About Mike Purdy
101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us
June 7, 2019
From the founding fathers to the age of Trump, our presidents have dished out pointed and acerbic insults about other presidents. The presidents have labeled one another as dangerous, ignorant, liars, obstinate, selfish, unfit, vain, and weak.
We may laugh or wince as we read 101 Presidential Insults. Meticulously researched by presidential historian Mike Purdy, the book is a quick and fun read, but also thought-provoking and shocking at times – and a significant contribution to our understanding of the presidents.
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Presidential Friendships: How They Changed History
August 3, 2022
The story of two pairs of presidential friendships, each involving a Roosevelt who powerfully shaped and expanded the presidency in the 20th century.
Many of our presidents knew each other personally and were friends with one another. These friendships opened new political opportunities that wouldn’t have otherwise existed, significantly shaping their mutual careers. They provided important continuity between administrations, helping practices and ideas transcend generations. In short, friendships between U.S. presidents have changed the course of history.
- American Heritage Magazine
- The Best Presidential Insults, October 2022 issue
- Book Contributor
- Foreword to The Story of John Quincy Adams – 250 Years Later, by Edward Cody Huddleston (Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc., Ocala Florida, 2016)
- TheHill.com
- Are Negative Campaign Ads Helpful to Voters?, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, November 2, 2016
- Inaugural Address was “Classic Trump,” with Echoes of JFK, FDR, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, January 20, 2017
- An Honest Look at Presidents Day, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, February 20, 2017
- Fake News? What About Trump’s Fake Promises?, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, February 25, 2017
- Trump Won’t Make it Four Years – Here’s How He Might Leave the White House, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, May 19, 2017
- Why President Trump Should Fear John McCain, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, June 6, 2017
- McCain’s Cancer – The Congressional Peace Maker, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, July 28, 2017
- Will Trump Resign? Many Other Presidents Have Thought About It, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, August 20, 2017
- It’s Time to Protect the Secret Service from the President, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, August 28, 2017
- Trump Missed the Memo: The President is Also Comforter-in-Chief, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, September 4, 2017
- Redefining the Presidency by Bucking Precedent, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, December 27, 2017
- America Needs More Than a Self-congratulatory Campaign-style State of the Union, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, January 26, 2018
- Charolottesville and the Failure of Moral Leadership, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, August 9, 2018
- George H.W. Bush: War Hero, GOP Workhorse and President who Called for “kinder, gentler nation,” Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, December 1, 2018
- Why Was Trump Uncomfortable at H.W.’s Funeral?, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, December 6, 2018
- Impeachment Without Conviction Plays Right Into Trump’s Hands, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, April 27, 2019
- A Voter’s Guide to Evaluating Presidential Candidates, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, June 28, 2019
- Country Above Party: How the Founders Designed Impeachment to Protect the Republic, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, December 16, 2019
- Should Trump Be Removed from Office? Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, January 8, 2021
- How Old is Too Old to be President? Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, June 29, 2022
- America’s Audacious Independence, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, July 4, 2022
- If History is Our Guide, Trump’s Chances of Returning to the White House are Extremely Low, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, September 5, 2022
- Trump Subpoena: History Shows It’s Not So Unprecedented, Op-Ed by Mike Purdy, October 17, 2022
- The Seattle Times
- Set aside partisan rancor to ‘preserve, protect’ our Constitution, OpEd by Mike Purdy, July 19, 2018
- History News Network
- What the Feud and Reconciliation between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson Teaches Us About Civility, Article by Mike Purdy, June 9, 2019
- How the Specter of Andrew Johnson Haunts Donald Trump, Article by Mike Purdy, June 30, 2019
- Donald Trump is No James Monroe, Article by Mike Purdy, August 11, 2019
- What Would You Do If You Met the President?, Article by Mike Purdy, October 20, 2019
I am regularly interviewed by both national and international media about presidential history and politics, and have been quoted in newspapers, online, and have been interviewed on television and radio, including the following:
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- January 6th Committee hearing, Live radio interview by Glen Bartholomew, July 21, 2022
- January 6th Committee hearing, Live radio interview by Patricia Karvelas, October 13, 2022
- Associated Press
- Trump’s Checkup Comes as Chatter About His Health Lingers, by Darlene Superville, January 10, 2018 (I was interviewed by AP for this article and provided background information that was used in the article, but I was not directly quoted)
- Andrew Yang having fun, but Democrat’s message is serious, by Sara Burnett, December 8, 2019
- Bankrate.com
- 5 Top Money Issues Separating Trump from the GOP, by Stephen Pounds, July 18, 2016
- Is the Market Heading for an Election Correction?, by Stephen Pounds, July 19, 2016
- BBC
- Donald Trump as Time Magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ for 2016, Live radio interview on BBC 5 Live with Sarah Brett, December 7, 2016 (interview starts at 2:28:45)
- Presidential Moral Leadership, Live radio interview on BBC 5 Live with Rod Sharp, August 16, 2017
- Bloomberg BNA
- Trump Said He Won’t Take a Salary. Can He Do That?, by Jon Steingart, November 15, 2016
- CBC News (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation)
- Once Booed, Trump Makes Triumphant Return to Conservative Conference, by Matt Kwong, February 24, 2017
- Firing ‘the Mooch’ Won’t be Enough to Rein in Turbulent Trump Administration, by Matt Kwong, August 1, 2017.
