The Washington Post's Presidential podcast explores how each former American president reached office, made decisions, handled crises and redefined the role of commander-in-chief. It was released leading up to up to Election Day 2016, starting with George Washington in week one and ending on week 44 with the president-elect. New special episodes in the countdown to the 2020 presidential election highlight other stories from U.S. presidential history that can help illuminate our current moment. Hosted by Lillian Cunningham, the series features Pulitzer Prize-winning biographers like David McCullough and Washington Post journalists like Bob Woodward. [When you're done, listen to Lillian's other historical podcasts: Constitutional and Moonrise]
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Presidential
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45 Subscribers
Reviews
OgilBrad
5 out of 5 stars
Very informative, but a few glaring oversights
As a life-long Presidential hostory geek, I have loved this series. I was, however, disappointed with the lack of any mention of the AIDS pandemic in the Reagan episode. His response (or lack of response and reasons why) to this crisis are still felt to this day as the far right continues to play politics with lgbtq rights in dehumanizing ways.
bloopitydoopity
5 out of 5 stars
Great Ended With Bias
Great podcast until the Trump episode. Whether you like the guy or not, in the very first episode you stated you would give an honest report even if the president was not necessarily good or bad. You ended by spending 10 minutes bashing Trump in an hour long episode. Otherwise its a decent podcast
ByeFelicia777
2 out of 5 stars
Not great
The structure jumps all over the place. The narration isn’t great, it sounds kind of like a high school project presentation. The worst though are the many episodes that don’t discuss much of anything about their presidential impact on the contract. I would love it if they would redo it with better structure. Some background about their life before being president and after, but focus more on the facts of impact on the country/world.
kayyserasera
5 out of 5 stars
Thank you
Just finished listening to this podcast and I loved obsessing about the presidents over the course of the last two weeks as I took in each president. I now have all the presidents names memorized in order, and feel like I have a better grasp of American history as a presidency can reveal a lot about what Americans are concerned about at any given time. It’s given me some hope that while the world is changing a lot, in many ways, America isn’t all that different from its beginning. I saw a lot of reviews grumbling about audio quality which might be more of an issue if you’re listening with headphones, I listened on a stereo speaker and didn’t notice anything too off putting. I also think the host over all does a great job of bringing out the relateable, human qualities of every president, regardless of their politics. I found myself having a greater respect for US Grant (definitely want to read his autobiography now!), Benjamin Harrison, Gerald Ford, and Jimmy Carter-all presidents I knew virtually nothing about before this podcast.The format and content was just what I needed from a podcast like this-those complaining about the content may just want something a little different, and that’s OK. And don’t let the haters hate-I loved the blind date question!!
Ltsgthi
2 out of 5 stars
It was a show that was recorded……
People asked questions and made a show about presidents. Some story’s had interesting information and others where empty boring conversations. If you like pod that is kind of ok, this is your jam. The last episode about Trump was very confusing.
3D49
5 out of 5 stars
wtyyuuhzzEugsayzyGeq
Y tugging stwwxd
FinanceAppLover
5 out of 5 stars
Highly enjoyable, but wish host was woke
I really enjoyed all the episodes, but I do believe Cunningham sometimes treaded toward certain tellings of history that are problematically traditional. I wish she would have found ways of telling more woke understandings of certain presidents and periods in history. At times, it felt like she was even sanitizing history a bit.
krrb1135
4 out of 5 stars
Presidential
I’ve enjoyed every episode of this podcast and feel sorry that it has ended. Narration is important along with content. The narrator is eloquent and steady in her delivery and so easy to listen to! I found the historical content to be excellent.
Chaene12
5 out of 5 stars
Entertaining & Informative
I love this show. It’s got a few things you know, a few things you didn’t know, and excellent book references for each president for those who want to deep dive. It’s entertaining & keeps a good pace, good balance. Great show.
emjohns88
3 out of 5 stars
Interesting, when you can hear it
This podcast chooses specific events or themes from each president and shares some of the lesser known information. The audio mixing, however, is terrible. Music is too loud, but then the historian interviews are inaudible. Not great for listening while driving.
BOOM002
1 out of 5 stars
Biased. Psuedo intellectual
..
Hgttfg
1 out of 5 stars
Audio quality is lacking, not the content expected.
The quality of the audio on any ‘experts’ that were interviewed was horrible. And I was looking for biographical podcasts on each president, not one specific, nonsensical, issue like the John Adam’s episode. Yes, he needs a monument. But who cares?
Lstokley
5 out of 5 stars
Love!!
I have always loved history but knew almost nothing about the presidents. I have learned so many amazing things about each president that I never knew. This podcast is amazing and I love learning about more obscure presidents
Jules5168
3 out of 5 stars
Grievous omission
Not even a passing mention of the AIDS epidemic in the Reagan episode… truly horrible oversight.
Ulac
4 out of 5 stars
It’s above surface level
It’s not bad but you get almost nothing about each president. There’s surface level, then there’s this podcast in a helicopter hovering above surface level, not even scratching the surface. I know nothing about US presidents so I can’t say I’ve gotten nothing out of it, but you don’t get much.
Kdkdjgsjjal
5 out of 5 stars
Love this podcast
This podcast is fascinating! It’s the history class i wish I could have taken in high school or college! Listening for the 2nd time because I enjoyed it so much!
janwayne50
5 out of 5 stars
The changes through history
I loved how you humanized every president and how they were each a product of their time. I loved the questions asked and the unbiased and global look at each man. What I loved most was the line of how who we are now has been traced from who we were.
jlm188
3 out of 5 stars
Worth listening to, but not great.
Historians writing about subjects that have already been covered extensively have to come up with a new angle. But the new angle should still reveal information that is worth learning. Many of the episodes here lack much information- and there’s a lot of wasted airtime on clumsy approaches to investigation - like the “if I were set up on a blind date” question. The question yields more comments on how funny or clever that question is than information we actually want about these presidents. The narrator also seems immature and ingratiating - but that may be due to youth and inexperience, as she appears to be intelligent. The show would be better if the creators focused more on the content than on the conceptual approach to the delivery.
1WhiteBuffalo
1 out of 5 stars
Biased view points =Washington post
audio could use some twerking. Im sire is aware of that problems now... I like the concept of this podcast. So for that amd her efforts a star. Everything else thumbs down.
Alex Dunlap
5 out of 5 stars
Love Presidential
I think this is an amazing podcast to learn about American presidents at a surface level and gives the listener an opportunity to dig deeper into topics they are interested in. I know there was an immense amount of work that went into organizing the guests and making the show interesting and Lillian nailed it. I’ve listened multiple times through. As we got into the more recent presidents there was some obviously politicking - but eh that’s just what to expect these days. Didn’t detract from an otherwise great listen.
lborg714
3 out of 5 stars
Why so biased?
I just want the facts about the presidents...not your idea of who should/should not have won. 🙄 Clearly a biased view on the presidents.
lstebbins
5 out of 5 stars
Love it!
Really really enjoyed this phenomenal podcast about the Presidents!
Ineedmats
5 out of 5 stars
Loved it. Where is the First Ladies series?
Overall I loved it. There was a little too much dead air at times and other times it felt rushed. It would be nice (as much as I don’t want to ever hear of him again) to do an after episode for 45 but like in a couple years. Please, please do one on the First Ladies. Whether the person who took that role was the wife of the President or not. Heck I’d love a whole podcast about Elenor Roosevelt.
JenDread
5 out of 5 stars
Well researched
I’ve learned so much Thank you
Numba1_Yetay Fan
1 out of 5 stars
Boring
Just boring.
sodbeisnanofnxns
2 out of 5 stars
Annoying narrator
The narrator is a pseudointellect and her voice makes me want to blow my brains out.
greek2.0
4 out of 5 stars
I love it
I love it though some things could be changed.
Dimenysys
1 out of 5 stars
History through the eyes of a SJW
Literally the entire episode of Woodrow Wilson is about how he was a “racist”. Hot garbage, this is history for blue-haired feminists in their freshman year of college.
:^)
5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding and unbiased look at our presidents
This podcast is great journey through history and a wonderful in-depth look at our presidents. Lillian Cunningham does a wonderful job of talking politics without getting political. She presents each prez in a fair and thoughtful way so we can learn who they were as people and better understand the decisions they had to make. Well done!
about to delete ya
1 out of 5 stars
Could have been good.
The John Adams episode was literally about there not being an Adams monument. I learned absolutely nothing about his presidency, which is then reason I listened in the first place. Deleting this podcast because it didn’t live up to expectations.
nicole.leonida
5 out of 5 stars
Great podcast
Each episode was fantastic, so much information! It was nice to hear about the Presidents as people.
DugB1018
3 out of 5 stars
Good, but it includes odd errors.
For some reason, the podcast host and guests refer to some early Presidents as “Republicans.” Jefferson is an example of this error. The first Republican President was Lincoln. The “Democratic-Republican” party is the forbearer to both of the major parties that exist today (after the Whigs came and went.) A podcast based upon providing historical information should not include errors that could easily be corrected with a simple Google search. The podcast is enjoyable otherwise and provides some interesting insights into many leaders who have been mostly forgotten.
Kel_by_the_sea
5 out of 5 stars
The Obama episode is very moving
Great content and great production.
Steen73
5 out of 5 stars
Love it!
I love history, and this is a great podcast for that. Love the host, the guest experts, and the biographies.
ealove
3 out of 5 stars
Great Content, Audio is Problematic
This is fascinating content (on a road trip, my whole family including my young teens were loving it), but the audio (especially in the first episodes) is real, real bad. Levels and quality are maddeningly inconsistent.
Jacob Barker
5 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable walk through our nations leaders
I have really enjoyed listening to this podcast and learning! I like that this provides a slightly different view of history than we may normally read about. And I also appreciate the deferment to experts demonstrated by the host! Thank you!
astrosjeff
5 out of 5 stars
Makes history layperson-friendly
If you’re looking for a nice introduction to each of America’s presidents, this is it. It’s not comprehensive — Wikipedia has that covered, if you want it — but each episode instead dives a little deeper into particular aspects of each president’s life. A nice combination of educational and entertaining.
MitchHammersley
4 out of 5 stars
Hit and Miss
I’ve listened to two episodes so far and learned that Clinton went to Oxford before Georgetown and that GW Bush was elected in 2011. The experts offer great insight. The host needs an editor and to sound like she really wants to be hosting.
KarenP25
5 out of 5 stars
Great Series
Hi there I learned so much from this series. For sure more than I ever learned in school. I think for a new podcast you should explore our Vice-Presidents.
Downthedoor
4 out of 5 stars
Good Content, Poor Audio
I loved the details on most of the podcasts but the interview audio make the podcast difficult to listen to. It sounds like it was recorded on an iPhone laying in the middle of the table and can be about as clear as the Nixon tapes. The end product seems rushed and not at the professional standards set by the Washington Post and the technical standards set by Amazon. I hope you record future interviews using the correct technology. Still gave 4 stars due to the quality of the content.
bbr319
5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding Podcast
I listened in 2016 to every single episode, and am thrilled that you have returned in 2020! I can only hope that you continue to do more episodes.
hhh323232
5 out of 5 stars
Love this Podcast!!
Fantastic!! I love this podcast!! It is so well done and informative and engaging. When are we getting one about the First Ladies?
bootyeatr69
5 out of 5 stars
Great but audio needs dressing
Whoever the audio person is. In most DAWs there is a stock plugin called a deesser. If you throw it on there and attenuate around 5700 hz the ‘s’ sounds won’t be so sibilant and it will be much more easy to listen to.
