Is Obama the Worst President Ever ?

[American Patriot]

Well many think so and here is the proof:

Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama | OpEdNews
www.opednews.com/.../Worst-President-Ever--Bar-by-Michael-Collins-C...

Feb 21, 2014 - Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama - Obama'ssurveillance program, failure to prosecute Wall Street crooks, and neglect of climate

1. 5 Reasons Obama is One of the Worst Presidents Ever ...
   downtrend.com/.../5-reasons-obama-is-one-of-the-worst-presidents-ever/
   
   Nov 18, 2013 - I read an interesting humor piece about 12 reasons Obama is one of the best Presidents ever. In fact, it was so funny I hardly noticed it was ...

1. Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History ...
   https://www.facebook.com/ObamaWorstInHistory
   
   Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History! 173654 likes · 7848 talking about this. The Obama regime has been a debacle and the...

1. Is Barack Obama the Worst and Most Incompetent President ...
   pjmedia.com/.../is-barack-obama-americas-worst-and-most-inco...
   PJ Media
   
   Sep 1, 2013 - A case can now be firmly made that Barack Obama is the most incompetent and dangerous chief executive our country has ever had.

1. Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President ...
   www.forbes.com/.../economically-could-obama-be-americas-wors...
   Forbes
   
   Jun 2, 2013 - Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President? .... profits have doubled, matching their highest share of GDP ever in 2006.

1. Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst ...
   www.foxnews.com/.../why-does-obama-always-choos...
   Fox News Channel
   
   Oct 7, 2013 - Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst president --ever. Michael Goodwin. By Michael Goodwin. Published October 07, 2013.

1. Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever ...
   www.pennlive.com/.../obama_will_do_down_in_histor...
   The Patriot‑News
   
   Oct 8, 2013 - Barack Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever. Romney, who is an honorable man, could have been the president who ...

1. Is Obama the worst president ever? - Washington Examiner
   washingtonexaminer.com/is-obama-the-worst-president-ever/.../2534688
   
   Aug 26, 2013 - If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. —President Obama, Aug. 11, 2009 So said President Obama again and ...

1. 12 Reasons Why Obama is The worst President we've ever ...
   beforeitsnews.com/.../12-reasons-why-obama-is-the-worst-president-wev...
   
   Dec 4, 2013 - Here are 12 reasons why Obama is the worst presidents ever: He is not for The People. Barack Obama, is a liar and an impersonator. He cares ...

So there it is in black and white. How can any liberal still actually support this bimbo is the 64 thousand dollar question. Liberals must be very uninformed and completely out of touch or they are the dumbest folks on this planet. Liberal thinking has never made a whole lot of sense anyway, just like when Nancy Pelosi said we must vote for it to see what is in it. Or Obama promising everyone they can keep their heath care and doctor and for this statement he won liar of the year. So for all you throne sniffers out there tell me why you still adore and support this impostor, tell me one justifiable reason that you people still believe in this liar and deceiver, just one. Obama will go down in history as the worst president of all time, his approval numbers are already lower than Carter's ever were. At best he is a community organizer from Chicago, that about says it all, now he is in charge of everything and responsible for nothing. Go figure.

 

[RickWA]

Well many think so and here is the proof:

Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama | OpEdNews
www.opednews.com/.../Worst-President-Ever--Bar-by-Michael-Collins-C...

Feb 21, 2014 - Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama - Obama'ssurveillance program, failure to prosecute Wall Street crooks, and neglect of climate

1. 5 Reasons Obama is One of the Worst Presidents Ever ...
   downtrend.com/.../5-reasons-obama-is-one-of-the-worst-presidents-ever/
   
   Nov 18, 2013 - I read an interesting humor piece about 12 reasons Obama is one of the best Presidents ever. In fact, it was so funny I hardly noticed it was ...

1. Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History ...
   https://www.facebook.com/ObamaWorstInHistory
   
   Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History! 173654 likes · 7848 talking about this. The Obama regime has been a debacle and the...

1. Is Barack Obama the Worst and Most Incompetent President ...
   pjmedia.com/.../is-barack-obama-americas-worst-and-most-inco...
   PJ Media
   
   Sep 1, 2013 - A case can now be firmly made that Barack Obama is the most incompetent and dangerous chief executive our country has ever had.

1. Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President ...
   www.forbes.com/.../economically-could-obama-be-americas-wors...
   Forbes
   
   Jun 2, 2013 - Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President? .... profits have doubled, matching their highest share of GDP ever in 2006.

1. Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst ...
   www.foxnews.com/.../why-does-obama-always-choos...
   Fox News Channel
   
   Oct 7, 2013 - Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst president --ever. Michael Goodwin. By Michael Goodwin. Published October 07, 2013.

1. Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever ...
   www.pennlive.com/.../obama_will_do_down_in_histor...
   The Patriot‑News
   
   Oct 8, 2013 - Barack Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever. Romney, who is an honorable man, could have been the president who ...

1. Is Obama the worst president ever? - Washington Examiner
   washingtonexaminer.com/is-obama-the-worst-president-ever/.../2534688
   
   Aug 26, 2013 - If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. —President Obama, Aug. 11, 2009 So said President Obama again and ...

1. 12 Reasons Why Obama is The worst President we've ever ...
   beforeitsnews.com/.../12-reasons-why-obama-is-the-worst-president-wev...
   
   Dec 4, 2013 - Here are 12 reasons why Obama is the worst presidents ever: He is not for The People. Barack Obama, is a liar and an impersonator. He cares ...

So there it is in black and white. How can any liberal still actually support this bimbo is the 64 thousand dollar question. Liberals must be very uninformed and completely out of touch or they are the dumbest folks on this planet. Liberal thinking has never made a whole lot of sense anyway, just like when Nancy Pelosi said we must vote for it to see what is in it. Or Obama promising everyone they can keep their heath care and doctor and for this statement he won liar of the year. So for all you throne sniffers out there tell me why you still adore and support this impostor, tell me one justifiable reason that you people still believe in this liar and deceiver, just one. Obama will go down in history as the worst president of all time, his approval numbers are already lower than Carter's ever were. At best he is a community organizer from Chicago, that about says it all, now he is in charge of everything and responsible for nothing. Go figure.

No, but he ain't great.

 

[Jen]

Hands down.........yes he is.
Here are my reasons for thinking that.
1. He doesn't know what he's doing most of the time
2. He has appointed people who are his friends, he owes favors to, and thus, they don't know what they are doing either.
3. His philosophies of what works doesn't work at all
4. His idea that he needs to fundamentally change our nation implies that something is wrong with the USA and that is just wrong
5. His apologizing for the USA but not recognizing that some things he has done need his apology ..... indicates massive hubris.
6. His blaming everyone in the world (other than himself) for things he screws up is a sign of his incompetence (my #1) and his hubris (my #4,5,6) being out of control.

 

[Dawg]

Well many think so and here is the proof:

Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama | OpEdNews
www.opednews.com/.../Worst-President-Ever--Bar-by-Michael-Collins-C...

Feb 21, 2014 - Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama - Obama'ssurveillance program, failure to prosecute Wall Street crooks, and neglect of climate

1. 5 Reasons Obama is One of the Worst Presidents Ever ...
   downtrend.com/.../5-reasons-obama-is-one-of-the-worst-presidents-ever/
   
   Nov 18, 2013 - I read an interesting humor piece about 12 reasons Obama is one of the best Presidents ever. In fact, it was so funny I hardly noticed it was ...

1. Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History ...
   https://www.facebook.com/ObamaWorstInHistory
   
   Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History! 173654 likes · 7848 talking about this. The Obama regime has been a debacle and the...

1. Is Barack Obama the Worst and Most Incompetent President ...
   pjmedia.com/.../is-barack-obama-americas-worst-and-most-inco...
   PJ Media
   
   Sep 1, 2013 - A case can now be firmly made that Barack Obama is the most incompetent and dangerous chief executive our country has ever had.

1. Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President ...
   www.forbes.com/.../economically-could-obama-be-americas-wors...
   Forbes
   
   Jun 2, 2013 - Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President? .... profits have doubled, matching their highest share of GDP ever in 2006.

1. Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst ...
   www.foxnews.com/.../why-does-obama-always-choos...
   Fox News Channel
   
   Oct 7, 2013 - Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst president --ever. Michael Goodwin. By Michael Goodwin. Published October 07, 2013.

1. Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever ...
   www.pennlive.com/.../obama_will_do_down_in_histor...
   The Patriot‑News
   
   Oct 8, 2013 - Barack Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever. Romney, who is an honorable man, could have been the president who ...

