C-SPAN’s Presidential rankings
posted at 8:52 am on February 16, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
C-SPAN celebrates Presidents Day by asking a large panel of historians to rate the former American Presidents on a series of leadership qualities, including public persuasion, crisis leadership, “moral authority”, and performance in context of the times. The man at the top of the leader board comes as no surprise, but some of the rest might surprise a few people:
- Abraham Lincoln
- George Washington
- FDR
- Teddy Roosevelt
- Harry Truman
- JFK
- Thomas Jefferson
- Dwight Eisenhower
- Woodrow Wilson
- Ronald Reagan
George Washington recovered from #3 in the 2000 survey, which gives readers an idea how useless this ranking can be. Washington’s presidency, and his voluntary retirement after two terms, saved America from the establishment of a new royalty. FDR, the man who briefly replaced him, was the only American President to refuse to follow Washington’s precedent, and Congress eventually had to place explicit term limits on the office after FDR’s president-for-life ambitions.
Kennedy doesn’t belong on the top ten, either. Kennedy was definitely an inspirational figure in American politics, but his presidency was a mess. He fumbled the Cold War badly enough to prompt the USSR to build the Berlin Wall, and nearly started a nuclear war over Cuba with his fecklessness. He jumped into the Vietnam War when France withdrew, and meddled significantly with Vietnam’s government to exacerbate the crisis. His successor LBJ comes in at #11 despite making the situation even worse. Reagan ended the Cold War in victory and restored American economic health, and yet trails JFK by four positions.
I find it terribly ironic that Harry Truman gets ranked as #5 now. I don’t have a big issue with that ranking, but when he left office, he was less popular than George W Bush, who comes in at #36 in this survey. But was Truman more important than Thomas Jefferson, who doubled the size of the nation with the Louisiana Purchase and set the stage for Manifest Destiny? I know JFK wasn’t a better President than Jefferson, which alone makes this survey deeply suspect.
Andrew Malcolm wonders whether the less-famous Presidents have a competitive advantage:
It may not be a coincidence that the top five presidents of all time, as ranked by the cable channel’s panel of 65 historians, all come from the era before video clips and television.
Would Abe still be No. 1 if we’d seen a million replays of that vintage Civil War footage of him hitting his burly head on the log cabin door?
Or would a bald George Washington be No. 2 if his powdered wig had gotten blown out of the presidential carriage in a Washington wind, revealing the shiny presidential pate?
Or FDR, TR and Harry Truman at Nos. 3, 4 and 5 if we’d heard audio tapes of their candid opinions of Henry Wallace, William Howard Taft and Strom Thurmond, respectively?
I’d argue the opposite, actually. I think this list is top-heavy with media favorites rather than a serious look at the accomplishments of each President. Besides the obligatory mentions of Lincoln, Washington, and Jefferson, the rest of the top 11 come from the 20th century. It’s a familiarity and popularity contest, not a real analysis of accomplishment.
Blowback
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Woodrow Wilson!
Somebody please, hide their bong . . . they’re hallucinating.
rplat on February 16, 2009 at 8:57 AM
#3 and #10 got mixed up… How did that happen?
garbage in… garbage out….
All good totalian regimes begin by re-writing history.
“For the first time in my adult lifetime… I’m… really ashamed of my country”
katy on February 16, 2009 at 8:57 AM
totalitarian . oops
katy on February 16, 2009 at 8:58 AM
I am a little surprised that Obama is not in the Top 10. What gives?
AntonDomi on February 16, 2009 at 9:00 AM
James Polk did more to shape the modern US (before the idiot messiah, that is) than most other Presidents. Of course, we are busy giving back everything Polk accumulated, forget that his embrace of Manifest Destiny has been turned right on its head.
progressoverpeace on February 16, 2009 at 9:00 AM
Historians can argue all day about this sort of thing, but one thing is clear–this list is top heavy with darlings of the media as Ed says. I was a big fan of JFK because he had charisma and inspired young people to get engaged in politics and service. But, please, his presidency was awful by any other standard, and simply too short to allow him to make this list.
