The 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey was published in February. The ranking system is based on opinions of historians and political scientists, which focus on presidential achievements, leadership qualities, failures and faults. The following are the top 10 presidents: No. 1 is Lincoln, followed by F.D. Roosevelt, Washington, T. Roosevelt, Jefferson, Truman, Obama, Eisenhower, L.B. Johnson and Kennedy. The survey rated President Biden as the 14th best president, and President Trump at 45th is the rock bottom last, making him the worst president in our history.
Biden signed several key pieces of legislation and aggressively handled the covid-19 pandemic and the economic recovery. But his most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump.
Trump was voted the most polarizing president ever. In my opinion, he weakened the presidential office. His foreign policy was a failure and undermined America’s position in the world. His callous, inept and inadequate response to covid-19 explains why over 400,000 Americans died while he was in office. The flawed response caused millions of jobs and businesses to disappear.
His biggest damage was to American democracy, with his efforts to demonize his opponents and the media, violate established norms, promote lies, question the authority of the courts and incite unlawful and violent activity on Jan. 6.
Who will you vote for, No. 14 or No. 45?
Joanne Garing
North Huntingdon