24. William Howard Taft (1909-1913)
For his administrative skills and handling of international relations, historians rated Taft most highly. Taft favored politics over the law and went on to serve as the United States’ Chief Justice. In 1921, Taft was appointed chief justice by President Warren G. Harding, a position he served until a month before his death.
24. William Howard Taft
23. Grover Cleveland (1885-1889 and 1893-1897)
In C-SPAN’s 2000 survey, Cleveland dropped from 17th place to 23rd place in 2017. He was rated highest for public persuasion by historians and lowest for the pursuit of equal justice. Cleveland vetoed a bill that would have provided veterans, drought-stricken farmers, and people with disabilities with government money. He sent federal troops in to break a strike by railroad workers. He is the only president leaving the White House and returning for a second term thereafter.
23. Grover Cleveland
