2. Andrew Johnson
SRI Ranking: 43
Brookings Ranking: 41
If a single word is needed to describe Andrew Johnson, who ranks second in our list of least successful presidents of all time, it would be stubborn. Once he made his mind on something, there’s little to no chance of changing his course, despite the opposition. As one could imagine, this isn’t a very favorable trait for any politician, even less so for the President of the United States. Johnson became president after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln in 1865. One of his first tasks was to oversee the cessation of hostilities and the return of Southern states into the Union. However, his inability to compromise has set him on a collision course with the Congress, despite the fact that his party had the majority. The Reconstruction went as it did, ensuring President Johnson place among the worst presidents in history.
