No matter what happens during the remainder of Barack Obama's presidency, his historical legacy and place in history rest to a large extent with the outcome of the current health care debate. If the legislation that passes proves to be so watered down that it accomplishes little -- or if no legislation passes at all -- President Obama may still carve out a legacy of some sort. President Clinton, for example, rose from the ashes of his own failed health care initiative to win a second term and secure his place in the middle ranks of presidents (See C-SPAN's rankings at http://www.c-span.org/PresidentialSurvey/Overall-Ranking.aspx). Yet to join the ranks of great presidents like Washington, Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President Obama cannot fail on such a defining issue as health care.
Consider asking your students to compare C-Span's recent ranking of presidents (determined by a survey of historians) with the results of the Wall Street Journal's rankings of presidents from 2005. (see http://www.opinionjournal.com/extra/?id=110007243). What types of achievements mark those who are considered "great" by both surveys?
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