FDR LIKE REAGAN BROUGHT HOPE. FDR'S GREATEST LEGACY WERE HIS FIRE SIDE CHATS. LIKE REAGAN HE HAD THE ABILITY TO BRING HOPE. IN SAYING THIS HIS POLICES PROBABLY HELPED TO NOT LET THINGS GET WORSE, BUT THE NEW DEAL WAS NOT A GREAT SUCCESS--UNLESS 20 PERCENT PLUS UNEMPLOYMENT IS CONSIDERED GOOD! STILL PROGAMS LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY AND TVA WERE AND ARE VERY GOOD PROGRAMS. ROOSEVELT IS A TOP PRESIDENT. I AM NOT SURE HE DESERVES HIS RANKING AS A TOP 3 OR 4. I AM ADMITTEDLY A REAGAN FAN AND HIS POLICIES AND OPTIMISIM HELPED TO BRING AMERICA BACK TO GREATNESS. NOW I AM NOT COMPARING THE ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THE THE LATE 70'S AND EARLY 80'S TO THE GREAT DEPRESSION, BUT THEY WERE BAD. STILL REAGAN MADE AMERICA FILL GOOD ABOUT ITSELF. WATERGATE, VIETNAM, IRANIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS ALONG WITH INFLATION AND THE ARAB'S STICKING IT TO US. PLUS THE SOVIET'S WERE WINNING THE COLD WAR--REAGAN'S OPTIMISM WAS WHAT AMERICA NEEDED. REAGAN WAS A PRACTICAL MAN AND HE HELPED TO BRING AMERICA BACK TO PROSPERITY --ALONG WITH A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS--HE STOOD STRONG AGAINST THE EVIL EMPIRE. MOST OF ALL LIKE FDR HE INSTILLED HOPE. NEITHER MAN WAS PERFECT AND HAD SETBACKS. BUT I FEEL BOTH REAGAN AND FDR DESERVE THE MANTLE OF AMERICA'S TOP PRESIDENTS OF THE 20TH CENTURY. PS WE OFTEN BELITTLE OUR LEADERS, BUT I FILL WE HAD AT LEAST 5 OTHER PRESIDENTS IN THE 20TH CENTURY WHO DESERVE TO BE CONSIDERED NEAR GREAT JUST BEHIND REAGAN AND ROOSEVELT--TEDDY ROOSEVELT, JFK, EISENHOWER, WILSON, AND TRUMAN