- ‘Teleprompted Trump’ Gets Good Reviews but Vegas Visit Will be True Test of ‘Consoler-in-Chief,’ by Matt Kwong, October 3, 2017
- Under pressure, Trump re-lowers White House flag for McCain, by Matt Kwong, August 27, 2018
- Fuming about rogue White House staffers, Trump is wrong to call it ‘treason.’ It’s just plain disloyalty, by Matt Kwong, September 7, 2018
- If the Raptors pull off an NBA championship, would Canada’s team get a White House welcome?, by Matt Kwong, June 13, 2019
- Trump Defies Critics, Delivers Non-Partisan Fourth of July Address, by Mark Gollom, July 5, 2019
- CBS8.com (San Diego)
- What Makes This Inauguration Special and Unique, Live TV Interview with Neda Iranpour via Zoom, January 20, 2021.
- Challenges Faced by President Biden with a Split Country and Pandemic, Live TV Interview via Zoom, January 20, 2021.
- CNN
- Possible Vice-Presidential Picks for Trump and Clinton, Live TV interview with Carol Costello, May 16, 2016
- Remembering President Bush’s Life in Service, TV interview with Natalie Allen, December 1, 2018
- George H.W. Bush’s Lasting Legacy, Live TV interview with London-based Hala Gorani, December 3, 2018
- How Will Trump Respond to the Praises of George H.W. Bush?, Live TV interview with John Vause, December 3, 2018
- George H.W. Bush’s Funeral and Legacy, Live TV interview with London-based Hannah Vaughan Jones, December 5, 2018
- The Old Landmines That Would End a Presidential Campaign Have Been Replaced with New Ones, article by AJ Willingham, March 8, 2019
- Impeachment Inquiry, Live TV interview with Rosemary Church, September 30, 2019.
- Upcoming Impeachment Testimony, Live TV interview with George Howell, October 13, 2019
- Credit.com
- The U.S. Presidents Who Were Horrible With Money, February 15, 2016, by Christine DiGangi
- C-SPAN Book TV
- 101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us, TV interview with Peter Slen, September 20, 2019.
- CTV News
- Public Impeachment Hearings, Live TV interview with Lois Lee, November 13, 2019.
- History Author Show
- 101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us, Radio interview hosted by Dean Karayanis, October 7, 2019.
- Houston Public Media – NPR 88.7 FM
- Presidential Historian Says Trump’s “Dereliction of Duty” Should Also Be Seen as Criminal Conduct, Interview by Ernie Manouse, July 22, 2022
- HuffPost
- Unanswered Questions About Russia Erode Faith in Democracy, by Cody Lyon, April 3, 2017
- i24 News
- Trump Downplays Health Concerns Over Trip to Hospital, Live TV interview by Derricke Dennis, November 19, 2019
- KBTC Northwest Now (Tacoma, Washington)
- Race for President, April 8, 2016, Television Interview with Tom Layson
- Election Night Analysis (live during breaks from regular programming), November 8, 2016, with Tom Layson (click on the time: 6:30 pm; 7:00 pm; 8:00 pm; 9:00 pm; 10:00 pm (part 1); 10:00 pm (part 2))
- 2016 Election, November 11, 2016, Television Interview with Tom Layson
- 2020 Post Presidential Election Commentary, November 5, 2020, Television Interview with Tom Layson
- KING 5 News (Seattle, Washington)
- The Inauguration of Joe Biden, Live TV Interview via Zoom with Steve Bunin, January 20, 2021.
