John Quincy Adams

What Do Ex-Presidents Do? Ask John Quincy Adams.

Many are speculating about what former president Barack Obama will do in his retirement. Perhaps he will stay as politically involved as John Quincy Adams.
FDR in Oval Office, 1935

What Are Executive Orders Anyway?

Donald Trump's executive orders are coming fast and furious, but what exactly are they? And why are they the Presidential go-to tactic now?
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.”
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.
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.
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.
Sputnik replica

Three Ways the President Can Affect Science

Given some of the campaign rhetoric, many scientists are concerned about what a new administration might mean for scientific research.
White House

How Do White House Transitions Actually Work?

How do presidential transitions really work? Political science scholarship on White House staffers provides some insight.
Grover Cleveland cartoon

The Venerable Tradition of the Presidential Sex Scandal

Americans have been obsessed with the sexual character and moral rectitude, or lack thereof, of politicians from the beginning.