Presidents Day: Best Democratic Presidents, Ranked

Today is, in law, George Washington’s birthday, and not “Presidents Day.” It nonetheless produces an annual profusion of rankings of the presidents. These are typically hogwash for multiple reasons, not least of which is the combination of ideological bias with the pretense of ideological neutrality.

I am constrained by no such pretense. And I confess that I know more about some presidencies and their many facets than others. But rather than do a full ranking, I decided to divide up our list of 45 presidents (counting the two-timers once apiece) along the two-party line this year. What follows is my ranking of the Democratic presidents by my overall assessment of the good and harm they did to the country — starting with the top nine out of 18. Perhaps another year, I’ll take on the red team and its Whig and Federalist antecedents.

About the Author

Dan McLaughlin

Dan McLaughlin is a senior writer at National Review Online and a fellow at National Review Institute.

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Today is, in law, George Washington’s birthday, and not “Presidents Day.” It nonetheless produces an annual profusion of rankings of the presidents. These are typically hogwash for multiple reasons, not least of which is the combination of ideological bias with the pretense of ideological neutrality.

I am constrained by no such pretense. And I confess that I know more about some presidencies and their many facets than others. But rather than do a full ranking, I decided to divide up our list of 45 presidents (counting the two-timers once apiece) along the two-party line this year. What follows is my ranking of the Democratic presidents by my overall assessment of the good and harm they did to the country — starting with the top nine out of 18. Perhaps another year, I’ll take on the red team and its Whig and Federalist antecedents.