audience that he is that mature, but it is without a doubt, that most often Pete would be smarter than Goofy would be, but then again, Goofy is very thick with his niceness, so there you go, but overall, despite Mickey's "perfect" reputation, Mickey is the most mature in my opinion, enough said.

[jeffsbaker]

I think the votes speak for themselves. Just look at the cartoons.

By the end of each cartoon:

Mickey Mouse has usually found a solution to his problem and saved the day for himself or someone else.

Donald Duck has usually (not always) made his problem worse and not saved the day.

Goofy has usually broken a bone or something else.

Pete loses.