13. John F. Kennedy
SRI Ranking: 14
Brookings Institution Ranking: 11
The assassination of JFK who ranks 13th on our list of most successful presidents of all time came as a huge shock to all Americans. The murder of one of the most popular presidents in history (average approval rate of 70%, more than any other US president) left the nation reeling. President Kennedy is usually better ranked in popular polls than those conducted among historians, and the general consensus is that he’s more judged by his potential that his actual accomplishments, although he did manage to achieve much in his short term in the White House.
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