February 20th 2024.
On President's Day of 2024, the highly anticipated 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey was finally released. Amidst some vocal disapproval of Biden's presidency, a panel of esteemed historians ranked him in the top third of all American presidents. Surprisingly, his opponent in the previous presidential cycle, Donald Trump, received a dismal ranking from historians of all political backgrounds, placing him at or near the bottom of the list. As NPR reported, Trump even fell behind notorious figures such as Andrew Jackson, who was also impeached, and James Buchanan, who is remembered for his leadership failures leading up to the Civil War. Buchanan is also infamous for making a shocking statement that Black people had no rights that should be respected by white men.
In the survey, political scientists Brandon Rottinghaus from the University of Houston and Justin S. Vaughn from Coastal Carolina University noted that despite the political leanings of the experts, their overall rankings remained consistent. However, they did point out some slight differences based on political affiliation. Biden, for example, received a higher ranking of 13th place from liberals, while moderates placed him at 20th and conservatives at 30th. On the other hand, all three groups agreed on Trump's ranking, placing him at the bottom of the list due to his disregard for the norms of the presidency.
Interestingly, there seems to be a "reverse Lincoln effect" at play here, as some of the positive reception of Biden can be attributed to the negative perception of his predecessor. Many consider Lincoln, who falls between Buchanan and Jackson on the list, to be one of the greatest presidents in American history.
Despite his favorable ranking among historians, Biden's current approval ratings and polling data suggest a lack of confidence in his policies and criticism for his age. It's worth noting that Trump faced similar scrutiny for his age, despite being around the same age as Biden. Additionally, Trump's divisive one-term presidency and numerous felony charges have not hindered his bid for the Republican nomination in any way.
The authors of the survey, Rottinghaus and Vaughn, also shed light on the ideological divide among experts. They noted that Republicans and conservatives tend to rank George Washington as the greatest president, while Democrats place him at second or third. They also observed that there is a clear partisan polarization when it comes to presidents such as Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Obama, and Biden, but surprisingly not for Bill Clinton.
Of course, determining the best president is ultimately subjective, as different presidents are praised or criticized for various reasons. Some, like Abraham Lincoln, are celebrated for their efforts to end slavery, while others are known for being cruel slave owners. Even Harry S. Truman, who ranks just behind Obama on the list, made the controversial decision to drop atomic bombs on Japanese civilians during World War II. As Rottinghaus and Vaughn point out, these rankings may not align with everyone's personal experiences with the United States and its presidents. Nevertheless, the survey provides historians and experts with an opportunity to contextualize the opinions and actions of present-day presidents in a broader historical context.
In other news related to the current and former presidents, Trump recently made headlines for debuting a new line of high-top sneakers priced at $399, despite being ordered to pay $355 million in penalties. It seems that even after his presidency, Trump continues to make waves in the fashion industry.
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