Opinion | How Does Trump Stack Up Against the Best — and Worst — Presidents?
Presidents whose rank changed since last survey
On partisan-votes lines, Democrats ranked Ronald Reagan nine places lower than Republicans, while Democrats place Obama 10 places higher.
Counting only Republican votes, William McKinley — best known for winning the Spanish-American war, for defeating William Jennings Bryan twice in contests for the White House
and for being assassinated by the anarchist Leon Czolgosz — holds a spot in the Top 10.
Since our previous survey in 2014, some presidential legacies have soared (Barack Obama’s stock has climbed
into the Top 10), while others have fallen (Andrew Jackson toppled to 15, out of the Top 10).
James Buchanan, who was at the helm as the United States careened into civil war, was dislodged
from his position as our nation’s worst president by our current president, Trump.
Let’s say that, according to the 170 members of the American Political Science Association’s Presidents
and Executive Politics section who filled out our survey, he has at least three years to improve on an ignominious debut.
Presidents since World War II in boldface
Which president deserves to have his likeness carved next into Mt.
Roosevelt, the godfather of presidential liberalism, received more than twice as
many votes from Republicans as Ronald Reagan, his conservative counterpart.
