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Thanks. I would take Truman out of the top 8, but the remaining 7 are the top 7 (without regard to order) in my book. The greatness of a president can often be measured about the era (good or bad) that he ushered in -- how he influenced presidencies to come. On that scale, Washington is always #1, FDR should rank high as well as Jackson, Reagan and TR. Lincoln and Jefferson were influential but they didn't have their own "era". Washington was the model until Jackson, Jackson was the model until the Civil War, it was really a mish-mash (there wasn't a Lincolnite president after Lincoln) until TR, who influenced until FDR, who reigned until Reagan, who changed the world.

And it should be noted that FDR's, Lincoln's and Truman's presidencies were driven by war. Reagan could have very easily passed the buck on the USSR to the next generation, but he was proactive. That's key and what makes him comparable to Jefferson and TR only. And he comes out much better compared to them.

I think Truman belongs in the 2nd tier. Anyone with enough guts to use the a-bomb to save American lives deserve great respect. He was also tough against the Soviets. Truman is respected by most politicans, and even Bush quotes him sometimes.

I think Wilson is over-rated.

His wife was acting president after his stroke, and he was nothing short of lying in running "He kept us out of war", while declaring it just after he was inaugarated.