1. Is Obama the worst president ever? - Washington Examiner
   washingtonexaminer.com/is-obama-the-worst-president-ever/.../2534688
   
   Aug 26, 2013 - If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. —President Obama, Aug. 11, 2009 So said President Obama again and ...

1. 12 Reasons Why Obama is The worst President we've ever ...
   beforeitsnews.com/.../12-reasons-why-obama-is-the-worst-president-wev...
   
   Dec 4, 2013 - Here are 12 reasons why Obama is the worst presidents ever: He is not for The People. Barack Obama, is a liar and an impersonator. He cares ...

So there it is in black and white. How can any liberal still actually support this bimbo is the 64 thousand dollar question. Liberals must be very uninformed and completely out of touch or they are the dumbest folks on this planet. Liberal thinking has never made a whole lot of sense anyway, just like when Nancy Pelosi said we must vote for it to see what is in it. Or Obama promising everyone they can keep their heath care and doctor and for this statement he won liar of the year. So for all you throne sniffers out there tell me why you still adore and support this impostor, tell me one justifiable reason that you people still believe in this liar and deceiver, just one. Obama will go down in history as the worst president of all time, his approval numbers are already lower than Carter's ever were. At best he is a community organizer from Chicago, that about says it all, now he is in charge of everything and responsible for nothing. Go figure.

Jimmia Carter LOVES 'O'...........for taken his title away........

 

[Zam-Zam]

No, but he ain't great.

That's where I would come down. I lived through the Jimmy Carter experiment, so Obama isn't even the worst in my lifetime. From what I've read, both Andrew Johnson and Warren G. Harding were pretty awful as well.

Often we fall into the trap of thinking things have never been worse, or that our time is somehow more significant than all previous history. It is important to take a step back and keep perspective. Our lifespan may seem terribly important to us, but in the grand scheme of things, it's barely a blip on the radar.

My guess (and that's all it is): a hundred years from now, the Obama Presidency is a footnote in history, and people will think of him as often as we think of Millard Fillmore.

 

[American Patriot]

Hands down.........yes he is.
Here are my reasons for thinking that.
1. He doesn't know what he's doing most of the time
2. He has appointed people who are his friends, he owes favors to, and thus, they don't know what they are doing either.
3. His philosophies of what works doesn't work at all
4. His idea that he needs to fundamentally change our nation implies that something is wrong with the USA and that is just wrong
5. His apologizing for the USA but not recognizing that some things he has done need his apology ..... indicates massive hubris.
6. His blaming everyone in the world (other than himself) for things he screws up is a sign of his incompetence (my #1) and his hubris (my #4,5,6) being out of control.

Jen, I completely agree with you. You make a very important point as well, Obama appoints people to posts of high responsibility not because they are qualified for the job but because they were contributors or his close friends. I can name numerous people who hold positions of great responsibility who have absolutely no clue what they are doing. The retired general at the head of the VA is a good example, I am certain he was an excellent general while in the Army, the reason he got this post is that he spoke out against Bush when we were about to go to war, the democrats loved that, question really is, is this man qualified to run the VA, obviously not. The lady in charge of the Obama care roll out is another good example, she knew nothing about how to manage or build a web site let alone handle and be responsible for one sixth of our economy but she had close ties with Obama. His administration is literally saturated with these kinds of individuals, they may be fine folks, but are they qualified for the jobs they hold, almost always the answer is no they are not. This is the very reason I believe that scandals like the IRS have emerged, the people responsible were staunch Obama supporters, that had been appointed to these positions, this also explains why there is literally no accountability, Obama is not going to fire his friends, no matter how incompetent they may be. It has now been proven beyond any doubt that the Obama philosophy, doctrine, and policies have failed, why, for the exact same reason, Obama has absolutely no clue what he is actually doing, he is not qualified to be the president. This explains volumes, this is why Obama is a man of many words and very little action, this explains why he chooses to lead from behind, this explains why Obama blames any thing and everyone else but himself for his own miss guided and incorrect decisions. You make very good observations all of which I might add are absolutely true.

 

[Charcat]

Jimmia Carter LOVES 'O'...........for taken his title away........

 

[Bugsy McGurk]

Statistically he may be the best.

 

[Dawg]

View attachment 25312

and the WORSE FIRST LADY also..............

