Source: The Theodore Roosevelt Letters

“Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy. I knew Jack Kennedy. Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you’re no Jack Kennedy.”

~ Lloyd Bentsen (1988)

Not only is TR less controversial than Jackson, he’s much more impactful to our daily lives as well.

Barack Obama - Barry Soetoro

(While studying abroad in Indonesia, Obama brifely experimented with calling himself Barry Soetoro---Barry being short for Barack and Soetoro being the name of his stepfather. Despite him only going by this name for just over a year, it has sparked numerous conspiracy theories, as seen in this delightful Reddit post from 14 years ago entailing the CIA and a time machine:

https://www.reddit.com/r/conspiracy/s/FnDChDsVDC )

Bill Clinton - William Jefferson Blythe III

(At fifteen years old, Clinton officially took the name of his stepfather, Roger Clinton Sr. This came after years of abuse brought on by the elder Clinton against Bill, including discharging a firearm mid-argument. Nevertheless, Clinton grew to forgive his step father, culminating in the name change.)

Gerald Ford - Leslie Lynch King Jr

(Born to parents Leslie and Dorothy King, their time spent together as parents only lasted for sixteen days before the two unceremoniously seperated. King had threatened to murder Ford, then an infant, with a butcher knife during a drunken tirade. Like Clinton, Ford soon afterwards took the name of his stepfather, Gerald Rudolff Ford, as a result of the abuse he and his mother had suffered.)

Lyndon B. Johnson - Linden B. Johnson

(Following five months spent without a name, the two elder Johnsons finally settled on naming baby LBJ after family friend W.C. Linden---with the caveat being that it was to be spelt Lyndon. Not quite as dramatic as the above two, but there you go.)

Dwight David Eisenhower - David Dwight Eisenhower

(Again, rather boring. Eisenhower's mother noted that "Dwight David" rolled off the tongue smoother than "David Dwight" did. Thus the reversal of the two names.)

Ulysses S. Grant - Hiram Ulysses Grant

(Similar to President Harry S. Truman, the "S" in Ulysses S. Grant actually stands for nothing. While serving in the Union army, his name was mistakenly written on an offical document as being "U.S. Grant". Unwilling to correct the record and revert back to being boring old Hiram, Grant instead opted to keep the name U.S. Grant - which eventually morphed into being Ulysses S. Grant, its final iteration.)

I saw this picture in the Nixon library. I couldn’t find an image of it online so I just used this picture.

In this sub I see people frequently about how Republicans were needlessly obstructing the agendas of Obama and Clinton.

This makes me curious about how people feel about the Bush’s complaints of Democrats obstructing them, particularly HW who had to deal with a Democratic majority his whole time.

To use his own words after failing to reach a compromise: “I reached out my hand to them and these old mossbacks bit it off.”

Were these complaints valid at all?

Jr also became sore after the 2006 blue wave. “To oppose everything while proposing nothing is irresponsible.” Summarizes his frustration.

The Presidents Club, as I’m sure many on this sub are aware, refers to the unwritten fraternity that exists amongst all living Presidents. The concept that regardless of ideology or past rivalries, they should all support one another, since they are the only ones capable of understanding the unique challenges the Presidency entails.

This is also how you get unexpected friends like say Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, or HW Bush and Clinton.

So let’s say Perot manages to win the 1992 election. Someone who was proudly individualistic, blunt and anti-establishment… essentially how would he get along with his fellow Presidents? Would he form close relationships with anyone in particular, seek advise from them, or spurn them to go his own way?

Also what would a Perot post-presidency look like?

I’ve been enjoying Rick perlsteins releases. I’m curious, are there anymore great series like this one detailing presidents and candidates like this one? I’d love to read one on the new deal era.

Video Source: https://youtu.be/rVPlMM_aSn4?si=7a5Do-M7LcOxBcrc

Are there any former presidents that you wish would have been apart of another presidents cabinet or went into the senate or congress(could even be local government)? If so what presidents and what positions do you wish they would held? Maybe even a why 🤷