VetinNYC
5 out of 5 stars
Insightful
Amazing and entertaining review of presidential history. Helps me understand what our nation stands for and is all about. Kudos for all your collective research and hard work. I love it!
LuvUSHistory
3 out of 5 stars
Inaccurate VP Episode
Please don’t white wash Charles Curtis. He was a Republican politician from Kansas who served as the 31st vice president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 and Senate Majority Leader from 1924 to 1929 and a member of the Kaw Nation
JS20212021
1 out of 5 stars
STEALING THE PRESIDENCY
WHEN WILL YOU TALK ABOUT THE HAMMER SUPERCOMPUTER & THE SCORECARD APPLICATION YOUR CO-CONSPIRATORS USED TO CHANGE VOTES & STEAL THE ELECTION??? 🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔 HAMMER SCORECARD HAMMER SCORECARD HAMMER SCORECARD HAMMER SCORECARD HAMMER SCORECARD RESEARCH THEM FOLKS!!!! EDWARD SNOWDEN ON STEROIDS!!!!!!
Uatu440
3 out of 5 stars
Pretty good
Interesting content, but the editing and sound aren’t great considering this is a WP podcast. The host should watch the movie “In a World” and then listen to their own voice recordings with a critical ear. Still, good podcast and interesting historical perspectives.
The Real Paintersam
2 out of 5 stars
A bit amateurish.
There are several episodes where there is a lot of background paper noise, someone reading through letters and interrupting themselves, stopping and starting, and changing their mind in the middle of a thought (many of these issues are in the Washington episode). The sound quality is terrible in several instances where it is difficult to hear the guest (in the Adams episode). If this podcast was from some student creating it at home, maybe it is excusable, but this is put out by the Washington Post and post production editing and sound is expected to be professional.
Avery Blows
1 out of 5 stars
Subliminal?
Quite obviously has an agenda to push... Biden episode a bit premature don’t ya think? Will you do a follow up with his Ukrainian and China scandals?
errinmilam
5 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
Fantastic formatting, the subtle production design choices prove extremely effective at drawing the listener in with its promise of a uniquely defined presentations of character, curiosity and effortlessness, that not only makes you eager to return for future installments, but also somehow makes you feel like one of the cool kids for doing so.
club 1632
5 out of 5 stars
Presidential
This was a fabulous podcast. I learned so much! Having to this to listen to in 2020 could not have been more perfect! I look forward to more podcasts from this host!
Big B 65
1 out of 5 stars
OH, THE BELLYACHING
Listening to the books on Trump episode. Good grief. I did not vote for him but I’ve grown tired of all of the bias, elitist bellyaching. Ready to move on to the next podcast after the guy who read the books said, among other things, Trump is not following the rules like other presidents. That is a good thing. The guy I did not vote for has been nominated by three different countries for the Nobel Peace Prize, kept us out of foreign conflicts, and still has time to remind Americans we have problems but we still have a lot to be proud of. As a person whose profession involves investigations, the lack of integrity in the podcast is insulting.
7 the Mick
5 out of 5 stars
Well Done!
This podcast is both educational and entertaining. I enjoyed both the experts’ insight as well as the inquisitiveness of the host. I like viewing each presidency through a particular lens and how that lens was placed in context of each period.
Higgies2005
5 out of 5 stars
Best. Podcast. Ever!
Really, really great podcast!!!
slickerc
3 out of 5 stars
More about personalities than history
Was so excited about this but I only listened past John Adams because it just isn’t interesting. Content is more focused on bits of their personalities rather than their decision making, challenges faced, or the history of the time. We hear 5 times that Washington was very concerned with appearances. I feel like I listen for an hour and not sure I learned anything.
fart poopooppoopfarts
4 out of 5 stars
Fart poops
This is the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
baileykailajoe684
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent podcast
This podcast is very informative and I absolutely love the host. I wrote this review because I’m shocked by the negative feedback I read. We live in such an opinionated world where people love to spread negativity, all I have is positive feedback for a job well done. Great work everyone!
DMC1973
5 out of 5 stars
Entertaining way to learn about US history.
I really loved this podcast and found it to be an extremely interesting way to learn about, not only our Presidents, but US history on a whole. It kind of turned me into a US President geek and I can’t wait to travel to DC again.
give me my starbucks NOW
4 out of 5 stars
I love it! Just one thing.....
So yes, I love this podcast, the host is great! It’s very educational and a good listen. I’m a big history nerd so this is perfect for me! I also love how it’s easy to listen to. Like, I’m a teenager, I don’t know most of those big words that you adults use, so yeah, easy for younger listeners. BUT yes there’s a but.... Is it just me or, is the music in the background kinda unsettling? It’s very eerie and gives me chills. But that might be just me cause I’m weird. But yeah, definitely check out this podcast if you are thinking about it. Keep it up! I hope you have a great day, Bye!!!!
Renee836
4 out of 5 stars
Important
I’m new to the podcast, I love it But there is a T in imporTant NOT impoUNT
My opinion so who really cares
3 out of 5 stars
Please get a new host
This podcast is great. Very informative and entertaining. You might be better off listening to it at an increased speed of 1.5x as this host is worse than Shatner with her constant pauses. Maybe she wants you to hang on her every word, I don’t know, but it’s infuriating.
RadioReporter
5 out of 5 stars
Bravo
Great work by Lillian Cunningham and the Post team. This retired White House correspondent thoroughly enjoyed every episode.
Granny0659
4 out of 5 stars
Enjoyed unconventional look at presidents
I would like my family to enjoy this series. It was done with a smile - the blind date question- but lots of information too. I kept a list of the bios and plan to read many of them. Unfortunately the last few episodes became political. But I’m ready to listen to Constitutional now. Thanks for your work and slightly quirky look at our presidents. Enjoyed it.
lrhhrl
4 out of 5 stars
Got worse as it got modern
Overall a very good show. Informative and something all US citizens should listen to. Unfortunately it got much worse and more partisan, as it got more modern. Up until Wilson or FDR it was mostly wonderful.
skellum03
5 out of 5 stars
Five stars
Love this podcast. I’m sure I’m not the first to say this, but I would love to listen to a similar podcast on the First Ladies!
RichSpaceman
5 out of 5 stars
Phenomenal!!!
I loved this podcast and it’s obvious how much of a labor of love it was for Lillian and team. Extraordinary research, thought and passion went into each episode with a dash of humor too! I can’t wait to hear what new episodes Lillian and team come up with to continue this remarkable series!
EricStuckey
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent podcast!
A thoroughly enjoyable podcast. It is not only thoughtful and informative, but also delivered with real heart. Thank you, Lillian and Team!
Jane215
5 out of 5 stars
Best podcast ever
So much information. And amazingly, the episodes on guys like Garfield, Hoover, Coolidge and Pierce are my favorites. Learning about dudes I didn’t know. And Lillian doesn’t bog it down with boring political stuff. It’s more humanistic. Have listened to every episode twice (except the last one).
Bridget In The Bardo
5 out of 5 stars
Thank you!
I have missed this podcast so much- I am so grateful for the Bonus Episodes when they appear, I think I’ll just listen to the whole podcast again!
Hutch gurl
5 out of 5 stars
A great source of lifelong learning
“Presidential” is well-done and features many respected historians - including biographers, sources at the Library of Congress, former politicians, and employees at presidential libraries or homes. Each episode provides such a breadth of knowledge and takes a new or different spin on what we learned as high school students. Focusing on leadership qualities and personal attributes that humanize (hence the “blind date” question), episodes take unexpected turns, focusing on American developments as diverse as civil service reform, advancements in medicine, monuments on the mall, development of the secret service, and the water supply to the White House. I have loved learning through Lillian ‘a interviews and look forward to following up with “Constitutional.”
youareangeringme
5 out of 5 stars
We have much to learn
Thank you for returning with such a beautiful program featuring Marian Anderson, Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt and respected historians. So much of our history is unknown to us white folks. The contributions of our fellow black citizens should have enriched us. Instead we are the poorer for not knowing them. We’ve learned a lot this week. Juneteenth. Tulsa. The history on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Thank you.
marjoriee20
5 out of 5 stars
Love it
Lillian- I love this but please pronounce your T’s! Important not impordant Not sure why this bothers me so much, but it does. I like the “ what would he be like in a blind date” question. It’s very telling. Thank you! Just sat T!
CollJon23
5 out of 5 stars
IT’S BACK!
I was SO HAPPY when I got the unexpected notification that this podcast had updated! One of my all time favorites and one I’ve been excited to revisit in this crazy era. Thanks so much Lillian/WaPo, this project is so meaningful.
wnorton2
5 out of 5 stars
Nihil sun sole novum
Fascinating to see how things have changed yet so much remains the same. Helps put current events, many supposedly unprecedented, into perspective. I love the blind date question since I think it’s important to understand historical figures as flesh and blood people.
Sweeton Sutter
5 out of 5 stars
Moved me to tears
I’m not much of a protestor but I was moved to tears by the Bonus Episode because its truth and beauty spoke to me.
charityyyg
2 out of 5 stars
I wanted to love this
I was under the impression when I was introduced to this podcast that each president would be equally represented and be focused on what they achieved or didn’t achieve and everything in between. I Stopped after John Adams because his episode was primarily about whether or not he (or the Adams family) should get a monument in present day...
Heather @mymotherlymusings.com
4 out of 5 stars
Awesome except the Bonus ‘Unprecedented’ episode
Loved this podcast! I went into this leery of biased reporting, but was pleasantly surprised! Until the Bonus episode ‘Unprecedented Presidents’... where it was clearly biased and a bash on current president, Donald Trump. While I did NOT vote for President Trump, I felt this episode lacked the normal class otherwise found in the podcast.
soulrockerTLee
5 out of 5 stars
Silly “Blind Date” question, otherwise...
Good insight into our presidents, but could do without the silly, shallow and irrelevant “blind date” question.
MilwaukeeADA
5 out of 5 stars
Huh? Presidential
Love the podcast Presidential. On Jefferson’s veggie garden — 1000 feet is not three football fields (perhaps he meant 1000 yards?). On Madison — Dolley was an awesome First Lady, but not the first — lest we forget the fabulous Abigail Adams lived in the White House. Enjoying my history fix on the daily walk. Thanks! Irene Parthum, Milwaukee, WI (BA Political Science 1985, JD 1989)
mcgolis
5 out of 5 stars
Awesome Insights
This podcast provides historic and cultural context to each of our Presidents. It is refreshing and fun way to learn about our presidents. Love it
Eyemeanwhat
5 out of 5 stars
Great insights!
I found this pod on a whim and I love it. It’s so informative and has great format. Someone else said the blind date question was stupid, however, I really enjoy that question. It brings these Presidents that have been gone for many many years into modern times. This podcast is very digestible and the host has a great voice and cadence. Definitely a must listen.
AstroChuck in Sacramento
4 out of 5 stars
Interesting look at presidential history
If it wasn’t for one thing I’d rate this five stars. My only complaint is the constant playing of “Hail to the Chief” during the podcast. Nothing against the song itself but it’s unrelenting.
joehattison
5 out of 5 stars
Love it!
Such a great idea for a show!
New Hampshire Listener
5 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and informative
I’m listening to this podcast series in reverse order. I like the fact that experts are interviewed. Good insights. I’m really enjoying it. Only negative observation: the blind date question diminishes the series and does not serve the host well. I fast forward thru that question because it’s stupid.
