A couple of days ago, maybe a week, Siena Collage ran – did? – a poll of 238 presidential scholars on the ranking of our presidents. This is a poll they run periodically and it is interesting to see how the ratings of different presidents have changed over time. In this poll, FDR is always on the top and Teddy Roosevelt, Lincoln, and Washington always round out the top four.

Former – former, that has a nice ring to it – president George W. Bush was ranked 39th with poor ratings in handling of the economy, communication, ability to compromise, and foreign policy and current president Barrack Obama was ranked 15th. For years, Grant – a personal hero of mine – has always been near the bottom.

In the1982, 1990, and 1994 polls, he was in the bottom five.In 2002, he moved up the 35th (of 42).  Now, he’s 26th, escaping the ranks of the failed presidents. No, he isn’t in the top ten, and he probably shouldn’t be, but he is no longer the drunken clown; as he was painted.

It makes me happy.