FalseProfit on February 16, 2009 at 9:01 AM
I’m Surprised they didn’t stick Barry The Userper in there,Just for Sh*ts & Grins..
Capt-Dax on February 16, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Hi Ed,
I think you are close with your last paragraph indicating familiarity as driving the results. I would definitely add that historians are being politicized due to the ongoing left wing takeover of academia and thus the slant towards their heroes. What’s interesting is that Dhimmi Carter came in 22nd, rather than in the top 5. It’s clear that the moonbats have not completely taken over the asylum.
Perhaps there is hope….
bookem on February 16, 2009 at 9:02 AM
In 8 years the list will look like:
1. Barack
2. Hussein
3. Obama
4.Barack
5. Hussein
6. Obama
7. Barack
8. Hussein
9.Obama
10. Barack
gumble on February 16, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Woodrow Wilson? Woodrow Wilson? Is someone trying to write an alternative history?
Mr. Joe on February 16, 2009 at 9:04 AM
And who, might we ask, were those ‘historians’? Mostly libs, obviously. Rigging a poll to push an agenda.
petefrt on February 16, 2009 at 9:05 AM
Why not throw Jimmah into the mix too? Woodrow Wilson?
Mr. Joe on February 16, 2009 at 9:06 AM
I am very surprised anytime the liberals manage to bite their lip and put Lincoln at number one.
As far as Carter, even being in the middle is generous. He was a complete embarrassment.
hawkdriver on February 16, 2009 at 9:06 AM
This list does seem politically motivated and not rooted in history, despite the surveyors being “historians.” I’m unfamiliar with most of the participants in the survey. Ed, can you provide us with some background or summary of them?
conservative pilgrim on February 16, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Isn’t that the truth? Numbers 3, 5, and 6 are a joke to be ranked this high. GWB is ranked at 36? Another joke. They sure didn’t take into consideration the problems he had to face. Not saying that he was perfect.
Carter should be down there with Buchanan.
This is a meaningless ranking of presidents.
cjs1943 on February 16, 2009 at 9:09 AM
In eight years? Haven’t you figured it out yet- The filthy liar and Democrats in Congress have decided that Obama is President for life, just like any totalitarian regime.
highhopes on February 16, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Economic health built on debt. The same kind of economic health Bush I and Bush II gave us. Each time it ends in recession. Each time we wonder how banks and other finance types insist on building guilded age societies with the top 1% earning orders of magnitude more than everyone else. Each time a combo of reforms and tax changes is required to get us out of that gilded age mess Reaganauts keep trying to put us in.
He did manage the cold war significantly better than his competitors though, so he wasnt all bad. That hokey cultural sh!t wasnt detrimental (though not valuable either)…so if anything he wasnt allllll bad, but 10 is a good place for beating communism.
ernesto on February 16, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Ehhhh
Since it is just opinion people can argue endlessly about it. How could you be right or wrong? It is just done to create some increased visibility for C-SPAN
LincolntheHun on February 16, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Ehhhh
Since it is just opinion people can argue endlessly about it. How could you be right or wrong? It is just done to create some increased visibility for C-SPAN
LincolntheHun on February 16, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Not that the USSR was a real threat to the Western capitalist way of life or anything.
Behold, the mind of a liberal.
Blacksheep on February 16, 2009 at 9:19 AM
John J. Miller at The Corner makes an interesting case for Calvin Coolidge. He actually slashed the budget. Imagine that.
jimmy the notable on February 16, 2009 at 9:20 AM
Well, as long as we’re ranking Presidents today, here’s a dynamic table (you can sort the table by category from low-to-high or high-to-low by clicking the column headings) for all the presidents through Bill Clinton.
Be sure to sort the table by average score from high-to-low – you’ll be surprised by the Top 5.
ironman on February 16, 2009 at 9:23 AM
Ask the Alabama Air National Guard how they feel about JFK being ranked in the Top Ten.
See: Bay of Pigs.
