Best and Worst U.S. Presidents of the 20th Century
Question: I am currently a college student majoring in American History. A friend of mine and I came up with our list of the five best and the five worst Presidents of the 20th Century. We would really like to know what your list would look like. Will you please tell us your five best and five worst Presidents of the 20th Century? Bill Landry, San Jose, California.
Answer: By "best" and "worst," I am going to interpret that to mean Presidents who were effective at accomplishing things that history will prove to be in the good interests of the United States. This is, of course, my view. But I do have a good history of being proven correct and I think history will bear me out with these lists also.
My top five Presidents of the 20th Century, from 1-5, with 1 being the best, are: Ronald Reagan (R), Woodrow Wilson (D), Theodore Roosevelt (R), Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) and Harry Truman (D).
My bottom five Presidents of the 20th Century, from 1-5, with 5 being the worst, are:
Richard Nixon (R), Lyndon Johnson (D), Warren G. Harding (R), Bill Clinton (D) and Jimmy Carter (D).
Answer: By "best" and "worst," I am going to interpret that to mean Presidents who were effective at accomplishing things that history will prove to be in the good interests of the United States. This is, of course, my view. But I do have a good history of being proven correct and I think history will bear me out with these lists also.
My top five Presidents of the 20th Century, from 1-5, with 1 being the best, are: Ronald Reagan (R), Woodrow Wilson (D), Theodore Roosevelt (R), Dwight D. Eisenhower (R) and Harry Truman (D).
My bottom five Presidents of the 20th Century, from 1-5, with 5 being the worst, are:
Richard Nixon (R), Lyndon Johnson (D), Warren G. Harding (R), Bill Clinton (D) and Jimmy Carter (D).
posted by Scot Andrews at 6:20 PM
3 Comments:
I don't have any problems with your lists except that I think I would replace Eisenhower with Truman.
I would switch your 1st and 2nd place Presidents and I would switch you last and next-to-last Presidents. I was a little surprised by the inclusion of Eisenhower but I've read enough of your "answers" to know you have a good reason. I like your blog.
Actually, other than Watergate, Nixon was a rather good President. I would move him off this bottom five list and replace him with John Kennedy (an unpopular choice, I know, but I think history will bear me out). The bottom two Presidents on your list I agree with. However, I truly think that Clinton's actions will have more long-term negative effects on our country than Carter's. Consequently, I would put Clinton dead last and Carter next-to-last.
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