Where They Stand: American Presidents in the Eyes of Voters and Historians

Robert W. Merry's "Where They Stand" examines how American presidents have been evaluated and ranked by both historians and the voting public. The book analyzes presidential performance through historical assessments, contemporary voter reactions, and reelection outcomes. The work dissects the careers of presidents from George Washington to Barack Obama, investigating which chief executives won popular and electoral majorities, and how those victories aligned with their historical reputations. Merry examines specific cases where the judgments of voters and scholars diverged significantly. Major historical events and presidential decisions serve as reference points throughout the analysis, with Merry drawing connections between leadership choices and long-term legacy. The research incorporates presidential polls, academic studies, and historical documents to build comprehensive profiles. The book raises fundamental questions about how success in the presidency should be measured and whether contemporary public opinion or historical perspective provides the more reliable gauge of presidential achievement. These tensions between popular sentiment and scholarly analysis remain relevant to modern political discourse.

Readers appreciate Merry's examination of how historians' presidential rankings align with voters' judgments at the time. Many note his compelling argument that voter verdicts should carry more weight than academic assessments. Several reviews highlight the book's clear organization and accessibility for non-academics. Common criticisms include repetitive writing and an over-reliance on Arthur Schlesinger's presidential polls. Some readers found Merry's methodology for determining "near-great" presidents unclear. Multiple reviewers noted the analysis becomes thin for recent presidents due to limited historical perspective. One frequent complaint is that Merry spends too much time defending his rating system rather than analyzing the presidents themselves. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (89 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (31 ratings) "A fresh take on ranking presidents that respects both academic and popular opinion" - Amazon reviewer "Gets bogged down in methodology at times but offers valuable insights on how presidents are judged" - Goodreads reviewer

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🎯 Author Robert W. Merry was the Wall Street Journal's Washington correspondent and executive editor of Congressional Quarterly before writing this book. 🏛️ The book introduces the concept of a "presidential bracket system" which combines both popular and scholarly rankings to evaluate presidents more comprehensively. 🗳️ Merry argues that two-term presidents who win re-election with larger margins than their first victory are almost always considered successful by both historians and the public. 📊 The book challenges traditional academic rankings by giving equal weight to contemporary voter judgment, suggesting that the voice of the electorate at the time is as valuable as historical analysis. 👥 Through his research, Merry identified only nine "Leaders of Destiny" in American presidential history - presidents who fundamentally altered the nation's political direction during their terms.