CSPAN’s historians are idiots.
there it is on February 16, 2009 at 9:25 AM
+1
Kennedy? He really wasn’t the worst democrat, but not even close to being a great President. The only 20th century one who deserves to be up there is Reagan. Sorry, most Presidents of that time would have handled WW2 competently and many probably wouldn’t have brown-nosed Stalin and handed him Eastern Europe on a silver platter. Roosevelt was a shadow of the man Churchill was.
Ann NY on February 16, 2009 at 9:26 AM
Meh. I think Reagan is overrated also. Just like JFK.
terryannonline on February 16, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Hey Ernesto,
That debt is the result of the craven spending done by congress when tyey see the revenues coming in from tax cuts. Every time taxes get cut, they increase economic activity and tax receipts go up.
As for the Kennedys. They had this hagiography stuff down, Joe Kennedy destroyed more people in the 20′s that Enron, Milken et al could dream of. The myth is he was a rum runner, right. JFK made a mess of Vietnam with the Diem killings, obligating the US to step in. Let the truth out, onononono.
billypaintbrush on February 16, 2009 at 9:28 AM
I am one of those slow minded conservatives so I just want to get this straight.
A president who was a drug addled, womanizing, whore monger, who set a historical record for amount of legislation passed (31%) and placed America in a land war in Asia was the sixth best president in history?
Another president who was almost brain dead and his wife was actually running the country was 9th?
Damn all of those years getting my BA and MA in history I missed all of their greatness.
Jdripper on February 16, 2009 at 9:28 AM
Obviously these rankings are a mere popularity contest, and NOT based upon effectiveness as being Constitutionally-grounded leader.
creatocon on February 16, 2009 at 9:28 AM
What about William Henry Harrison? What gives? The guy dies after a month, sounds like the greatest of all time to me. If they all would just drop off after a month, just think of all the damage that wouldn’t have been done.
But seriously this list looks about right, historians tend to gravitate towards authoritarian a-holes. We have Wilson, Lincoln, Truman nuked people so that gets him affirmative action points, but not as much as FDR who starved people with his economic policies, put people in camps, had four terms, and tried to basically turn the Supreme Court into a Kangaroo Court rubber stamp for the President. Teddy couldn’t keep his hands off of anything either. I also find it fitting that LBJ made eleventh, I mean he should be higher up for the “historical experts”, he lied his way into an escalation that bogged us down until the eighties, maybe the “experts” just wanted a Lincoln like bodycount.
LevStrauss on February 16, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Please explain
DarkCurrent on February 16, 2009 at 9:34 AM
I disagree with those of you that put Truman lower than the top 10. He did amazing things for this country, and made three of the toughest decisions ever.
1. Recognizing Israel
2. Bombing Japan with nuclear weapons
3. His decision to invade Korea
All three of these changed the course of history for the best, and 2 out of the 3 were terribly unpopular. His recognition of Israel came close to causing half his cabinet to leave.
My list:
1. Washington
2. Reagan
3. Lincoln
4. Truman
5. Jefferson
6. Bush 43
7. T. Roosevelt
8. Monroe
9. FDR (I know… but he did do some good and led us into an unpopular WWII which was the right thing)
10. Madison
Each of those Presidents, perhaps with the exception of Washington had to make the toughest decisions in our nation’s history, and they did not care about the public’s opinion. If you notice, Presidents who follow public opinion, rather than their own instincts go down as horrible Presidents. Look at Clinton, Carter, Nixon, Kennedy, and soon Obama.
My fear is that Obama will order more construction on Mt. Rushmore, and put himself on there – doesn’t that seem like something he would do?
Canerican on February 16, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Terence, this is stupid stuff.
Tzetzes on February 16, 2009 at 9:36 AM
I also think this poll is junk. There are a great many accomplishments and mistakes that get white-washed with history. But I do like seeing TR up there. I know he wasn’t perfect either, but the more I read about him, the more I like him. And oddly enough, his rise began when the Republican Party was supposed to be dead.
But that’s the case with all of these polls: personal opinion. That’s all this is too.
XWing5 on February 16, 2009 at 9:46 AM
FDR will be ranked high for a very, very long time.
It wasn’t until I began my upper division history classes that I discovered why historians love FDR so much- he bribed them.
