Results of the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey

[JosephZ]

In 1st place was Abraham Lincoln, who received a ranking of 93.87.

In 2nd place was Franklin D. Roosevelt, receiving a 90.83.

The president in 3rd place was the first president, George Washington, who received a 90.32 ranking.

Additional rankings:

12th, Bill Clinton (66.42)
14th, Joe Biden (62.66)
16th, Ronald Reagan (61.62)
22nd, Jimmy Carter (54.26)
32nd, George W. Bush (40.43)
35th, Richard Nixon (36.41)
45th, Donald Trump (10.92)

Measuring presidential greatness is, of course, both subjective and selective. Historians routinely reanalyze leaders' successes and failures — and in today's polarized political climate, those qualities can look very different, depending on whom you ask. It can also be difficult to extract distinct criteria for presidential greatness, other than helming the United States during critical moments in history — such as helping found the country or keeping the nation together.

The survey's goal is to give historians and experts on the presidency a chance to state their opinion of where today's leaders stand in a broader context. To do so, Rottinghaus and Vaughn sent requests to current and recent members of the Presidents and Executive Politics section of the American Political Science Association.

https://www.npr.org/2024/02/19/1232447088/historians-presidents-survey-trump-last-biden-14th

http://www.brandonrottinghaus.com/uploads/1/0/8/7/108798321/presidential_greatness_white_paper_2024.pdf

 

[Chesterton]

Thanks for brightening my day with a good laugh!

 

[Yttrium]

Huh. Not sure why Biden would beat out Reagan.

The last ranking I saw put Trump ahead of Buchanan and Johnson just because the historians felt Trump did a good job influencing people. But it was the wrong kind of influence, spreading misinformation and nutty conspiracy theories, so it should have been a negative, not a positive. I'm glad they fixed that in the new ranking.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

In clown world... I can see this. As recorded by clowns.

 

[Paulos23]

The top three I understand, were at the helm at three key moments in the country's history.

The next three I understand. Two played clean-up hitters after two of the top three, and the third was a legend in himself.

But the next three surprised me, which makes me think there was more going on with them than reported.

But I can't really fault this, I think Trump may rise a bit with the passing of time, but compared to the others (like the top 10), he we be on the bottom for a long time.

 

[durangodawood]

I agree with the best and worst. Nice job R party, bookending the rankings!

 

[iluvatar5150]

The top three I understand, were at the helm at three key moments in the country's history.

The next three I understand. Two played clean-up hitters after two of the top three, and the third was a legend in himself.

But the next three surprised me, which makes me think there was more going on with them than reported.

But I can't really fault this, I think Trump may rise a bit with the passing of time, but compared to the others (like the top 10), he we be on the bottom for a long time.

I think what helps boost rankings of contemporary presidents are the number of lousy presidents throughout the 19th century. It's not hard to bubble to the top when much of your competition did little more than kill Indians, oppress blacks, and grift.

 

[SavedByGrace3]

I think it has more to do with those taking the survey.

 

[iluvatar5150]

I think it has more to do with those taking the survey.

Probably to some degree, but even though they likely skew liberal, they still ranked Ike, Reagan, and GHWB fairly high; higher than Carter, for example.

 

[essentialsaltes]

Buchanan is stoked.

 

[Brihaha]

Looking from a totally unbiased viewpoint, Donald Trump being rated last is a logical conclusion. The man was impeached twice in single term in office. And led an insurgency to overturn certified election results. Plus the man is the first president in our history to be criminally indicted, with a plethora of charges I might add. And the people surveyed didn't even need to consider the ineptitude of Donald Trump and his administration while in office. But I think they considered it anyhow.

 

[durangodawood]

Looking from a totally unbiased viewpoint, Donald Trump being rated last is a logical conclusion. The man was impeached twice in single term in office. And led an insurgency to overturn certified election results. Plus the man is the first president in our history to be criminally indicted, with a plethora of charges I might add. And the people surveyed didn't even need to consider the ineptitude of Donald Trump and his administration while in office. But I think they considered it anyhow.

When you look at how many Trump appointees left his administration with pretty scathing contempt for his judgement and character, its hard to disagree.

 

[Brihaha]

When you look at how many Trump appointees left his administration with pretty scathing contempt for his judgement and character, its hard to disagree.

Yessir. And they are now trying to get the people they duped while working for Donald that they are being serious now lol. They cried wolf too long so trumpers won't believe truth when they hear it now. I have a difficult time trusting anything those people say too.