In a recent poll conducted among presidential experts, President Joe Biden was ranked significantly higher than former President Donald Trump, revealing a stark contrast between public opinion and scholarly assessments.
The third installment of the Presidential Greatness Project was released on Presidents Day, indicating that scholars do not share the American voters’ equal distaste for both Biden and Trump, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. President Biden debuted in the rankings at No. 14, placing him in the top third of American presidents. Conversely, Trump maintained his position from six years ago, ranking last, even behind historically calamitous presidents such as James Buchanan and Andrew Johnson.
The survey results reveal both stability and change in the way scholars assess the nation’s most important and controversial political office. Factors such as national transformation, major crises, and the expansion of the presidency traditionally influence these assessments.
Interestingly, the poll also shows a pronounced partisan dynamic, arguably in response to the Trump presidency. Biden’s high placement within the top 15 suggests a powerful anti-Trump factor at work, despite his record not including the military victories or institutional expansion that typically drive higher rankings. Trump’s position at the bottom of the rankings puts him behind not only Buchanan and Johnson but also presidents like Franklin Pierce, Warren Harding, and William Henry Harrison, who died just 31 days after taking office.
Every contemporary Democratic president has moved up in the ranks, while every modern Republican president has dropped in the survey. This suggests an added emphasis on a president’s political affiliation and adherence to political and institutional norms as a criterion for what makes a president “great” to the scholars who study them.
The Presidential Greatness Project’s findings come at a time when public opinion polls show a tight race between Biden and Trump for the 2024 presidential election. According to a Benzinga report, national polls of registered voters show a close race between the two contenders. Another Benzinga article reveals that a recent survey showed a slight advantage for Trump over Biden. However, despite Trump’s lead in these polls, the Presidential Greatness Project’s rankings suggest that scholars view Biden’s presidency more favorably.
Furthermore, a Benzinga report indicates that Americans trust Trump more than Biden to manage the US economy, despite months of robust growth. This finding underscores the challenges Biden faces in convincing voters of the effectiveness of his economic policies.
In conclusion, the rankings from the Presidential Greatness Project highlight the differing perspectives on the presidencies of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. While public opinion may fluctuate, scholarly assessments offer a more nuanced and historical view of a president’s impact and legacy.