First of all, during the depression, part of the make work provided by the government was to pay historians to collect and publish historical works. This was a big change making history a field dominated by professionals, instead of amateurs as it had been previously. (Naturally today’s professional historians view this as a good development).
Of course historians of FDR’s time are going to be favorable towards their employer- and seeing as they are the main primary sources that other historians turn too…
It goes beyond that though. One of the things FDR paid historians to do was to go around and interview former slaves before they died. This collection of interviews has been invaluable in recreating the history of slavery. Every American Historian has had some experience with this collection and every American Historian I have ever met is profoundly grateful for it- and specifically to FDR because of it. It’s the bribe that keeps on bribing historians long after his death. Heck, even I am profoundly grateful for it- but economics is my primary major, and so I know just how badly FDR’s economic policies were, and so I resist the impulse to be more charitable towards FDR, and tend to rank him as one of the worst presidents. (Buchanan is obviously the worst).
Sackett on February 16, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Sigh. That’s just sad, sad, sad.
That’s right, he took a great situation over from Jimmah and just rode Carter’s successes. Heck, the cold war was really ended by France.
Spirit of 1776 on February 16, 2009 at 9:46 AM
The interesting case in my opinion is Nixon, as a case can be made for putting him as one of the worst Presidents, but a case can also be made for him being one of the best.
Things were pretty bad when he became President, and he made them much better, before then making things worse.
I’m interested in other people’s thoughts on the issue.
Sackett on February 16, 2009 at 9:49 AM
The Dhimmi list:
1. Obama (duh!)
2. Carter (Nobel prize winner)
3. Clinton (America’s favorite convicted sexual predator)
4. Kennedy (America’s favorite sexual predator)
5. FDR (America’s favorite socialist)
6. Wilson (Nobody ever had more political prisoners)
7. Who cares
8. Who cares
9. Who cares
10. Who cares
Mojave Mark on February 16, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Abraham Lincoln destroyed the Constitution, then Wilson killed it more. FDR raised a soft-tyranny from the corpse and LBJ strengthened and gave teeth to that tyranny.
These rankings are absolutely wrong about everything except Washington.
Tim Burton on February 16, 2009 at 9:53 AM
I know JFK wasn’t a better President than Jefferson, which alone makes this survey deeply suspect.
Wait a second. I notice that President Obama doesn’t make the top-10. That definitely makes this survey deeply suspect.
I R A Darth Aggie on February 16, 2009 at 9:56 AM
That’s right. And we’ve been ruled ever since by a secret manifesto he drafted in Illinois with Pinky and the Brain. Good call.
Spirit of 1776 on February 16, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Picking the top ten is like ranking your favorite songs. It constantly changes. One week You Light Up My Life is #1. The next week it’s Stayin’ Alive. Then the next week, #1 might be The Beat Goes On.
Just kidding.
/vomits in bucket
whitetop on February 16, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Great analysis Ed. Jefferson clearly should be in the top three or four for what he accomplished for the nation. Reagan should move up several spots as well for bringing down the Soviet Union. Bush 43 will improve over time, particularly if Iraq remains a reasonable stable democracy in the Middle East. But Obama’s policies will probably result in that not happening.
dgcosbie on February 16, 2009 at 9:57 AM
What about John Adams? He did alot for a very young, struggling nation. Lincoln? Hmmmmmmmmm … had there been a UN Commission on Human Rights, he might not rate so high. Seems there was a Senate candidate in OHIO, who was exercising his First Admendment rights and Lincoln had the US Calvary arrest him. If I am not wrong, he spent the entire Civil War years in prison.
Claimsratt on February 16, 2009 at 9:58 AM
A laughable joke. JFK being anywhere better than 35 and FDR being anywhere better than 25 proves that these people are insane. And what about James K. Polk!? Come on!
Grafted on February 16, 2009 at 10:01 AM
I love Calvin Coolidge and he never gets any love. He was almost the perfect president.
Also, it’s nice to see a racist as the #1 President.
Notorious GOP on February 16, 2009 at 10:01 AM
This poll shows the stupidity of the American people (as if voting for this commie scum Obama were not enough) by putting Lincoln at the top of the list! Here are a few FACTS that most dumb ass Americans do not know about stinking Lincoln.
