Who is the most underrated President in history?

[Kaine for Senate '18]

I have to go with James K. Polk.  He expanded the country dramatically, yet never gets any credit for it.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I have to go with James K. Polk.  He expanded the country dramatically, yet never gets any credit for it.

Ah yes, the man who set the stage for the Civil War,

[exopolitician]

I think Eisenhower. He was elected and lead under years of overall peace in America and he gave us the Interstate Highway [and alot of other good things].

[Daniel Adams]

I have to go with James K. Polk.  He expanded the country dramatically, yet never gets any credit for it.

He expanded our country by conquering territory from a sovereign nation that had committed no act of aggression against the U.S., backed by slave-owners who wanted to spread slavery to the West. Morally, at least, he is one of the worst presidents we've ever had.

Among the most underrated presidents, I'd go for Grover Cleveland, Ulysses Grant, Warren Harding, or Calvin Coolidge. Unfairly, Harding and Grant are only remembered because of their  administrations' scandals, but they did accomplish important archievements that do not deserve to be ignored, Harding in the economy and Grant by protecting blacks' civil rights. Cleveland stood up to imperalists and protectionists, and Coolidge presided over a period of great economic prosperity generated by his (and Harding's) free-market policies.

[Lief 🗽]

James K. Polk. He did everything he set out to do, and even if you may disagree with it (I find much of it morally questionable), he did, in the long-run, make us a stronger country.

[Nym90]

Truman (although he's become a lot less underrated in recent decades).

Honorable mention to John Adams, Polk, Taft, and Lyndon Johnson.

[Michael Z]

Monroe, McKinley, Eisenhower.

[Verily]

Hoover.

[PBrunsel]

Chester A. Arthur, of course. One of the greatest presidents we never hear about. He modernized the navy, cleaned up corruption in government and established rules for civil service. The man was a great president.

[afleitch]

Of recent years? It was Nixon but he's been rightfully rehabilitated. Either Ford or Carter, probably Carter due to the foundation work he did with regards to US economy.

[Nym90]

Of recent years? It was Nixon but he's been rightfully rehabilitated. Either Ford or Carter, probably Carter due to the foundation work he did with regards to US economy.

Nixon did do quite a few positive things (or at least, refused to stand in the way of positive ideas of others) but the damage to the country and the cynicism of government and authority that was created by Watergate was far, far more damaging than his positive accomplishments.

He was a downright repulsive and repugnant individual. I wouldn't trust him any farther than I could throw six cars.

[DWPerry]

I'm not sure who the MOST underrated President was, but Buchanan, John Adams and W.H. Harrison are generally overlooked.
reasons overlooked:
Adams, because he was "squashed" in between Washington & Jefferson.
Buchanan because he served just before Lincoln.
Harrison, because he died so early in his term.

Fillmore is also overlooked for the most part, but I'm not sure why. Come to think of it, almost everyone that served between Jefferson to Lincoln (with the exception of Jackson) gets overlooked in US History.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Fillmore is also overlooked for the most part, but I'm not sure why. Come to think of it, almost everyone that served between Jefferson to Lincoln (with the exception of Jackson) gets overlooked in US History.

People tend to look more at the two termers and Fillmore didn't even serve a full term of his own.  Still, he was instrumental in getting the Compromise of 1850 passed which delayed the Civil War for a few years.  Certainly he was one of the more important presidents between Jackson and Lincoln, with only Polk seriously contending with him for the honor.

[DWPerry]

Fillmore is also overlooked for the most part, but I'm not sure why. Come to think of it, almost everyone that served between Jefferson to Lincoln (with the exception of Jackson) gets overlooked in US History.

People tend to look more at the two termers and Fillmore didn't even serve a full term of his own.  Still, he was instrumental in getting the Compromise of 1850 passed which delayed the Civil War for a few years.  Certainly he was one of the more important presidents between Jackson and Lincoln, with only Polk seriously contending with him for the honor.

Fillmore, Buchanan, Washington, Jefferson, Tyler, Jackson & W.H. Harrison are my favorite US Presidents.

[Хahar 🤔]

LBJ.

He accomplished a lot. A whole lot. His term was the culmination of the great liberal movement, when it actually stood for things worth standing for, like civil rights, before it became indelibly associated with pot-smoking Communist college students, an association it has still not fully lost. On the home front, he did more than any President since Lincoln (other than FDR).

What does he get remembered for? Vietnam.

[opebo]

LBJ.

Correct.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Considering the awful rap he gets compared to his slightly above average presidency, George W. Bush

[Franzl]

Lyndon Johnson is extremely underrated. Unfortunately, most people only associate Vietnam with him.

Carter is also in an unfortunate position, much of which went wrong in his presidency not being his own fault.

[opebo]

Carter is also in an unfortunate position, much of which went wrong in his presidency not being his own fault.

Yes!  As we are seeing with the current economy of high inflation and no growth, no president can fight the influence of gas prices on the economy.

[Bono]

Van Buren.

[HappyWarrior]

Considering the awful rap he gets compared to his slightly above average presidency, George W. Bush

ABOVE average?  At best he is below average, at worst a failure.

[DownWithTheLeft]

Considering the awful rap he gets compared to his slightly above average presidency, George W. Bush

ABOVE average?  At best he is below average, at worst a failure.

It is impossible to judge Bush's presidency and its effect at this juncture in time, that is why he is underrated.  Americans think in the here and now and not the future, that is our problem

[Verily]

Considering the awful rap he gets compared to his slightly above average presidency, George W. Bush

ABOVE average?  At best he is below average, at worst a failure.

It is impossible to judge Bush's presidency and its effect at this juncture in time, that is why he is underrated.  Americans think in the here and now and not the future, that is our problem

I love it. It's impossible to judge Bush, but he's slightly above average. So only positive assessments are allowed.

[HappyWarrior]

My personal opinion is Truman or Hayes.

[dead0man]

LBJ.

He accomplished a lot. A whole lot. His term was the culmination of the great liberal movement, when it actually stood for things worth standing for, like civil rights, before it became indelibly associated with pot-smoking Communist college students, an association it has still not fully lost. On the home front, he did more than any President since Lincoln (other than FDR).

What does he get remembered for? Vietnam.

Yeah, that little thing.  The thing that makes Iraq look like Grenada.