C-SPAN Historical Survey of Presidents (Ranking by 65 Pres. historians)

[SkinsMaster88]

http://www.c-span.org/PresidentialSurvey/presidential-leadership-survey.aspx

Top 10:

1. Abraham Lincoln

2. George Washington

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt

4. Theodore Roosevelt

5. Harry S. Truman

6. John F. Kennedy

7. Thomas Jefferson

8. Dwight D. Eisenhower

9. Woodrow Wilson

10. Ronald Reagan

Other notables:

36. George W. Bush

15. Bill Clinton

18. George H.W. Bush

25. Jimmy Carter

27. Richard Nixon

42. James Buchanan

The survey also has rankings in different categories:

* Public Persuasion

* Moral Authority

* Relations with Congress

* Performance Within Context of Times

* Crisis Leadership

* International Relations

* Vision/Setting An Agenda

* Economic Management

* Administrative Skills

* Pursued Equal Justice For All

The site gives a slideshow link with a comparison of different results to their 2000 survey.

You can compare with the British ranking that was posted yesterday as well: http://www.extremeskins.com/showthread.php?t=280392

[redskins4life234]

Why is there only 42 listed when we have had 43 former presidents.. Unless William Harrison isn't listed cause he croaked 30 days after being inaugurated.

[JohnLockesGhost]

Why is there only 42 listed when we have had 43 former presidents.. Unless William Harrison isn't listed cause he croaked 30 days after being inaugurated.

Grover Cleveland gets to count as two because he was that good.

There have been only 42 former presidents, but there have been 43 former presidential administrations. Cleveland had non-consecutive terms.

[Burgold]

Kennedy as usual is way too high.

I honestly don't understand how George W. Bush makes the top 100. There are future Presidents and fictional Presidents that are so much better.

[EersSkins05]

This is wild that this list should be posted here today. I just finished reading a biography on Lincoln written by David Herbert Donald, and in the preface he talked about the only meeting he ever had with JFK.

Apparently the event being held was a "ranking" of the Presidents like this list and JFK absolutely despised the idea of a bunch of historians sitting in judgment of a United States President. JFK said something to the effect that unless you've sat in the chair and know every piece of information available and known to the person making the decisions at that time, you can't possibly judge that person after the fact.

[headexplode]

Kennedy as usual is way too high.

I honestly don't understand how George W. Bush makes the top 100. There are future Presidents and fictional Presidents that are so much better.

I agree on both points.

I think Kennedy gets the "tragically died too early" bump. I think LBJ did more for the country, at least in terms of the advancement of civil rights, but his involvement in Vietnam and the "Great Society" tend to besmirch his record.

[EersSkins05]

I also think it's kinda funny to see the grades on some of the Presidents individually. Lincoln got a 97.6 in crisis leadership. I suppose he got a 2.4 point reduction for firing so many generals before settling on Grant. lol

[88Comrade2000]

I actually posted about this around 3:48am this morning.

http://www.extremeskins.com/showthread.php?t=280423

Check out the rankings of the individual characteristics.

[SkinsMaster88]

I actually posted about this around 3:48am this morning.

http://www.extremeskins.com/showthread.php?t=280423

Check out the rankings of the individual characteristics.

My bad. I looked on the 1st page and I guess skimmed the top of the 2nd page. Saw the news of the survey today, so I guess I didn't look at threads before 8-9 am.

[Midnight Judges]

I also think it's kinda funny to see the grades on some of the Presidents individually. Lincoln got a 97.6 in crisis leadership. I suppose he got a 2.4 point reduction for firing so many generals before settling on Grant. lol

Sounds about right. From what I've read, Lincoln stayed with General McClellan way too long.

[buenosdiaz]

i call BS obama isnt in the top 5

[IHOPSkins]

i call BS obama isnt in the top 5

Or Carter.....sarc

Carter over Nixon?....and people talk about deliverables

[HailGreen28]

The FDR wank is strong in that list. He was the slickest, and best politician out of that bunch, but give me Teddy over FDR every time.

Truman and Kennedy over TJ and Ike? WTF?

Woodrow freakin Wilson over Reagan? We'd have WWIII with Wilson in charge! And WW was a diehard racist to boot!

Won't comment on the rest of the list. The top 10 by itself blows. :doh:

[88Comrade2000]

My bad. I looked on the 1st page and I guess skimmed the top of the 2nd page. Saw the news of the survey today, so I guess I didn't look at threads before 8-9 am.

No problemo. I did the same thing with "The International". I even used search but it didn't come up; so I started a thread. It was started the day before mine.

I am a night owl, so I tend to post alot at night. :laugh:

[88Comrade2000]

The FDR wank is strong in that list. He was the slickest, and best politician out of that bunch, but give me Teddy over FDR every time.

Truman and Kennedy over TJ and Ike? WTF?

Woodrow freakin Wilson over Reagan? We'd have WWIII with Wilson in charge! And WW was a diehard racist to boot!

Won't comment on the rest of the list. The top 10 by itself blows. :doh:

My High School was named after him. Go Woodrow Wilson Flying Eagles.

[skinfan133]

What a horrible list. Honestly. The fact that Woodrow Wilson is in, let alone anywhere near the top ten is a very frightening. I can't think of anyone who harmed our country more than Wilson or FDR, and yet predictably they're considered the best. go figure. and don't even get me started on Lincoln.