 

[RickWA]

That's where I would come down. I lived through the Jimmy Carter experiment, so Obama isn't even the worst in my lifetime. From what I've read, both Andrew Johnson and Warren G. Harding were pretty awful as well.

Often we fall into the trap of thinking things have never been worse, or that our time is somehow more significant than all previous history. It is important to take a step back and keep perspective. Our lifespan may seem terribly important to us, but in the grand scheme of things, it's barely a blip on the radar.

My guess (and that's all it is): a hundred years from now, the Obama Presidency is a footnote in history, and people will think of him as often as we think of Millard Fillmore.

It's human nature. Contemporary measuring sticks are skewed heavily versus old ones. Bush sucked big time. Obama stinks. Neither rates dead worst on an objective scale, IMO.

 

[Figjam]

...to answer your question, no.

...reagan and booosch 2 were far worse.

...both left their final terms with the country in an economic downturn.

Both talked about smaller government but it expanded under them. http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikepatton/2013/01/24/the-growth-of-the-federal-government-1980-to-2012/

Bush unnecessarily invaded a sovereign nation under false pretenses costing US lives and billions of dollars.

 

[Jen]

It's human nature. Contemporary measuring sticks are skewed heavily versus old ones. Bush sucked big time. Obama stinks. Neither rates dead worst on an objective scale, IMO.

I believe that, on an objective scale, Obama has edged out Carter as dead last. I outlined just a few of the reasons for that in my post above (in this thread). One more that I didn't mention is that virtually everything that Obama does is done for political reasons, not in the best interest of the country. That alone puts him near if not at the bottom. He is in his job to take care of the country, for heaven's sake! He was not elected to be in perpetual campaign mode.

 

[Bugsy McGurk]

...to answer your question, no.

...reagan and booosch 2 were far worse.

...both left their final terms with the country in an economic downturn.

Both talked about smaller government but it expanded under them. http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikepatton/2013/01/24/the-growth-of-the-federal-government-1980-to-2012/

Bush unnecessarily invaded a sovereign nation under false pretenses costing US lives and billions of dollars.

I wonder if these dittoheads can find even one objectively measured condition that is worse than the conditions GWB left behind.

I doubt it - they just like yapping and dittoing.

 

[RickWA]

I believe that, on an objective scale, Obama has edged out Carter as dead last. I outlined just a few of the reasons for that in my post above (in this thread). One more that I didn't mention is that virtually everything that Obama does is done for political reasons, not in the best interest of the country. That alone puts him near if not at the bottom. He is in his job to take care of the country, for heaven's sake! He was not elected to be in perpetual campaign mode.

That's a modern prez for ya. You don't think Bubba was on "perma-campaign mode"? Chomping his bottom lip every time a Little House re-run was broadcast? Bush in flight suits? This is what we get now.
Infer no defense of President Obama, but worst ever? Nah.

 

[Arkady]

Well many think so and here is the proof:

Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama | OpEdNews
www.opednews.com/.../Worst-President-Ever--Bar-by-Michael-Collins-C...

Feb 21, 2014 - Article: Worst President Ever - Barack H. Obama - Obama'ssurveillance program, failure to prosecute Wall Street crooks, and neglect of climate

1. 5 Reasons Obama is One of the Worst Presidents Ever ...
   downtrend.com/.../5-reasons-obama-is-one-of-the-worst-presidents-ever/
   
   Nov 18, 2013 - I read an interesting humor piece about 12 reasons Obama is one of the best Presidents ever. In fact, it was so funny I hardly noticed it was ...

1. Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History ...
   https://www.facebook.com/ObamaWorstInHistory
   
   Obama Is Officially The Worst President In American History! 173654 likes · 7848 talking about this. The Obama regime has been a debacle and the...

1. Is Barack Obama the Worst and Most Incompetent President ...
   pjmedia.com/.../is-barack-obama-americas-worst-and-most-inco...
   PJ Media
   
   Sep 1, 2013 - A case can now be firmly made that Barack Obama is the most incompetent and dangerous chief executive our country has ever had.

1. Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President ...
   www.forbes.com/.../economically-could-obama-be-americas-wors...
   Forbes
   
   Jun 2, 2013 - Economically, Could Obama Be America's Worst President? .... profits have doubled, matching their highest share of GDP ever in 2006.

1. Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst ...
   www.foxnews.com/.../why-does-obama-always-choos...
   Fox News Channel
   
   Oct 7, 2013 - Move over Jimmy Carter, Obama has my vote for worst president --ever. Michael Goodwin. By Michael Goodwin. Published October 07, 2013.

1. Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever ...
   www.pennlive.com/.../obama_will_do_down_in_histor...
   The Patriot‑News
   
   Oct 8, 2013 - Barack Obama will go down in history as the worst president ever. Romney, who is an honorable man, could have been the president who ...

1. Is Obama the worst president ever? - Washington Examiner
   washingtonexaminer.com/is-obama-the-worst-president-ever/.../2534688
   
   Aug 26, 2013 - If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. —President Obama, Aug. 11, 2009 So said President Obama again and ...

1. 12 Reasons Why Obama is The worst President we've ever ...
   beforeitsnews.com/.../12-reasons-why-obama-is-the-worst-president-wev...
   
   Dec 4, 2013 - Here are 12 reasons why Obama is the worst presidents ever: He is not for The People. Barack Obama, is a liar and an impersonator. He cares ...

So there it is in black and white. How can any liberal still actually support this bimbo is the 64 thousand dollar question. Liberals must be very uninformed and completely out of touch or they are the dumbest folks on this planet. Liberal thinking has never made a whole lot of sense anyway, just like when Nancy Pelosi said we must vote for it to see what is in it. Or Obama promising everyone they can keep their heath care and doctor and for this statement he won liar of the year. So for all you throne sniffers out there tell me why you still adore and support this impostor, tell me one justifiable reason that you people still believe in this liar and deceiver, just one. Obama will go down in history as the worst president of all time, his approval numbers are already lower than Carter's ever were. At best he is a community organizer from Chicago, that about says it all, now he is in charge of everything and responsible for nothing. Go figure.

He's the second-worst president of the 21st century. As you'll recall, in the Bush years, pretty much every measurable indicator of socioeconomic well-being took a turn for the worse. Unemployment rose, poverty rose, median real incomes fell, stocks fell, the trade deficit rose, the budget deficit rose, the dollar weakened, US approval ratings abroad fell, etc. Those things that didn't go poorly generally went only very slightly well (e.g., a 0.1-point decline in the murder rate). We suffered the worst security failure in our history, blundered into a three-trillion-dollar war, and failed for eight years to get Bin Laden. There was also the drowning of New Orleans and the Abu Ghraib torture scandal.

By comparison, the Obama years have been a mixed bag. The unemployment rate is down, but poverty is up (though down in the most recent years). Median real incomes are down (though up in the most recent years), but stocks are through the roof. US approval ratings abroad are up and budget deficits have fallen dramatically. The murder rate has declined substantially. We've avoided any major terrorist attacks. We killed Bin Laden. We've avoided starting any new trillion-dollar wars. We've stopped using torture against detainees. Etc. It hasn't been one of those across-the-board periods of improvement, like the Clinton years, but it also hasn't been an across-the-board failure like the Bush years. It's more akin to the Eisenhower or JFK years, in that it's a mix of success or failure, with an overall improving trend line.

 

[Arkady]

That's a modern prez for ya. You don't think Bubba was on "perma-campaign mode"? Chomping his bottom lip every time a Little House re-run was broadcast? Bush in flight suits? This is what we get now.
Infer no defense of President Obama, but worst ever? Nah.

I think Obama is slightly less in "perma-campaign mode" than most modern presidents have been. Although I'd rate Clinton as a much better president overall, Clinton was much more committed to approaching everything as a PR stunt than Obama is. Reagan was certainly a lot more about the PR than Obama, and GW Bush was shameless about it to the point of being downright cartoonish. Obama is a very gifted campaigner (he's never lost, even against strong competition), but I think he partly shuts down the "campaign mode" presentation outside of the months leading up to elections, which is part of why his approval ratings always seem to be sinking, other than at the critical months when he gets back into selling himself to the voters. He's more like GHW Bush.