Kenz.lo
5 out of 5 stars
New Obsession
I love this podcast! I’m so glad that I found this. I was beginning to run out of things to listen to during quarantine!
Scarecrowmonster
4 out of 5 stars
Pretty fun!
A great introduction to some fun facts about presidents.
Ducksnatty2011
4 out of 5 stars
Good content, poor audio quality
I’m only 9 episodes in, and the content is good. However, I’m hoping the audio quality gets better as the episodes progress. Volume goes up and down greatly depending on who is speaking. Please work on this!
Rocinante817
3 out of 5 stars
Fun Idea. Audio Quality is Lacking
I’m 5 episodes in. I think this is a great idea for a podcast and the folks being talked to are all at the top of their game, so if you can manage the wildly undulating audio quality and volume, go for it. Unfortunately I found myself straining to hear what some people were saying and blasted out of my ear buds with others. I will continue listening because the subject is fascinating but I hope this audio quality improves.
dontbeah8ter
4 out of 5 stars
Confused
I don’t really get why the his podcast has so many bad reviews bc it’s good!
jmichlowitz94
3 out of 5 stars
Humorous, but educationally light
While the series is enjoyable, it spends to much time in each episode on the cosmetic tastes and hobbies of the Presidents rather than the political happenings of their respective presidencies. For a podcast about American Presidents and their histories and impacts, there isn’t enough time spent on that. Audio production could have been better for most guests as they sounded muffled or distant.
kvaughn06
4 out of 5 stars
Lack of women historians and scholars
If you do another show, you should feature some more women scholars!
Lonolsen
1 out of 5 stars
Last one stunk
The last podcast was really a bunch of biased fake news reporters that are totally Democrats and anti Republican. The Washington Post lies much more than Donald Trump.
Kazoo_Cortsey
5 out of 5 stars
Factual and Fair
I loved all the information and back stories in the podcast! I started listening and thought when it got too political I would stop - I was pleasantly surprised to go all the way to the end. Your thoughtful presentation of your research into what made these people the leaders they were - good, bad and indifferent - was good for my citizen soul! Thank you!
Norman1995Pit
2 out of 5 stars
Four Stars for Podcast, One for Final Episode
If the presenter and panelists would like to know how Trump became president they can replay the recording. Exactly what you would expect when you hear Washington Post; misplaced moral superiority, fear mongering, a patronizing elitist tone, oh and who can forget those longings for the Obama era.
BritColeFL
4 out of 5 stars
Fun and educational
I think this is an interesting podcast. I love American and presidential history and I learned at least one thing about our history in each episode. It’s fun and educational. Some reviewers seem to be taking things a little too serious. Overall I enjoy it!
nikatnight919
4 out of 5 stars
Our family’s favorite revisit
My twin boys and I started listening to this in 2016 and found the lens Lillian Cunningham takes with each President interesting to contrast to the Wikipedia pages. They were 10 when we started. Now, in 2020, they ask to listen to random presidents in this podcast again. You can hear the podcasts improve as they progress. I like the angle she takes with each President. These observations, the fact that no other podcast devotes an episode to each one (president), and the test of time that this podcast has stood up to with our family, are why I strongly recommend this to any curious listener.
Jumanji 2
2 out of 5 stars
Okay in small doses
Comes across awfully smug and condescending for what is a very shallow dive into the history of presidents.
Ginagina Smith
5 out of 5 stars
Love this podcast
Can’t imagine the amount of work you put into putting this together.I’m listening to 2 every weekend & when finished will move on to Constitutional. BTW:LOVE the blind date question!
jsh.boston
1 out of 5 stars
Hoped for the best
As others with low reviews I really wanted to like this podcast but it quickly slid into stupid stuff. Flipping through papers during the podcast looking for Washington’s receipts for dishes he bought? Giggling about what it would be like to date him? You are giving women journalists a bad name. Great idea. Poor production and editing.
Dan8315
1 out of 5 stars
Wanted to like it.
Really wanted to like this and it could be great. There’s just to much opinion and not alot of actual information,quit it in the middle of Thomas Jefferson when they kept talking about him owning slaves like that was his only he did.
scared senior
5 out of 5 stars
Required Listening
The podcasts should be required listening for all citizens. I learned so much that I have my high school students listen weekly. Our Friday treat is pizza and podcast. Thankful for your efforts to help set the stage for appreciating our leaders. Dr. GC
Js45001
2 out of 5 stars
Informative but so dull
Interesting topic but terrible delivery.
all names are taken???
1 out of 5 stars
No editing
I found the quality in the podcast very lacking. If I had a nickel for every “um.... so”. The podcast was not edited at all. I think the Washington Post could’ve done better.
FuManchuMattyB
3 out of 5 stars
Could be better
There just feels like there could be much better info about each president. Like Woodrow Wilson was basically a review of how people view him today regarding race relations today. It just seems silly. There were other odd ways to cover Ulysses S Grant where his presidency was barely covered. And that is the stuff people don’t look at much. It was disappointing. They talk about James Buchanan being gay. I don’t get why. Some things felt very politically motivated instead of just factual. There are some decent things brought up about each president but overall it has been disappointing. This overall felt like a leftist agenda in relation to each president. Not just an unbiased look at each of them. The first few episodes confusingly talk about Obama in different ways. It leaves me asking why in various ways.
mymysl6
5 out of 5 stars
I love this podcast
I love this podcast and I’m excited to finish it cause it is so much cool history. I turned it on in the car yesterday and me and my mom were listening to it and today I asked to use her phone to turn on music and she said no I don’t want music turn on that podcast you turned on yesterday. Anyway love this podcast
Secka101
5 out of 5 stars
Great overview
Listening to this, marathoning it really... it made me realize how every Presidency has it haters and lovers and it’s really NOT the first time for anything. People are still battling on both sides of every fence. I think we repeat our issues over and over because we really just don’t live long enough or remember clearly enough our past. This was a wonderful glimpse.
Crashpoet
5 out of 5 stars
Wow
Loving this podcast, gives you an idea of how far we’ve come or how far we’ve gone back in quality of our president. We’ve gone from lawyers, war generals, farmers, to well you know who. Haven’t listened to 45-1 episode yet and most likely won’t. He’s not president, he’s a cartoon.
Storlietelling
5 out of 5 stars
Intriguing to learn about the Presidents as human beings
I love this podcast. Am bingeing on it over the 2019 holidays. I like Lillian’s style as a host. And I differ from other reviewers on the blind date question: I think it’s a light-hearted, quirky way to unearth character traits of how these men would show up in a social context. I like the guests from presidential libraries, Library of Congress, archives, as well as the biographers who have done extensive historical research. Some of them show great affection for these deceased men. The criticism of liberal bias seems unfair to me. I was impressed with how these presidencies were depicted in the context of their time without trying to reflect them relative to current events. A nice escape ... entertaining, informative, and thought provoking. Thank you! Only negative: The sound quality for some of the guests was practically impossible to hear/comprehend (e.g., guest at the beginning of JFK sounded like he was in a tunnel). Otherwise, I don’t mind the “raw” production quality—feels authentic.
D-Cincy
1 out of 5 stars
Desperately needs sound engineer
Content decent, but production quality is awful, making the podcast unlistenable. Speaking directly into a mic is pretty elementary stuff. Really wanted to like this, but....
SteezyCroissant
5 out of 5 stars
Needed
Easily one of my favorite podcasts i’ve ever stumbled across. I learned more about presidents listening to this podcast than my schools could have possibly offered. So many obscure presidents with great stories. Thank you for this
sallyD50
5 out of 5 stars
Great overview
I found this podcast late but it’s always relevant especially in today’s world. I’m only a few episodes in and am looking forward to learning more about our lesser known presidents as my high school history classes were a long time ago and mostly forgotten.
mcl mlo
5 out of 5 stars
Wish more podcasts were like this!
Found out about ‘Presidential’ and was immutably hooked! I love Lillian’s historical, educational, and poetic way of showing each of presidents.
SueZQ5858
2 out of 5 stars
Meh
I was hiking the PCT this summer and was desperate for something to listen to I started on this. I’m always interested in learning more about history and my schools never taught that much about past presidents - seemed like a great idea for a podcast. I am tempted to give it one star due to the HIGHLY ANNOYING commercial just before the end of each episode. I don’t mind that there’s a commercial. I get it. You need to promote stuff. What I mind is the commercial is MANY TIMES LOUDER than the actual podcast. So loud I have to desperately pull my headphones out of my ears or RISK HEARING DAMAGE!!!!!! Why? Why?? Why??? I often listen to podcasts while biking. It would be dangerous for me to have to suddenly need a free hand. I remember several years ago there was actually a bill passed to prevent TV commercials to be played at a higher volume than the TV show it was inserted into. I’m guessing podcasts weren’t covered by this bill but I’m kinda surprised that the Washington Post of all media organizations would do this. Seriously. PLEASE STOP TRYING TO DAMAGE MY HEARING!!!! So, I learned to stop listening to the end of the podcast. Then came the Harding episode. This is when I stopped listening altogether. Why are private and salacious correspondences the ONLY the thing you mentioned about this human? The whole publication of these letters is such an invasion of his privacy. I get that he’s dead now but it was just gross. Imagine at your funeral that the only thing they mentioned was to describe in detail one private detail of your sex life? Yes, this is now part of his story so mentioning the letters exists and how they became public is an understandable part of his story you might want to tell. But no, instead you went into gleeful detail about the letters. I haven’t listened to any episodes after this one. Not giving one star because I listed and enjoyed much of the content prior. I just couldn’t stomach anymore.
Chieftain990
1 out of 5 stars
Undergraduate at best
Abysmal. “What the president would be like on a date...” not even kidding
that'70sshowaddict1234
5 out of 5 stars
The Best Podcast About Presidents
Thank you, The Washington Post, for this excellent deep dive into each of the men who have been our presidents. I like how each president is viewed through a certain lens, and all the sources and interviews make it even better!
Dave in NB
5 out of 5 stars
Rare Lack of Bias
I work in politics and the last thing I want is politics in my podcasts. So when I was told about this, I demurred at first because I figured it would be biased. Even as I got towards the end, I was worried as I figured it’d be unbalanced. But it’s not. Further, it is fantastic. I learned a lot about each President, even those I knew a lot about, and also about the history of our great country. The host is charming and truly has a passion for the project. Well worth your time.
LIz tunes
4 out of 5 stars
Go
Good podcast. I do like the host gets very knowledgable commentators. I do not like she mispronunciations library as lie berry.
cmsm0040
5 out of 5 stars
More, More, & More!
Loved these podcasts! I wish each segment could have been longer and mote in-depth.
RMSmovcritic
5 out of 5 stars
Humanizes the presidents
This podcast is terrific. I’ve struggled to learn about the U.S. presidents because I always got bored by dry facts. The stories about these men are interesting and engaging, which makes them memorable. Why am I so obsessed with Martin Van Burns now?? 🤣
Alhday
1 out of 5 stars
Disappointed
I wanted to like this so badly!!! I love history and American History is my favorite! I wish this podcast could have been an objective look at these men but unfortunately it wasn’t at all!!! I am very very clear on the hosts political views as well as everyone she interviews. I am so sad this can’t be an enjoyable portrait instead of a biased diatribe.
markwduns
5 out of 5 stars
Informative and entertaining
The title says it all—“Presidential” is incredibly informative and wonderfully entertaining. Looking forward to getting in to “Constitutional” and “Moonrise” next.
Jnblucy
5 out of 5 stars
Tremendous!