-
1.) Created the very first income tax ever.
2.) Started the first draft in the US
3.) Suspended of the write of habeas corpus. A power that belongs to Congress NOT the President.
4.) Attempted to have the chef justice of the Supreme Court arrested for stating that Lincoln did NOT have the power to suspend habeas corpus.
5.) Raised troops for military action while congress was out of session.
6.) Declared war with out the power or consent of Congress.
7.) Arrested about 38,000 northern citizens simply for disagree with him.
8.) Waged war on civilians in the South!
9.) Lincoln was such as friend of black people that he stated the following in 1858.
-
“I will say, then, that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races — that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races from living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior and I as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race.”
-
And this in 1857…
-
“A separation of the races is the only perfect preventive of amalgamation, but as immediate separation is impossible the next best thing is to keep them apart where they are not already together. Such separation, if ever affected at all, must be effected by colonization The enterprise is a difficult one, but ‘where there is a will there is a way:’ and what colonization needs now is a hearty will. Will springs from the two elements of moral and self-interest. Let us be brought to believe it is morally right, and at the same time, favorable to, or at least not against our interest, to transfer the African to his native clime, and we shall find a way to do it, however great the task may be.”
-
And this in 1859…
-
“Negro equality, Fudge!! How long in the Government of a God great enough to make and maintain this Universe, shall there continue to be knaves to vend and fools to gulp, so low a piece of demagoguism as this?” –
-
And the following was reported in 1865…
-
“When asked by Confederate Vice President Alexander Stepehens at the 1865 Hampton Roads ‘peace’ conference what would become of the freedmen without property or education, Lincoln sarcastically recited the words to a popular minstrel song, ‘root, hog or die.’”
-
You people who think you know Lincoln are idiots, and believe in a myth! You think Obama is not like Lincoln are fools. Lincoln was NO Christian, or conservative, and to top it off never freeded a single salve in his entire life. If you think the emancipation prolomation freed the slaves…. well I suggest you read it most of all page 3 paragraph 3
-
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana (except the parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension, Assumption, Terrebone, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the city of New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkeley, Accomac, Morthhampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Anne, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth), and which excepted parts are for the present left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued
-
Learn some damn truth people…..
Confederate on February 16, 2009 at 10:02 AM
How did Woodrow Wilson wind up on this list at all. He was a progressive whose foreign policies caused massive disruptions all over Europe and Asia. Or is it that dying in office gives a bump to the head of the class? After all, is it a coincidence that four of the top ten listed died in office?
eaglewingz08 on February 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Millard Fillmore didn’t make the list so obviously it’s bullshat.
Haters.
Bishop on February 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Woodrow Wilson was the real racist on that list, and he was a fascist, too. He was also such a fruitcake that he was bringing the psychic Edgar Cayce into the White House.
Jim62sch on February 16, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Confederate on February 16, 2009 at 10:02 AM
A few pent-up emotions, huh?
Are you related to MediaHacks because your uh…presentation …is strikingly similar, although in your defense you didn’t break the 4,000 word mark in your post.
Bishop on February 16, 2009 at 10:07 AM
How the hell does JFK keep ending up on lists of the greatest presidents? The guy was average at best. Journalists and historians are obviously still infatuated with the myth of Camelot to the point that it’s rotted out their brains. Oh well, at least Slick Willie didn’t make the Top 10.
Percy_Peabody on February 16, 2009 at 10:09 AM
Interesting in my own rankings I have Wilson near the bottom and think Jefferson is one of the most overrated presidents in history. If it wasn’t for the Louisiana purchase he would rank in my mind in the bottom 10.
Both Ike and JFK are out of my top 10 but could rationally sneak in but near the bottom. The fact that Polk and Cleveland don’t rate astound me, particularly Polk.
My own list was really where president Bush ranked so I don’t have numbers. I might have made changes to the top 5 but a rational person could have that top 5 without a lot of grief.
petertheslow on February 16, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Yeah, yeah, I think everyone knows that Southerns hated (apparently still do) Lincoln. It’s why the coward Booth thought he’d be revered.
