Author Description

What makes a good American president? The answers to this question have been sought by a variety of means since the very beginning of the presidency. Some contend that a foreign policy makes one superior to another, while others contend that certain personal qualities make a man best. Here America's presidents are rated using a system that evaluates their effectiveness in some of the most critical aspects of the office: Foreign Relations; Domestic Programs; Administration and Intergovernmental Relations; Leadership and Decision Making; and "Personal" Qualities. Each president is scored in his fulfillment of each aspect of the office, and analysis is provided for all the scores. The presidents are then ranked overall. The most overrated and underrated commanders in chief are also examined. The presidents are then analyzed individually, in chronological order, and each entry includes biographical and political information, as well as analysis of personal qualities. A bibliography and index are included.