The American Presidents Ranked by Performance, 1789–2012, 2d ed.

This is a revision and an updating of the first edition, published in 2000. Presidents from Washington to Obama (not included are William Henry Harrison and James A. Garfield because of very short terms) are rated in five categories: Foreign Relations, Domestic Programs, Administration and Intergovernmental Relations, Leadership and Decision Making, and Presidential Comportment.
Each president is evaluated on his effectiveness in each area and a final analysis is provided for the scores combined. The presidents are then ranked overall. The most overrated and underrated chief executives are identified. Each entry includes biographical and political information, as well as an analysis of their overall behavior and status.

The late Charles F. Faber wrote numerous books on educational administration, school law, baseball and other topics. He was a retired university professor and lived in Lexington, Kentucky.
Richard B. Faber is a former teacher, government official, and Air Force officer. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa.

Charles F. Faber and Richard B. Faber
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 299
Bibliographic Info: notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2012
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6601-6
eISBN: 978-0-7864-9277-0
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      vi

Introduction      1

Criteria and Ratings

Foreign Relations      10

Domestic Programs      14

Administration and Intergovernmental Relations      20

Leadership and Decision Making      25

Presidential Comportment      28

Overall Assessment      32

Underrated and Overrated Presidents      32

GEORGE WASHINGTON      35

JOHN ADAMS      40

THOMAS JEFFERSON      45

JAMES MADISON      52

JAMES MONROE      58

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS      64

ANDREW JACKSON      69

MARTIN VAN BUREN      75

WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON      80

JOHN TYLER      81

JAMES KNOX POLK      86

ZACHARY TAYLOR      92

MILLARD FILLMORE      96

FRANKLIN PIERCE      101

JAMES BUCHANAN      106

ABRAHAM LINCOLN      111

ANDREW JOHNSON      116

ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT      122

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES      127

JAMES A. GARFIELD      132

CHESTER A. ARTHUR      134

GROVER CLEVELAND      139

BENJAMIN HARRISON      145

WILLIAM McKINLEY      150

THEODORE ROOSEVELT      156

WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT      160

WOODROW WILSON      165

WARREN G. HARDING      172

CALVIN COOLIDGE      178

HERBERT HOOVER      184

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT      189

HARRY S TRUMAN      193

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER      199

JOHN F. KENNEDY      206

LYNDON B. JOHNSON      212

RICHARD M. NIXON      218

GERALD R. FORD      224

JIMMY CARTER      229

RONALD REAGAN      234

GEORGE H. W. BUSH      241

BILL CLINTON      248

GEORGE W. BUSH      256

BARACK OBAMA      266

Notes      277

Bibliography      279

Index      283

Reviews of the first edition: “recommended”—Against the Grain; “useful”—Reference Reviews; “every president from Washington to Clinton is rated in the categories of foreign relations, domestic programs, administration and intergovernmental relations, leadership and decision-making, and personal qualities. Each president is given a substantial entry on these topics”—Today’s Librarian.