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George W. Bush, whom presidential scholars had rated fifth lowest in the previous 2010 survey, improved in position to 12th lowest. The 2022 Siena poll had Franklin Roosevelt first, Lincoln second, and Washington third, with the bottom three as Trump, Buchanan, and Johnson.
- Franklin D. Roosevelt (1933-1945) Historians laud Franklin D. Roosevelt for his extraordinary popularity and his devotion to economic justice. FDR assumed the presidency during the worst of the Great Depression, but assured the American people: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
- Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865) Among all the U.S. presidents, Lincoln is almost always in the top five for crisis leadership ability, his dedication to keeping the United States together and for pursuing equal justice for all.
- George Washington (1789-1797) The nation's first president ranked highly for his moral authority and overall performance within the context of his time.
- Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt (1901-1909) Theodore Roosevelt ranked highly for public persuasion and other presidential attributes. Just 42 when he became the youngest president in the nation's history, he had the enthusiasm and energy to convince Congress to pass progressive reforms and a strong foreign policy — exemplified by his motto, "Speak softly and carry a big stick."
- William J. Clinton (2001) - Approval: 66% - Disapproval: 29% - No opinion: 5% President Clinton entered office with high approval ratings after a heated three-way election victory.
- Ronald Reagan (1988) - Approval: 63% - Disapproval: 29% - No opinion: 8% President Reagan's popularity skyrocketed after surviving an assassination attempt 69 days into his presidency.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower (1960) - Approval: 59% - Disapproval: 28% - No opinion: 13% Eisenhower began his presidency with overwhelming support after helping lead the country to an Allied victory in World War II, during which he served as a general in the army.
- Barack Obama (2017) - Approval: 59% - Disapproval: 37% - No opinion: 4% President Obama took office on the heels of the worst economic crisis in the U.S. since the Great Depression.
- Harry S. Truman - Best (713) While serving as president from 1945 until 1953, Harry Truman led the United States through the final months of WWII, funded Europe's recovery with the Marshall Plan, and came to the defense of South Korea in 1950, beginning the three-year Korean War (via History).
- Dwight D. Eisenhower - Best (734) Famous for his role as supreme allied commander during WWII, Dwight D. Eisenhower succeeded Truman as president of the United States on January 20, 1953.
- Theodore Roosevelt - Best (785) According to historian Lewis Gould (via NPR), the prevailing view of Theodore Roosevelt was once set by Henry Pringle's 1931 biography, which gave the impression that Roosevelt was "fun to watch but ultimately inconsequential in the nation's history."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt - Best (841) Professor William E. Leuchtenburg (via the Miller Center) wrote that Franklin D. Roosevelt may "have done more [to] change American society and politics than any of his predecessors in the White House, save Abraham Lincoln."
Feb 20, 2023 · George H. W. Bush ranked at No. 21, beating out his son George W. Bush who came in at No. 29. Other notable commanders in chief included John F. Kennedy at No. 8, Ronald Reagan at No. 9, and ...
- Henry Blodget
Oct 18, 2020 · During his first term in the White House, George W. Bush was preoccupied with the September 11th attacks, in response to which he sent U.S. troops into Afghanistan in attempts to disband the ...
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Jul 2, 2021 · With regards to recent presidents, George W. Bush debuted at 36th place in 2009 but jumped 7 places this year to spot 29; and Barack Obama rose two spots to break into the top 10 presidents...
