Season 1 (2000)

Family Ties
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April 9, 2000 • 53m

The last thing that the Founding Fathers envisioned was a hereditary chief executive. After all, they had fought a war in part to ...Read more

Happenstance
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April 9, 2000 • 53m

Nearly one in six American presidents has died in office. The vice presidents who succeeded them were often chosen because they pr...Read more

An Independent Cast of Mind
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April 10, 2000 • 53m

Is an independent cast of mind the best approach to the presidency? The four men profiled in this hour (John Adams, Zachary Taylor...Read more

The Professional Politician
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April 10, 2000 • 53m

In 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 no...Read more

The American Way
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April 11, 2000 • 53m

It is often observed that American national identity is less a condition than an idea. What we have come to refer to as “the visio...Read more

The World Stage
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April 11, 2000 • 53m

The president has no greater responsibility than representing the nation on the world stage. These four men (James Monroe; Willia...Read more

The Heroic Posture
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April 12, 2000 • 53m

From the beginning, the presidential office has beckoned to national heroes renowned for their selfless service to their country (...Read more

Compromise Choices
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April 12, 2000 • 53m

With the rise of political parties came the dawn of political compromise: nominees were selected because they were less offensive ...Read more

Expanding Power
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April 13, 2000 • 53m

Though the powers of the presidency have expanded with the growth of the nation, the process has been anything but smooth. These f...Read more

The Balance of Power
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April 13, 2000 • 53m

The final episode examines presidential leadership in an era of an increasingly divided government. The American presidency was co...Read more