- Joe Biden’s Challenges and Donald Trump’s Legacy, Live TV Interview via Zoom with Greg Copeland, January 20, 2021.
- KMGP, SPACE 101.1 FM (Seattle, Washington)
- 101 Presidential Insults and other Presidential History issues, Live one hour radio interview on The Bridge show with Jean Godden and Sue Donaldson, March 21, 2019.
- KTOO 104.3 FM (Juneau, Alaska)
- Peeved Presidents, Live 15 minute radio interview on Juneau Afternoon with Sheli DeLaney, July 3, 2019. Bottom audio clip.
- Mel Magazine
- An Oral History of Trump’s Love of Van Damme’s ‘Bloodsport,’ by Brian VanHooker, August 20, 2019
- Mic.com
- Trump Has Appointed 4 Military Generals to his Administration. How do his Predecessors Compare?, by Alison Durkee, August 2, 2017
- Why Donald Trump Shouldn’t be Referencing Ronald Reagan Regarding his Mental Health, by Alison Durkee, January 8, 2018
- Monocle Radio
- History of Presidential Inaugurations, January 17, 2017, Live radio Interview with this British radio station
- News-O-Matic
- The Lives of Former Presidents, by Russell Kahn, January 22, 2021.
- Newsweek
- Michelle and Barack Obama Celebrate 30 Years Together: ‘I Won the Lottery,’ by Simone Carter, October 3, 2022
- Newsy
- FBI Search at Mar-A-Lago – Historical Implications of This Event, TV interview by Lindsay Tuchman, August 14, 2022
- Election 22: America At a Crossroad, TV interview by Lindsay Tuchman and Jay Strubberg, August 28, 2022.
- Subpoena of Former President Trump by Jan. 6 Select Committee, Live TV interview by Julie Martin, October 13, 2022.
- New York Daily News
- President Obama Approval Rating Rises to 52%, New Poll Shows, by Clemente Lisi, June 24, 2016
- President-Elect Trump to Leave “Unprecedented” Number of Federal Jobs Vacant, by Adam Edelman, January 19, 2017
- Trump’s Gloomy Inaugural Address Did Little to Unify the Country, Experts Say, by Jennifer Fermino, January 20, 2017
- Trump Falls Short of Campaign Promises Despite Busy First Week, by Adam Edelman, January 28, 2017
- New York Times
- Do You Know Where the Vice President Lives? by Derrick Bryson Taylor, January 20, 2021
- Poetry*Prose*Pix Blog
- Poll: What Would You Call Bill Clinton If His Wife Were Elected President?, July 30, 2016, by Cathy Milne
- Reader’s Digest
- 13 Things That Must Happen When a President Dies, by Brooke Nelson, October 2019
- 13 Things People Get Wrong About Impeachment, by Elizabeth Yuko, December 18, 2019
- 6 Things Former Presidents Aren’t Allowed to Do After Leaving Office, by Elizabeth Yuko, December 22, 2020
- Reuters
- Loser! Jerk! Insults fly on Republican campaign trail, by Alana Wise, February 13, 2016
- RT America
- Pneumonia to Blame for Hillary’s Recent Health Scare – Clinton Campaign, September 12, 2016 Television Interview with Trinity Chavez
- Scholastic Science World Magazine
- Science in the White House, September 19, 2016, Quoted on back page
- Tacoma News Tribune
- Q&A: What to expect from the 2016 presidential race, January 15, 2016, by Melissa Santos
- Tacoma Weekly
- Popular Presidential Election Lecture Series Adds Bonus Night, April 29, 2016, by Karen Fleur Tofti-Tufarelli
- Times Radio UK
- History of Presidential Health, Live Radio Interview with Michael Portillo, October 9, 2020
- The Wall Street Journal
- Age-Old Issue Gets Diminished in Election 2016, by Jennifer Levitz, March 4, 2016
- For Obama, Muted Reaction to Brussels Attacks Is by Design, by Carol E. Lee, March 23, 2016
- Time Magazine
- President Obama is Now Campaigning for His Legacy, by Maya Rhodan, October 10, 2016 (I was interviewed by Time Magazine for this article and provided background information that was used in the article, but I was not directly quoted)
- Today.com
- What is Presidents Day? A Kids Guide to the National Holiday, by Joe Dziemianowicz, February 4, 2019
- USA Today
- Historians: Clinton, Obama Tied Together No Matter What, by Eliza Collins, August 8, 2016
- Feminism in the Trump Age: American Women Grab Back, by Alia E. Dastagir, January 19, 2017
- VEJA Magazine (Brazil)
