The Founders, Demagogues, and the American Presidency

We the People

National Constitution Center

History, News Commentary, News

4.6 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 19 October 2023

⏱️ 62 minutes

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Summary

This week we are sharing an episode from our companion podcast, Live at the National Constitution Center. In this episode, these three leading experts on American presidents—Sidney Milkis and Barbara Perry of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, and Stephen Knott of Ashland University—warn about the increasingly demagogic nature of the presidency. Their discussion traces a historical journey, from George Washington, who governed as a neutral and unifying officeholder, to modern presidents—from Teddy Roosevelt to FDR and Woodrow Wilson onward—who fanned populist passions. They also offer solutions for how to restore the Framers’ vision of the constitutional presidency today. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, moderates. Resources: Stephen Knott, The Lost Soul of the American Presidency: The Decline into Demagoguery and the Prospects for Renewal (2020) Nicholas Jacobs and Sidney Milkis, What Happened to the Vital Center?: Presidentialism, Populist Revolt, and the Fracturing of America (2022) Michael Nelson and Barbara Perry, The Presidency: Facing Constitutional Crossroads (Miller Center Studies on the Presidency) (2021) Stephen Knott, Coming to Terms with John F. Kennedy (2022) Sidney Milkis, Theodore Roosevelt, the Progressive Party, and the Transformation of American Democracy (2009) Questions or comments about the show? Email us at [email protected]. Continue today’s conversation on Facebook and Twitter using @ConstitutionCtr. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate, at bit.ly/constitutionweekly. You can find transcripts for each episode on the podcast pages in our Media Library.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hello friends. I'm Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution
0:06.6	Center and welcome to We The People, a weekly show of constitutional debate.
0:10.8	The National Constitution Center is a nonpartisan nonprofit chartered by Congress to increase awareness and understanding of the Constitution among the American people.
0:19.0	This week we're sharing an episode from our companion podcast live at the National
0:23.4	Constitution Center. That's the live feed for our great town hall programs.
0:27.6	In this episode three leading presidential historians warn us about the increasingly
0:33.7	demagogic nature of the American presidency.
0:36.5	Sydney Milchus, Barbara Perry, and Stephen Naut take us on a historical journey that
0:40.9	traces the progression from George Washington, who governed as a neutral and unifying national leader, to contemporary presidents who fan populist passions.
0:51.0	They also offer solutions about how to restore the framers vision of the constitutional presidency today.
0:56.0	Enjoy the show.
1:00.0	Friends, I'm so excited to convene this evening's panel.
1:03.4	We have three of America's greatest presidential historians
1:07.2	and also historians of the constitutional history of the presidency.
1:11.4	To illuminate us, They all have incredibly wonderful new books that can
1:18.4	cast light both on our current vexations and also on their historical roots.
1:23.3	And I'm so honored to convene them to share their light and wisdom with you.
1:28.5	Stephen Naught is Thomas and Mabel Guy, professor of American history and Government at Ashland University, and an
1:34.6	Emeritus Professor of National Security at the United States War College.
1:38.5	He's author of 10 books on the American presidency, including most recently coming to terms with John
1:46.4	F. Kennedy, and a book will be focusing on this evening, The Suburb, The Lost Soul of the American presidency, the decline into demagoguery and the prospects for renewal.
1:58.1	Sydney Milchis is White Birkett Miller, Professor of Governance and Foreign Affairs, and Professor of Politics at the University of
	...

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