Here is my list of the top ten Commanders-in-Chief. The list is based on qualities I believe are important such as integrity, dedication, humility, and humor. Just because one man may not have had the most notable term in office doesn’t mean he doesn’t qualify for this list. These picks will NOT include Presidents George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt (considered by historians to be the three best presidents) to make room for some of the other unappreciated and often forgotten candidates. 

#10: Harry Truman (33rd): Mourning the loss of President Franklin Roosevelt, the nation turned to one of the most politically experienced men in the country, Harry Truman, former vice president, and senator. Truman helped end World War II and promoted social change in the United States. Along with this, Truman desegregated the United States military and oversaw the creation of the United Nations. 

#9: Bill Clinton (42nd): Clinton played the saxophone, created nearly 20 million new jobs, brought the United States into the internet age, and left a balanced budget with a surplus after leaving office. What else can you ask for?

 #8: Lyndon Johnson (36th): Johnson came into office following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. He struggled with ending the Vietnam War but was successful in domestic policy by signing the Civil Rights Act, signing the Voting Rights Act, and enacting the Great Society. 

#7: James Garfield (20th): Yes, this is, of course, an interesting pick. One cannot help but think about what could have been regarding President James Garfield. An unlikely candidate, Garfield never formally ran for president; he was put on the Republican ticket after a triumphant speech at the party’s convention and the fact that the GOP couldn’t decide between former President Ulysses Grant and Representative James Blaine. Once in office, Garfield hoped to halt any corruption within the government, specifically in the Post Office, but sadly, within months of taking the Oath, he was shot in a train station while traveling to Massachusetts. These wounds were not fatal and would have been efficiently treated today, but in the 1880s, some doctors, like the president’s physician, William Bliss, didn’t believe in the science behind germs. That being said, the famous leader’s health deteriorated quickly. Many attempted to aid the dying president, including inventor Alexander Graham Bell, but it was too late. In a matter of days, Garfield went from 210 pounds to a mere 130 pounds and died on September 19th, 1881. Garfield is one of the biggest “what ifs” in American history.

#6: Jimmy Carter (39th): Jimmy Carter’s legacy has certainly evolved after leaving office some 40 years ago. At 99 years old (as of October 1st, 2023), he is considered one of the kindest and most empathetic US presidents. Carter dedicated his life to public service through organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the National Wildlife Federation, and The Carter Center. Another unlikely candidate for president, Carter was elected because of his honest, likable persona post-Watergate. Although Carter had failures during his four years in office, he also had some great successes. For example, he negotiated peace in the Middle East during the Camp David Accords. Carter is now the longest-living president in U.S. history, surpassing President George H.W. Bush in 2019.

#5: John Adams (2nd): A Founding Father, Adams is considered one of the most brilliant political minds ever. Also serving as the nation’s first vice president, Adams felt trapped while serving in what he believed was an “insufficient” office. Adams was also the first president to live in the newly constructed President’s Palace, now known as the White House. 

#4: James Polk (11th): Polk is among the most underrated American presidents in history. Under his watch, the United States added millions of square feet of territory, leading to the creation of Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, California, New Mexico, and parts of Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming. 

#3: Dwight Eisenhower (34th): General Eisenhower was a hero during World War II. He successfully planned and led troops to the Normandy Beaches on D-Day, and returned German-occupied France to the Allies. While in office, President Eisenhower attempted to solve the massive problem of segregation and racism. “Ike” also signed the Federal Highway Act of 1956, setting aside land to create interstates. Under Eisenhower, Americans experienced prosperity that hadn’t been seen since before the Great Depression. 

#2: John F. Kennedy (35th): The youngest president ever elected, JFK and “Camelot” are complicated. Kennedy had many areas of light, including creating the Peace Corps, prompting Civil Rights, and inspiring future politicians, including presidents Bill Clinton and Joe Biden. Kennedy entered office after barely defeating Vice President Richard Nixon in 1960. The new president was optimistic on Inauguration Day 1961, but like any administration, problems arose during his presidency. The Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs Invasion plagued Kennedy and his early aspirations for success. Kennedy planned to address new issues at home and abroad if he won reelection in 1964. John F. Kennedy symbolized hope in a country looking for a change, but his dream was sadly dashed too soon. 

#1: Theodore Roosevelt (26th): The rough rider turned president of the United States, Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, certainly had an interesting political and personal life. The fifth cousin of the 32nd president, Franklin Roosevelt, and uncle of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, TR rose to political prominence as a governor of New York. Soon after, Roosevelt replaced William McKinley’s vice president, Garret Hobart, who died in office in 1899, on the national ticket. Just one year after the pair handily won the election of 1900, President McKinley was shot and killed in Buffalo, thus making Roosevelt, just 42 years old, the 26th President of the United States. Roosevelt finished McKinley’s term and ran for one of his own, winning in 1904. After a total of eight years in the White House, Roosevelt believed it was time for him to step down and groom his successor, President William Taft. Roosevelt couldn’t stay out of the political arena for too long, choosing to run against the man he mentored in the election of 1912. To do this, Roosevelt created a third party (The Bull Moose Party) after the GOP undercut his chances of winning their nomination. Although Roosevelt received more electoral votes than the sitting president, it didn’t matter. The two split the vote, and Democrat Woodrow Wilson sailed into office. 

During this campaign, while giving a speech atop a car, Roosevelt was shot in the chest by someone in the audience. Instead of rushing to the hospital for vital support, Roosevelt said, “Friends, I shall ask you to be as quiet as possible. I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot—but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” Roosevelt remarkably survived the assassination attempt. 

Roosevelt cared deeply about nature and dedicated many years of service to creating national parks. He also enjoyed going on safaris in Africa. Unfortunately, this love of the great outdoors later plagued him, as he contracted several diseases while in the jungles. Theodore Roosevelt died on January 6th, 1919, at 60 years old. Archibald, Roosevelt’s fifth child, telegraphed his siblings with the message: “The old lion is dead.”

Honorable Mentions: 

Thomas Jefferson (3rd): Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, although his legacy has changed over time regarding slavery at Monticello. 

Zachary Taylor (12th): A general in the Mexican-American War, Taylor believed he could prevent the divide between North and South, which ultimately led to the Civil War. His term was cut short when he died on July 9, 1850, by consuming too many cherries and glasses of milk on a sweltering day in Washington, D.C. Taylor became the second president to die in office.

Ulysses Grant (18th): Grant was a brilliant Civil War general who received a speeding ticket for $20 while on his horse and buggy in Washington, D.C.

Herbert Hoover (31st): Yes, of course, Hoover will be remembered for the Great Depression, but did you know that during World War I, millionaire mining magnate Herbert Hoover paid for vital necessities to be shipped to people suffering in Belgium at the hands of Germany? Check out “The Real Herbert Hoover” video from CBS Sunday Morning. 

Ronald Reagan (40th): Reagan entered office after a sweeping victory in 1980. He created several tax cuts and significantly increased military spending. In his 1984 reelection, Reagan racked up a whopping 525 electoral votes, breaking the previous record. Possibly Reagan’s most significant accomplishment though, was starring in the film “Bedtime for Bonzo,” in which he acted alongside a five-year-old chimpanzee named Peggy.