Americans Pick Obama as Best President in Their Lifetimes, According to Survey A new Pew Research Center poll was released this week conveying who Americans believe to have been br the best president of their lifetime. President Obama was the pick br of 44 percent of Americans. Close behind were br Bill Clinton at 33 percent and Ronald Reagan br at 32 percent. Donald Trump, who isn't even br halfway through his first term yet, br ranked fourth at 19 percent. Age of survey respondents was definitely a factor. 62 percent of millennials chose Obama. 42 percent of Baby Boomers in conjunction with 38 percent of the Silent Generation, named Reagan. Gen Xers were almost br evenly split between br Reagan, Obama and Clinton.