To judge Lincoln as racist is absurd. He hated slavery, but his first concern was union, not slavery. Detractors always love to claim him a racist, but Fredrick Douglas himself said tremendous things about Lincoln, and his testimony is of far more worth then the battery people try to do to his reputation now.
Spirit of 1776 on February 16, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Here is the real top 10:
1. Washington
2. Lincoln
3. Reagan
4. Jefferson
5. W
6. Truman
7. Polk
8. T. Roosevelt
9. Eisenhower
10. Madison
lavell12 on February 16, 2009 at 10:14 AM
I vote JFK #1 for the president with the best hair and the hottest First Lady. Priorities, people!
How would I rank Bill Clinton? Decent hair. Best First Lady by ranking of size of her adam’s apple.
ignorantapathy on February 16, 2009 at 10:15 AM
I second Calvin Coolidge as at least being in the top 10
Chiasmos on February 16, 2009 at 10:16 AM
I was afraid I was going to see Odumbo up there ahead of Abe. Whew! At least C-SPAN hasnt been completely tainted, yet!
southsideironworks on February 16, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Where is Jefferson Davis on that list? WTF?
Bishop on February 16, 2009 at 10:19 AM
What? No Obama even though he’s been president for almost a month? What a bunch of racists.
Dukeboy01 on February 16, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Here is my order
1) Washington (Obvious)
2) T. Roosevelt (Set us on path to superpower)
3) Lincoln (1st Republican, unpopular war like Bush)
4) Reagan (Brought country back from the doldrums)
5) Truman (Made the decision that needed to be made)
6) J. Adams (Solidified U.S. Democracy)
vsunited on February 16, 2009 at 10:20 AM
History teachers should be hanged.
marklmail on February 16, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Ha. Leaders. In my lifetime, longer than I’d care to admit, only Reagan has ever led. As for the rest of them, we survived in spite of their being in service. And, BTW, why do we call it being in power?
genso on February 16, 2009 at 10:23 AM
Makes sense now.
BPD on February 16, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Honest Abe TRUMPS BHO? The KoolAid drinkers won’t be happy!
Illinois: Then & Now:
Then: Land of Lincoln
Now: Land of Stinkin
TN Mom on February 16, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Anyone care to guess on the political identity of the “historians” polled?
Jaibones on February 16, 2009 at 10:26 AM
Dude. You guys lost. Get over it.
KSgop on February 16, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Let’s see…historians…academia….”moral authority…. Why I haven’t a clue.
genso on February 16, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Although most Presidential polls are like arguing, “which baseball team was better, the 1927 Yankees or the 1975 Reds”, the list of historians polled was predictable, and predictably odious. The only surprise is that I didn’t see the braying jenny, Doris Kearns Goodwin, on the list.
socaworld on February 16, 2009 at 10:29 AM
’27 Yanks not even close. 8 – O
thomasaur on February 16, 2009 at 10:32 AM
I just have a problem with Carter being ranked higher than W I’m sorry W took a nation that had never had a terror attack on that scale before and kept us safe for the next 7 years damnit Carter let Amercian’s sit in Iran for over a year for the love of gawd.
tee866 on February 16, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Wilson Higher than Reagon – Wilson was a horrible president – his abuse of executive power during WWI was unbelievable
gamurgis on February 16, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Elizabeth Kortright Monroe and Louisa Catherine Adams (wife of John Quincy) were the two hottest first ladies. Forget Jackie.
Percy_Peabody on February 16, 2009 at 10:34 AM
Washington and Lincoln are inseparable IMHO.
The music of Lincoln’s language and his penetrating insight is what probably gives him the edge.
dantana@charter.net on February 16, 2009 at 10:35 AM
Looks about right.
getalife on February 16, 2009 at 10:36 AM
Thirded. He should be above FDR and Roosevelt.
I’ve always been interested in Coolidge, I live just south of Amherst, MA (God help me), and I always thought it was important to learn local history.
A true pro-business, limited government conservative. He did a lot to usher in the roaring 20s.