Thoroughly enjoyable.
MySustenance
5 out of 5 stars
Didn’t realize I’d be so captivated!
Am thoroughly enjoying Presidential podcast!! I’m over halfway through and have been captivated by it all! Thank you for making this history so interesting!! (Am looking forwarding to listening to the Constitutional one next! )
Fougere2019
5 out of 5 stars
Waiting for a Book
I have thoroughly enjoyed Presidential and am almost finished. Found it after a recommendation for those who subscribe to John Dickerson’s Whistlestop. Hope you come up with a book summarizing your conclusions Lillian.
Podadelphia
5 out of 5 stars
Presidential has presence!
Well-crafted, informative, listenable, enjoyable - I’ve recommended this podcast to many of my family and friends and rationed it out so that I wouldn’t finish it too quickly. I listened to it in order but it’s nice that you don’t have to and can skip around.
Shmen Shmix
5 out of 5 stars
Really Good
It’s not comprehensive and doesn’t claim to be. I enjoyed the research and the guests/experts they had on. They did bring up current contexts, but made sure to bring up the context of the time things occurred in as well so the point of the topic wasn’t lost. The only episode I wish they had done better was the William Henry Harrison one. I just binged it the last few weeks and have only a couple left. Great show for a little knowledge/context that you might not get outside of deliberately researching each president and many First Ladies.
Frankthecook
5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding
I can’t thank u enough Lillian for doing this pod cast!! It is excellent. I loved it. Thank u And I love your blind date question!! Why would anyone not like it?! U are doing an outstanding job.
paytonn21
5 out of 5 stars
Makes me want to become a US history fanatic!
This podcast makes learning about the President so fun!! Love how the narrator tells stories of each president and the impact they made during their time. Has given me a new perspective on the history of our country and those who have impacted it greatly. Highly recommend, even if you normally are not into historical podcast!!
Paladin917
5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding!
I've studied presidential history since in elementary school, over 55 years ago, and this series gave me some new and interesting insights during the journey through each president. Although I had to get used to the “blind date” question, it became a regular quirk I eventually looked forward to. And the only segment I couldn't bring myself to download was on Trump. Perhaps when he's voted out next year and we've recovered. But thanks to this series, for example, I gained an interest in James Monroe, James Garfield, a new surprise about Calvin Coolidge and understanding these people as human beings in their timeframe. Thanks to you, I'm almost through a biography now on Monroe and about to start one on Garfield. This has been a terrific journey that I'm honestly going to miss. Can you update some of the profiles? Come back to it again! Well done!
gladguild
4 out of 5 stars
Well done
I really like this podcast. It gives a good start to each president and provides resources to learn more about each one. Some people have complained about how the podcaster asks what it would be like to go on a blind date with each president, but I don’t think the intent is to sexualize the historical figures. It’s just meant to give you an idea of their character to those who were close to them. All in all, it’s well done and I would recommend it.
Expat^2
5 out of 5 stars
Cunningham is a national treasure
She should be remembered as one of America’s great public educators. Presidential, her podcast opera prima, and Constitutional should be mandatory for every American.
KrisACar
2 out of 5 stars
Can’t hear!
I like the content and I have learned a few things from the few episodes I’ve listened to; however, I can’t hear your guests! The woman from the library of Congress speaks so softly. The man who wrote the book about Adams seems like he is sitting on the other side of the room and your recorder is so far away from him. My phone was on max volume and I still couldn’t hear.
Jas1991
5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Podcast
I love this podcast! I've listened to it repeatedly and I've enjoyed it every time. Lillian Cunningham makes history intersting and fun.
pperkowski
5 out of 5 stars
Engaging
Really phenomenal insight Into each president. Engaging and easy to listen to. Love the interviews with biographers. Especially love the reading list! For those cringing about the “blind date” question, Lillian told us at the very beginning that the podcast was about the character of the presidents and their leadership qualities. It’s an Interesting twist on how to get that information. This is not a history podcast, where you just learn rote facts about each president. It’s much more interesting!
tennisas
1 out of 5 stars
Very “light” history
I just finished the Jefferson episode where too much time was spent discussing what it would be like to go on a date with Jefferson and what kind of wine he liked. Really? I am a woman and embarrassed by the poor quality of this episode moderated by a woman.
Copper_unicorn
1 out of 5 stars
Do we have to sexualize and objectify humans?
If this was a feminist history podcast hosted by a male, people would flip out on the segment about “if I were to go on a blind date with...” Why is it okay to sexualize and objectify only gender but a crime to do the same of all the other genders.
yungfreshman
5 out of 5 stars
Pretty good
I like how it talks about their lives because that is what is often overlooked in the presidents
bschloss92
2 out of 5 stars
Poorly Structured and Produced, not really history
You would really expect better from the Washington post quality-wise, regardless of your view of their politics. This podcast could have been great, but instead of actually telling the audience about the presidents lives and the political happenings during their presidency, the host just wastes the podcast getting into ideological discussions with well-known, yet somehow still extremely boring guests. Don’t listen to this if you want to actually learn anything about the presidents and the history of the country. If you do actually want to learn something about the presidents, you’d be much better off listening to the totalis rankium podcast. Learned more in 15 minutes of that than in 10 episodes of this mediocre production.
ttttpadtole
5 out of 5 stars
A worthwhile listen!
I have enjoyed the little known facts and balanced insights.
chiefwahoo1978
3 out of 5 stars
Inaccuracies
Did she just really call Andrew Johnson a Republican during the Hayes podcast??? There are several slips like this that should have been caught in editing that make this presentation feel less than professional. Also...what’s the deal with dating the Presidents? What are you...15??
no thanks999999999
5 out of 5 stars
Just Awesome
Enjoyed this series so very much.
pdw86
5 out of 5 stars
I like it, but...
This podcast is pretty good. I’m on the Millard Fillmore episode. It’s good, it’s pretty wide ranging, a lot of interesting facts in it but they waste a lot of minutes in the beginning saying things like “ not a lot of people know a lot about...” or “ he’s not well known...” or “ so and so isn’t that popular...” we don’t need to know that for almost every episode, just tell us about the person please!
Robebear
5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating!!!
Such great, succinct report out of our historical leaders. I learn so much with each episode.
EJH Big E
5 out of 5 stars
Presidential
Fascinating. Factual with a humorous side. Loved these.
wayfarer313
5 out of 5 stars
Great podcast, friendly host
Great podcast that builds momentum and a character all its own as it goes. The host is a good interviewer with a warm, friendly voice. The episodes about the minor presidents are the best - lots of info and humor!
adsoneverything
5 out of 5 stars
Great Stuff
Main gals voice gets annoying and sometimes I feel like the recorder is a bit to far away in some of the interviews, but its still very interesting.
Warrnambool
4 out of 5 stars
Distracting Speech Impediment
It appears that Lillian Cunningham struggles with the differentiation between T when within the middle of a word. Kitten becomes “mi...in” and kitten becomes “ki...in.” Britain becomes “Bri...in.” After a while this distraction overtakes the entire podcast.
#JesusisMyLordandSavior!
5 out of 5 stars
Hope to see more Podcasts from this team
Only bad thing is this podcast had to end...
BKBrown213
2 out of 5 stars
Done at ep 1
I wanted to like this, but I couldn’t even finish the first episode; I quit at 36:12. How did this get past the editing room? Everyone needs a sip of water & some pep in their step. Is the narrator Erin, from The Office? I don’t mean Ellie Kemper, I mean Erin. Each p a u s e felt like an eternity and I’m pretty sure the first guy interviewed was asleep. The next dude made Washington out to sound like he WAS Captain America and until they told us they were going to take the metro for a 10 minute ride, including sound effects, I thought he was the low point. The 2 stars are for the historian. Get her a podcast; she’s engaging as he|l.
ATG Sports
5 out of 5 stars
Balanced
Many people left reviews saying this podcast is too Liberal. I am a republican and I though she did a wonderful job keeping her judgements of the presidents balanced. Looking back over history there are good and bad things that happened with almost every administration and she laid that out pretty well. Great podcast!
jaybird72973
5 out of 5 stars
Educational
Good content. As a history buff I enjoyed its content.
fanbutnotafan
2 out of 5 stars
Needs to be fair balanced
Basically gives the opinions of our past presidents from Washington Post employees. It has liberal viewpoints and I was really hoping for a fair balanced viewpoint. Some episodes go on weird tangents about something that was insignificant to their presidency or barely touched their presidency at all. For example, FDR’s episode was from the viewpoint of Eleanor. As great as Eleanor is, we got a lot about her and needed more about FDR. I guess if you’re wanting a podcast that talks about odd things that happened in their life rather than what they did during their presidency, then this is a good podcast for you.
TheYoungSwede
4 out of 5 stars
Absolutely worth a listen
Each episode provides a good general synopsis of each presidency along with a few maybe lesser known facts about them. The context of each presidency, in my opinion the most interesting thing, is also described However, at least for the first half of the series, I'm finding the sound editing lacking. Musical scores that would be invigorating if the volume was higher are passive and remind me of a lullaby. There is also an odd disparity in the sound level of different voices. Other than that though, great podcast.
writinginpencil
5 out of 5 stars
History Repeats
An interesting look at history and the lessons we can learn in the present day.
ablegram
3 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable but lacking diversity
I enjoyed listening to the podcast however with the exception of Karl Rove there were few voices from the right. More surprising is that given the role and effect that the subject of race has had in this country and on the Presidency, I was disappointed that there were no people of color or black historians consulted.
MKE--Dave
5 out of 5 stars
The superb content more than makes up for shortcomings
Yes, the narrator’s nasally voice and vocal fry is annoying. And, yes, every time she asks what it a blind date would be like with a particular president it’s cringe inducing. But it’s the content of this podcast that really makes it shine. I learned so much about presidents most of us have never heard of, like Millard Fillmore, and learned new things about familiar ones like JFK or Reagan. And throughout there’s a common theme around the personality traits that each president has brought to the table and how those traits shaped his leadership. In the end, this podcast is less a study of American history and more a study of leadership — what it means to lead, what it takes to lead, and how we as followers identity and choose who leads us.
Nicole T-H
5 out of 5 stars
What a journey
This series captures the purpose of podcasts and creates a great and fun series that reminds us of the trials and tribulations associated with the ultimate experiment, Our government. Loved the journey, and might even listen a second time as candidates present themselves in our next election. Lilian-can’t wait for your Trump recap!
lifeisguitar27
3 out of 5 stars
Needs production help
The content of the podcast episodes is interesting, but it needs some major, major work in the production department. Mics were noisy and volume inconsistent, and the overall presentation was very dry and unengaging.
MarkE8
5 out of 5 stars
Great
One of my favorite podcasts. I’ve learned so much about the presidents, history, and current issues.
Bfitzge1
2 out of 5 stars
Don’t talk enough about the presidents
The Adams episode was wasted on how he doesn’t have a monument and plans to build him one. Will update review as I get further in, but this is very disappointing so far.
