I was asked about a few Presidents this pas Thursday, and after much contemplation, I have chosen my second thirteen. They are in alphabetical order again, much easier than trying to decide whether JFK outranks Reagan or whether Garfield beats Polk.

George Herbert Walker Bush (Senior), 1989-1993 (R)
     — diplomacy first, war as last resort
James Earl Carter, Jr., 1977-1981 (D)
     — peace through diplomacy
Grover Cleveland, 1885-1889, 1893-1897 (D)
     — reform and integrity
Calvin Coolidge, 1923-1929 (R)
     — set lasting examples for prosperity
David Eisenhower 1953-1961 (R)
     — steady hand during cold war
Gerald Rudolph Ford, 1974-1977 (R)
     — healed the nation
James Abram Garfield, 1881 (R)
     — assasinated for his integrity
Rutherford Birchard Hayes, 1877-1881 (R)
     — reform and integrity
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, 1961-1963 (D)
     — inspirational leader
James Monroe, 1817-1825 (DR)
     — last founding father to be president
James Knox Polk, 1845-1849 (W)
     — expansion, diplomacy, expansion
Ronald Wilson Reagan, 1981-1989 (R)
     — inspirational leader
Harry S. Truman, 1945-1953 (D)
     — tough decision ended the war

1 Democratic-Republican, 4 Democrats, 7 Republicans, 1 Whig