Hail to the Chief: Best and Worst Presidents in American History Ranked

     Over 200 presidential historians were polled to find out who they thought the best and worst U.S. Presidents were.  The poll, conducted by Siena College research institute, found Franklin D. Roosevelt as the most popular president among scholars, followed by FDR's fifth cousin, Teddy Roosevelt.  Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson rounded out the top five respectively.

     The liberal bias among academics is verified by the poll which ranks Barack Obama at No. 15 after only a year and a half in office while it places conservative sweetheart Ronald Reagan at No. 18.  Bill Clinton, one of only two impeached presidents, finished at No. 13.  The other, Andrew Johnson, finished last.  George W. Bush, touted by Rolling Stone magazine as the worst president in history, landed a more modest No. 39 (out of 43).

     For the complete list, read after the jump.



F. Roosevelt 1
T. Roosevelt 2
Lincoln 3
Washington 4
Jefferson 5
Madison 6
Monroe 7
Wilson 8
Truman 9
Eisenhower 10
Kennedy 11
Polk 12
Clinton 13
Jackson 14
Obama 15
L.B. Johnson 16
J. Adams 17
Reagan 18
J.Q. Adams 19
Cleveland 20
McKinley 21
G.H. Bush 22
Van Buren 23
Taft 24
Arthur 25
Grant 26
Garfield 27
Ford 28
Coolidge 29
Nixon 30
Hayes 31
Carter 32
Taylor 33
B. Harrison 34
W.H. Harrison 35
Hoover 36
Tyler 37
Fillmore 38
G.W. Bush 39
Pierce 40
Harding 41
Buchanan 42
A. Johnson 43