SentinelsOfLiberty
4 out of 5 stars
A Presidential Idea
The Washington Post's "Presidential" is a show that clearly explains the legacy of the US presidents throughout the years. The host does a great job explaining and clarifying things, and although the show is somewhat liberal, it tries to take a balanced approach to the Presidents and their legacies, especially when it comes to the more recent ones. I enjoyed each episode and found it a smooth ride, even with a few hiccups and pacing here and there. Overall, it was a great concept, and mostly well executed, although a few things (like pacing) could've been done better. Good show and great idea.
velo1289
5 out of 5 stars
Informative and interesting
Generally good with a nice overview of each president and how they relate to our current political system. The occasional “vocal fry” that many young people use in speech is annoying as well as using a “d” instead of a “t” in words such as important, pronounced impordent.
ec493
4 out of 5 stars
Interesting after a rough start
Super interesting but it definitely starts out sounding pretty amateur. The sound goes from very quiet to suddenly super loud so it was really annoying listening to it in my car. After several episodes this improves a lot. Great interviews with historians (although the blind date question comes across as a bit silly initially). I just finished the episode on Lincoln and am planning to keep listening
MTops1
5 out of 5 stars
My favorite podcast!
I just finished the entire series and I absolutely loved it. Not only did it enrich my historical knowledge but it really helped me examine in a more profound way what it means to be an American today. Ms. Cunningham takes each President and draws connections to current issues. She also, for the more famous figures, examines them through less obvious lenses. I have just started her follow up, Constitutional, and it is also proving to be fantastic.
Brother sky
3 out of 5 stars
Information is great, presentation not so much
I really got a lot out of each podcast, but had to stop listening because her valley girl way of speaking became too annoying for me. I loved the idea of going on a blind date with the president.It made me think of them in a different light.
Nielious
5 out of 5 stars
I wish there were 5 more episodes!
It's amazing how they were able to have each episode lead right into the next!
Steve2d
1 out of 5 stars
Seriously need balance and honesty...
I realize that it’s difficult in this day and age, but you lost me after reviewing the Obama and trump episodes. I felt fine about the non-critical nature of the trump episode from 3 people that didn’t appear to be fans of this president, which I was fine with. I think that they did a very respectable job of containing any seething hatred that you might see in the news or from White House correspondents of the MSM these days. Now when I reviewed the summary of the Obama episode, you completely lost me and support for anything that you put out. Obama’s episode is hosted by David axelrod(Obama appointee/cabinet member) and David Naraniss(an employee of Obama who authored his biography) lol... do you really feel the balance here?? You really don’t understand why the public is so fed up with the MSM and politicians in general, do you??
MarcusGarvey
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent podcast
Each and every episode taught me something that I did not know and more importantly, made me ask questions. Next task, take on the all the Vice President's. Thanks for stimulating my brain and teaching me about my country.
KAC_52
4 out of 5 stars
I’m not usually a fan of presidential history...
...But I have really enjoyed this podcast Because it brought the presidents choose life as regular human beings. I wish the Washington Post would do a companion series on first ladies.
kateas3
1 out of 5 stars
Whitewashes History
How can you discuss the Reagan administration without even mentioning the AIDS crisis? The president turned his back on thousands of sick and dying Americans. But you end the episode by mentioning his high approval rating? What the hell is the point of discussing the good if you can’t weigh it against the bad? It’s disturbing to me that this episode is entitled “Ronald Reagan: Myths and Truths,” when it omits such glaringly obviously failings. Do better.
couldnt be Jcole
5 out of 5 stars
Don’t Write Reviews
I don’t write reviews on things, but this is a a great podcast. I enjoy listening to it at any time. Very soothing voice and extremely credible.
June126
2 out of 5 stars
Boring
Good idea. Bad execution. Boring
whatheever
5 out of 5 stars
Unbelievably, huggably good
I finished this series today. I wish I could get that sensation you get when you finish a really good book, close it with a soft thud, and hold it to your chest. How do you hug a podcast?
CaseyF86
5 out of 5 stars
More!
Loved this and Constitutional. Lillian is so pleasant to listen to! Hoping she leads up another podcast. Maybe one on the origin of all 50 states?
yourmotherwasahampster
5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating!!
Love this!! Really interesting, really fun to listen to!
jpfease
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing, Informative, and Enlightening
I came across this podcast after hearing Lillian being interviewed in the last episode of season two of American History Tellers and I’m so glad I did. I thought I knew a lot about the presidents but boy was I wrong. Without fail, every single episode gave at least one if not many significant facts about that president that I had never heard before. Also, the structure of each episode was a little different so it never gets monotonous from episode to episode. Listening to every one as I did is a significant undertaking but well worth it! Can wait for the next podcast: Constitutional.
BGbucks
4 out of 5 stars
TGreen
Love the podcast!
Bookaholic13
5 out of 5 stars
Educational and entertaining
This is just a terrific podcast—a combination of history, political science, and good storytelling. Knowing more about the presidents has made a lot of the periods in our history come alive, periods that were more of a blur to me before. I’ve learned about the character of each president, the road to election, and why that particular presidency mattered, and how it led to the subsequent presidency. The one down side is that it’s a bit painful to listen to all this eloquence, decency and dignity given the lack thereof in the White House right now—the Gettysburg Address compared to misspelled racist tweets—but at least this too shall pass.
JmaxF
2 out of 5 stars
Disappointed
I guess I am too old to understand, but this podcast & it's sister podcast Constitutional seem to be devoted to perpetuating the "social justice" agenda. I love the Constitution of The United States and tend to believe that our Presidents and Constitution wioth all their evil have resulted in better lives for more people than anything in history, including the "victims" of our awful "social injustice"
Steve H. from West Chester, OH
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing podcast
I learned so much and had such a great time listening to this podcast! Informative, inspiring, at times hilarious, and often moving, if you struggle to call up any details on the presidents between Jackson and Lincoln, or between Lincoln and TR, do yourself a favor and listen!
GeorgiaKnittingLady
5 out of 5 stars
This podcast was wonderful.
I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast. I learned so much each episode. Fair and biased.
Jenn Wisconsin
2 out of 5 stars
So much potential
I was so excited about this podcast when I heard about it. I have listed to the first three episodes and the biggest problem that I just can’t get past is the absolutely terrible sound quality of the interviews. Maybe that’s just my pet peeve, but it’s something I only notice if it’s really bad. Aside from that, the content could just be so much more interesting than it is. I wanted to like this podcast, but I can’t.
Audio Anne
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent podcast
Such an entertaining and informative way to learn American history. The host, Lillian Cunningham, a journalist at the Washington Post, has such a lovely voice. It’s a pleasure to listen to her. And she talks to many other interesting people. Highly recommend this podcast.
Nljfs
5 out of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this podcast
Thanks!
CandiceMcF
5 out of 5 stars
So interesting and easy to understand
Do you know the difference between Madison and Monroe? One dealt with a fire at the White House. The other inadvertently created a long-lasting controversial doctrine. Learn all sorts of cool things from this podcast!
Leejay41
5 out of 5 stars
Presidents like you’ve never known them
I reluctantly started listening to these podcasts, thinking they would be the same dusty, boring recitations of facts about the presidents that I was exposed to in high school. Not at all! I was hooked from George Washington on because of all the facts unknown to me and by the clever and oh, so entertaining presentation. I plan to listen to them all again.
lg-x-y-z
5 out of 5 stars
The Best
Certainly one of the best podcasts available. Presented with real insight into what it takes to make a great podcast.
scottD125
3 out of 5 stars
Bad
Between the sound effects and background dialogue drowning out the interviews, the silly music and the amount of time taken telling us what she is going to do instead of just doing it, this podcast is highly unlistenable and disappointing.
4d mynd
5 out of 5 stars
Interesting back stories
Love history, but this podcast gives info not usually covered in the broader history preentations. Interesting, informative, well presented. Makes me look forward to getting to the next episode.
DavidEastman
5 out of 5 stars
A wonderful podcast for history nerds like me!
This podcast is interesting, funny and succinct. A really worth while podcast. The host is great, her questions are witty and compelling. I'm only up to MVB, but looking forward to listening to all of them!
ChrisMVB
1 out of 5 stars
What the staff of the Washington Post think of the Presidents
Reviewed as of having listened to every episode through to JFK. The political biases of this podcast are so pervasive and subtle that I don't think the staff at WaPo even realize that they're being biased when they indulge in them. The Madison, Wilson, and Coolidge episodes are particularly noteworthy in their framing of each of these Presidents as modern left-of-center politicians (the Wilson example is particularly galling, as it comes immediately after paying the briefest of lip service to his atrocious record on civil rights for blacks and civil liberties in general during WW1). Note: I give every podcast I review either 5 stars or 1 star.
Jena3186
5 out of 5 stars
Exactly what I expected
I do not mind the production value. I wasn’t here for orchestrated listening. I came for the content. I wanted to learn something, and that is what I’m getting. I didn’t get the impression this was to be a performance kind of show so I didn’t go in expecting that. For me it plays out as being taken for the journey, from conversation to conversation. I’m a few shows in and I’m enjoying it.
Sbowe72
4 out of 5 stars
Three episodes in
I am three episodes in so far. And I love the concept so far. My criticism is you are focused too much on the issues outside of the presidency. Take Jefferson for example, yes he owned slaves but there was really only a need to mention the hipocracy of it once. Not make it the central theme of the episode. I still have an open mind on this but this episode I think left a bad taste. And yes I know I am writing this review in 2018 when this series is probably already over
Tinyzinterfere
5 out of 5 stars
Great listen!
This is a great place to start on researching any of the presidents
rander427
5 out of 5 stars
Loved This Podcast
What a fun journey through American history. I learned so much. Really enjoyed this, and had great guests! Also loved hearing you really hit your stride in Constitutional. Can't wait to see what you do next!
Dakota92082
1 out of 5 stars
Podcast won’t play
iOS 11+ downloaded but won’t play. Disappointed.
Expert(:
5 out of 5 stars
My commute for months
I absolutely loved this podcast! It’s the first one I’ve ever been really hooked on. I started with George Washington, skipped to present-day, and went all the way back to the beginning. (all episodes were out by the time I listened.) I learned so much and it was a lovely experience. The stream of consciousness style worked well for me as I felt like I was part of a conversation. I could even see myself going back to listen to a few episodes over again. Moving on to Constitutional now!
SawyertheLawyer
2 out of 5 stars
Great content but horrible narration
I really like the content of this series and the information provided but the Narrator's vocal fry is so horrendous that I can't force myself listen to this anymore. Too bad. Please get another narrator who doesn't sound like a kardashian.
mmmckinely
5 out of 5 stars
My curiosity and love for the presidents has increased
This podcast is well done! Each episode holds so much history, not only for the presidents. I would recommend this to everyone!
Amy PJ
5 out of 5 stars
Great Podcast!
Excited to learn more about our Presidents and their leadership styles.
Hdiskcydjdyfdshjfc
5 out of 5 stars
I love this!
I listened to all of Presidential in the summer/fall of last year and I’m considering starting it again from the beginning. I’m a bit of a history nerd and I love that each episode presents its subject without judging or editorializing. It’s optimistic and downright fun. Plus, Lillian Cunningham doesn’t do that “podcast voice” I can’t stand; she sounds less rehearsed and much more like she’s just talking to a friend about something she learned. I can’t recommend this podcast enough!
CanadianCaitlin
5 out of 5 stars
New American LOVES This Podcast!
I love this podcast. I’m a newly-ish minted American (originally from Canada) and have always struggled with American history and politics. It’s nice to learn about the more human-side of our former leaders in a fun format. The only thing I would add as a technical critique is to adjust the volume of guest speakers, as it was hard to hear some parts through my car speakers after the host spoke (or jarring when the host spoke.) Great Podcast!
Love4ham
2 out of 5 stars
Did not enjoy
Uninteresting (somehow), vapid, unorganized, and poorly edited. Segments need better transitions. The focus on which president would be a good date irks me. Teen Vogue has more intellectual conversation.
