Andrew Johnson impeachment trial

Impeaching History

Got impeachment? Not much. In American history, there have only been a total of 19 impeachment trials in the U.S. Senate.
Ivanka Trump

De Facto First Ladies: A Definitive Guide

Ivanka Trump will be assuming many duties of the First Lady. She won't be the first presidential daughter to take “the hardest unpaid job in the world.”
Edmund Burke

Edmund Burke and the Birth of Traditional Conservatism

Edmund Burke (1729-1797) is one of the philosophical fountainheads of modern conservatism. But he didn't start out that way.
Andrew Johnson

A Brief History of Vice Presidential Inaugurations

Vice presidential inaugurations haven’t always shared the pomp and circumstance reserved for the highest office in the land.
Poinsettia

What Poinsettias Have to do with U.S.-Mexico Relations

Poinsettias were named for the first US diplomat to Mexico. The flower was more successful than he was. How it went from Aztec dye to Christmas decoration.
George Washington inauguration

Why the Presidential Inauguration is in January

The Presidential Inauguration is January 20th as a result of a twentieth century change to the U.S. Constitution. Originally, it was March 4th.
2012 Cartogram

Time for Reform of the Electoral College?

Is it finally time to reform the Electoral College after 2000 and 2016? If so, how could this be done?
Soldier reading newspaper

When Did the Media Become a “Watchdog?”

The media changed its coverage over the course of the Vietnam War. But it may not have become more adversarial.
Nixon and JFK

Should Nixon Have Demanded a Recount?

A lot about the 2016 presidential election has been unprecedented, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen calls for recounts in some states.
NSA operations center

The National Security Advisor: A Primer

Presidents have appointed National Security Advisors since 1953. Since the 1960s, they've become increasingly powerful within the Executive Branch.