- E Agora, Democracia?, (And Now, Democracy?), January 25, 2017, by Nathalia Watkins. Published in Portuguese
- Voice of America
- Americans Most Likely to Elect Former Governor, Senator as President, by Masood Farivar, October 13, 2016
- President Trump Goes Radio Silent, by Steve Herman, November 20, 2017
- WCGO Radio 1590
- The Presidents, Vice Presidents, and 2016 Campaign, September 27,2016, Radio Interview with French and Friends
- WHDT World News
- Donald Trump & The Evangelical Vote, March 8, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
- Can Donald Trump Survive a Contested Convention?, April 6, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
- Could Kasich or Cruz Win At Contested Convention?, April 27, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
- Can the GOP Still Dump Trump?, June 14, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
- What Mike Pence Brings to the Trump Ticket, July 15, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
- Donald Trump Defies GOP as Leaders Plan Intervention, August 3, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
- Hillary Clinton Not the First Woman Nominated, August 11, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
- After 2012 GOP Autopsy, Is 2016 “Donald’s Inferno?” August 12, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
- Oval Office Has Been Filled With Sick Presidents, September 14, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell
- Trump Pushes for Historic Comeback Win, October 22, 2016, Television Interview with Mark Maxwell and Danielle Masterson
- Analyzing the Media’s Role in Politics, October 29, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
- Why is the U.S. Election Map Red and Blue?, November 7, 2016, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
- Is Trump Living up to Campaign Promises?, February 10, 2017, Television Interview with Danielle Masterson
- WWGH Radio 107.1 (Marion, Ohio)
- 101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us, Radio interview with Adam Lepp, June 16, 2019
I do frequent speaking on presidential history and politics to academic, business, and community audiences. Contact me if you’re interested in me speaking to your group.
- Tense Transitions of Presidential Power, Sponsored by the Tacoma Public Library via Zoom, January 14, 2021.
- Book talk and signing of my book, 101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us, Co-sponsored by the Seattle Public Library and the Southwest Seattle Historical Society for their Words, Writers & SouthWest Stories series, Southwest Branch Library, Seattle, Washington, November 14, 2019. Watch video.
- 2020: Battle for the Soul of America, University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, Washington). Seven community lectures providing historical insight and contemporary analysis. Presented with political scientist Dr. Michael Artime.
- October 24, 2019. Watch video
- February 6, 2020. Watch video
- March 19, 2020. Watch video
- June 18, 2020. Watch video
- September 17, 2020. Watch video
- October 21, 2020. Watch video
- November 5, 2020. Watch video
- Book talk and signing of my book, 101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, September 26, 2019.
- Book talk and signing of my book, 101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us, Seattle Parks Department Lifelong Recreation Program, High Point Community Center, September 24, 2019.
- Words Matter: Presidential Insults and Civility, Tacoma, Washington Narrows Rotary Club, July 30, 2019
- Book Talk and Signing: 101 Presidential Insults, Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 19, 2019
- Book Talk and Signing: 101 Presidential Insults, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, Washington, May 3, 2019
- Words Matter: Presidential Insults and Civility, Rotary Club of Des Moines and Normandy Park, Washington, May 1, 2019
- All About the Presidents, Presentation and Q&A with Ms. Heidi Mallory’s 8th grade U.S. History class at Murray Middle School in Murray, KY. Flashchat sponsored by DreamWakers. January 17, 2019. 40 minutes.
