SUMMARY
Here are the winners for each category (Mine first and then the C-SPAN survey):
Public Persuasion: FDR - FDR
Crisis Leadership: Ronald Reagan - Abraham Lincoln
Economic Management: Warren Harding - George Washington
Moral Authority: George Washington - George Washington
International Relations: Thomas Jefferson - FDR
Administrative Skills: George Washington - Abraham Lincoln
Relations with Congress: LBJ - LBJ
Vision / Setting an Agenda: Ronald Reagan - Abraham Lincoln
Pursued Equal Justice For All: JFK - Abraham Lincoln
Performance Within Context of Times: George Washington - George Washington
So I gave Washington 3 top votes and Reagan 2 votes, whereas the survey gave Lincoln 4 votes and Washington 3 votes. Whether that means anything or not, I would still rate Washington as the greatest president.
Now for the worst (mine followed by the C-SPAN survey):
Public Persuasion: William Henry Harrison - James Buchanan
Crisis Leadership: Woodrow Wilson - James Buchanan
Economic Management: Herbert Hoover - Herbert Hoover
Moral Authority: Richard Nixon - James Buchanan
International Relations: Woodrow Wilson - James Buchanan
Administrative Skills: Warren Harding - Andrew Johnson
Relations with Congress: Andrew Johnson - Andrew Johnson
Vision / Setting an Agenda: George W. Bush - James Buchanan
Pursued Equal Justice For All: James Buchanan - James Buchanan
Performance Within Context of Times: James Buchanan - James Buchanan
The C-SPAN survey left no doubt of its derision for James Buchanan, with 7 worsts, with Andrew Johnson in a far second with 2. For me, the worst was a tie for 2 selections between Woodrow Wilson and James Buchanan.
If I have to select between James Buchanan and Woodrow Wilson, then I am tempted to give it to Buchanan: The Civil War resulted in more American deaths than in both World Wars combined. But how many 20th century deaths worldwide can be attributed to Wilson? Wilson's policies were dangerous for both America and the world. Wilson's push for the League of Nations allowed for the Treaty of Versailles, which was a major impetus to World War II. And let's not forget it was Wilson who helped give us the Federal Reserve system which has allowed our economy to boom and bust over and over again, even as it allows money to remain locked up in "too big to fail" banks and away from the economy.
Overall, George Washington was the best, and Woodrow Wilson was the worst, in my opinion. The C-SPAN survey rated Abraham Lincoln as the best, and James Buchanan as the worst.
But there is still one more part to this series...
(to be continued)
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