The Lampkin
4 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable with one caveat...
I enjoy listening to this podcast, but I will say I almost had to skip the John Adams episode cause of that one guy’s mouth sounds. Like, get the man a water.
No student of history
4 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable and informative
It's nice to learn new things about old presidents and to be reminded of facts and concepts that I learned long ago. The podcasts are entertaining but also have substance. They do not attempt to cover all of a president's life in 30 minutes but rather focus on a few personaity traits and events.
Hellotherr
1 out of 5 stars
Good concept, poor execution
I was really excited for this podcast. I love US history, especially presidential history. The host has a habit of misspeaking often - Harry Truman fought in World War ONE not two. In a history podcast those mistakes should be fixed during the editing process. Hopefully I will be able to find a decent history podcast, but this one is not it.
EGarces
5 out of 5 stars
The ladies next to the president
I love this pc, if possible I’ll love to hear about all the ladies who I influence our presidents, from wife to mothers to staff, because some times we forgot about our First Ladies who made an impact difference in history. Can’t wait to hear more 👏🏻👍🏻
Visiitor
1 out of 5 stars
Unlistenable
Bare bones production. Host needs practice developing a voice for the radio. Pacing is good, but inflictions, nasal monotones, and room acoustics are distracting. Work on what this show offers that we can't get from reading, especially when the host is reading their material to us.
MJPInDC
5 out of 5 stars
Great show.
I learn something new every show and I thought I knew history pretty well. Lillian Cunningham is great as the host. Makes me glad I am a Post subscriber.
pattiocon
5 out of 5 stars
Incredibly well researched.
This podcast is so interesting! I love the narrator’s voice. Also like it because it gives a fresh perspective and new information on all the past and current POTUS’s. This is one of my top 5 podcasts. (I think “Constitutional” is current #1. I just wish it was on more often.)
Texas girl43
2 out of 5 stars
Not great
I love history but this was too dry. The background noise was irritating. Too much fumbling around. Not well edited. If you can’t make George Washington interesting what on earth are you going to do with some of the others.
Emily Zier
5 out of 5 stars
Presidential Reality Check
I just discovered this podcast, and can not recommend it enough - it’s extremely addictive...which has led me to binge listen to the series. On several occasions I have felt chills, as Lillian Cunningham reveals facts about our forefathers. Definitely something to consider listening to, especially in 2017 to put recent events into perspective, and to remember and understand the past and how we got to where we are today.
Jackie Uchiha
5 out of 5 stars
Love!
I always listen to this podcast during school.
The Man of Cash
4 out of 5 stars
Fascinating
Enjoy listening to the podcast. Production quality has improved from the early episodes. Look foward to Constitutional.
AUniqueNicknameForReviews
5 out of 5 stars
A must listen
Very well sourced. Everyone should listen to gain a better understanding of the past.
Shawnman83
3 out of 5 stars
Good intentions, questionable delivery
I'm liking the history presented. It can use some help in the area of editing. Narrators voice is calm and soothing but one of the guests, you can hear the lip smacking or something which is just annoying. Hopefully, the delivery gets better, seeing as I'm only into the first couple episodes. I like the info being presented thus far. I wouldn't mind just knowing if the people speaking have a certain bias. I mean, at least be honest about it.
90'KEYS
5 out of 5 stars
Highly Entertaining!!!
The Washington Post’s Presidential is an awesome look at the many different characters who have held the highest office in the land as Commander & Chief. Lilian Cunningham performs a wonderful blend of highly imaginative narrations of our nations presidents lives & interesting in depth interviews with some of the most highly qualified historians. Presidential is both an interesting & entertaining podcast. I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast & would highly recommend it!!!
Patgerding
5 out of 5 stars
History meets pop culture. Well done. Smart. Engaging.
Love love love. Fantastic
Colby625
5 out of 5 stars
Favorite podcast ever
I loved this podcast so much that I have listened to every episode at least twice. Lillian Cunningham does a wonderful job of crafting the stories of each president in a way that no history class throughout my life ever could. It is honest and fresh, and I found myself deeply moved by every episode.
upstate-vc
2 out of 5 stars
Host's vocal style
The content seems great, but the host speaks with a vocal upspeak and frequently a vocal fry. I'm a female millennial and I know that these vocal habits are synonymous with my generation. I consciously work on eliminated my own upspeak and vocal fry because I can hear that it is so grating and unprofessional sounding in others people. It's like nails on a chalkboard and renders this podcast unlistenable to me.
Theenglishdiva
5 out of 5 stars
Wow!
Entertaining & informative!!
theanerican
3 out of 5 stars
Left wing perspective and judgement on the Presidents
I enjoyed listening to a well produced podcast. However the podcast is not a history podcast and comes from a hard leftwing perspective. Most episodes are filled with moral judgements which have nothing to do with what actually occurred or the time period in which they occurred. The podcasters favorites one term presidents receive far more attention then their failed presidencies deserve. While presidents who actually accomplished quite a bit are judged failures. The most amusing part was during the carter episode when a non-evangelical was used to explain the evangelicals. It was clear he was prejudice and had no problem slandering them as racist.
Beckstr4
5 out of 5 stars
Great trip through our country's history
I really like your approach to these episodes. While presidential history can be quite mundane and dry, you have done a great job of adding depth and intrigue to theses stories. I've always wanted to learn more about our presidents and this podcast helped me do it! I love the blind date question, adds a bit of humor and I love hearing how historians react when asked!
Xandercrisp
4 out of 5 stars
Hope for Trump
I found this after the Trump election, and I am not a Trump fan. This podcast did a good job of showing me that every single aspect of him I despise has shown up in an earlier president, and some of them were pretty good for the country. It gives me hope. Overall, you promise a thumbnail sketch of each president, while noting that you can't do justice to them in the amount of time you have. You do that. I have enjoyed this far more than any History class I have ever had.
BritBrit043
5 out of 5 stars
I found this AFTER the election
I personally love this podcast. I've learned so much and I've even started a challenge to read at least 1 biography of each president. This doesn't need fancy music or sound effects, we need to remember to respect the office of the presidency and those who served our country.
uncle dude
5 out of 5 stars
I wish it didn't have to end
I recently finished a 5,000 mile journey through the western U.S. and having this podcast to listen to made the driving so much more worthwhile. I learned a lot and the podcast was entertaining as well. Good job Ms. Cunningham.
CSScience
5 out of 5 stars
Highly recommended
I cough this once it was complete and binge listened. I found it very interesting, and even wished for more! I have recommended this to everyone I know.
Cetina05
5 out of 5 stars
Connecting me with history.
I got to say this podcast has made history real. It's help me realize all presidents were flawed and not everyone was ready to be one.
Peanutlabdog
1 out of 5 stars
Inaccurate and biased
Not enough research done. Conclusions are popular but not necessarily accurate.
David in Jackson
5 out of 5 stars
Great historical podcast
Learned much about the presidents I didn't know anything about.
88cleve
2 out of 5 stars
Meh
Pretty left leaning. Some interesting facts. If everything could be presented without the WP spin on it, I think it would be better.
Unica Sola
5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding
Nuanced and extremely poignant. LC et al. have a real gift-- and they have given us one. Thank you!
HuJo742
5 out of 5 stars
Great
Great
iamdelilah
5 out of 5 stars
One of the best history podcasts
I cherish my 30-40 minutes with each president, and love the journalism + history storytelling style.
Lasarah555
4 out of 5 stars
Very Interesting but Now Missing
I very much enjoyed the series during the election period lat year. When i recently went back to re-listen to the Podcast, I was dismayed to find that a number of the early podcasts are unavailable for download. I would like to listen to them again, but with them missing, it is difficult.
muzbuz
2 out of 5 stars
Great if you are a left leaning millennial
Wonderful concept, buy unfortunately diluted by leftist influences. Too many WaPo guests who undoubtedly are of liberal persuasion and can't help but interjecting their own biases.
YipeeKaiYay
5 out of 5 stars
A thorough look at every president
And I love the blind date question
DaveOhNo
5 out of 5 stars
I Love This Show -- Really Addictive!
I'm consistently impressed with WashPo podcasts and their superior quality. Presidential is a hit. Rather than try to cram an entire bio into forty minutes, the show aims for the essence of the man without giving you a cradle-to-grave approach. I haven't listen to all of them yet, but I've enjoyed everyone I've consumed so far. I am listening to them out of historical order, so there's no need to start at the beginning because each episode stands out on its own. I particularly liked the ones about Obama, Truman, Harding, and Grant.
Dnnwise
4 out of 5 stars
Playful and informative
Variety of perspectives but also some confortable consistency in approach. Really learning a lot from this! Lillian Cunningham's voice isn't announcer- quality but I can get over it. She is genuine.
smbc beast
1 out of 5 stars
Narrator biggest problem
I love the topic but the narrator is clueless and relies on other coworkers for any substance. No I don't care if I would go on a date with James Monroe.
ManduhMarlowe
5 out of 5 stars
Extremely Informative and Interesting
The content is substantive yet interesting and personal. It's a good balance of what you should know about presidents. Glad to see something like this as a podcast.
joshseesscrolls
5 out of 5 stars
My Presidential Roadtrip Podcast
I have loved listening to this insightful podcast as I travel the US visiting the sites associated with the discussion!
Elio (Marcos)
5 out of 5 stars
An incredible journey
As a kid, I'd go to the library to read up as much as I could about the presidents. I had a poster with all of them on my wall and needless to say, I loved presidential history. This podcast series was an incredible way to re-spark this passion and learn way more about the Presidents than I could've ever known. The guests are great and Lily does a wonderful job story telling and digging deeper. It was a treat to listen to every week for a year. Can't wait for Season 2!
12835()
5 out of 5 stars
I've really enjoyed this...
...because it's simply entertaining, but also because it conveys a sense of the personality not only of the presidents themselves, but of the presidency and our system of government as a whole. It's a reminder that we are all just a bunch of everyday people in America, from your house to the White House.
spork4beans
5 out of 5 stars
Awesome
Thanks for all the effort you put into this.
He who shall remain nameless
2 out of 5 stars
A potentially dry subject somehow made even drier
I really wanted to like this podcast and for a quick second I thought this was going to be the greatest thing ever. But I'm really struggling to stay with it. It seems the longer I listen, the more pronounced the whiney, nasal speaking voice of the host becomes. Plus it's just slow and needs better editing. This podcast takes what could potentially be a very dry subject and somehow makes it even drier. I love the idea of this though. I wish someone else would just remake the whole thing from scratch.
childish drivel
3 out of 5 stars
OK podcast but...
It's a bit under-produced and I HATE the "blind date" question. It's silly and sophomoric. Many better ways to get at same information.
revcate
5 out of 5 stars
fabulous
I so enjoyed this when it was coming out ‘live’. I have recommended it to many and hope there are some new ideas coming!
PhelineCat
5 out of 5 stars
Didn't you have …
Lillian, my dear, weren't you brainstorming ideas for a second series related to the recurring theme of presidents? I understand if the Trumpian phase threw you for a loop- even my non-political podcast hosts were depressed after the election but you presented a level demeanor. Impressive. I've tried to come up with things- how about the big political mistakes of each president? Their Special Prosecutors? Their idiotic cabinet appointees and shocking firing? Oh yeah- they weren't all Trumpian. Big scandals- the attacks on the Clintons since before Bill's first term? Maybe Senate Majority Leader? Stolen judgeships?
