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Yorktown

(2,884 posts)

100. Yes, GW was a failure, but he's not the absolute worst.

Tue May 5, 2015, 11:36 PM

May 2015

There is a very well made compilation of all the rankings of past presidents on wikipedia, with a column trying to aggregate all the different rankings:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States#Scholar_survey_results

It's actually rather kind to GW, because it includes two rankings aken shortly after 9/11 (Sienna 2002 and WSJ 2005) where GW still is ranked as middle range. All other rankings place GW in the lowest quartile.

The aggregated lowest quartile of the worst presidents:

Herbert Hoover R 31 (tie)
Richard Nixon R 31 (tie)
Benjamin Harrison R 33
Zachary Taylor Whig 34
Ulysses S. Grant R 35
George W. Bush R 36
John Tyler Whig 37
Millard Fillmore Whig 38
William Harrison Whig 39
Franklin Pierce D 40
Andrew Johnson D 41
Warren G. Harding R 42
James Buchanan D 43

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Highlight:

The Verdict is in: Guess Who's The Worst President in US History? [View all] KamaAina May 2015 OP

There can only be one answer for that.... John Poet May 2015 #1

kick samsingh May 2015 #55

Allow me to fall out of my chair in utter surprise. arcane1 May 2015 #2

yep - right alongside you blm May 2015 #31

Yeah, me too. Color me stupefied... calimary May 2015 #63

It's especially shocking considering he wasn't an elected president. BreakfastClub May 2015 #115

Wow. That's an impressive list of FAIL. AtomicKitten May 2015 #3

I thought the question was "Worst President in US History?".... Segami May 2015 #4

I thought you were going to say "Resident" or "Usurper" or "Election thief" carolinayellowdog May 2015 #5

The Residents for President! Warren DeMontague May 2015 #7

W was on Cheney strings, so in that respect, you're technically correct. drynberg May 2015 #19

One of Obama's BEST White House Correspondent's Dinner jokes: okaawhatever May 2015 #26

yes that would be my response as well. mountain grammy May 2015 #57

+1 BeanMusical May 2015 #125

I think most historians think it was Buchanan. Warren DeMontague May 2015 #6

my son insists it is Jackson nt barbtries May 2015 #72

Im sure the folks on the trail of tears could make a compelling case for Jackson Warren DeMontague May 2015 #84

yeah, and it didn't end there. barbtries May 2015 #105

It's not even close...knr joeybee12 May 2015 #8

The three worst were Buchanan, Wilson, and Dubya...can't choose between them... First Speaker May 2015 #9

Let's not forget Andrew Johnson . . . MrModerate May 2015 #24

Johnson, yes; Grant, I'm not sure... First Speaker May 2015 #69

Quite so. Mostly . . . MrModerate May 2015 #75

passively failing to prevent a (possibly inevitable) war, versus actively causing an avoidable one carolinayellowdog May 2015 #37

W was also incredibly out of his element and in over his head deutsey May 2015 #110

Don't forget...... MyOwnPeace May 2015 #112

Yeah, especially when he pracically took the entire month of August 2001 off deutsey May 2015 #114

Wasn't his father the one that choked on the pretzel? nt brush May 2015 #121

No, his dad threw up in Japan deutsey May 2015 #122

I'm going to have to disagree here. Liberal Veteran May 2015 #10

I would have picked Ronnie too. Go Vols May 2015 #11

It's got to be Bush or Reagan, but I say it is Bush. Maineman May 2015 #13

I see Bush as a symptom of the disease Reagan started. Liberal Veteran May 2015 #15

Bush was the end-stage of the Raygun tumor in our once-proud democracy. hifiguy May 2015 #17

The nation has been follwing Reagan's model ever since. Enthusiast May 2015 #47

Between Reagan and Dubya it's tough, but I'd say REAGAN by a hair- appalachiablue May 2015 #95

Without Reagan's Presidency ... staggerleem May 2015 #126

Precisely, no Reagan, no Poppy & no W. Nightmare, with ANOTHER one on the horizon! appalachiablue May 2015 #130

Reagan's presidency is the nightmare that keeps hifiguy May 2015 #135

Amazingly they both were re-elected to two terms oberliner May 2015 #20

With George W Bush it was because he started the war just in time for the 2nd election. Most okaawhatever May 2015 #29

It helped that his opponent also thought it was the right thing to do :( arcane1 May 2015 #33

Democratic timidity in the face of overhyped war fever . . . MrModerate May 2015 #77

propaganda and a spineless media Volaris May 2015 #108

I know . . . Brainstormy May 2015 #45

Couldn't have said it better. 99Forever May 2015 #119

Reagan did as much or more long term damage hifiguy May 2015 #12

I can't decide between Reagan or Bush! m-lekktor May 2015 #14

On Free Republic, GWB isn't popular Reter May 2015 #118

That question seems an insult to our intelligence, but perhaps not, in the light(?) of the Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #132

Without Question it was James Buchanan kevin.xiii May 2015 #16

Harding has got to be second worst oberliner May 2015 #23

I disagree lakercub May 2015 #58

I'll go with Runny Raygun olddots May 2015 #18

The link leads to a "No Longer Published" message?? SaveOurDemocracy May 2015 #21

I am getting the same message Gothmog May 2015 #66

Looks like bushhacks are scrubbing their bad publicity. Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #68

Neither Bush nor Reagan would be in the top 5 list of worst presidents oberliner May 2015 #22

I give the medal to Buchanan . . . MrModerate May 2015 #30

For the 20/21st centuries hifiguy May 2015 #34

You are saying Clinton was worse than Bush Sr. and Gerald Ford? oberliner May 2015 #38

