Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!ucbvax!sdcsvax!sdcc6!sdcc7!ln63soi
From: ln63soi@sdcc7.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics,net.misc,net.rumor
Subject: Re: The Presidents   how I feel they rate in history
Message-ID: <374@sdcc7.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 19-May-86 05:07:48 EDT
Article-I.D.: sdcc7.374
Posted: Mon May 19 05:07:48 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 21-May-86 01:25:50 EDT
References: <133@petrus.UUCP> <146@percival.UUCP>
Reply-To: ln63soi@sdcc7.UUCP (Paul van de Graaf)
Distribution: net
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 14
Xref: watmath net.politics:16164 net.misc:9652 net.rumor:2426

In article <146@percival.UUCP> nerd@percival.UUCP (Michael Galassi) writes:
>It apears that the longer a president has been out of office the better
>the score he gets.  My guess is that time rounds off the rough edges from
>our memories and gives historians and trivia hunters a chance to discover
>the sorts of "interesting" facts and anecdotes that make a "great man" out
>of a politician.

Another observation I'll add is that presidents who die in office generally
receive good ratings.  Especially those who die suddenly or are assassinated.
Witness Lincoln, JFK, and FDR.  All had a number of severe problems during
their administrations, yet after they died they became heros.  Sort of a 
"halo-effect":  people don't like to say bad things about the newly dead.

Paul van de Graaf 	sdcsvax!sdcc7!ln63soi		U. C. San Diego