CSPAN surveyed 65 presidential historians. The results:
- Lincoln
- Washington
- FD Roosevelt
- Teddy Roosevelt
- Truman
- Kennedy
- Jefferson
- Eisenhower
- Wilson
- Reagan
- LB Johnson
- Polk
- Jackson
- Monroe
- Clinton
- McKinley
- John Adams
- George HW Bush
- John Quincy Adams
- Madison
- Cleveland
- Ford
- Grant
- Taft
- Carter
- Coolidge
- Nixon
- Garfield
- Taylor
- Harrison
- Van Buren
- Arthur
- Hayes
- Hoover
- Tyler
- George W. Bush
- Fillmore
- Harding
- WH Harrison
- Pierce
- A. Johnson
- Buchanan
Bush avoids the ignominy of being considered the worst president ever by at least this group of historians, but not all's lost. Compared to the last survey nine years ago, Grant has moved up 10 spots and Clinton six. On the other hand, Hayes is down seven, Cleveland four, and Wilson and Carter are down three. The guy who created the largest recession since the Great Depression and two intractable wars has plenty of time to fall to last on the list.