How to Get Rid of a President

History's Guide to Removing Unpopular, Unable, or Unfit Chief Executives

By: David Priess

Narrated by: Jason Culp

A vivid political history of the schemes, plots, maneuvers, and conspiracies that have attempted -- successfully and not -- to remove unwanted presidents

To limit executive power, the founding fathers created fixed presidential terms of four years, giving voters regular opportunities to remove their leaders. Even so, Americans have often resorted to more dramatic paths to disempower the chief executive. The American presidency has seen it all, from rejecting a sitting president's renomination bid and undermining their authority in office to the more drastic methods of impeachment, and, most brutal of all, assassination.

How to Get Rid of a President showcases the political dark arts in action: a stew of election dramas, national tragedies, and presidential departures mixed with party intrigue, personal betrayal, and backroom shenanigans. This briskly paced, darkly humorous voyage proves that while the pomp and circumstance of presidential elections might draw more attention, the way that presidents are removed teaches us much more about our political order.

Critic reviews

Getting rid of presidents was never as entertaining as it is in David Priess's hands. He barnstorms through more than two centuries of American history, showing all the ways-from impeachment to death-that presidents have either left office prematurely or just barely avoided doing so. Dramatic and instructive, his narrative has clear resonance for the present day as calls grow for President Trump's impeachment.—MaxBoot, Washington Post columnist and author of The Corrosion of Conservatism

The temptation to impeach a president can run high in a polarized political environment but is fraught with peril as David Priess meticulously demonstrates in this timely book that romps through American history to answer all the questions about removing an unfit president by non-electoral means that you were afraid to ask.—AmandaCarpenter, CNN contributor and author of GaslightingAmerica

With the objective eye of a former intelligence officer and an uncanny instinct for deep truths, David Priess paints a genuinely non-partisan portrait of presidential removals. The stories here are eerily relevant to today's headlines, but also disarmingly fun to read.—MichaelHayden, former Director of the Central Intelligence Agency and author of The Assault on Intelligence

Legal scholars, political scientists, and pundits have dissected various means of undermining and removing leaders, ranging from voting them out of office to impeaching them. Now, with How To Get Rid of a President, David Priess finally racks and stacks all of the methods, fair and foul, in an entertaining and approachable sweep of history.—BenjaminWittes, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution andeditor in chief of the Lawfare blog

"A companionable history of U.S. presidents in crisis... Priess excels at making presidents look tragically human... Anyone distressed or appalled by today's rancorous clashes over presidential prerogative and power may take comfort from learning that the nation has weathered it all before."—Booklist, Starred Review

"Piquant studies of presidential woe.... A collection of colorful, slightly morbid vignettes that connoisseurs of political picaresque will relish."—Publishers Weekly

History allows us to live in the present.

I know this to shall past and the republic will continue. In spite of POTUS.

Solid, but I became a restless listener.

Excellent topic, but it jumped around so much in terms of chronology that the info became a bit dizzying. It was at its best when it focused on single issues and examples, instead of citing every example and backstory at every possible chance.

Extraordinary!

A brilliant and well researched book on the great traditions of the USA to check weak, ignorant, and incompetent leadership in the history of America. Lincoln's great question: Can we create a system where self government is possible? remains a work in progress.

This question is poignant today. Read or listen to this author and we see a path that democracy, as outlined in our constitution, has a blueprint on how to rid ourselves of incompetent, damaged souls who wish to take away our rights and liberties. A combination of a free and fair vote, coupled with legislators who can check dangerous executives can preserve this great experiment of democracy.

Reccomend. Already planning a revisit

This book has an easily consumed narrative structure that is filled to the brim with valid historical context for challenging presidential power. Having been familiar with David Preiss from his association with the Lawfare blog, it was no shock at the level of detail and my overall ability to be engaged with the material.

Good info, terrible editing

Skipped around because the book was organized by type instead of chronological order.

Overall good information.