February 17, 2008

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - One-in-four American adults hold positive views on Ronald Reagan, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 25 per cent of respondents think Reagan has been their best president since World War II.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - One-in-four American adults hold positive views on Ronald Reagan, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 25 per cent of respondents think Reagan has been their best president since World War II.

Franklin D. Roosevelt is second on the list with 21 per cent, followed by John F. Kennedy with 15 per cent, and Bill Clinton with 11 per cent.

When asked who the worst president since World War II has been, 34 per cent of respondents mention current head of state George W. Bush, followed by Clinton with 17 per cent, Jimmy Carter with 13 per cent, and Richard Nixon with 10 per cent.

Reagan—a Republican who governed from 1981 to 1989—had been an actor prior to his victory in the 1966 California gubernatorial election. During his two terms in office, Reagan endeavoured to reduce government spending and to lower taxes during a time of high unemployment and inflation in the U.S. While credited for launching several anti-drug campaigns, the president was also criticized for failing to acknowledge the HIV-AIDS epidemic.

Roosevelt—who governed from 1933 to 1945—steered the country during the Great Depression, creating the New Deal policy, which allowed the federal government to intervene in economic matters. Kennedy—who served from 1961 to 1963—launched a series of successful economic programs, and supported the cause of equal rights for all Americans. Both presidents died while in office.

On Feb. 14, Bush discussed his legacy, saying, "Polls are nothing more than just like a poof of air. What matters is results. And, ultimately, people will be able to make an objective judgment of a president and his administration. (...) We live in a world—in all due respect to 24-hour news—we live in a world where everything is, like, instant. But the work we’re doing takes patience. But most importantly, it takes faith in the universality of freedom that exists in every heart."

Polling Data

Looking at the list of presidents since World War II, which one do you think was the best president?

Ronald Reagan	25%
Franklin D. Roosevelt	21%
John F. Kennedy	15%
Bill Clinton	11%
Harry Truman	4%
Dwight Eisenhower	4%
Jimmy Carter	3%
Richard Nixon	2%
George W. Bush	2%
George H. Bush	1%
Lyndon Johnson	1%
Gerald Ford	1%
Not sure	10%

Looking at the list of presidents since World War II, which one do you think was the worst president?

George W. Bush	34%
Bill Clinton	17%
Jimmy Carter	13%
Richard Nixon	10%
Ronald Reagan	3%
Lyndon Johnson	3%
John Kennedy	2%
George H. Bush	2%
Gerald Ford	1%
Dwight Eisenhower	1%
Franklin Roosevelt	1%
Harry Truman	*
Not sure	13%

* - Less than 0.5 per cent

Source: Harris Interactive
Methodology: Online interviews with 2,302 American adults, conducted from Jan. 14 to Jan. 22, 2008. No margin of error was provided.