99% Invisible Yankee Pyramids
Sep 21, 2021
Elizabeth Joh, a law professor and co-host of What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law, dives deep into the complex world of presidential libraries. She illuminates their role as dual monuments—celebrating accomplishments while concealing blemishes. The conversation ponders what a Trump presidential library might look like and how it could shape historical narratives. The discussion also touches on the U.S. Supreme Court's shadow docket and its implications for abortion rights, revealing crucial intersections between law, politics, and public perception.
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Architect's Inspiration
- On election night 2016, a group of friends, including an architect, watched the results.
- As Trump's victory became clear, the architect wondered about a future Trump presidential library.
Trumpian Libraries
- Presidential libraries often present a glorified, incomplete view of a president's achievements.
- This self-congratulatory aspect makes them somewhat Trumpian, regardless of the president.
Pre-Library Chaos
- Before presidential libraries, presidential papers were often destroyed, lost, or selectively curated.
- This created an incomplete and often overly positive historical record.