- Perfect Storm! Why Trump Won, City of Seattle Parks and Recreation Lifelong Learning Program, October 16, 2018. I was only able to record the last 9 minutes (technical difficulties!) of the speech on “5 Threats to American Democracy”. Watch video.
- History of Presidential Campaigning, Guest lecturer at Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, October 15, 2018.
- History Matters, Interview with The Clio Foundation at the Organization of American Historians Annual Convention, Sacramento, California, April 12, 2018.
- Leadership Lessons from the Presidents, Columbus, Ohio on November 16, 2017, Central Ohio Organization of Public Purchasers, 53 minutes. Listen to Audio.
- Oral History Interview with The Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas, Texas on August 28, 2017 of my early recollections of President John F. Kennedy and his assassination, his enduring popularity and legacy, and reflections on my visit to Dealey Plaza on July 9, 2017. Interview conducted by Stephen Fagin, Curator of the Museum. 42 minutes. @2017 The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. All Rights Reserved. All reproduction requests must be submitted to www.jfk.org.
- Who Will Win the White House? University of Puget Sound (Tacoma, Washington). Ten community lectures providing historical insight and contemporary analysis. Presented with political scientist Dr. Michael Artime.
- The Long Road to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. January 21, 2016. Watch video
- Who Wants to be President? February 18, 2016. Watch video
- What do the Candidates Believe? March 10, 2016. Watch video
- What Voters & States Will Elect the Next President? March 24, 2016. Watch video
- How Accurate Are the Polls? April 14, 2016. Watch video
- Media, Marketing, & the Making of the President, April 28, 2016. Watch video
- The Last Primaries: Who Will Win the Nominations? June 7, 2016. Watch video
- The Current State of the Presidential Race, September 19, 2016. Watch video
- The Final Sprint to the White House, October 24, 2016. Watch video
- Scorched Earth: Making Sense of the 2016 Political Storm, November 14, 2016. Watch video
- One for the History Books: The 2016 Presidential Campaign. St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (Lakewood, Washington). Four community lectures.
- Unprecedented Campaign. October 5, 2016
- Media & Marketing. October 12, 2016
- Voting & the Electoral College. October 26, 2016
- The Answers We Seek. November 2, 2016
- Reflections on the Presidential Election. Bethany Presbyterian Church (Seattle, Washington). November 20, 2016.
- The Final Sprint to the White House. Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, Washington). Community lecture. October 25, 2016.
- The Impact of Televised Presidential Debates. Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, Washington). Political science class guest lecturer. October 5, 2016.
- One for the History Books: The 2016 Presidential Campaign. Franke Toby Jones Retirement Community (Tacoma, Washington). September 28, 2016.
- The Current State of the Presidential Race. Pacific Lutheran University (Tacoma, Washington). Community lecture. September 19, 2016.
- Fasten Your Seat Belt: Historical Reflections and Contemporary Analysis of the 2016 Race for the White House. Gig Harbor Mid-Day Rotary Club (Gig Harbor, Washington). July 26, 2016.
- The Truth About Presidential Elections Past & Present. Gig Harbor Super Business Group (Gig Harbor, Washington). July 13, 2016.
- The Character and Relationships of George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. Waggoner Road Junior High School (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) lecture for Jamie Lesesky’s class via Skype. March 10, 2015.
- Barely Avoiding Disaster: Lessons Learned from the White House Reconstruction During Harry Truman’s Presidency
- Central Ohio Organization of Public Purchasers (Columbus, Ohio). September 20, 2018. Click to watch 50 minute video.
- Washington State Bar Association (Seattle, Washington). February 25, 2016.
- National Procurement Institute (Las Vegas, Nevada). October 13, 2015.
- National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (Minneapolis, Minnesota). October 2, 2015.
- Washington Association of School Business Officials (Spokane, Washington). May 7, 2015.
- Construction Specifications Institute (Seattle, Washington). April 21, 2015.
- How the Friendship and Dogfight Between Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft Impacted the Presidential Elections of 1908 and 1912. Whitworth University (Spokane, Washington). September 26, 2013.
- Dramaturg for “1776” at Seattle Musical Theatre, Fall 2008.
