Presidential Misconduct

From George Washington to Today

By: James M. Banner Jr.

Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain

In May 1974, as President Richard Nixon faced impeachment following the Watergate scandal, the House Judiciary Committee commissioned a historical account of the misdeeds of past presidents. The account, compiled by leading presidential historians of the day, reached back to George Washington's administration and was designed to provide a benchmark against which Nixon's misdeeds could be measured. What the report found was that, with the exception of William Henry Harrison, every American president has been accused of misconduct.

Now, as another president and his subordinates face an array of charges on a wide range of legal and constitutional offenses, a group of presidential historians has come together under the leadership of James M. Banner, Jr. - one of the historians who contributed to the original report - to bring the 1974 account up to date through Barack Obama's presidency. Based on current scholarship, this new material covers such well-known episodes as Nixon's Watergate crisis, Reagan's Iran-Contra scandal, Clinton's impeachment, and George W. Bush's connection to the exposure of intelligence secrets. But oft-forgotten events also take the stage: Carter's troubles with advisor Bert Lance, Reagan's savings and loan crisis, George H. W. Bush's nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, and Obama's Solyndra loan controversy.

©2019 The New Press (P)2020 Tantor

#Thorough

This is a book that could spawn countless other works. It’s a lot to take in all at once, but I chipped away at it and finally reached the finish line.

The book is fair and balanced. No presidential administration is depicted as guiltless - although Obama comes away comparatively smelling like roses.

Worthy read if you are an academic focusing on presidential history.

Why

What’s the point of this book no need for it at all ..I do like mike chamberlain

Wonderful book

Don’t listen to the Trumpers who don’t like this book because the author mentions truths about tRump. As this book point out, every president has done questionable and possibly illegal things, tRump just happens to do more wrong than any past president. The truth speaks for itself.

Distorted Views on Past Presidents

There is a treatment here of the past which is distorted and as one gets into more recent history the narrative has an obvious left-wing bias. This book is not worth reading.

Good start; liberal agenda emerges

Interesting and insightful through Nixon. Takes a left (pun intended) from there. This is unfortunate as the “well-meaning Democrats, evil Republicans” narrative is tired. Undermines credibility to those who appreciate history and see the current polarization as nothing new.