How the Presidents Rated
June 16 2004
As the recent passing of Ronald Reagan brings discussions about his historical legacy to the forefront of the news in the US, a Gallup Poll for which fieldwork began before his death shows him to be one of the highest rated of recent presidents, just behind Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy but well ahead of the rest of the field.
The nine presidents from Kennedy to George W. Bush were rated, with Roosevelt added. The poll asked how each would go down in history - 'as an outstanding president, above average, average, below average, or poor'.
| |
Out-Standing |
Above
average |
Average |
Below
average |
Poor |
Net
Score
(positive-
negative) |
| |
%
|
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
| John
F. Kennedy |
23 |
55 |
19 |
2 |
* |
+76 |
| Franklin
D. Roosevelt |
24 |
53 |
17 |
1 |
1 |
+75 |
| Ronald
Reagan |
15 |
43 |
31 |
6 |
4 |
+48 |
| George
H.W. Bush |
3 |
23 |
55 |
12 |
6 |
+8 |
| Bill
Clinton |
9 |
29 |
31 |
18 |
13 |
+7 |
| Jimmy
Carter |
5 |
22 |
48 |
17 |
7 |
+3 |
| Gerald
Ford |
2 |
12 |
66 |
13 |
4 |
-3 |
| Lyndon
Johnson |
2 |
16 |
51 |
18 |
6 |
-6 |
| George
W. Bush |
6 |
25 |
30 |
23 |
15 |
-7 |
| Richard
Nixon |
3 |
11 |
34 |
31 |
20 |
-37 |
Fifty-eight percent of Americans rate Reagan positively and 10% rate him negatively. Reagan died on June 5, on the third day of the poll's field period. An internal analysis of the day-by-day results shows, as one might expect, that news of his death caused his ratings to increase on Saturday and Sunday - however, even prior to that news, the data showed a majority of Americans rating him positively.
The elder George Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter all receive slightly more positive than negative ratings, while Gerald Ford, Johnson, and George W. Bush receive slightly negative ratings. But the dominant perception - shared by a majority of Americans in each case - is that the elder Bush, Ford, and Johnson were 'average' presidents. 48% say the same about Carter.
Clinton and George W. Bush's ratings show more controversy - Clinton is rated positively by 38% of Americans and negatively by 31%, while Bush gets positive ratings from 31% of Americans and negative ratings from 38%. Their support generally follows Republican / Democrat party lines.
Richard Nixon is the only president to receive substantially more negative than positive ratings, suggesting that his involvement in the Watergate scandal still outweighs accomplishments such as restoring relations with China. A majority of Americans, 51%, give Nixon below-average or poor ratings.
These results generally echo those found when Gallup asks Americans, without prompting, to name the greatest US president. Gallup has asked this question periodically since 1999, most recently in November 2003. Kennedy, Roosevelt, and Reagan, along with Abraham Lincoln, have consistently ranked in the top five whenever that question has been asked.
Predictably, Americans' party affiliations strongly influence their ratings of the presidents, and more so the more recent the president rated:
| |
Overall |
Republicans |
Independents |
Democrats |
Polarization
(Gap between
Rep/Dem) |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| John
F. Kennedy |
+76 |
+68 |
+77 |
+86 |
18 |
| Franklin
D. Roosevelt |
+75 |
+73 |
+77 |
+78 |
5 |
| Ronald
Reagan |
+48 |
+80 |
+42 |
+22 |
58 |
| George
H.W. Bush |
+8 |
+38 |
-1 |
-15 |
53 |
| Bill
Clinton |
+7 |
-36 |
+9 |
+49 |
85 |
| Jimmy
Carter |
+3 |
-21 |
+2 |
+23 |
44 |
| Gerald
Ford |
-3 |
-5 |
-5 |
-3 |
2 |
| Lyndon
Johnson |
-6 |
-21 |
-7 |
+7 |
28
|
| George
W. Bush |
-7 |
+53 |
-14 |
-54 |
107 |
| Richard
Nixon |
-37 |
-29 |
-38 |
-47 |
18 |
This is strongest, as above, for George W. Bush and Clinton. Interestingly, there are only two other presidents (Carter and the elder George Bush) who receive net positive ratings from those who identify with their party, but net negative ratings from those who identify with the other party. Some presidents have evidently succeeded in rising above mere party politics.
For the most part, these historical ratings of presidents have been stable at the various times Gallup has asked them. But the current data do reveal some shifting perceptions on recent presidents. Ratings of the elder George Bush have become less positive over time. In August 1999, a Gallup Poll found 41% of Americans giving him outstanding or above-average ratings and just 12% giving him poor ratings, but the current figures are 26% and 18%, respectively - perhaps related to his son's controversial presidency.
Meanwhile Jimmy Carter's reputation has grown increasingly positive. Carter was rated quite negatively as he left office: a December 1980 Gallup Poll found 14% of Americans giving him positive ratings and 46% negative. Those views persisted in polls conducted in 1981 and 1993. But two polls conducted since that time (August 1999 and the current poll) show more Americans giving Carter positive than negative ratings. This shift, says Gallup, is probably a result of Carter's high-profile diplomatic efforts in various parts of the world, which were recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002.
1,000 Americans aged 18 and over were interviewed by telephone between June 3 and June 6.
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.
