The top 20 presidents in US history, according to historians

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20. George H. W. Bush

20. George H. W. Bush

Best leadership quality and rank: International relations (No. 8)

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19. John Adams

19. John Adams

Best leadership quality and rank: Moral authority (No. 11)

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18. Andrew Jackson

18. Andrew Jackson

Best leadership quality and rank: Public persuasion (No. 7)

17. James Madison

17. James Madison

Best leadership quality and rank: Moral authority (No. 9)

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16. William McKinley Jr.

16. William McKinley Jr.

Best leadership quality and rank: Relations with congress (No. 10)

15. Bill Clinton

15. Bill Clinton

Best leadership quality and rank: Economic management (No. 3)

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14. James K. Polk

14. James K. Polk

Best leadership quality and rank: Crisis leadership (No. 9), Administrative skills (No. 9)

13. James Monroe

13. James Monroe

Best leadership quality and rank: International relations (No. 7)

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12. Barack Obama

12. Barack Obama

Best leadership quality and rank: Pursued equal justice for all (No. 3)

11. Woodrow Wilson

11. Woodrow Wilson

Best leadership quality and rank: Vision (No. 7)

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10. Lyndon Baines Johnson

10. Lyndon Baines Johnson

Best leadership quality and rank: Relations with congress (No. 1)

9. Ronald Reagan

9. Ronald Reagan

Best leadership quality and rank: Public persuasion (No. 5)

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8. John F. Kennedy

8. John F. Kennedy

Best leadership quality and rank: Public persuasion (No. 6)

7. Thomas Jefferson

7. Thomas Jefferson

Best leadership quality and rank: Relations with congress (No. 5), Vision (No. 5)

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6. Harry S. Truman

6. Harry S. Truman

Best leadership quality and rank: Crisis leadership (No. 4), Pursued equal justice for all (No. 4)

5. Dwight D. Eisenhower

5. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Best leadership quality and rank: Moral authority (No.4)

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4. Theodore Roosevelt

4. Theodore Roosevelt

Best leadership quality and rank: Public persuasion (No. 2)

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Best leadership quality and rank: Public persuasion (No. 1), International relations (No. 1)

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2. George Washington

2. George Washington

Best leadership quality and rank: Economic management (No. 1), moral authority (No. 1), Performance within the context of his times (No. 1)

1. Abraham Lincoln

1. Abraham Lincoln

Best leadership quality and rank: Crisis leadership (No. 1), administrative skills (No. 1), Vision (No. 1), Pursued equal justice for all (No. 1)

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