A top ten list of American Presidents is certainly a difficult proposition. It is my belief that Americans do not know all of the problems that each President faced. We are often inspired by the boldest of our leaders, but ignore the ones that have compromised for the nation's future. It is also difficult to judge many of the Presidents that are more recent. Our collective judgment is still cloudy on Presidents like George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
#10: Harry Truman (1945-1953)
I will start with the President that I believe deserves the tenth spot on the list: Harry Truman. Truman faced one of the most important decisions that an American President has ever had to make, whether or not to use the nuclear bomb. Truman chose to use it in order to save American lives and bring a swift end to a long, terrible war. Truman was not popular during his Presidency. He was especially unpopular for relieving General MacArthur from his command in the Korean conflict.
#09: John Kennedy (1961-1963)
The thousand days of the John F. Kennedy Presidency are often referred to as a majestic Camelot. Kennedy was a rock star of a President, the youngest ever elected. His handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis was unique and likely saved millions of lives. Kennedy's vision of landing a man on the moon by the end of the decade came true, although when he made that speech it was almost laughable. Kennedy is etched into the American conscience.
#08: Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909)
Teddy Roosevelt can be described in many ways. A number of Americans can identify with his story. He was a war hero in the Spanish-American war; he went out West to find himself and to become tougher. He was a stubborn man, but in an admirable way. Although not a fan of the muckrakers who attacked American industry, he allowed himself to make some reforms in America. His face is on Mount Rushmore because his story is so captivating. It is his life narrative and his fiercely American leadership style that places him so high on this list.
#07: Dwight Eisenhower (1953-1961)
Dwight Eisenhower is on my list for being a visionary leader in a peaceful time. Although he inherited the Korean War, he worked to end it and reigned over an excellent time in American history. The 1950's is a time that many people look back on and envy. Companies like General Motors, Ford and Chrysler employed many Americans at great wages. America was the envy of the world and was producing great products. Eisenhower created the Interstate highway system and allowed Americans much easier travel across the nation.
#06: James Madison (1809-1817)
With the exception of Abraham Lincoln, no one has faced a tougher time as President of the United States. Madison was forced out of Washington during the War of 1812 by the British and was often despised by the American public. He was the first to face the possibility of American states seceding from the union: some New England states threatened just that. Madison, however, negotiated an end to the war and restored America's trust in him. He is also credited with being the father of America's greatest historical document: the Constitution, although that was not during his Presidency.
#05: Ronald Reagan (1981-1989)
Reagan is still a large political figure in the United States. Many recent Republicans have tried to emulate him; they do this for a reason. It was Reagan more than Ford and Carter that healed America from Watergate. It was Reagan that made Americans believe in their government and their country again. His policies did not always work, but the Great Communicator was able to place a vision of a "city upon a hill" for Americans to reach for. Many Americans are still reaching twenty years later.
#04: Franklin Roosevelt (1933-1945)
Franklin Roosevelt was also a Great Communicator. In a time of great strife in the world Roosevelt was a cool hand guiding the nation. Roosevelt served longer than any other President, and while that could be considered a "con," it shows how much trust the United States had in him. Roosevelt was an excellent war leader and worked well with Churchill and Stalin, even though both were occassionally difficult to deal with. Although the New Deal is a mixed bag, many of Roosevelt's policies are still with us today. Social Security and the FDIC are massive entitlements that the Roosevelt administration initiated.
#03: Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809)
The reason I admire Thomas Jefferson so much is because he was the first President in a two-party system to put America before his political ideals. When faced with the question of whether to acquire the Louisiana territory from France, Jefferson's political belief told him that expanding the United States so much would be costly and would require tax revenue, but he decided that it was right for the country to expand. The land area of the United States was doubled and Jefferson made the West the new frontier.
#02: Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)
Abraham Lincoln did all that he could do. He worked tirelessly throughout the Civil War to keep the Union intact. Although he did nothing to start the war, he did everything to end it. The only problems I have with the Lincoln administration is the occassional problems with civil liberties. The writ of habeus corpus is important enough that it should not have been disposed of, even in a time of such strife. Lincoln was determined to win the war, however, and understood that his cause was extremely important.
#01: George Washington (1789-1797)
No one can be higher on the list than George Washington. Washington set the precedent for all of his successors to live up to. He respected the Constitution more than any other President and served as a wonderful Head of State. His time as President was not easy, but he served as the father of his nation. Although much can be said about his successors, none have the stature and the respect of George Washington.