Aaron Fischman
4 out of 5 stars
Well done, fascinating podcast
I love history and politics, so I started this podcast in January and am still working my way through all the episodes, actually going in the reverse direction. In other words, I started with the Nov. 9 episode and am gradually going further back in time with the goal of finishing with the George Washington show. I wonder how that changes my listening (and learning) experience, but I went that route because I can more closely relate to more modern administrations and was initially most excited about starting there. Depending on the guest and I guess, to a certain extent the president being covered, the shows can be hit or miss. Most, however, I find very enjoyable. Minor areas can be cleaned up, but I realize releasing an error-free episode every week can be awfully time-consuming, especially when those working on the podcast presumably have many other non-show duties with the Washington Post. A few examples: In the GW Bush ep, right before the 20-min mark, the host says Bush takes office in January of 2011 instead of 2001. That seems like it would have been easily caught if even one or two people listened to it before air. Another example, and this isn't entirely the host's fault (it mostly isn't), is that her colleague, Robert Costa, has no idea how to properly pronounce former Israeli prime minister Menachem Begin's name in the Jimmy Carter episode. He says the third syllable of Menachem like the first syllable of China. In Hebrew names, the Ch is pronounced like there's ample phlegm in the throat I guess you could say (it's hard to explain). All of us have things we don't know, but Robert's repeated mispronunciation of the name causes him to lose credibility with a not-so-insignificant number of listeners IMO. He should ask someone before he goes on air with a pronunciation about which he's unsure. Last but not least, the ad played in every show seems like it could have been improved significantly. The sentiment is an important one to encourage civic participation within our young citizens, but it seems the one used was a horrible first take. The reader sounds extremely robotic and unnatural.
PrezFan
5 out of 5 stars
Relatable
I like how Lillian makes our Presidents relatable. Even little known presidents have a story to tell. Ive recommended to several friends.
Mike85746
2 out of 5 stars
Liked it up to the McKinely Podcast
I generally thought the Podcast was okay and i had even started to not cringe everytime the host asked her patented question of her expert guests "what would i need to know if i was going on blind date with him?" ?? but I think the whole series went off the rails for me at the McKinely Podcast. The United States invaded and conquered the Philippines during the McKinely administration.hundreds of thousands of Filipinos died, thousands of American Solidiers too. there were instances of torture and war crimes reported..it .launched the United States on a half century of misbegotten imperialism. It was a major controversial decision at the time and monumental departure from our history up to then and it continues to impact our international relations to this day..She didnt bother to cover it at all!..instead we heard from Karl Rove no less that McKinely was a great guy and a great president who presided or a short popular war..it just seems like such a misfire that i now wonder about the validity of all the other podcasts..unless of course your main concern is going on an imaginary blind date...
Dohertygroup
5 out of 5 stars
Valuable content
This is beautifully constructed - informative and insightful- with guests of the highest quality
BillyBob961
5 out of 5 stars
Presidential
Learned a lot. Would like something similar
BigSis2894
5 out of 5 stars
One of my Favorite Podcasts!
These just get better and better as you go along. I truly feel like I have a better understanding of American history, world history, and, most importantly, a context to understand the issues of today. While it is extremely informative, it is also kept light and fun so you don't feel like you're in a boring classroom. I would recommend this to anyone and have already gotten many friends to listen to it who love it too!
AMR736
5 out of 5 stars
Journey through the Presidency
It's an interesting journey through the presidency. It's very well sourced. I learned a lot of facts about Presidents I didn't know before and got into reading about Presidents again. Keep it up!
Jaci Trz
4 out of 5 stars
Great content!
Love the content, but seems low quality in its editing. I am learning alot about the presidents though!
gmoneyswag.com
3 out of 5 stars
Awesome concept and content but...
It's obviously too late now to address but the host, Lillian Cunningham is speaking WAYYYYY too slowly.
Recalcitrare
5 out of 5 stars
Great primer on American history
This is a completely non-partisan podcast that explores the character of our former presidents with expert interviews from people who were either there when it happened or who have spent their whole lives studying these presidents & their eras. Presidential is a great primer for anyone wanting to dive through American history. Looking forward to Season 2!
Jillykc
4 out of 5 stars
My Happy Place
I was a history major many moons ago and so appreciate this fun and credible look inside the lives of all of our presidents. I am particularly impressed with the experts who have been assembled to contribute to the content. I'm only on JQA, but am looking forward to learning more about the lesser known presidents. Only one small criticism, is that the podcasts starts off with the clip of Richard Nixon resigning before hearing more inspirational clips from FDR and JFK. Couldn't we have started off with something other than the only president who resigned? Oh well. I konw they are done with episodes, but I'm so grateful that I have many more before me to listen to.
Koco09
5 out of 5 stars
Love this!
I'm so glad that we have a podcast that teaches you the legacies of our presidents. Very insightful, interesting, and engaging.
Boberto231
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent
Great perspectives, not the basic information that we already know about each of the presidents. Love the input from the library of congress librarians and authors like David McCullough and Doris Kearns Goodwin.
thatgirlfromDelaware
5 out of 5 stars
Love this!
Love how well sourced this podcast is. Yet, at the same time, it's as though you're listening to two, well educated friends share thoughts. It's great. Effortless learning at it's finest.
rise_up
5 out of 5 stars
Loved it.
I am a big fan of this podcast and started listening weekly around the Teddy Roosevelt episode (my favorite president). I greatly enjoyed the focus on general themes surrounding each of the presidencies, like Joy with TR, and the context into which Lillian put these themes with the details of American History. I'm looking forward to a new podcast with Lillian at the helm! PS I've gotten at least 3 trivia questions right at bars because of this podcast.
Eca234
5 out of 5 stars
Very entertaining and informative
Though I found this podcast after the election, it is super entertaining. Wonderful small doses of presidential history.
ilea02
5 out of 5 stars
Love this show!
Love how each week takes a different president and certain aspects of their lives. I learned so much!
Best Game I've Played!
1 out of 5 stars
Great concept, horribly biased
I love history and learning about the presidents, but I want to know real history and the facts. I don't want to hear an hour of her liberal criticism, I want to form my own opinions on the presidents, not be told why conservatives are terrible and liberals are great. The Donald Trump episode I tuned in for hoping for a background on our new president, but instead got a horribly depressed narrator because she didn't get her way, giving a performance to her fellow democrats to hang on. It's appalling. I didn't hear anything about Donald Trump as a person. I'm sure that episode would have been far different if Hillary won. I'm sick of the liberal trash bias.
Gnup1
5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating
and very well done. Thanks.
Drox1987
5 out of 5 stars
Great!
I'm a history buff, and I learned a ton about from this show. I came late to the party, and listened to it intently. Please due another season!
Kay273849271
3 out of 5 stars
Listen for the guest commentary
The podcast is well paced and accessible but Lillian's storytelling is classic high brow NPR. The best snippets are when Washington Post sources speak and historical soundbites.
kandelion
5 out of 5 stars
Enough about the production, it's informal and fun!
I see so many reviews complaining about the background noise, someone using "you know" too much, etc. This is part of what I love about it, and it's clear that the podcast does NOT promote itself as dry, standard lecture. There's a pop of color on the cover, there are jaunty presidential toys for each ep! So I say to the detractors, enjoy the feel of the show. It's like you're in a room with impressive presidential scholars, librarians, or knowledgable biographers and having a fun, informal conversation with a fire crackling in the background, with the shuffling of papers. If you wan't something staid and formal and lecture-like, go find that! Just don't take away from this show that make it clear it never intended to offer that kind of thing.
Marloa
5 out of 5 stars
Good listen
I really liked this podcast. Good information and just an easy listen. Could do without the blind date question every episode but overall it's good.
Jnstange
5 out of 5 stars
Well done and informative
Excellent podcast. Very interesting and enlightening. Glad I discovered this.
TessaTillett
3 out of 5 stars
Great idea, needs work.
I really love the concept of this podcast: learning about each president more in depth than what we may know about him by devoting a whole episode about him. However, it is extremely inconsistent in content. Sometimes the host focuses on his upbringing, sometimes she focuses the whole episode on his love life, sometimes it's all about his leadership style, and I feel like rarely focuses on what he accomplished specifically in office (which is what I personally was hoping to learn more about in each episode). It is very obvious this podcast comes from a newspaper reporter, as we are basically listening to uncut interviews she has had with experts (with random, distracting music in the background). It is hard to stay focused at times when you are listening to a dry interview. I still very much enjoy this podcast, have learned a lot and have listened each week. It could use some improvement for both optimal learning and enjoyment. But Lillian! You asked about what it would be like to go on a blind date with the president in every single episode, but omitted asking that about Donald Trump, whose answer would most likely have been the most interesting one.
shaun.ek
5 out of 5 stars
Easy going and informative
Great for anyone who digs history podcasts. Reviews every US president in an engaging way. Sometimes covering the president's accomplishments and failures, very often covering their early life, frequently pausing to enlighten our understanding the state of the country at the time politically and socially. One of the things I enjoyed was the nuances of each president's personality and how it influenced his personal and political relationships.
Isaacthehound
5 out of 5 stars
Gonna miss this podcast
Lillian! Please do a podcast on our Supreme Court! It's relevant with the vacancy!:) I have been with this podcast since the start. I will miss beginning my weeks with this podcast.
Mmedefarge1789
5 out of 5 stars
Fun Review of The Presidents
I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. The podcast provides a fun and well researched survey of the presidents. I think the host is fantastic and am a little baffled by some of the reviews that criticize her voice. Looking forward to see what they will do next!
Fedreader54
5 out of 5 stars
Love this podcast
I have learned so much about presidental and american history by listening to this podcast. Plan to listen again in order after the election is over- R
Corrie71
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent way to learn about our presidents
Love this podcast! I learn so much every time
Hoggzy
5 out of 5 stars
Good podcast, great host.
I think the idea of the podcast was a decent idea - it was one that I personally loved, but most of my friends don't find politics and the history of our nation to be particularly intriguing. That being said, though, a lot of friends of mine have loved this podcast as well. The host, though, makes this show great. When I saw Presidential, I was excited, but I wasn't sure how it would play out - the host makes these kinds of productions. And she does phenomenal. Within the first few minutes of the very first episode, I was hooked. Even for the 'dry' presidents, I was stuck on there - hook, line, and sinker.
AyZiggyZoomba
5 out of 5 stars
My favorite limited podcast
I look forward to it every week. You will have a more well rounded view of presidents that were brushed over in your history class. In addition, you will better see the historical connections between events and how the character of the president fits into the larger story. This podcast is necessary for anyone who craves American history.
m.e.d.123
2 out of 5 stars
Interesting, but strong liberal bias
Like most content produced by the Washington Post, this podcast is portrayed as pure fact. In truth, it's packed with opinions and filtered through a far Left, liberal lens. Woodrow Wilson episode was particularly characteristic of WaPo.
jjdmmom
5 out of 5 stars
Fascinating discussions
I have enjoyed each and every one of these excellent podcasts. Each President gave a unique contribution to our collective American history. I now have a greater understanding and learning this way was FUN. Lillian Cunningham has great perspective and a good grasp of the important issues. Her choice of guests was outstanding.
Debbareno2
5 out of 5 stars
Very Enjoyable!!
I have truly enjoyed this podcast. As someone who didn't pay that much attention in history class this podcast was very informative and enjoyable. I highly recommend it.
cshores6
5 out of 5 stars
Got better and better as season progressed
I can't argue with the points made in some of the January reviews. But now it is November, and I believe this turned out to be a polished, fun, highly informative show. I will miss this show tremendously and plan to re-listen to episodes again.
