Reagan and FDR
by February 12, 2010 8:44 am 60 views
Just ahead of President’s Day, the Harris Poll releases a survey that shows 25% of respondents saying Ronald Reagan was the best president since WWII, with FDR second with 22%.
Harris surveyed 2,576 adults online between Jan. 18-25.
On the other side, three in 10 Americans say George W. Bush is the worst president since World War II (31%) while 15% say it is Barack Obama.
“Barack Obama, only one year into his presidency is unfortunate to be presiding over a recession and a failed health care bill,” Harris noted in the statement. “These events are, most likely, the reason he places second on the worst presidents list. As Speaker Reed wrote in 1892, ‘A statesman is a successful politician – who is dead.’”
Following is the top five list of best presidents from Washington to Obama.
Abraham Lincoln: 32%
Ronald Reagan: 25%
Franklin Roosevelt: 22%
George Washington: 19%
John Kennedy: 17
OTHER SURVEY FINDINGS
• Also on the list of best presidents are John F. Kennedy (14%), Bill Clinton (11%) and Barack Obama, Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower (all 4%).
• For worst presidents, Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon come next (both at 10%) then Bill Clinton (6%).
• There are different partisan leanings towards best and worst president. Over half of Republicans (53%) say Ronald Reagan is the best president since World War II followed by 14% who say it is Franklin Roosevelt.
• Democrats are more divided. Over one-quarter say the best president is Franklin Roosevelt (28%) while 22% say it is Bill Clinton and 20% say it is John Kennedy.
• Among Independents, 27% say Ronald Reagan is the best president and 26% say it is Franklin Roosevelt.
• When it comes to worst president, Democrats are more united; over half of them (53%) say it is George W. Bush with one in ten (11%) saying Richard Nixon.
• Three in ten Republicans (31%) say Barack Obama is the worst president followed by two in ten (19%) who say it is Jimmy Carter and one in ten (10%) who say Bill Clinton. For Independents, over one-quarter (28%) say George W. Bush is the worst president and 17% say it is Barack Obama.