Who were the luckiest and the unluckiest Presidents?

[Iosif is a COTHO]

I think in more recent times Jimmy Carter has to be a contender for unluckiest. Mid to late 1970's was not a good time to be leader of a western country. Obviously I'm sure Lincoln would have preferred to be President another time, but at least his reputation stayed high.

Eisenhower and Clinton were both 'lucky' Presidents in that they both had peace and prosperity, and were 'post-war' Presidents.

Anyone else?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

I would tend to think that the unluckiest were the ones that got shot.

[minionofmidas]

I would tend to think that the unluckiest were the ones that got shot.

If Presidents were Elven, you'd have a point. But they're ordinary mortals.

[??????????]

The unluckiest was perhaps Hoover.

[DWPerry]

I think in more recent times Jimmy Carter has to be a contender for unluckiest. Mid to late 1970's was not a good time to be leader of a western country. Obviously I'm sure Lincoln would have preferred to be President another time, but at least his reputation stayed high.

Eisenhower and Clinton were both 'lucky' Presidents in that they both had peace and prosperity, and were 'post-war' Presidents.

Anyone else?

How can you say that Eisenhower & Clinton were "peace-time" Presidents?
Need I remind you of Somalia (1993) & Kosovo (1996-99)?
Eisenhower sent troops to Vietnam in 1955.

[Joe Republic]

The unluckiest was perhaps Hoover.

I agree.  The best days of his life (and his reputation) were those that he spent out of the White House.

[JSojourner]

Clinton got lucky a lot.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Hoover was without a doubt the unluckiest, the luckiest was probably Harding, since he died before he had to start dealing with all the scandals.

[Lief 🗽]

Hoover was very unlucky, as was Carter to an extent. I would say that Ford was unlucky, but he was ultimately lucky to have become President anyway.

[exopolitician]

Honestly, I think John Adams was pretty unlucky. How do you fill in the shoes of the great George Washington? Nothing really seemed to go right during his Presidency and he was not graceful in his bowout when he lost his bid for re-election. Thats just my opinion though.

The luckiest...I guess I can go with Eisenhower and Clinton. Cleveland made history and was elected to two nonconsecutive terms....but I dunno if that makes him lucky.

[Robespierre's Jaw]

Like many of you have pointed out Herbert Hoover was one of the unluckiest Presidents. Hoover could have been a good President, in my mind, hadn't it been for the economic polices of the era.

One of the Luckiest Presidents would be 36th President of the United States. Lyndon Baines Johnson. LBJ's only way to the White House, in my mind was through succession and that's what occured in 1963. You know the rest.

[SPC]

One of the Luckiest Presidents would be 36th President of the United States. Lyndon Baines Johnson. LBJ's only way to the White House, in my mind was through succession and that's what occured in 1963. You know the rest.

I'm sure LBJ knew that well before 1963.

[12th Doctor]

John Adams, James Buchanan, Herbert Hoover, William Henry Harrison

[lxguy]

Hoover was unlucky,and Clinton was lucky.

[12th Doctor]

John Adams, James Buchanan, Herbert Hoover, William Henry Harrison

I should note that these are all unlucky in my book

[Michael Z]

The unluckiest was perhaps Hoover.

I agree.  The best days of his life (and his reputation) were those that he spent out of the White House.

Very true. Had he not been President he'd probably still be remembered as the Great Humanitarian and a hero whose work in arranging famine aid saved millions of lives during WWI. Instead, his name is now associated with the Great Depression by all but the most ardent historians. A shame.

[MasterJedi]

Lucky: Polk, FDR, Clinton

Unlucky: Adams, William Henry Harrison, Hoover, Nixon

[ChrisFromNJ]

Unlucky: Carter
Lucky: Reagan, Eisenhower

[Franzl]

Unlucky: Carter
Lucky: Reagan