Sam Smith- A recent NY Times survey of scholars on who were the best presidents shows some bizarre results, particularly in its ranking of Lyndon Johnson, who got more good legislation passed in less time than anyone, albeit also being someone you wouldn't want near your daughter.
Democratic scholars ranked the unsubstantial Barack Obama two places ahead of Johnson and one place ahead of Truman. Independent scholars squeezed Johnson between Obama and Clinton.
3 comments:
I agree, Sam. Lyndon deserves far better ranking for what he indeed did, rather than Mr. Obama for what was little more (for the most part) than high-falutin' rhetoric.
The reason for downgrading Johnson is obvious: Viet Nam.
The melting of the ice caps rates objectively as a larger problem than the dissolution of the Union under Buchanan or the surrender to Britain under Wilson. But Truman caused Hiroshima, and LBJ Vietnam, while Obama was simply ineffective to prevent global warming. These are difficult calculations but LBJ, Truman and Obama should be rated lower than Pierce, Buchanan and Wilson, who are arguably among the worst.
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