4th Greatest President.

[Earthling]

The top three of American Presidents has been set in stone, more or less. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin D. Roosevelt are the ones almost everyone will pick as the three greatest.
But if you have to pick a number four to go on a new Mount Rushmore, or something like that, who will that be and why? Who will complete the top four for you?

[Goldwater]

Reagan.

[ElectionsGuy]

Reagan.

And I wouldn't pick FDR as the third best.

[Fritz]

Jefferson

[H. Ross Peron]

Polk probably

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Definitely not Jefferson as he makes my bottom ten.

Number 4 would have to be either Jackson or Teddy Roosevelt.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Teddy Roosevelt.

[Lambsbread]

1. JFK
2. FDR
3. GW
4. TR

[TDAS04]

My 4th favorite is Grant.  Although his administration had problems, I take presidents' entire lives into account.  Grant won the Civil War, and even as President, he defended the civil rights of blacks and Native Americans.

[TNF]

Definitely Harry Truman

[Marnetmar]

FDR or Eisenhower. Maybe JFK or Truman.

[Earthling]

JFK or Eisenhower. Maybe FDR or Truman.

You don't see FDR as one of the big three?

My own choice would be Truman.

[Marnetmar]

JFK or Eisenhower. Maybe FDR or Truman.

You don't see FDR as one of the big three?

My own choice would be Truman.

Whoops, accidentally switched JFK with FDR. Thanks for pointing that out!

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Easy one, Theodore Roosevelt.

Put Franklin on Rushmore.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

TR

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Jefferson, Jackson, Polk, Grant, McKinley, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, or Reagan, I guess are in the running for #4.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

A general ranking, order may vary:

1. Honest Abe
2. Not-Tree-Chopping George
3. Disabled Frank
4. Asthmatic Ted
5. Giant-Penised Lyndon
6. Rapey Tom
7. Normal Ike
8. Adulterous Jack
9. Give 'Em Hell Harry
10. Never-Nude Ulysses

[The Dowager Mod]

Jefferson
FDR
Lincoln
Washington

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Reagan.

And I wouldn't pick FDR as the third best.

[TDAS04]

The list of my top ten, in order (which could change):

1.  Lincoln
2.  Washington
3.  FDR
4.  Grant
5.  Garfield
6.  Arthur
7.  TR
8.  Jefferson
9.  Truman
10.  JQA

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

The list of my top ten, in order (which could change):

1.  Lincoln
2.  Washington
3.  FDR
4.  Grant
5.  Garfield
6.  Arthur
7.  TR
8.  Jefferson
9.  Truman
10.  JQA

I see little reason to rank men who accomplished quite little in office above strong and successful executives such as Polk and McKinley.

[TDAS04]

The list of my top ten, in order (which could change):

1.  Lincoln
2.  Washington
3.  FDR
4.  Grant
5.  Garfield
6.  Arthur
7.  TR
8.  Jefferson
9.  Truman
10.  JQA

I see little reason to rank men who accomplished quite little in office above strong and successful executives such as Polk and McKinley.

I'm judging them by their entire lives.  Jefferson would not be up there if it was only based on his presidency; his greatness came from his time before.  The same could be said for Grant.

These are my ten personal favorite, and maybe I could change my mind.  I like Presidents who were basically honest and good on civil rights, and of course influential leadership matters, which is why I agree with the OP on the top three. 

Maybe you could argue that long-term, uncertain ends justify any means, but I disagree.  Polk and McKinley attacked and/or conquered weaker nations, but I suppose it's nice now that the US has the West Coast and Hawaii.  Maybe Jack@$$ Jackson should be thanked for his role in making the West suitable for American settlers through Indian removal.  They were all still immoral.  I love that our nation has become as great as it is, but much of that greatness was thanks to African slavery and Indian genocide.  While I admire the majesty of the White House, I don't have to think that the institution of slavery was great, even though the White House was built through slavery.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

I tend to judge presidents based on their ability to use their electoral mandate (or lack thereof) to accomplish their agendas, as well as their success in making the United States a stronger and more powerful country. There's a difference between best presidents and favorite presidents, I'll add. Zachary Taylor, for example, could be a favorite president, but during his short time he neither shaped the national debate to suit his aims, nor did he find us a war to prove our mettle in. Had he lived, he'd likely be in both categories right now. There are certain asterisks that will always come with "great", as history shows.

[TDAS04]

I tend to judge presidents based on their ability to use their electoral mandate (or lack thereof) to accomplish their agendas, as well as their success in making the United States a stronger and more powerful country. There's a difference between best presidents and favorite presidents, I'll add. Zachary Taylor, for example, could be a favorite president, but during his short time he neither shaped the national debate to suit his aims, nor did he find us a war to prove our mettle in. Had he lived, he'd likely be in both categories right now. There are certain asterisks that will always come with "great", as history shows.

Fair enough.  I admit that my top 10 list is my list of 10 favorite.  Obviously, Garfield can't be one of the greats since he wasn't in office that long.  However, the top three are both my favorites and who I consider the greatest.  Grant could possibly be 4th or up there if you count his pre-presidency Civil War leadership.  

Anyway, while the President should make the US strong, I disagree that conquering weaker nations such as Hawaii or the Philippines is necessarily a good thing or something that defines greatness. Luckily for the US, that aggressive foreign policy worked out in the long-term back then, but an aggressive and bad@$$ foreign policy is not only immoral, but it's never guaranteed to work out for a aggressor nation in the end.  FDR was certainly great for being strong abroad, but that's because WWII was a necessary war, not a war of conquest or arrogant imperialism.

[Oswald Acted Alone, You Kook]

Jefferson, Jackson, Polk, Grant, McKinley, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, or Reagan, I guess are in the running for #4.

Why Grant? He was one of the most corrupt presidents. Reagan doesn't deserve it either, he's more of a top 15 type. Eisenhower WAS NICE, BUT KIND OF A DO-NOTHING.