Tuesday, 22 February 2000
http://www.azstarnet.com/public/dnews/080-6141.html
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Clinton rates near the top for
managing the economy and pursuing equal justice, but dead last
when measured for ``moral authority,'' according to a ranking
of presidents by 58 historians.
Overall among presidents, Clinton comes across in the middle,
21st out of 41 men who have occupied the Oval Office.
Two other presidents marked by scandal - Richard Nixon and Warren
Harding - came in just above Clinton in the historians' view of
moral leadership.
Historians from across the political spectrum rated the 41 men
who have served in the White House on 10 qualities. The academics
were asked to rank presidents using a scale of 1 to 10, with 10
being ``very effective.''
Clinton rates 20th in crisis leadership; 21st in international
relations; 21st in administrative skills; 22nd in vision; and
21st in performance.
His high scores are in pursuing equal justice' (fifth), economic
management (fifth) and public persuasion (11th); his low scores
were in congressional relations (36th) and moral authority (41st).
``President Clinton came into office with a three-part strategy
for the economy: fiscal discipline, investing in people and opening
markets abroad to benefit American workers,'' White House spokesman
Joel Johnson said yesterday. ``By any measure, this has proved
resoundingly successful.''
Asked specifically about the president's moral ranking, Johnson
said time will tell.
``When today's headline writers cede influence to tomorrow's historians,
the achievements of the president will prove quite remarkable
in significance,'' Johnson said.
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