Brunswick Beacon, 02.29.24
Presidents’ Day brought the Official Results of the 2024 Presidential Greatness Project Expert Survey, which asked America’s foremost presidential historians to rate presidents’ greatness on a scale of 0-100. The top four were Abraham Lincoln (93.87), Franklin Roosevelt (90.83), George Washington (90.32), and Theodore Roosevelt (78.58). Hardly surprising: three of them are on Mt. Rushmore!
More interesting is the fact that Barack Obama finished seventh (73.8), Joe Biden finished 14th (62.66), and Donald Trump, who calls himself “your favorite president,” finished dead last (10.92).
Most interesting is the fact that Trump’s last-place finish was caused by terrible ratings from Republicans! For example, Republicans rated Obama (61.56) and Biden (47.69) ahead of Trump (31.38), as did Democrats and Independents. That’s right: Republicans rated Obama 100% higher, and Biden 50% higher, than Trump. Why do Republican presidential historians think so poorly of Trump?
Is it because he built his business on fraud and was ordered to pay $454 million in fines and interest?
Or because he was adjudicated liable for raping a woman, then defaming her, and ordered to pay her $88.3 million in damages?
Is it because he took classified documents discussing American nuclear secrets, then refused to give them back?
Or because he tried to overturn an election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power for the first time in American history?
I like to think it’s because he violated election laws by paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels to hide their affair just four months after Melania gave birth to Barron— it’s the romantic in me.
While there’s nothing Trump could do that would alienate his MAGA cult, Trump’s support from this survey’s Republicans is abysmal. Whatever the reason, it’s a big, blinking warning sign about a general election that includes non-MAGA Republicans, Independents and Democrats who despise him.
Trump will easily win the Republican primary race. But he’s racing to a red light.
Michael Rush
Leland