# Your Opinion of the BEST and WORST POTUS in the Modern Era? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 16, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197 "2012-11-16T15:39:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chargerrich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chargerrich/32/5399_2.png) [@chargerrich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chargerrich)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/1 "2012-11-16T15:39:33Z")
Chose modern area because I think we can all agree Washington was the best. If you disagree, GET OUTTA MY COUNTRY! šŸ˜› So who was the best starting with 1901 to current; who was the worst in your opinion. This ought to be fun. /takes off partisan hat Best 1. JFK (by a hair) - Bay of Pigs, Apollo Missions, Civil Rights, Marilyn! 2. Reagan - lost by the width of an SDI laser, Hardline against Evil Empire, took economy off the skids, tearing down the walls, advocate of the shuttle program 3. Eisenhower - US interstate, expanded Social Security and as one of the greatest generals ever still had a great moderate temperate of peace first (his entire cabinet wanted to attack China), was anti McCarthy. Worst 1. Bush (photo finish with Carter) :smack: 2. Carter - good guy, great ambassador for peace now but a horrible President. Weak, indecisive, bad foreign policy, stagnate economy, failed tax reform despite promises. Walter Mondaleā€¦ :rolleyes: 3. Nixon - well at least he loved baseball! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/2 "2012-11-16T15:51:08Z")
Worst; hmm. Off the top of my head Bush II, Reagan, Herbert Hoover. Assuming that Hoover counts as part of the ā€œmodern eraā€. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/3 "2012-11-16T15:56:27Z")
1901 is too far back for ā€œmodern eraā€ - I really think you need to limit it to Post-WWII. In which caseā€¦ Best: Ike, Clinton Worst: GWB, Nixon, Carter ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/4 "2012-11-16T15:57:35Z")
Any such list would have to have FDR at the top and Nixon on the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/5 "2012-11-16T17:14:09Z")
The OP counts the Bay of Pigs as a _plus_ for Kennedy? And Iā€™d give credit for the Apollo Missions and Civil Rights to his successor, Johnson. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/6 "2012-11-16T17:18:26Z")
Best: Eisenhower, FDR, Clinton Worst: GWB, Nixon, Carter ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/7 "2012-11-16T17:21:30Z")
Yes, if we really must go all the way back to 1901 then just add FDR to my ā€œbestā€ list. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/8 "2012-11-16T17:33:29Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > The OP counts the Bay of Pigs as a _plus_ for Kennedy? And Iā€™d give credit for the Apollo Missions and Civil Rights to his successor, Johnson. He must have meant Cuban missile crisis instead of bay of pigs. For post WW2, I dunno. Not a lot of great lights Worst: GWB Best: I dunno, Clinton? I give Johnson credit for the courage to sign the civil rights act, but then he did pick that dog up by its ears, which wasnā€™t good. Also Vietnam, that wasnā€™t good either. overrated: Kennedy, Reagan (Give Reagan his due, he allowed Volker to continue the painful process of bringing inflation under control.) underrated: Eisenhower ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/9 "2012-11-16T17:34:04Z")
Best: ā€¦JFK, Reagan, Eisenhower Worst: FDR, Bush 2, Johnson, Truman, Nixon, etc ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/10 "2012-11-16T18:00:23Z")
I still donā€™t understand what JFK is considered a great or even good president. His greatest achievement was getting shot, which created a ton of political capital for Lyndon Johnson. That said: Best - Clinton, FDR, LBJ, Bush I Worst - Nixon, Carter, Bush II ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/11 "2012-11-16T18:39:53Z")
Best ā€“ **FDR** , hands down. Steered the country through both the Great Depression and WWII, and in the process presided over the transformation of the United States into a superpower. FDR is one of the top three presidents of all time. Worst ā€“ **Harding**. Corrupt AND ineffective. Like taking the worst bits of Nixon and Carter and sticking them together with superglue. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/12 "2012-11-16T18:55:51Z")
Best - Reagan Worst - Obama ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/13 "2012-11-16T18:59:20Z")
> [@PandaBear77](#): > > Best - Reagan > > Worst - Obama I love how youā€™ve already pre-judged the next 4 years. It makes me respect your opinion oh so much. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/14 "2012-11-16T19:21:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I still donā€™t understand what JFK is considered a great or even good president. His greatest achievement was getting shot, which created a ton of political capital for Lyndon Johnson. > > That said: > Best - Clinton, FDR, LBJ, Bush I > Worst - Nixon, Carter, Bush II I have no hate for Bush I, but what did he do to rank top thee? I think Iā€™d put Obama in top three. ---
