Modern = Post-FDR

My vote goes to Ike.

I'm leaning Eisenhower. Followed by Clinton.

1. Reagan
2. Ike
3. Kennedy
4. Truman
5. Clinton
6. Nixon
7. Bush Sr.
8. Ford
9. Johnson
10. Bush Jr.
11. Carter

1. Truman
2. Ike
3. Reagan
4. Kennedy
5. Bush Jr.
6. Bush Sr.
7. Clinton
8. Ford
9. Nixon
10. Johnson
11. Carter

#1 JFK
#2 RR

John F. Kennedy

then Bill

Speaking of Eisenhower, his granddaughter Susan Eisenhower has left the Republican party for good:

I have decided I can no longer be a registered Republican. For the first time in my life I announced my support for a Democratic candidate for the presidency, in February of this year. This was not an endorsement of the Democratic platform, nor was it a slap in the face to the Republican Party. It was an expression of support specifically for Senator Barack Obama.

I had always intended to go back to party ranks after the election and work with my many dedicated friends and colleagues to help reshape the GOP, especially in the foreign-policy arena. But I now know I will be more effective focusing on our national and international problems than I will be in trying to reinvigorate a political organization that has already consumed nearly all of its moderate "seed corn."

And now, as the party threatens to trivialize what promised to be a serious debate on our future direction, it will alienate many young people who might have come into party ranks.

My decision came at the end of last week when it was demonstrated to the nation that McCain and this Bush White House have learned little in the last five years. They mishandled what became a crisis in the Caucusus, and this has undermined U.S. national security. At the same time, the McCain camp appears to be comfortable with running an unworthy Karl Rove-style political campaign. Will the McCain operation, and its sponsors, do anything to win?

This week, I changed my registration from Republican to independent. The two political parties as they exist today, and the partisanship that they foster, reflect the many fights of the cold war, the Vietnam era, the post-cold war and the 9/11 periods. Today we are in a different place altogether, where our security as a nation is challenged not just from abroad but also close to home. The energy, health-care and financial crises threaten our national prosperity and well-being, just as surely as any confrontation overseas or an attack by radical terrorists.

[.]

As an independent I will now feel comfortable supporting people of any political party who reflect those core values.

It was not easy taking this step, since politics, like religion, is something learned on the knee of one's parents and grandparents. And like anything else inherited, it is imbedded in one's own identity. This makes leaving even harder.

But there will be some joy for me in my new status since I will be able to speak for myself, and not as a member of a party that has, sadly, lost its way.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, not unknown until this moment Susan Eisenhower!

Honestly I cannot rank any of these presidents since I've only lived in the US since Clinton's second term, plus I'm only 19...so if I don't base this on History...my favorite is Clinton, I suppose....lol...he did not have tough competition.

I'm pretty sure none of us have been around since Eisenhower, so none of us are basing this on personal experience.

Oh I'm sure, but there are probably some people who were in the states for Regen/Bush Senior/all of Clinton etc...

I just don't think that by just reading/studying history you can know how life was during their presidency. I don't know...maybe that is just me. If I were to base it off history, then Eisenhower would probably be my pick.

If we could only pick the ones we lived through, then no one could ever pick Lincoln, widely regarded as the greatest president of all time. I think it's perfectly fair to include the historical legacy/record.

Fair enough. Although I still think, and I'm sure you will agree, that judging from personal experiences is stronger than reading historical documents, which usually have a bias to them.

You don't think personal experience has a bias to it?

Are you finally seeing the light about waiting a few years before suggesting that Bush is the worst president ever?

If that were simply my personal opinion, instead of the view of most historians, I might take a second look. And historians generally have a pretty good bead on these administrations soon after they're over. And "a few years" is certainly a far cry from the 5-10 DECADES that Bush defenders (yet who rank Reagan at or near the top of their lists despite the elapsing of just 20 years) insist on waiting for making such a judgment about Bush.

So in fairness to Bush, I predict that he will be regarded as among the worst, if not THE worst, in history. I'd imagine it'll take about 5 years or so for that opinion to really solidify. There's a chance it won't, but that chance is slim.

I like Eisenhower and Regan the most followed by Clinton and Truman then JFK.

Considering we all lean democrat here, we all love past republican presidents.


Also it appears there is hardly anything negative about Eisenhower, that I here.

What makes him so well liked.

Is he because he ruled in a Era of Peace and Prosperity in America???

I voted Eisenhower.

Anybody that votes Reagan is getting stabbed in the eye.

Regan was 2nd for me...

To clarify, we all love Eisenhower, who would be to the left of Dennis Kucinich were he around today. Read his Cross of Iron speech and it plays like a liberal Democratic manifesto.

I'm not a huge fan of Reagan, although as modern Republicans go, they could have done a lot worse, as Bush Jr proves.

I voted Reagan.

not me

Not me.

But I would take a smart Democrat over a stupid Republican any day, and I haven't seen a single Republican since Bush Senior that wasn't a total dumbass. I got burned on Bush Junior and refuse to support someone even dumber than him.

We need more Arlen Specters, not James Inhofes.

Since I didn't vote Bush Jr, who the fuck are the two that did? Show yourself!

That vote is sorta like in the Everyone's a Critic forum and someone gives an "F" to Wall-E, Children of Men, or The Dark Knight. I demand that Bush, Jr's. vote be removed!

Just now noticed that Clinton is in the lead. Interesting since no one who's posted a response has put Clinton on top. And the two Bush Jr's are probably jokes.