How soon we forget...
It's amazing how many people act like politics was invented in 2000.
Reagan was CONSTANTLY battered for his seeming lack of intelligence.
As for JFK and the others, we aren't talking about delivered speeches, we're talking about off-the-cuff statements to reporters and others.
Bush has delivered some damn good speeches. If it wasn't for the internet, I probably would never have heard half of them.
Lincoln didn't get nearly the respect during his own time that he does now. Truman left office with popularity ratings much lower than Bush's.