**Author:** ![WillFarnaby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/willfarnaby/32/514_2.png) [@WillFarnaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WillFarnaby)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/15 "2012-11-16T19:41:14Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I still donā€™t understand what JFK is considered a great or even good president. His greatest achievement was getting shot, which created a ton of political capital for Lyndon Johnson. He wasnt great, but he was good for keeping us from catastrophe with the missile crisis. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/16 "2012-11-16T19:52:13Z")
Best in the MODERN ear is a loaded question but Iā€™ll take Eisenhower. Worst is hard to pick. I think in time Bush 2.0 will be viewed as the worst, but for now Iā€™ll take Carter, who was ineffective. LBJ was a terrible President, really. But itā€™s hard to vote ā€œworstā€ for the guy who pushed through the Civil Rights Act. A real mix of the great and the awful in LBJ. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/17 "2012-11-16T21:46:36Z")
Iā€™m going to arbitrarily decide that ā€œmodernā€ begins with Teddy, so my votes are: Best: Teddy, FDR, Bush I Worst: Bush II, Carter, Hoover. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I have no hate for Bush I, but what did he do to rank top thee? In retrospect his handling of the First Gulf War was masterful. He was also willing to compromise to do what (he thought) was best for the country when he raised taxes, even though it arguably cost him reelection. His worst legacy was leaving the US in Somalia. > [@Procrustus](#): > > I think Iā€™d put Obama in top three. Likewise, I donā€™t see how anybody could put Obama in the top three at this point. His only major accomplishment is Obamacare, which _may_ some day make him a great president but itā€™s way too early to decide. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/18 "2012-11-16T21:57:57Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > Iā€™m going to arbitrarily decide that ā€œmodernā€ begins with Teddy, so my votes are: > > Best: Teddy, FDR, Bush I > Worst: Bush II, Carter, Hoover. > In retrospect his handling of the First Gulf War was masterful. He was also willing to compromise to do what (he thought) was best for the country when he raised taxes, even though it arguably cost him reelection. His worst legacy was leaving the US in Somalia. > > Likewise, I donā€™t see how anybody could put Obama in the top three at this point. His only major accomplishment is Obamacare, which _may_ some day make him a great president but itā€™s way too early to decide. I guess I agree on Bush I On Obama, he gets some credit for avoiding catastrophe during a severe financial crises (saving Auto industry, etc). Itā€™s not too early to give him credit for some genuine reforms of the ACA. He ended DADT, he supported gay marriage. I donā€™t have to repeat all the claims made in the recent election, I think theyā€™re still fresh in peoplesā€™ minds. If you consider those accomplishments, he stacks up better than most. Clinton (blessed with a healthy encomony) didnā€™t do as much, yet heā€™s in most peopleā€™s top three. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/19 "2012-11-16T22:06:05Z")
Best: FDR, Truman, Eisenhower Worst: Bush II, Hoover, Nixon, Reagan, all the rest ---
**Author:** ![Learjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/94ad74/32.png) [@Learjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Learjeff)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197/20 "2012-11-16T22:49:42Z")
Keep in mind that Carter appointed Volker as chairman of the Fed, which was virtually guaranteed to ruin his re-election (because Volker would tighten monetary policy, helping the economy in the long run but hurting it in the short run). A lot of the economic recovery of the Reagan years was due to this (and Reagan kept Volker, bless him). A lot of the recovery was also due to the OPEC embargo collapsing. Carter also never gets credit for ending the hostage crisis, simply because while the deal WAS done, various parties delayed it being official until after the election. I really liked GHWB, but wish heā€™d actually mounted a campaign for his re-election, rather than just allowing himself to sink under the ā€œread my lipsā€ issue. However, Clinton who replaced him, did a great job (with the exception of signing the Glass-Steagal act, though we can hardly blame him for that.) Too bad Clinton ended things the way he did, but Starr was way out of line in the first place. None of that would ever have happened if Clinton had not allowed the special prosecutor to be appointed. Unfortunate proof that in politics, never give the enemy a weapon, even if you think itā€™s not loaded. Worst: GWB. It pains me to defend Democrats and criticize Republicans, since Iā€™m a fiscal conservative. But GWB was not a fiscal conservative! He also didnā€™t have any respect for science. Sure, scientists can foul up (just look at most social science in the mid 1900ā€™s, and ā€œtabula rasaā€ BS.) Still, the scientific concensus is the best we have and shouldnā€™t be not mererly ignored, but positively gagged as it was by GWB. Stalin would be proud. Nixon utterly failed with his experiment with ā€¦ not sure whether to call it socialism or fascism, but government price setting. I do remember the gas lines. Only later did I learn what really caused them. FDR really fouled up recovery from the Depression with his attempts to fiddle with the currency. He had no plan, just tried arbitary things, leading to chaos and no way for private enterprise to make predictions, thwarting investment. 90% tax rates didnā€™t help much either. Great war leader, though. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-opinion-of-the-best-and-worst-potus-in-the-modern-era/641197.md?page=2)