Trump one of history's worst presidents, survey says Even though President Donald Trump famously boasted he would be "more presidential than any president that's ever held office" with the exception of Abraham Lincoln, historians now say he's among America's worst presidents.
Ever since 2000, when a new president has been elected, C-SPAN surveys presidential historians and asks them to rate every previous American commander in chief on 10 aspects of presidential leadership.
This is the first year Trump was included in the rankings. Spoiler alert: The 142 historians surveyed didn't exactly rank him among America's greatest presidents. In fact, he's toward the bottom of the list, at 41st overall.
While Lincoln tops C-SPAN's ranking for the fourth survey in a row, Trump doesn't quite get there.
Trump comes in dead last in moral authority and administrative skills. On both issue areas, he ranks 44th of 44. (Sidebar: Even though Trump is the 45th President, only 44 men have served as president -- Grover Cleveland served two nonconsecutive terms as the 22nd and 24th president, hence he is counted only once.) Trump's low moral authority rating likely has something to do with the number of lies he perpetuated before, during and after his presidency.
Trump is rated highest for his public persuasion, a ranking of No. 32, and economic management, at No. 34.
There could be some good news for Trump in the next survey. Some fellow recent presidents have experienced bumps in their rankings as time has passed ...
As C-SPAN put it:
The Point: In December, 1 in 5 Americans thought Trump would go down as one of the best presidents in history. But so far, historians are giving him low marks.
-- Lauren QUOTE OF THE DAY "We have an opportunity here to turn the page on the finger pointing and the rhetoric. We were ... debating raking policy in this country." -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom on working with a new administration on wildfire mitigation efforts. After deadly wildfires in 2019, then-President Trump blamed bad forest management, saying forest floors should have been "raked out." WYOMING WOOS THE NRA As the financial future of the National Rifle Association hangs in the balance, the beleaguered gun lobbying and industry group is trying to relocate to a new state.
While the NRA has already said it would reincorporate in Texas -- which some say is a legal maneuver to escape an aggressive lawsuit being pursued by the New York attorney general -- another state has come calling.
Wyoming's Republican governor and secretary of state sent a joint letter to the NRA this month, inviting the group to explore relocation while highlighting the state's business-friendly tax environment and the population's strong support for the Second Amendment.
"We have permitless carry, the castle doctrine, anti-financial discrimination laws, permitless purchase and possession for rifles, shotguns and handguns, no registration requirements and several other pro-second amendment laws on the books," the letter says. "Obviously, Wyoming is serious about protecting the second amendment."
The NRA has yet to publicly respond to this new proposal, but said in a statement to CNN at the time of its bankruptcy dismissal that it will still "pursue establishing business operations in Texas, and the organization will continue to explore moving its headquarters there from Virginia."
-- Sonnet
LAUREN'S GOOD READS Sen. Lisa Murkowski was stone cold on Trump backing a primary challenger, via Politico's Burgess Everett: "'The president has said ... that he's gonna endorse anybody that has a pulse,' the Alaska Republican said of GOP challenger, Kelly Tshibaka. 'This, apparently, is somebody with a pulse.'"
Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has died at the age of 88, CNN reports.
High Country News reports on the people in Los Angeles carving agricultural pockets out of industrialized sprawl.
This Joy Generator from NPR brings joy!
What scandal? New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is back on the fundraising circuit with a $10K per person fundraiser in NYC ahead of a potential run for reelection. Bloomberg reports more than 170 people attended.
There is ALWAYS a "Real Housewives" connection.
MUSICAL INTERLUDE Check out this stunning Tiny Desk (Home) performance by three young classical musicians -- all from the comfort of your own home! TOP TWEETS 1. Some background on New York City's chaotic Board of Elections 2. "Did a chicken write this tweet" 3. Two words: fire tornado 4. A brief education in structural engineering 5. Words to live by ONE BIG 💪 workout Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas is just the latest Republican with presidential aspirations to visit Iowa, but he's the first of the group to perform push-ups (that we know of!). CNN's Eric Bradner reports that Cotton and Iowa's longtime Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley went through Grassley's workout routine onstage in Sioux Center, Iowa, doing 22 push-ups face-to-face while the state's other Republican senator, Joni Ernst, counted them off. You are receiving this message because you subscribed to CNN's The Point with Chris Cillizza newsletter. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now to get The Point in your inbox.
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