The crucible of the presidency has forged some of the very best and very worst leaders in our nation’s history. In C-SPAN’s new book, The Presidents: Noted Historians Rank America's Best—and Worst—Chief Executives, noted scholars and presidential biographers provide a complete ranking of our presidents and delve into the stories and analyses that capture the character of these leaders. From Abraham Lincoln’s political savvy and rhetorical gifts to James Buchanan’s indecisiveness, we learn about what makes a great leader—and what does not. Join us as contributors Michael Gerhardt, scholar-in-residence at the National Constitution Center, author and journalist Robert Strauss, and Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, discuss the presidents, why we rank presidents, and the significance of the executive office. Brian Lamb, chairman of C-SPAN, moderates. Susan Swain, president and co-CEO of C-SPAN, provides remarks.
This program is presented in partnership with C-SPAN.
Participants
- Michael Gerhardt is scholar-in-residence at the National Constitution Center. He also serves as the Burton Craige Distinguished Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of North Carolina Law School and the Richard Beeman Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Gerhard frequently appears on CNN as an expert and commentator on the impeachment process. He is the author several books including: The Federal Impeachment Process, The Forgotten Presidents, and Impeachment: What Everyone Needs to Know.
- Robert Strauss is the author of Worst. President. Ever.: James Buchanan, the POTUS Rating Game, and the Legacy of the Least of the Lesser Presidents. Strauss served as a reporter for Sports Illustrated, a feature writer for the Philadelphia Daily News, and a news and sports producer for KYW-TV in Philadelphia. He has more than 1000 bylines in the New York Times, and also writes for the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, the Philadelphia newspapers, Sports Illustrated, Fortune, and more.
- Jeffrey Rosen is the president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization devoted to educating the public about the U.S. Constitution. Rosen is also professor of law at The George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic.
- Brian Lamb, founder of C-SPAN, currently serves as the C-SPAN Networks' Executive Chairman. Since C-SPAN's founding in 1979, Brian has been a regular on-camera presence, interviewing all presidents since Reagan, many world leaders, members of Congress, journalists and authors. Six books of collected Brian Lamb interviews have been published based on the Booknotes and Q & A series.
- Susan Swain is co-CEO and president of C-SPAN. At C-SPAN, Susan oversees programming for C-SPAN’s three television channels, C-SPAN.org, and C-SPAN Radio. She has been involved in the creation of numerous C-SPAN history series, such as American Presidents, The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, American Writers, and First Ladies. She has covered eight presidential elections and interviewed hundreds of members of Congress, and most recently, has been the on-air moderator for C-SPAN’s major history series, Landmark Cases.
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