When Benjamin Franklin died, and plans were being made to mark his passing, George Washington worried to Thomas Jefferson about having to make such a todo about the passing of every founding father. Jefferson’s reply was (I quote from memory since I can’t seem to find it on the web) to the effect that“Mankind has set such a gulf between yourself and Doctor Franklin, on the one hand, and the rest of humanity on the other, that what is done for either of you sets no precedent for anyone else whatsoever.”. . . and you will be hard pressed to name anyone who had the prestige of Billy Graham. Nobody before or since has made the impression he has.
I guess it depends on who's doing the assessing. Among older white protestants he was very prestigious. I don't think he means that much to anyone under 35. I always thought of him as a self promoter and professional White House buttinski.
Nobody before or since has made the impression he has.
I can think of plenty of people who have had a bigger impact on society.
I searched for the quote you referenced and could not find it, either. But it does put me in mind of JFK's famous quip in 1962 as he hosted a White House dinner honoring Nobel Prizewinners of the Western Hemisphere:
"I think this is the most extraordinary collection of talent, of human knowledge, that has ever been gathered together at the White House, with the possible exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."