The American President S01E08 · Compromise Choices

Overview

With the rise of political parties came the dawn of political compromise: nominees were selected because they were less offensive to some voters than those who might have been the best candidates (Franklin Pierce, James Garfield, Warren G. Harding, Gerald Ford). Two of the men profiled in this hour found the presidency beyond their abilities, while two proved themselves worthy of having been called to the highest office in the land.

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Episodes

1. 1 1. Family Ties2000-04-09 · 53mThe last thing that the Founding Fathers envisioned was a hereditary chief executive. After all, they had fought a war in part to rid themselves of a king. Yet power inevitably pas
2. 2 2. Happenstance2000-04-09 · 53mNearly one in six American presidents has died in office. The vice presidents who succeeded them were often chosen because they provided some electoral advantage (John Tyler, Milla
3. 3 3. An Independent Cast of Mind2000-04-10 · 53mIs an independent cast of mind the best approach to the presidency? The four men profiled in this hour (John Adams, Zachary Taylor, Rutherford B. Hayes and Jimmy Carter) pursued a
4. 4 4. The Professional Politician2000-04-10 · 53mIn our nation’s early years, taking part in political affairs was considered a duty and an honor, but not a way of life. It was not long, however, before the professional politicia
5. 5 5. The American Way2000-04-11 · 53mIt is often observed that American national identity is less a condition than an idea. What we have come to refer to as “the vision thing” is an expectation that our presidents wil
6. 6 6. The World Stage2000-04-11 · 53mThe president has no greater responsibility than representing the nation on the world stage. These four men (James Monroe; William McKinley; Woodrow Wilson; George H.W. Bush) enga
7. 7 7. The Heroic Posture2000-04-12 · 53mFrom the beginning, the presidential office has beckoned to national heroes renowned for their selfless service to their country (George Washington, William Henry Harrison, Ulysses
8. 8 8. Compromise Choices2000-04-12 · 53mWith the rise of political parties came the dawn of political compromise: nominees were selected because they were less offensive to some voters than those who might have been the
9. 9 9. Expanding Power2000-04-13 · 53mThough the powers of the presidency have expanded with the growth of the nation, the process has been anything but smooth. These four presidents are benchmarks in the development o
10. 10 10. The Balance of Power2000-04-13 · 53mThe final episode examines presidential leadership in an era of an increasingly divided government. The American presidency was conceived as one part of a larger system of institut