Have there ever been any great presidents from a time of Congressional gridlock? How have past presidents handled Congressional gridlock? Which ones were successful and which ones weren't?
Congressional gridlock as we understand the term today is a really, really new phenomenon.
Compromise and cooperation on all but the most divisive points of policy have been the norm in American politics until very recently, with the "take no prisoners on anything" intransigence of the reactionary right gaining power.