A quote from Coolidge:
Plus he decided not to run for re-election because he had already served a term and a half and thought 10 years for any one president was too long.
reaganaut on February 16, 2009 at 10:37 AM
any list that doesn’t have Jimmy Carter and LBJ in the bottom 10 has no credibility. Jimmy Carter had almost no accomplishments and LBJ was not even a good war president like FDR was. I think the list needs more presidents just prior to civil war to be lower. Their inaction or bad actions led to war eventually.
gsherin on February 16, 2009 at 10:37 AM
My comments on various Presidents:
George Washington: His greatest accomplishment was keeping the young nation out of the war in Europe, and refusing to become a monarch. A+
John Adams: Infamous for the unconstitutional Alien & Sedition Acts, but did successfully prosecute naval war with France. Appeased Barbary Pirates though. C+
Thomas Jefferson: Defeated Barbary pirates, ended policy of appeasement. Doubled size of country with unconstitutional Lousiana Purchase. Economic policies disastrous. Sent New England into a terrible recession because of protectionism and embargoes. C-
James Madison: Ended embargoes, which revived New England shipping. Boldly prosecuted war with Britian. Inspiring wartime leader. Defender of the Constitution. A+
Andrew Jackson: Gave voting rights to all white males, not just property holders. Crusade against National Bank resulted in bad recession. Violated treaties with sovereign Indian nations, resulting in unconstitutional Trail of Tears. Had contempt for the Supreme Court. D+
Abraham Lincoln: Preserved the Union by force of arms. Expanded the power of the executive branch during wartime. Freed millions of Africans from slavery and gave black males voting rights. A-
Grover Cleveland: A lost gem of a President. Fought welfare and big government. Cleveland on government handouts – “Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character. . . . ” B+
Theodore Roosevelt: Projected American power around the globe. Peace through strength. Advanced the cause of civil rights. Expanded power of government over the economy. B-
Calvin Coolidge: Defender of the Constitution. Enemy of the welfare state. Believed in the success of free-markets.
Promoted peace in the world. Country peaceful an prosperous. A+
FDR: Bold leader who inspired confidence during recession and war. Ignored Constitution and held Supreme Court in contempt. Economic policies a disaster. D+
JFK: Inspirational figure. Lowered taxes to stimulate economy. Advanced civil rights. Foreign policy disaster -Berlin wall, Cuban Missile Crisis, Bay of Pigs. C+
LBJ: Advanced poverty and the welfare state. Escalated Vietnam war. Champion of civil rights. D+
Ronald Reagan: Restored America’s economic confidence. Freed markets from oppressive tax rates. Defeated Soviet Union. Iran-Contra and Lebanon. A-
Abraham Lincoln
Grover Cleveland
Theodore Roosevelt
Calvin Coolidge
LORDs_angellos on February 16, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Ridiculous list.
I hope the Federalist Society will come out with their rankings soon and publicly mock this ridiculous list.
American Elephant on February 16, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Seven of the ten are from the 20th century. Does this show a lack of historical knowledge, or a bias toward popularly known presidents?
jgapinoy on February 16, 2009 at 10:39 AM
Seems to me they found 65 historians who got their credentials from the bottom of a Cracker Jacks box.
Seriously, if they truly used this criteria:
on a series of leadership qualities, including public persuasion, crisis leadership, “moral authority”, and performance in context of the times.
JFK would not be there. His public persuasion was built around a marketing campaign known as Camelot.. sound familiar? You’re right Ed, he was a disaster in crisis leadership… oh.. and how about that moral authority exhibited by JFK?
Texas Gal on February 16, 2009 at 10:40 AM
Woodrow Wilson the perosn who set up World Wat II???
samoht on February 16, 2009 at 10:41 AM
Reagan was perhaps the greatest because he did so much (conservative) good despite having to work with a Dem Congress.
jgapinoy on February 16, 2009 at 10:41 AM
How many “enlightened” liberals would have voted for Lincoln as number one had they known that he was:
a) Republican
b) dispensed with Habeas Corpus in 1861
c) the Emancipation Proclamation didn’t actually free all the slaves as several border states were exempted.