 

[Arkady]

Jen, I completely agree with you. You make a very important point as well, Obama appoints people to posts of high responsibility not because they are qualified for the job but because they were contributors or his close friends. I can name numerous people who hold positions of great responsibility who have absolutely no clue what they are doing. The retired general at the head of the VA is a good example, I am certain he was an excellent general while in the Army, the reason he got this post is that he spoke out against Bush when we were about to go to war, the democrats loved that, question really is, is this man qualified to run the VA, obviously not. The lady in charge of the Obama care roll out is another good example, she knew nothing about how to manage or build a web site let alone handle and be responsible for one sixth of our economy but she had close ties with Obama. His administration is literally saturated with these kinds of individuals, they may be fine folks, but are they qualified for the jobs they hold, almost always the answer is no they are not. This is the very reason I believe that scandals like the IRS have emerged, the people responsible were staunch Obama supporters, that had been appointed to these positions, this also explains why there is literally no accountability, Obama is not going to fire his friends, no matter how incompetent they may be. It has now been proven beyond any doubt that the Obama philosophy, doctrine, and policies have failed, why, for the exact same reason, Obama has absolutely no clue what he is actually doing, he is not qualified to be the president. This explains volumes, this is why Obama is a man of many words and very little action, this explains why he chooses to lead from behind, this explains why Obama blames any thing and everyone else but himself for his own miss guided and incorrect decisions. You make very good observations all of which I might add are absolutely true.

All presidents appoint politically friendly people to positions of power. But Obama has been less shameless about it than his predecessor. Recall that when Katrina hit, the head of FEMA was a Bush fundraiser whose pre-appointment experience included now disaster recovery or emergency planning work at all. He was a horse judge. It was, to use the words of a Republican who was in Bush's own administration, the rule of the Mayberry Machievellis -- a time when even traditionally apolitical technocratic positions were filled with people from the political end of the operation. It was the time of people like Monica Goodling and the attempt to put Harriet Meiers on the bench of the Supreme Court. I'm not aware of anyone Obama has appointed who is that lacking in the traditional qualifications for the job in question.

 

[Arkady]

That's where I would come down. I lived through the Jimmy Carter experiment, so Obama isn't even the worst in my lifetime. From what I've read, both Andrew Johnson and Warren G. Harding were pretty awful as well.

Often we fall into the trap of thinking things have never been worse, or that our time is somehow more significant than all previous history. It is important to take a step back and keep perspective. Our lifespan may seem terribly important to us, but in the grand scheme of things, it's barely a blip on the radar.

My guess (and that's all it is): a hundred years from now, the Obama Presidency is a footnote in history, and people will think of him as often as we think of Millard Fillmore.

He'll be a lot more than a footnote if only because he's black, in a nation with a horrifying racial history that included being one of the last advanced nations to outgrow slavery, and having a brutal regime of racial Apartheid until over halfway through the 20th century. That will always get him extra consideration. Add to that the fact he inherited the worst economic catastrophe since the Great Depression, and presided over an era when nearly every economic indicator took a turn for the better.

I think that without any giant accomplishments, Obama is unlikely to be ranked among the all-timers. But I'd be highly surprised if, in a hundred years, he isn't ranked in the top third.

 

[RickWA]

I think Obama is slightly less in "perma-campaign mode" than most modern presidents have been. Although I'd rate Clinton as a much better president overall, Clinton was much more committed to approaching everything as a PR stunt than Obama is. Reagan was certainly a lot more about the PR than Obama, and GW Bush was shameless about it to the point of being downright cartoonish. Obama is a very gifted campaigner (he's never lost, even against strong competition), but I think he partly shuts down the "campaign mode" presentation outside of the months leading up to elections, which is part of why his approval ratings always seem to be sinking, other than at the critical months when he gets back into selling himself to the voters. He's more like GHW Bush.

I generally agree with the above. It is interesting to note the "modernity bias" in assessing leadership (whether to the good or bad).

 

[Arkady]

I generally agree with the above. It is interesting to note the "modernity bias" in assessing leadership (whether to the good or bad).

Yep. Some of that is just thinking of our time as more important because we live in it. But some is doubtless plain old ignorance. I'm a bit of a history buff, but I've got to admit that both my extremes of good and bad presidents would be weighted to modern times, just because I'm so ignorant of early presidents, so I tend to just stick them in the middle somewhere. I mean, seriously -- who has a strong opinion about Chester Arthur? Who can hold forth on the policies of Martin Van Buren or James Garfield. I just finished a 42-hour-long lecture series on American History (http://www.thegreatcourses.com/tgc/courses/course_detail.aspx?cid=8500) and I couldn't give you more than three or four sentences on a third of our 19th-century presidents.