Great thread, Freepers. As a former history major, I've enjoyed everyone's thoughts.
TRYING to be objective about this, I think you've got to have FDR and Truman up there. McCullough's biography of Truman is a classic. The guy did what he thought was right and didn't care what the media or polls said. FDR gave us leadership when we needed it. Not to rank FDR high is equivalent to libs not ranking Reagan high, IMO.
OTOH, how can LBJ be above average? He's below average at best, and only getting worse with time, as the failure of his policies continue. Ford is average or above average--what the heck was he supposed to do given the hand he was dealt? And Carter was a failure. Wilson is overrated, IMO.
He was a member of the Pendergast gang in Missouri. He took a proactive role in stealing the Senate seat from Coke Stephensen and giving it to LBJ. He didn't do what was right he did what was evil.
He presided over an administration that was chock full of commies and he knew it. He did everything he could to support them and attacked the ones trying to rid the government of them.