That being said I have to agree with Ed that JFK and FDR have no business in the top 10, much less the top 30.
tempestleo on February 16, 2009 at 10:42 AM
And it didn’t hurt his standing that he was martyred.
jgapinoy on February 16, 2009 at 10:42 AM
Reagan is #10???
Well that tells me all I need to know about this survey and its respondents.
ladyingray on February 16, 2009 at 10:43 AM
USA, then & now:
“Ask not what your country can do for you…”
“Ask your country for bailouts, welfare, & health care.”
jgapinoy on February 16, 2009 at 10:45 AM
I presumed you have nude photos to back up your claim, sir.
ignorantapathy on February 16, 2009 at 10:45 AM
History belongs to those who write it. Most historians are liberal. What else would one expect from a survey like tis one? Clinton and Carter ranked above George W. Bush. FDR in the top 5. Woodrow Wilson, JFK, and Eisenhower ranked above Ronald Reagan? Give me a break.
Steve McCullough on February 16, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Andrew Jackson set us on a pretty good path. Yeah, he did some racist things, hence he will be awful to the college set.
TXgator on February 16, 2009 at 10:46 AM
I remember when President Reagan installed a portrait of Calvin Coolidge in one of the West Wing offices (can’t remember which one) and, of course, the Punditocracy choked on it, with all their snotty comments.
In fact, Coolidge was rock-solid, and was put on Harding’s ticket as VP in large measure because as Governor of Massachusetts he broke up the Police Strike (paraphrasing), “there is no right to strike against the public safety anywhere, anytime.”
During his first year in office, President Reagan, in effect, fired the air traffic controllers when they went out of strike, after repeated warnings not to. Reagan was a student of history, undoubtedly he knew what Coolidge had done, and the signals it would sent about the seriousness of the new President.
Years later, Soviet/Russian officials admitted that when Reagan let the air controllers go, that he was a man of his word, and could not be pushed around.
I weep for our beloved country when I think how badly the incumbent punk will damage us with his fecklessness and the play-out of his psychological history and radical soul-mates.
socaworld on February 16, 2009 at 10:47 AM
So … George Bush is at 36, and Jimmy Carter is at 22?
That’s ridiculous!
I guess all that Kool-aid does something to brain cells …
HiredGun on February 16, 2009 at 10:48 AM
Obama is #45
marklmail on February 16, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Bush is the worst president ever. He is the reason why conservatives have the problems that we have today. With the exception of strong defense/military, this man stood for nothing
money2 on February 16, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Ever wonder why the Left worships him like a god?
Tim Burton on February 16, 2009 at 10:51 AM
I think 7 should be Al Gore. Because he’s a Nobel prize winner and he was “cheated” out of being president. The fact he was never president shouldn’t matter in this list
LordDaMan on February 16, 2009 at 10:55 AM
So who were this “panel” of historians, and who selected them? Historians say _______ (fill in the blank) How you see history is almost always dependent on where you are now.
Ed’s on target re Kennedy. Had he not been assinated, he wouldn’t have made the top 20.
swede7 on February 16, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Actually, we’ll let his own words and deeds speak:
Oops, you lose. And Douglas also said some bad things about him too, like the fact that his Emancipation Proclamation was BS and a political stunt.
Lincoln hated slavery so much that he was willing to have it be eternal if the South returned. They refused. Yet in his inaugural address, he said passage of the Corwin Amendment was fine.
Tim Burton on February 16, 2009 at 10:58 AM
Those attention-mongering whores. Have you ever tried watching Today in Washington or Contemporary History? It’s all ratings driven garbage.
YYZ on February 16, 2009 at 10:59 AM
No, Obama is Number Two.
/Oh, you mean rankings…
john1schn on February 16, 2009 at 11:00 AM
…A president who was a drug addled, womanizing, whore monger, who set a historical record for amount of legislation passed (31%) and placed America in a land war in Asia was the sixth best president in history?
Wow…there are some real haters on this thread. He inspired a nation. Please take your meds.
Blueneck on February 16, 2009 at 11:01 AM
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