Lincoln voted best president ever; Bush comes in at 36

No shockers here. Lincoln has been, and will likely be, the standard of presidents in this nation. Holding together a nation in bleakest of times and, ending the most abhorrent rule our nation had foisted on other men - slavery. Plus, he’s got the whole beard and tall hat thing going - no one could pull that off today. Not to mention the whole 200th b-day happening - what’s not to like.

George W. Bush came in 36th, beating out Millard Fillmore, Warren G. Harding, William Henry Harrison, Franklin D. Pierce, Andrew Johnson and James Buchanan. But Bushies take heart - time usually has a way of putting perspective on a president. After all, Jimmy Carter sits at a slightly below average 25th, something no one would have imagined 30 years ago.

It’s been 145 years since Abraham Lincoln appeared on a ballot, but admiration for the man who saved the union and sparked the end of slavery is as strong as ever, according to a new survey. Lincoln finished first in a ranking by historians of the 42 former White House occupants. The survey was released over Presidents Day weekend. The news wasn’t quite as good for the latest addition to the nation’s most exclusive fraternity: George W. Bush finished 36th in the survey, narrowly edging out the likes of historical also-rans Millard Fillmore, Warren Harding and Franklin Pierce. - From CNN

American’s like to rate things. Flipping through the television stations, magazines and websites one is bombarded with countdowns of the 100 hottest celebrity bodies, the best movies of all time and as of recently the best President in U.S. history. These countdowns may be silly, but when I have nothing better to do I often find myself plopped in front of the TV, watching a countdown, and silently anticipating the announcement of who is number one. As far as Presidents go, it is no surprise that Abraham Lincoln scored the highest overall. President Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is best known for being Commander and Chief during the Civil War which ended slavery in America. Had Lincoln still been alive today, he would have celebrated his 200th birthday last week. Being ranked the best President in American history would have been a great birthday gift. - From College News

C-Span today released a survey of American historians that ranks all the U.S. presidents in history based on merit/leadership. C-Span conducted its first ranking of this kind in 2000. In both this year’s ranking and the 2000 ranking, Abraham Lincoln is ranked as the best President. James Buchanan is ranked worst this year, replacing Andrew Johnson in the lowest spot. C-Span has completed its second survey of American historians to rank all the U.S. Presidents in history from best to worst. This year, Republican Abraham Lincoln has been ranked as the best president yet again. He was ranked #1 in the survey C-Span conducted in 2000 as well. For his role in preserving the country’s union and ending slavery, Abraham Lincoln’s presidency is nearly universally recognized as the best in American history. - From Right Pundits

2009 C-Span President Survery

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Theodore Roosevelt
5. Harry S. Truman
6. John F. Kennedy
7. Thomas Jefferson
8. Dwight D. Eisenhower
9. Woodrow Wilson
10. Ronald Reagan
11. Lyndon B. Johnson
12. James K. Polk
13. Andrew Jackson
14. James Monroe
15. Bill Clinton
16. William McKinley
17. John Adams
18. George H. W. Bush
19. John Quincy Adams
20. James Madison
21. Grover Cleveland
22. Gerald R. Ford
23. Ulysses S. Grant
24. William Howard Taft
25. Jimmy Carter
26. Calvin Coolidge
27. Richard M. Nixon
28. James A. Garfield
29. Zachary Taylor
30. Benjamin Harrison
31. Martin Van Buren
32. Chester A. Arthur
33. Rutherford B. Hayes
34. Herbert Hoover
35. John Tyler
36. George W. Bush
37. Millard Fillmore
38. Warren G. Harding
39. William Henry Harrison
40. Franklin D. Pierce
41. Andrew Johnson
42. James Buchanan

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