Noted historians rank America's best and worst Presidents.
#3 Franklin Roosevelt by Doris Kearns Goodwin
Franklin Roosevelt was devious. He could interview three people for a job and all three would think they were going to get the job after talking to FDR. He was called The Sphinx because he concealed his thinking. He said he never let his left hand know what his right hand was doing. Margaret, Missy, and Lucy. No wonder I admire Franklin Roosevelt.
#7 Thomas Jefferson by Willard Sterne Randall
Focuses on the Paris years and Jefferson's legal career. Randall is speaking before it has been accepted that Jefferson fathered one or more children with Sally Hemings.
#9 Ronald Reagan by Lou Cannon
Perhaps Reagan WAS brighter than people thought, but what kind of brighter? He was always an actor, always telling stories true or not. It was all about performance, performing the job of President. He cut taxes, increased the military budget, and gave us big deficits. He had this goody, goody, version of American which would admit of no faults in the country. Speaking to Brian Lamb in 1991 Cannon says most Americans are not partisan. If he was correct, the country has changed dramatically in the 29 years. Once Reagan did not recognize his own son. His advisors knew you never knew what might come out his mouth. You could not have Reagan on the loose. Nancy was certainly his protector. Ronald Reagan's world has come and gone. He was a performer and not much more.
#10 Lyndon Johnson by Robert Caro
All of his life LBJ was decisive, always ready to act, make decisions. Johnson only had one goal in life and that was to be President. "I am destined to be President," he said to everyone. When his time came in 1960 he did NOT take action The reason John Connally said was that he was afraid of failing. He could not bear the thought of being a failure like his father. He did not want to be like his daddy. 'That is why he did not run in 1960. There is no doubt that Robert Kennedy tried to get LBJ off the ticket but that JFK knew he had to carry Texas and he further knew he needed Lyndon Johnson to carry Texas. JFK's admin colleagues belittled LBJ the whole time he was VP,. They kept him in the dark about many things. RFK humiliated LBJ time and time again. The vice-presidency was cruel to him. He kept hands on his finances throughout hits presidency. Lying had been a big part of Johnson's life. He had bullied and belittled others all his life but when he stepped off that plane he became President of the United States. He did a masterful job of settling down the country and putting his past behind him to become President. He calls Bobby 26 minutes after he learns JFK is dead. This will always be controversial. Caro's focus always on power. How to get it and how to use. Lyndon Johnson is a textbook study on power.
#17 James Madison by Noah Feldman
The three lives of Madison. 1) Father of thee Constitution. 2)Partisan politician. 3)Secretary of State and President for eight years each.
Different from the other Founders in that he was "all in his head." Totally cerebral. Committed to logic and reason. Hated public speaking. Hated arguing and disagreement. Diminutive in size maybe 5'6". Had migraines. Would not sea voyage to Europe. Book smart in the traditional sense. Had to know everything about subjects he was interested in meaning he had to read every book on the subject. Always better prepared than everyone else. Had to translate his book-learning into political sense. He proceeded by trial and error.
Dolley had long-term influence in the nations's capitol. In essence she was chief lady for 16 yrs since Jefferson didn't have a wife and influence continued even after the Madison's administrations came to an end. Aaron Burr was responsible for their meeting. They were close often writing each three times a day. Grew apart from Washington because the President favored Great Britain and Madison & Jefferson favored France. The War of 1812 was very nearly a disaster and could have ended the United Statute. Madison tried to fight GB by invading Canada which failed. The capitol was burned. Madison and Jefferson did not look upon Washington's last years favorable. They thought he had become a partisan Federalist. But wasn't Washington always in effect a partisan Federalist?
Personal relationships were Madison's calling card since he was never front and center stage given his laid-back personality. Despite his political battles with James Monroe Madison forgave Monroe and they remained friends according to author Feldman.
Baltimore and Fort McHenry saved the country from destruction in the War of 1812. Nobody won; nobody lost so American won.
He was paramount in getting Virginia to ratify the new Constitution 89-79 as he battled Patrick Henry.
The author gives federalism as one of Madison's greatest contributions, the idea of sharing power between the federal government and the states. Yet it has also perplexed us and led to problems.
Is the ugliness going on at Montpelier today a surprise? It shouldn’t be. James Madison was born into a slave society in Virginia. He was born in the arms of a slave. He carried a slave with him to college at the College of New Jersey (Princeton). He had a slave with him in the summer of 1787 in Philadelphia when he was fathering the Constitution. A slave closed his eyes when he died. He owned over a hundred human beings in his lifetime. He never freed them. Dolley sold them all when he died because she needed the money. But shhhhhh! We can’t bring up these things to our students.
The author would ask Madison today what he would do about our partisanship. I doubt Madison would have an answer yet I think he would side with the Republicans.
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