I forget about Ford hifiguy May 2015 #41

Disagree lakercub May 2015 #62

Around 800,000 Americans were killed in the US Civil War oberliner May 2015 #71

Can't access the link anymore ailsagirl May 2015 #25

Damn you, KKKarl!! KamaAina May 2015 #28

Bush was the last person who could have stopped Climate Change... AZ Progressive May 2015 #27

They also ought to blame Limbaugh for his "celebrate your freedom,...to buy an SUV" campaign. Spitfire of ATJ May 2015 #36

And to think, he wasn't even elected! rurallib May 2015 #32

Yep. Neither time. nt SusanCalvin May 2015 #59

When I went to read the article, I got PatSeg May 2015 #35

Well, credit where it's due. NanceGreggs May 2015 #39

The best at being being a terrible president. hifiguy May 2015 #42

Yup. NanceGreggs May 2015 #56

I swear to Princess Celestia that, left to his own devices, hifiguy May 2015 #73

Your post literally ... NanceGreggs May 2015 #79

Why thank you! hifiguy May 2015 #80

Credit for the Unintentional heckles65 May 2015 #40

That's odd, since both were Yankees KamaAina May 2015 #43

We knew that. Enthusiast May 2015 #44

Correction: he was never a President. riqster May 2015 #46

Gads, I almost miss how stupid he was.... realFedUp May 2015 #48

He definitely made the comedy very easy, but also made it very necessary n/t arcane1 May 2015 #67

Unlike his budget, these numbers add up Omaha Steve May 2015 #49

"No longer published" Imagine that. Enthusiast May 2015 #50

Reagan and Bush II were both just figureheads central scrutinizer May 2015 #51

I am not surprised Gothmog May 2015 #52

And any. Republican in the clown car will tell you that things were so much better when W was world wide wally May 2015 #53

Breaks my heart tavernier May 2015 #54

Gosh! Who knew? (snark) nt Duval May 2015 #60

Followed by this complete and total dumbass. Rex May 2015 #61

The link is not working for me Gothmog May 2015 #64

It appears to have been taken down KamaAina May 2015 #65

Reagan worst, Dumbya number two Terra Alta May 2015 #70

Yep. nt LWolf May 2015 #76

+1 Reagan is the worst. Without him there would have been no Bushes. CharlotteVale May 2015 #86

Yes I agree wholeheartedly. In the modern era, Reagan beats Bush by a country mile as worst. FailureToCommunicate May 2015 #91

I second, third, and fourth that! Ivywoods55 May 2015 #124

I thought W Thespian2 May 2015 #74

Is we really learnin anything new? czarjak May 2015 #78

Every bad thing he's done is a rat clawing it's way out from within his mind and body. NBachers May 2015 #81

K & R L0oniX May 2015 #82

I think poor Bushy is getting a raw deal here. rhett o rick May 2015 #83

''Money trumps peace.'' -- appointed pretzeldent George Walker Bush, Feb. 14, 2007 Octafish May 2015 #85

Americans aren't nearly as smart as they think they are. GeorgeGist May 2015 #87

Americans are dumbfucks to keep electing Republicans mnhtnbb May 2015 #88

Americans have always been stupid. hifiguy May 2015 #137

dubya mac2766 May 2015 #89

Best seventh post in DU history! KamaAina May 2015 #92

I'll Rec #139 to that!1 Where are the 4,000 who favor DU celebrities?!1 n/t UTUSN May 2015 #90

Aww, I always thought that pic was kinda cute. Like the cat that ran into a door and said freshwest May 2015 #93

Would you prefer this one? KamaAina May 2015 #94

Too tiny for me to make out. Try this version of the Bush Reign of Terror: freshwest May 2015 #99

LOL -What a fucking moron. jalan48 May 2015 #96

That's "moran" around these parts. KamaAina May 2015 #97

I'm really laughing now. Thank you jalan48 May 2015 #98

Yes, GW was a failure, but he's not the absolute worst. Yorktown May 2015 #100

I think W. will move up that worst list lovemydog May 2015 #102

Wikipedia? Really??!! staggerleem May 2015 #128

Gotta call bullshit and give it to Ronald St. Reagan for teeing it up for him. n/t brewens May 2015 #101

Benjamin Franklin? AlbertCat May 2015 #103

Sorry, Buchanan was simply the worst Recursion May 2015 #104

Grover Cleveland. Puzzledtraveller May 2015 #106

Buchanan easily davidn3600 May 2015 #107

He's not even listed among the presidents DFW May 2015 #109

Bummer. Link To Nowhere ProfessorGAC May 2015 #111

K&R! This thread has hundreds of recommendations! Enthusiast May 2015 #113

This message was self-deleted by its author rosesaylavee May 2015 #116

The article is no longer posted there. Whaddya know. nt raccoon May 2015 #117

And treasonous murdering war criminal IHateTheGOP May 2015 #120

The article was taken down. Any idea why? RUINED my FB argument! nolabear May 2015 #123

Raygun most be really close. BeanMusical May 2015 #127

I always liked the picture of bush after he was attacked by the pretzel Angry Dragon May 2015 #129

Ah yes, the Pretzeldent KamaAina May 2015 #131

That's an easy one. Dumbest, most dishonest, most dangerous AikidoSoul May 2015 #133

Well, it went downhill when his daddy was elected. raven mad May 2015 #134

Why would anyone who cares for the USA and people therein consider another Bush for Pretzeldent?? PufPuf23 May 2015 #136