He made life for all Americans more humane. Kovler and other Roosevelt supporters then launched their Presidents' Day campaign by publishing an open letter to President Clinton and the public in newspapers around the country. Because, says historian Paul Boller of Texas Christian University, it's important to recognize those special traits that mark a great leader. Great leadership skills. They had the interest of the country at heart, stood tall, and behaved with dignity.
Different historians use different yardsticks to measure Presidential greatness.
Some value charisma, intelligence, and leadership ability above all. Very few Presidents have even a particle of greatness. But sometimes history puts them in the right place at the right time. It can take decades or even a century to assess a President's legacy, says Presidential scholar Stephen Ambrose. Some Presidents who have long been considered failures are now gaining in the estimation of historians, while others, once highly regarded, are dropping.