President’s Day 2024
Impressions of all those Presidents serving during the lifetime of David L Lewis
In one of my more ‘difficult’ entries into a hospital I was asked if I could name the President? Not exactly a question heart problems focuses the mind upon. When the nurse came back to the room, however, I told her all the Presidents back to Franklin Roosevelt, and VPs back to Truman.
It is curious that the three men considered to be our greatest Presidents – Washington, Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt – were also the most vilified during their administrations. This is part of reason no historian or serious student tries to ‘rank’ a sitting President. You simply don’t know how the current administration is going to work out until it’s too late. As to past Presidents, there are two well known surveys which are generally acknowledged as authoritative, C-Span and Siena College Research Institute Survey of Presidents.1
Following are those men I named to that nurse, all those whom served during my lifetime. And, yep, they’ve all been men, so far. They are listed here in order of ranking according to Siena College Research Institute, with my personal impressions of each.
1st of 45) Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945)
I was born in 1943; so, no, I don’t remember him. He led the world though the Great Depression and World War II. Turns out that’s a really big job for any man.
6th of 45) Dwight D Eisenhower (1953-1961)
This is first President of whom I have living memory; just not much of one. As Conservative Movement leader William F Buckley said of Ike: “He didn’t do anything, and that’s what we want a President to do.” Heard he did deport those 1.5-million illegal aliens in 1958 alone. So, Ike, did that solve anything?
7th of 45) Harry S Truman (1945-1953)
“Give them hell, Harry” did just that. Over my lifetime Harry has risen in historian’s appreciation from day he left office. He made hard decisions, including the hardest ever handed a fellow from Missouri with high school education. He honestly did what his sense of duty demanded, and took responsibility for errors of those under him.
8th of 45) Lyndon B Johnson (1963-1969)
A
politician’s politician, only truly selfless act of his presidency
was to not run for re-election in 1968. But, he changed our world,
as written in a previous blog:
https://blogsbythedaddy.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-bullet-that-changed-america.html
9th of 45) John F Kennedy (1961-1963)
First President who made me aware of what an idyllic President would be. Stood up to the greatest crisis in human history, inspired a post-war generation, and died too soon to know what might have been.
11th of 45) Barack Obama (2008-2017)
Siena survey ranks Presidents across twenty-one different categories.2. In this observation President Obama ‘checked all the boxes’, and was best ‘person’ in office of my lifetime. That said, for those who hoped he could change Washington, he was a disappointment.
14th of 45) William ‘Bill’ Clinton (1993-2001)
His highest accomplishments may have been avoiding Impeachment and playing the Saxophone. But he was pretty good at that president stuff and, as they used to say, ‘made the trains run on time.’ He did bring us an acceptance of moral turpitude in a sitting President.
18th of 45) Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
The questions of his running were his advanced age (73) and whether a divorced man could win Evangelical vote. He was President while I was “Busy making other plans”. It is not clear whether he was a President who had been an actor, or an actor who had been a President.
20th of 45) George H W Bush (1989-1993)
The last decorated veteran of World War II to serve as President. As a former Congressman, Ambassador to UN and liaison to China, CIA Director, and Vice-President, he may have been the best qualified by experience and knowledge ever elected to the Office. None of which got him re-elected in a bad economy.
#24 of 45) Jimmy Carter (1977-1981)
Perhaps the most honest, spiritual, and dedicated President of my lifetime. None of which made him a particularly effective President.
28th of 45) Richard M Nixon (1969-1974)
History will show he should have been remembered as great, but he brought “Trickie Dick” Nixon with him to the White House. Tried to stop inflation by freezing all prices. When Court said he couldn't do that prices, and therefore wages, exploded.
30th of 45) Gerald R Ford (1974-1977)
The grandfather-president we needed to calm the waters of Watergate; and gave us a few laughs when he promised to “Whip Inflation Now”. How’s that going, Gerry?
35th of 45) George W Bush (2001-2009)
Being man of the hour on 9/11 may have been his finest hour. Used this to launch America into not one, but two undeclared wars against whom we had vastly superior forces, on-going diplomatic talks, and no particular moral justification. Other than all that he is not ranked very high as an effective President.
43rd of 45) Donald Trump (2017-2021)
In interview seen on YouTube video last October Trump acknowledged to have been known as a “liar, manipulator, and bully” since third grade. He smiled and tilted his head to side as he does and answered the reporter, “Guess that’s true. It’s why I am so successful.” [It appears this video has been removed.] As to ranking, his may rise in time; however, at this point he doesn’t seem to have checked very many ‘boxes’ of Siena survey.
For the record, #44 is James Buchanan, President just prior to Civil War; and #45 is Andrew Johnson, who followed Lincoln3.
Just in case some nurse asks, who is first President you remember?
He who is ignorant of history wasn’t watching while it was happening?
theWouldBeHistorian
Footnotes
1Since 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. Cited as one of the most respected surveys. Previous surveys of US Presidents have been reported in Presidential Studies Quarterly, Scholarly Reviews, and national news outlets. Issued annually, as of this writing the most recent survey available is 2022.
2This survey ranks Presidents across twenty-one 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
https://scri.siena.edu/us-presidents-study/
3https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/presidents-ranked-worst-best/3/
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