You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
hcooper333 's review for:
Accidental Presidents: Eight Men Who Changed America
by Jared Cohen
This books has some highlights. If you would like a very condensed history of the presidents he covers, this is a good choice. He highlights the cultural and philosophical differences of each president vs. their successor, explaining how those factors shifted policy.
However, I was left wanting. The amount of time devoted to each presidential pair was highly variable. FDR and Truman got a chapter each, while Kennedy got less than half of the chapter he shared with LBJ. Theodore Roosevelt had many pages allotted to his life before the Presidency, far more than Harding. I suspect this was a reflection of the author's interest in his subjects.
I am also unconvinced by his argument in the final chapter that the vice presidential selection process must be revisited. While historically it is true that VPs were often an attempt to balance the ticket geographically, in the modern era our Presidents choose running mates with whom they share ideology or policy goals. See Kate Anderson Brower's First In Line for more. For example, Bill Clinton chose Al Gore even though they were both Southerners. Barack Obama chose Joe Biden for his policy experience and because of their personal rapport. If we were to revert to a system where the vice president is elected separate from the President, how would that inhibit the policy goals of the new administration?
However, I was left wanting. The amount of time devoted to each presidential pair was highly variable. FDR and Truman got a chapter each, while Kennedy got less than half of the chapter he shared with LBJ. Theodore Roosevelt had many pages allotted to his life before the Presidency, far more than Harding. I suspect this was a reflection of the author's interest in his subjects.
I am also unconvinced by his argument in the final chapter that the vice presidential selection process must be revisited. While historically it is true that VPs were often an attempt to balance the ticket geographically, in the modern era our Presidents choose running mates with whom they share ideology or policy goals. See Kate Anderson Brower's First In Line for more. For example, Bill Clinton chose Al Gore even though they were both Southerners. Barack Obama chose Joe Biden for his policy experience and because of their personal rapport. If we were to revert to a system where the vice president is elected separate from the President, how would that inhibit the policy goals of the new administration?