Happy President's Day. It's the lamest excuse for a three-day weekend there is, but editorial columns have to be filled, and a holiday is always good for 600 or 700 words. Remembering the value of leadership? We're at a point in history in which roughly 40 percent of the people will hate everything a president stands for, although President Bush has been exceeding that. Whoever the next president is, of whichever party, will be in for a rough four years.
Just to start an argument, here are my candidates for the top four presidents in American history: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan. They all had to step up at critical points in the nation's history, and they did. Washington was first and had to get it right for the idea of the nation to survive. Lincoln saved the union and showed the world we were ready for it. FDR put us firmly on that world stage. And Reagan saved us from the worst evil that world produced.
There are plenty of candidates for the fifth -- maybe Jefferson, maybe Truman -- but I think good cases can be made for those four.
Comments
Gee Leo...no argument to start here...just agreement. (and Truman would be a good #5)
B.G.
"George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Roosevelt and Ronald Reagan"... Ditto.. And I agree with BG.. Truman would be number 5...
OK.. that was easy.. but lets be provocative!! who where the five worst?
Buchanan, Carter, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce, and Herbert Hoover.
I think I'd move Herbert Hoover off the list in favor of Warren Harding.
Andy Jackson is an interesting example of a president who defies easy categorization. He spear-headed a genuinely historic, consequential change in the way American political process works with a nationwide small-d democratic electoral effort, and with his 'rotation in office' (aka The Spoils System), and with his utilization of the veto in accord with his own beliefs (as opposed to constitutional objections to legislation)....Henry Clay (et al) censured him...I don't remember if that was over his vetos or over his fight with the Bank of the United States....but regardless, Jackson both personified the belief that the majority shall rule - and yet remained ready to fight to the death (quite literally, in matters of personal honor) over principles and prejudices that he held.
I think you got it right, Leo. There may be someone who'd prefer to substitute some other for one of yours, but all four you mention were key, in important positive ways (even though FDR's White House was, as we now know, sprinkled with what they used to call "pinkos" who occasionally succeeded in maneuvering FDR into a decision not necessarily in our very best global interests).
I guess that I must quibble with FDR, who was obviously popular since he won four terms in office, but he bears responsibility for inept experimental programs that extended the death grip of depression upon the United States. He also may have deliberately chosen war to end the Depression. He most certainly is the father of many big government programs that plague us to this day
Frankly, I don't see how you leave Millard Fillmore off either list.