Reputations

I almost forgot to add my entries to Alex's poll of over-rated and under-rated presidents. So here goes. I only have two candidates for each category.

Over-rated

1. Ronald Reagan. A decent man who is now in the process of being deified.

2. Woodrow Wilson. His idealism helped ensure that the war to end all wars led to the next one.

Under-rated

1. Dwight D. Eisenhower. The quiet, undemonstrative soldier.

2. Richard Nixon. I know, I know... I'm not going to try to persuade anyone on this. Yes, he earned his disgrace. All I'll say is that my view of his character changed after I read Stephen Ambrose's epic biography.