Survey: Older Presidents Rated Higher Than Younger Presidents, JFK Deemed Most Overrated

• November 2, 2008

Of all our presidents since World War II, the three who ranked highest among all American presidents in a 2005 survey of scholars by the Wall Street Journal were:
• Ronald Reagan: No. 6 of 43 presidents, inaugurated within weeks of his 70th birthday.
• Harry Truman: No. 7, inaugurated at age 60.
• Dwight Eisenhower: No. 8, inaugurated at 62.
The three youngest presidents since WWII were:
• John Kennedy: ranked No. 15, inaugurated at 43.
• Bill Clinton: No. 22, inaugurated at 46.
• Jimmy Carter: No. 34, inaugurated at 52.
In a 2000 survey by the Federalist Society and the Journal, 78 scholars in history, politics and law were asked to name the most overrated president. A shocking 43 of the 78 picked Kennedy.

I think JFK, the second youngest President ever to take office, has always had a bit of mystique around him because of his assassination (and the assassination of his brother not long after). He was young and vibrant and able to whip a crowd into a frenzy with a well-delivered speech (sound familiar?) but ultimately…there wasn’t really any there there.
Of course, he did cut taxes. He did stare down the commies during the Cuban Missile Crisis. But then there was the Bay of Pigs. And it was JFK who first sent troops to Vietnam.
Ultimately, his administration was a mixed bag. He was a mediocre President. Not a great one.

Tags: Uncategorized

http://Array docdave

He was young and vibrant and able to whip a crowd into a frenzy with a well-delivered speech (sound familiar?

Sort of tells you what moves the typical American citizen, doesn’t it?
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

He was young and vibrant and able to whip a crowd into a frenzy with a well-delivered speech (sound familiar?) but ultimately…there wasn’t really any there there.

Sounds a lot like NOBAMA…
di butler

Mad Dog,

I have never read the Fox news site, so , no that wasn’t it.

JR,

You obviously haven’t had a very good life if Kennedy was the best Pres. you remember.
Magic Dog

How old was the worst president in U.S. history? Ah! I propose a constitutional amendment: No more 55-year-old presidents!
Jerry

He was a mediocre President

Kennedy. Agreed.
However, he’s “Worlds” away from the current crop of Demos.
With his economic vision and military background he may have been quite good.
It was very short for him.

Plus. Vietnam was a war we should have won. Period.
Puzzlefeet

President Eisenhower sent the first military advisors to South Vietnam. As he was leaving the presidency, he advised newly inaugaurated President Kennedy that he would have to send troops.

The domino theory was the dominant theory of the day then and Kennedy was following that theory in protecting South Vietnam from falling as the 1st of the dominos in Southeast Asia to fall.
di butler

I read a study by a group of non-partisan economists and historians. They all said that hands down GWB would be treated very kindly in the future. over half said he would be remembered as a great president. i don’t know where I read it, I will post it as soon as I find it. Jimmy got 34th? How the heck did he manage to do that well? The people who bash Bush, the majority of them have never read a real history book. While I have never agreed with his big spending, and his reluctance to close the border, he has done many ggod things. Kennedy was an inspirational president, but definately not a strong one. In his defense, who knows, he may have turned into a very good one, if he hadn’t been murdered.
Magic Dog

I read a study by a group of non-partisan economists and historians. They all said that hands down GWB would be treated very kindly in the future. over half said he would be remembered as a great president.

I know where you read it: On the Fox News website.
JR

JFK was the best president in my lifetime. Remember he only served 1000 days. He did what he thought was best for the whole country not special interests. In his last interveiw he told Walter Cronkite “it was ultimatly up to the South Vietnamise to win their war”. True he did increase advisors in a war he did not start but its was LBJ who landed US TROOPS in March 1965. Kennedy’s father Joe was a unbashed anti-jewish. Unfortunatly the old testment teaches the sins of the father be brought doun upon the son. Thats why there is a bunch of books written to destroy JFK’s character. He prevented WW111 with Russia and Cuba.

SayAnythingBlog.com

Survey: Older Presidents Rated Higher Than Younger Presidents, JFK Deemed Most Overrated

Create a SAB Readerblog

Recent Comments