- Unprecedented 2016 Presidential Campaign, October 24, 2016, University of Puget Sound, 20 minutes. With Dr. Michael Artime
- The Unmaking of the President – with Dr. Michael Artime
- 1 – 5 Ways Trump May Leave the White House Before His Term is Complete, May 22, 2107, 34 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 2 – The Moral Courage Edition, June 7, 2017, 33 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 3 – The Apprentice President Edition, June 21, 2017, 43 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 4 – The Modern Day Presidential Edition, July 6, 2017, 39 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 5 – The Eighth is Enough Edition, July 19, 2017, 24 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 6 – The Donald in Wonderland, August 21, 2017, 37 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 7 – Punish or Pardon, September 5, 2017, 41 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 8 – The Enemies List Edition, September 25, 2017, 31 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 9 – The Taxing Days for the GOP Edition, November 14, 2017, 41 minutes. Listen to Audio
- 10 – The Beginning of the End? Edition, April 23, 2018, 46 minutes, Listen to Audio
- 11 – The Red or Blue Wave Edition?, October 15, 2018, 51 minutes, Listen to Audio
- 101 Presidential Insults and the Need for Civility, May 19, 2019, God Help Us podcast with host Annie Mesaros
Publishers frequently request that I read and review new books prior to or close to publication.
- President Carter: The White House Years, by Stuart E. Eizenstat (New York: Thomas Dunne Books, April 24, 2018)
- Jimmy Carter in Plains: The Presidential Hometown, by Robert Buccellato (Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, February 1, 2016)
- Assassinations, Threats, and the American Presidency, by Ronald L. Feinman (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, August 6, 2015)
- The Unexpected President: The Life and Times of Chester A. Arthur, by Scott S. Greenberger (New York: Da Capo Press, September 2017)
- The Accidental President: Harry S. Truman and the Four Months That Changed the World, by A.J. Baime (New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 2017)
- The Afterlife of John Fitzgerald Kennedy: A Biography, by Michael J. Hogan (New York: Cambridge University Press, March 2017)
- Thomas Jefferson: Revolutionary, A Radical’s Struggle to Remake America, by Kevin R.C. Gutzman (New York: St. Martin’s Press, January 2017)
- George Washington’s Secret Spy War: The Making of America’s First Spymaster, by John A. Nagy (New York, St. Martin’s Press, September 2016)
- Thomas Jefferson: From Boy to Man, by Jayne D’Alessandro-Cox (CreateSpace Independent Publishing, April 2017)
- Kick: The True Story of JFK’s Sister and the Heir to Chatsworth, by Paula Byrne (New York: HarperCollins, July 2016)
- Under This Roof: The White House and the Presidency, by Paul Brandus (New York: Lyons Press, September 2015)
- Pat and Dick – The Nixons, an Intimate Portrait of a Marriage, by Will Swift (New York: Threshold Editions, January 2014)
- The Hidden White House – Harry Truman and the Reconstruction of America’s Most Famous Residence, by Robert Klara (New York: Thomas Dunne Books, an imprint of St. Martin’s Press, October 2013)
- FDR’s Funeral Train: A Betrayed Widow, a Soviet Spy, and a Presidency in the Balance, by Robert Klara (New York, Palgrave Macmillan, a division of St. Martin’s Press, 2010)
As a presidential historian and the author of 101 Presidential Insults: What They Really Thought About Each Other – and What It Means to Us (June 7, 2019), I have had a lifelong fascination and interest in the presidents that dates back more than 50 years to my first presidential memory – of John F. Kennedy’s inauguration. When I was 8 years old, I memorized all the presidents in order (reciting their names in ten seconds!).
I established this website and my award-winning presidential history blog to make history accessible. (PR Newswire for Journalists, Beyond Bylines selected my blog as their top “Presidential Blogs We Love” in February 2018.) I am a frequent commentator on presidential history and politics for national and international media outlets including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Today.com, Reuters, Bloomberg BNA, The Huffington Post, and BBC. I am also a regular opinion contributor to TheHill.com.
Over the years, I’ve read many, many biographies and books about the presidents – and still have many more to read from my library of more than 600 presidential biographies!
I have a bachelor’s degree in business and public administration and an MBA, both from the University of Puget Sound, and a master of divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary.
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