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Monday, November 3, 2008
Election Day Question: Who were among the greatest U.S. presidents?
With the election finally upon us, the venerable Times newspaper of London has decided to enlist the help of a panel of staffers to pick the greatest U.S. presidents of all time.
So who is the greatest of them all? It’s no surprise that No. 1 on the list is Abraham Lincoln, chosen because of his ability to keep the fledgling nation alive when it could have collapsed.
The other best commanders-in-chief include:
2) George Washington 3) Franklin D. Roosevelt 4) Thomas Jefferson 5) Theodore Roosevelt
One surprise is that Ronald Reagan comes in at No. 8. According to the Times’ American editor, Gerard Baker, he “revived American self-confidence at its lowest ebb.” (Incidentally, Bill Clinton is ranked 23rd and Jimmy Carter is ranked 32nd — narrowly escaping the worst 10.)
So where is George W. Bush ranked? He’s tied with the dastardly Richard Nixon at No. 37.
The worst all-time president, according to the panel, was actually James Buchanan, whose failure to prevent the Civil War was noted as the greatest single mistake ever made by any president.
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