Who is the Greatest President?
One of my favorite hobbies is presidential politics. I don’t know how I became interesting in presidential history and leadership, especially growing up in a family where that was the least of their interests. My only guess is that I was intrigued by Ronald Reagan and how, to a young child, he looked like a grandfather.
I’m so keenly interested in the presidents that I could probably name something about each of the 43 men who have served as president. I’m not sure if this is something to brag about or not. We will leave it at that for now.
During President’s Day weekend, we often see lists attempting to rank the presidents from greatest to, well, not so much. Of course, these lists are subjective based on the criteria used to rank and any personal biases. I recognize that my addition to these lists will be subjective and based on my own biases, as well.
My criteria is this: Impact on the country that is still being felt; interactions with the issues of the time; and leadership ability. The last meaning simply could the president inspire people or were they someone who was forgettable even in their own time.
With this as the background, here is my list of the greatest presidents. Each will include comments on their presidencies.