Tucker Carlson speaks to 'Special Report' host Bret Baier about his new book ‘To Rescue The Republic’ which takes a closer look at the 18th president’s life and legacy.

PROGRAMMING ALERT: Watch the Fox Nation special 'To Rescue the Constitution.' The special, hosted by Bret Baier, dramatically reveals the life of George Washington, the Founder who did more than perhaps any other individual to secure the future of the United States.

What makes a president great?

I’ve had occasion to ask that question many times in my daily work on "Special Report," and while writing five presidential biographies. I’m always looking for the hidden gems – the stories that will reveal core character traits and motivations of the men who have served this critical role. We’ve only had 46 presidents in our history; it’s a rare individual who rises to that position.

It’s an election year, so conversations about what makes a president great are happening all over America. Presidents Day is the perfect time to look for insights, and the nation’s historians have some ideas.

Abraham Lincoln and George Washington consistently rank as the greatest presidents in surveys from historians. (iStock)

Since 2000, C-SPAN has conducted a survey among presidential historians and experts at the conclusion of every administration, to produce a Historians Survey of Presidential Leadership. There have been four surveys so far, with the latest in 2021, following the Trump administration.

SURPRISE LESSON GEORGE WASHINGTON COULD TEACH US TODAY

All 45 presidents were ranked by 142 historians based on 10 leadership qualities. These were: Public Persuasion, Crisis Leadership, Economic Management, Moral Authority, International Relations, Administrative Skills, Relations with Congress, Vision/Setting an Agenda, Pursued Equal Justice for All, and Performance Within the Context of the Times.

This isn’t intended to be a scientific review – just the opinion of 142 citizens, who happen to be well-informed. They include some of our most revered historians, whose writings and speeches have brought the lives of our presidents into our living rooms and classrooms. In the latest survey, they selected these as the top five:

1. Abraham Lincoln
2. George Washington
3. Franklin D. Roosevelt
4. Theodore Roosevelt
5. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Bret Baier's "To Rescue the Constitution: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment."

"We can all quibble about somebody we think should be ranked higher or lower," said presidential biographer Richard Norton Smith, who was one of the advisers to the project. "But there’s something sustainable going on here." He pointed to the fact that the top four had been consistent throughout the history of the rankings. Eisenhower earned the fifth spot in 2017.

PRESIDENTIAL........

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