Survey of 154 scholars places 45th president behind even ‘historically calamitous chief executives’ linked to civil war

Donald Trump finished 45th and rock bottom of a list ranking US presidents by greatness, trailing even “historically calamitous chief executives” who failed to stop the civil war or botched its aftermath.

Worse for the likely Republican nominee this year, his probable opponent, Joe Biden, debuted at No 14.

“Biden’s most important achievements may be that he rescued the presidency from Trump, resumed a more traditional style of presidential leadership and is gearing up to keep the office out of his predecessor’s hands this fall,” Justin Vaughn and Brandon Rottinghaus, the political scientists behind the survey, wrote in the Los Angeles Times.

  • GladiusB@lemmy.world
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    10 months ago

    Reagan can be next to last. He’s done more damage to modern America than all others but Trump

    • OpenStars@startrek.website
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      10 months ago

      Except Republicans were polled as well, and then the rankings combined, whereas e.g. Trump is more universally hated by all sides (independents too).

    • iopq@lemmy.world
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      10 months ago

      He was tough on the USSR, at least. Obama and Biden not arming Ukraine enough before the conflicts caused Russia to be more successful than it has any right to be

      • AbsentBird@lemm.ee
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        10 months ago

        Obama tried, they passed multiple aid packages. Trump withheld the aid, which was the cause of his first impeachment.

        • iopq@lemmy.world
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          10 months ago

          Obama could have directly slapped Russia down in 2014, but didn’t do shit. Russia was not punished enough and got more bold in 2022