Presidential Rankings
Presidents Day 2021
Since 1982 the Siena College Research Institute Survey of U.S. Presidents has conducted a broadly-based, non-partisan survey of historians, political scientists and influential presidential scholars. Since its beginning cited as one of the most respected surveys, it ranks Presidents across twenty different categories:
Background
Imagination
Integrity
Intelligence
Luck
Willing to Take Risks
Avoid Crucial Mistakes
Court Appointments
Domestic Accomplishments
Executive Appointments
Foreign Policy Accomplishments
Handling of U.S. Economy
Party Leadership
Relationship with Congress
Ability to Compromise
Communication Ability
Executive Ability
Leadership Ability
Overall Ability
Acceptance of Responsibility
Traditionally the newest rankings are published annually on President’s Day. Previous SCRI surveys of U.S. Presidents have been reported in Presidential Studies Quarterly, Scholarly Reviews, and national news outlets (publication by the latter having been somewhat preempted by recent events).
Over time one President or another has risen or fallen in ranking based on new scholarship, revelations of consequences of their presidency not previously known or considered, and/or addition due to a President’s term ending. A sitting President is never ranked precisely because not enough is known about his actions until the day he leaves office. For this reason, 2021 is first year Donald Trump was included. [NOTE: Trump is referred to as 45th. This includes Grover Cleveland, only President to serve non-consecutive terms, who is sometimes counted twice.]
For many years the top five ‘best’ Presidents have been largely consistent and predictable. For 2021 survey these are:
1. George Washington (1789-1797)
2. Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
3. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
4. Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1901-1909)
5. Thomas Jefferson (1801–1809)
As to the bottom five, or ‘worst’ Presidents, James Buchanan has long been held to have been most ‘ineffective’ because of his failure to prevent dissolution of the Union in 1860. Last in this year’s survey is Andrew Johnson, who followed Lincoln in 1865 and was first to be Impeached. Our ninth President, William Henry Harrison, who died thirty days into office after contracting pneumonia at his inauguration, was moved up one level to be ranked 39th in this survey.
According to the 2021 Presidents Day survey released by SCRI, these are the current bottom five:
40. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)
41. Warren G. Harding (1921-1923)
42. Donald Trump (2017-2021)
43. James Buchanan (1857-1861)
44. Andrew Johnson (1865-1869)
A complete list with brief bio is available at https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/presidents-ranked-worst-best/
He who is ignorant of history wasn’t watching while it was happening
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