George Washington (1789-1797) 3

An exemplary crisis manager prior to his ascension to the presidency, but objectively he was rather weak in terms of crisis management during his tenure. Approved the weak Jay Treaty, which did little to improve relations with Britain and effectively exacerbated tensions with France, which began harrassing and at points attacking American ships at sea. While it can be argued that Washington's reluctance to make a bold statement to both the British and the French was prudent, as the country was young and unable to withstand the costs of another war with so little time having elapsed since the Revolution, it conversely signaled to the world that America was a nation that could be bullied around. Washington's essential inaction nearly led to a war in the Adams Administration. Certainly, Washington led the United States competently prior to his presidential years, but his record as a crisis manager in the context of the presidency is rather disappointing given his unquestionably competent abilities as a leader.