In John Adams' rankings in the C-SPAN Survey of Presidential?

Question

Leadership, which categories did he fair strongest and weakest. Do you agree with it?

Thanks for any help, he seems to have been a good man.

Answer 1

On the plus side, Adams kept his country out of war with France.

On the negative side, he approved the Alien and Sedition Acts, which many felt to be unconstitutional.

Answer 2

Adams did accomplish a number of things during his presidency. One being keeping the US out of war with France, which would have been disastrous for America. He pushed hard for a Navy, believing that America should be protected by "Wooden Walls." He nominated Marshall to be the Chief Supreme Justice, probably the best one in the history of the Supreme Court.

His passage of the Alien and Sedition Act was defiantly his biggest blunder.  However, at the time the press really didn't have to worry about Libel, etc. It was really anything goes, and if you look at the stuff written during the 1800 election, it's pretty amazing.

Also, to the person that said his defending British soldiers shows his lack of judgment? Are you insane? This shows his principals, he believed in the law above all other. His defense of the British show this conviction. Let's not forget he won the case, which is pretty impressive considering the Jury was of his peers in Boston, who were pretty pissed at the British.  But I digress..

I think it's pretty fair to put Adams where that survey put him, he was better than most, but some were considerably better. Perhaps if Hamilton hadn't totally ruined Adams political career, and the Federalist party he'd rank higher.

Answer 3

He lacked good judgement.  He defended the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. Of course, that was before he became president, but it's indicative of some of his questionable decisions.