They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree; how then does George H.W. Bush explain his son’s Presidency? Whilst the American public look back on the first Bush as perhaps not the sharpest tool in the shed, he was certainly closer to the average as far as Presidents go. With an IQ of 143, Bush’s take on managing the U.S was directed towards making a “kinder and gentler nation.”
However, being kind and gentle are not terms commonly associated with holding office for one of the most powerful, influential nations in the world. Bush held his own throughout a series of tests, in the form of Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait and disturbance in Cuba, however his approach was not enough to save him from being removed from the Oval Office. Bye, bye, Miss American Pie.
14. Herbert Hoover (No. 31) - IQ 141.6
Is it a bird? A plane? A vacuum cleaner? Close, but no cigar. Whilst he has no association with the Dyson, Hoover was known for other accomplishments. His Presidency took place during the devastating stock-market crash of 1929, which was difficult to manage even with an IQ of 141.6. Hoover became a hated individual by the end of the era, with millions of Americans losing homes and jobs. Today economists debate how much Hoover could’ve done to alleviate the fiscal pressures, though his changes were hardly ground-breaking.
The U.S desperately needed a leader who would guide them out of the Depression, however they were left with a dud. Despite the time-bomb which was the economy before Hoover’s time, Hoover was responsible for withholding aid to suffering Americans, all in the name of capitalism. With an entire scene in the musical “Annie” in his (dis)honour, the end of his term saw Americans singing “The sun will come out, tomorrow.”
15. Ronald Reagan (No. 40) - IQ 141.9
You either love him, or you hate him, our list comes to Ronald Reagan, the 40th U.S President. Serving two terms, Reagan was an actor before he became President. Now that we think of it, perhaps acting and being a politician are extremely similar professions. With an IQ of 141.9, Reagan is about average in the presidential line up. With his famous slogan “peace through strength,” the White House looks on Reagan as fulfilling his pledge of 1980 to restore the “confident roar of American progress and growth.”
However, he was not without his flaws. The Iran Contraband Affair of the 1980s was a smear on his nameplate. The U.S held an arms embargo on Iran, however secretly sold missiles to Iran, in exchange for the freedom of American hostages. Reagan denied any sort of deal, though later admitted in his 1987 address that he indeed sold arms for hostages. While he joked to his wife after an assassination attempt in 1981, “Honey, I forgot to duck,” Reagan didn’t realise that he also forgot the wellbeing of innocent civilians by selling weapons to a terrorist group. Welp.
17. William McKinley (No. 25) - IQ 143.4
The 25th President of the United States, McKinley enters our list with a respectable IQ of 143.4. Known for supporting the gold standard, McKinley’s election breathed new life into the American economy, with industry growing rapidly and the Depression of the 1890s ending.
The third American president to be assassinated, McKinley’s death was the final strike, with the Congress passing legislation to charge the Secret Service with the responsibility of protecting the President. Smart by our standards, but not swift enough (nor well-protected enough) to dodge Leon Czolgosz’s bullets.
18. James K. Polk (No. 11) - IQ 143.4
Tied with McKinley we see James K. Polk, one of the more effective Presidents of the pre-Civil-War time. Born in a log cabin, Polk was known as the ‘dark horse’ candidate. As President, Polk made real change, with developments in banking, territorial disputes as well as fiscal policy.
He maintained peace with the U.K, emerged victorious in the Mexican-American War and expanded U.S borders. His campaign promise to be a one-term president was kept, passing away just as he left the White House. It is said that the stress of the presidency left him in poor health. Looks like a high IQ doesn’t necessarily mean a high tolerance to stress. RIP Polk, we wouldn’t be here today without you.