How Good Are Experienced Presidents?
Posted: Fri Sep 05, 2008 7:39 pm
That's a fun data set.
There's one point I'd question: I personally consider Gerald Ford to be one of the best Presidents of the 20th century, but my criterion is a little different from what some others might use. He seemed painfully aware he was appointed, not elected, and knew he had no mandate. As a result, he seemed to have more respect for his office than any other President in my lifetime.
Dr. Bussard detested Lincoln, and would have ranked him as the worst President of all time, on the basis that he unnecessarily caused the worst war in the nation's history. Good thing he was a physicist, not a historian, because he'd have a hard time selling that.
Palin's experience is almost identical to Tim Caine of Virginia, one of the top considerees for the Democratic VP. In either case, what impresses is not the level of experience, but the rate of rise. You could say the same thing about Obama, or Reagan, for that matter.