Retiring president with the most successful final year in office

[President Johnson]

I say Bubba in 2000 had the best final year. No active involvement in war, expanding economy that benefited the Middle Class, budget surplus and very high approval ratings of over 60%. America was also the sole super power a decade after the Cold War ended. Not everything was fine, but Dubya inherited pretty solid conditions and completely blew out within a few years.

I don't like most of his policies, especially domestic, but Reagan had a pretty good last year as well. He made progress with Gorbachev and the USSR was on the brink of collapse. He also managed to get Poppy Bush elected (well, I think Al Gore actually won Florida in 2000, so Clinton almost did too).

Barack Obama also had a growing economy in his last year, while ISIS on nearing its end.

LBJ is a mixed bag; he actually managed to pass the Fair Housing Act and finally started negotiations in Paris. But overall, the first six months of 1968 in America were horrendous.

Ike's last year was bland, Truman as suffering from low approval ratings while the Korean War as a stalemate.

Dubya had the worst last year, which needs no further explanation.


Thoughts?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I say Bubba in 2000 had the best final year. No active involvement in war, expanding economy that benefited the Middle Class, budget surplus and very high approval ratings of over 60%. America was also the sole super power a decade after the Cold War ended. Not everything was fine, but Dubya inherited pretty solid conditions and completely blew out within a few years.

Clinton's deregulation policies during his second term, including but not limited to repealing Glass-Steagal, actually damaged these conditions in a long term.

[Blue3]

Either Reagan or Eisenhower.

I voted Reagan, since his party kept the presidency.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

You'd have to have a fairly strong argument to not choose Reagan since his party kept the White House.

[brucejoel99]

You'd have to have a fairly strong argument to not choose Reagan since his party kept the White House.

This.

[dw93]

From Best to worst:

1. Reagan
2. Clinton
3. Eisenhower
4. Obama
5. LBJ
6. Truman
7. GW Bush

[Spark]

Reagan easily

[Statilius the Epicurean]

Clinton failed at Camp David.

[Orser67]

1. Reagan (made some further progress with Gorby, and Bush won)
2/3. Clinton/Obama (had fairly uneventful final years outside of presidential race and high approval ratings)
4. Eisenhower (U-2 Incident)
5. Truman (nothing in particular happened, but he left office quite unpopular)
6. LBJ (got forced out of his bid for re-election largely because of Vietnam)
7. GW Bush (the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression happened)