Every Democratic president from Wilson on forward hold mixed bag legacies, both good and bad.
Wilson, FDR, Truman, JFK, LBJ, Carter, Clinton, and Obama.
None have been flawless, and some of their flaws have been significant. Even FDR, who typically ends up as the second or third best president on any legitimate, objective minded historian's list. Even Carter, who was as decent and honest and peace-minded a president that we'll ever see.
On the other hand, we can all find in all their respective presidential legacies some incredibly invaluable contribution to the forward progress of the nation whether it be in worker's rights, civil rights, international diplomacy or numerous other areas so vital to the US.
So, no, we shouldn't "lionize" any of these individuals. That's what conservatives have done with Reagan, and it comes off looking stupid and sort of creepy. On the other hand, there are portions of each of these individual's presidencies that ought to be celebrated and credit ought to be given where it's due.
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