American History Hit Who Was the Worst President Ever?
Oct 2, 2025
In this engaging discussion, historian Jeremi Suri, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin and author of The Impossible Presidency, dives into the complexities of presidential failure. He explores what truly makes a president 'bad,' identifying faults like hubris and a failure to adapt. Suri debates the legacies of Millard Fillmore, Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and Andrew Johnson, ultimately naming Johnson the worst for his undermining of Reconstruction. They also ponder contemporary issues, raising questions about our current leadership.
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Origins And Expansion Of The Presidency
- The presidency began as a small office with limited powers focused on war leadership and national unity.
- Over centuries the role ballooned into a vast executive responsible for complex administrative tasks.
Old-School Presidential Accessibility
- As late as Herbert Hoover, citizens could walk up to the White House and meet the president during office hours.
- Truman left the presidency and stayed his first night at a Howard Johnson's motel, showing a quieter transition era.
Two Core Failures Of Bad Presidents
- Two common failures make presidents bad: staying out of step with public opinion and failing to manage a growing bureaucracy.
- Successful presidents adjust policies and manage internal yes-men; failures do not.