00kevlar
5 out of 5 stars
IYDHANTS,DSIAA
In the 43 weeks since this podcast began, it's evolved similarly to the 220 years our nation has. Did our fore fathers get "everything" right? Have Americans questioned the Articles of Confederation, the Bill of Rights or the Constitution? This podcast is a refreshing, interesting and delightful discussion of the men behind the Seal. It's great we have the First Amendment to express ourselves without persecution, but we also are blessed with a First Digit of our hand and can swipe any content off the screen. We should honor and respect those that have dedicated their time to the Presidency and this podcast production. Looking forward to the next series. NJWarrior
La Lalone
5 out of 5 stars
Favourite
This is currently my favourite podcast. I appreciate the chatty quality of the interviews, and the interviewees: David McCullough, Bob Woodward, Doris Kearns Goodwin! I can't help but compare every president that's gone before to the current Republican nominee and wonder where everything went so horribly wrong. Super educational, too! I'll miss it!
polarbeach
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing!
This is one of the best podcasts around and I listen to a lot of podcasts. The thing that is probably the most amazing about it is having something for everyone. If you know very little about history it is a great overview and if you consider yourself pretty up on history it has a lot of fun info. Can’t say enough good things about it
SenrabU2
3 out of 5 stars
Interesting, but needs work
The host's continuous "would I want to go on a blind date with President X" is annoying after a while. (for the record, I am a woman). I want more substantive information. I realize she is probably trying to make it sound more interesting for millennials and younger listeners, but it seems too "pop culture" for my taste. Oh, and get off my lawn.
Tmar8
5 out of 5 stars
Binge
I found out about this podcast in August and spent a whole weekend binging them. They are great
Jessica CopperBOOM
4 out of 5 stars
Taught me a lot
This podcast taught me a lot about the former presidents. It teaches you a lot about the personalities about of the presidents. I love the blind date question.
Pam Waz
5 out of 5 stars
I love this podcast
Neat idea!
GadarethHiggs
5 out of 5 stars
Incredibly Informative & Fun
I learned so much about US history and politics by listening to this podcast! I particularly like the "10 things you should know about presidents" that Lillian started with Ike.
We Hate Anime
5 out of 5 stars
pretty informative
I have a few complaints about who they take to task for social issues and who they don't but it's mostly a very informative podcast.
Kapa93
5 out of 5 stars
Really awesome
Well researched and super interesting
Hey_There!
5 out of 5 stars
Love this podcast
So interesting and insightful!!!
@spydeyswebb
5 out of 5 stars
Fun show
Learn something new each episode. Like the guests that add to the story. Find myself looking online for more on each president.
IrishPat1591
5 out of 5 stars
Extremely well researched & fascinating.
This podcast is even able to make lesser known presidents like Chester Arthur & Franklin Pierce fascinating
Amynewboo
5 out of 5 stars
Can't miss it
I wait anxiously for every episode & I hope they figure out a way to do a second season.
SLBeam
5 out of 5 stars
Binge Listening!
Recently found this podcast and I can't stop listening to it. I'm enjoying leaning individual information about the presidents. She focuses on more than just commonly known facts. I wish this podcast was around when I took American Government & History!
BrianM254
5 out of 5 stars
Themes
Yes the millennial-clothes-pin speak and constant interjections of "sort of" annoy me. But I like how the podcast sometimes sounds like a soundscape - especially the parts with Julie Miller. And I like how each episode focuses on a theme of the President's character, rather than trying to list out his accomplishments and key dates, text book style.
Eohud
5 out of 5 stars
Best part of the election season!
I have really enjoyed this podcast. Both educational and entertaining, it has served as a wonderful distraction from the rest of the US election news.
(:anne:)
5 out of 5 stars
Presidents personalized
Thank you for personalizing our lofty figures. Each presidential podcast has details which opens up these men to their unique histories -- going back to infancy in some cases. Each man has been a product of his personal life and times. Our presidents have evolved along with our country. Podcast is great. Hope to have you follow up with a second season --- The Amendments!
Avidia
5 out of 5 stars
Good edutainment
Enjoying the podcast. It's surprising to see so many connections between the past and present. At first I was ambivalent about the blind dating bit but I've grown to look forward to it.
Jorje2or3or4
5 out of 5 stars
Gets better and better with each new episode
I think this is one of the best podcasts I have subscribed to. I notice some of the lower review notes are from early in the podcast series. I started listening more recenly. I eventually started at the first episode, and I notice the some of the earlies ones, were a bit less well presented, some parts were hard for me to hear, but by the 4th or 5th episode these problems mostly disappear and it gets better and better as it goes along. Thank you for a very fun and informative series.
alfsmith23
2 out of 5 stars
Good idea. But disappointing result.
There are a few episodes that are well done. However most of the episodes focus on parts of a President's tenure that just aren't important. And the blind date question is nauseating. I'm sure you'll be fair by being honest when asking about going on a blind date with Mr. Clinton.
Fgonza03
5 out of 5 stars
Great Tour of the Presidency
It would be impossible to do a podcasts that truly goes into depth of every single president but this podcast does an amazing job of introducing us to the men who have held the office. I know so much more about American history after listening to this.
troubadour82
5 out of 5 stars
Great Podcast
I was an early subscriber (when Jefferson was posted) and have seen the podcast get better and better over time. It's a nice snapshot to these different periods of history and the Presidents themselves. Lillian Cunningham is a great host and she has had great guest speakers as well.
WhatWouldRigginsDo
4 out of 5 stars
I love getting smarter while I'm entertained!
I hugely enjoy this podcast and the format. Lillian is a great host that with a knack for intriguing questions that you never knew you wanted to know about our Presidents. My one small gripe is that the background music is sometimes a bit too loud while she is speaking, especially during the new top (10) lists.
OR Liz
5 out of 5 stars
So enteraining and informational...one suggestion
Love love this podcast. I am a bit behind...just finished Herbert Hoover's segment. There was background music in many parts..something new. I found the music to be extremely annoying. It was hard to concentrate on the Podcast speaker. Hopefully, the future segments won't have the music in the background. Thanks.
alexwelch71
5 out of 5 stars
Nerding out!
As a history/politics buff, I love nerding out over this podcast! So much great information that I would never have known if I didn't listen. The guests are always knowledgeable and awesome, and I really enjoy how Lillian has zeroed in on a certain perspective in recent episodes instead of trying to cover EVERYTHING (which would kind of be a disaster.) I will be so sad when it's over!!!
ChicagoHayes8
5 out of 5 stars
WASH PO MUST DO MORE PODCASTS
Seriously...the Post NEEDS to do more podcasts. This is a great, amazing, and fantastic podcast that EVERYONE SHOULD LISTEN TO
Need motivation
5 out of 5 stars
I love this podcast
I binge listened to the first 30 presidents and now it's hard for me to wait each week til the newest episode. I strongly recommend that our current nominees for president take this as a crash course on being a president!! The relationship between leadership style and effectiveness is very insightful.
Foggy Star
1 out of 5 stars
I tried it twice....
Lillian Cunningham needs to take the clothespin off of her nose.
TJGoldwing
5 out of 5 stars
Interesting
I am learning a lot of interesting things about our previous Presidents. Highly recommend!
PhDTyler
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent Podcast
Warm and engaging host who offers a wealth of knowledge and insight into the US presidency. The John Tyler episode is by far my favorite!
JasonChicago82
1 out of 5 stars
"Impordant"
I want so much to like this but the host's unprofessional delivery makes me cringe every episode. I expect better from the Post.
Vronij
5 out of 5 stars
Easy way to take in some history
Great podcast. Enjoyable format. I've learned a ton.
N0bama2012
1 out of 5 stars
Biased agenda
Don't listen to this podcast, biased agenda.
BGusho
1 out of 5 stars
Seriously Lacking
The concept of this podcast is fascinating. The execution of this podcast is unbelievably poor. I am constantly adjusting the volume as one speaker will be very loud and the next will sound as though they are speaking into a tin can. Sometimes within the same exchange the volume is constantly changing. At one point, the host plays a section of music from Hamilton and it sounds like she is playing it on her phone across the room and then at another point, a guest is so close to the microphone that you can hear his mouth moving when he speaks. How can the production quality be SO BAD?! And the content is disappointing. I kept listening to more episodes thinking "surely they will get the production issues sorted out", but at this point the handling of the content does not justify any further listening in hopes of improved production. They spend almost ten full minutes of the Madison episode talking about Obama. Perhaps maybe save that for, I don't know, the Obama episode?! It's just so poorly done. Please. Someone. Redo this and do it right.
RusticOldTimer
5 out of 5 stars
Great idea!
I love listening to an episode each week about a former president.
Brian of the Many Photos
5 out of 5 stars
Entertaining and Informative
I really enjoy this podcast, particularly the episodes on the lesser known presidents. I am still amazed that Tyler has a grandchild who is still alive. .
Augustine864
3 out of 5 stars
Interesting but flawed
I find it generally interesting, and have listened to all of them. I will continue to do so, though I am mildly annoyed when the host announces a significant aspect of a particularly president's time in office will be glossed over or ignored so that we can look at the president's relationship with his wife or family instead. I think a similar companion podcast about First Ladies would be equally fascinating, but this podcast is about the President, so that isn't my favorite angle that has been used more than once. I've also not been a fan of the recurring "first date" question. It has the unintended effect of making the host sound like a hopeless 11th grader on an otherwise serious and interesting podcast.
Sharkushka
5 out of 5 stars
Wonderful Way Into History
We love this podcast! We are catching up, so listen to one president during breakfast every day. I'm working on reading biographies of each president, and I love that these are sequential, so we can understand how our nation's history progresses, along with the presidency with it. I enjoy the expert interviews and the "blind date" question!
Doty327
5 out of 5 stars
Great podcast
Learning the obscure history of some obscure presidents -- an absolute blast to listen to!
Barry Mendelsohn
5 out of 5 stars
Changed my view of Coolidge and conservatism
These relatively brief recordings are very well researched and include stuff I've never known before. For example, that many modern psychiatrists think Calvin Coolidge was clininically depressed after the death of his favorite son in 1924, and that changed his personality snd interest in governing. Also, that he was a progressive except when it came to overspending. His Treasury Secretary, Andrew Mellon, then the 3rd riichest man, "experimented" with the income tax rate in an effort to find a rate that would maximize federal tax revenue in order to pay down the large war debt the Wilson administration accrued. Coolidge didn't like taxes but he disliked deficit spending more.
MrsDolbyDigital
5 out of 5 stars
A great podcast
One of my favorite podcasts! The "blind date question" is such a unique way to humanize these men, who might otherwise just be seen as unsmiling portrait subjects. The guests are always top-notch as well, especially the ladies from the LOC. I would love to hear Lillian cover other figures from American history when she finally runs out of presidents.
Chris Faranetta
5 out of 5 stars
Great!
Enjoy every detail (esp the Harding letter act out)
KottonKrown
5 out of 5 stars
Has my vote
I really enjoy this podcast and look forward to each new episode. The show brings in great experts and I love how much fun the host seems to be having with it.
Margaretmj
5 out of 5 stars
Great!
I really love learning the not so well know things about our presidents, thanks for all your work. Please keep the 'what would it be like to date this president' segment, I find it very refreshing!
The shodiance
3 out of 5 stars
Undermined by bias and poor editing
For the most part, it's a fantastic podcast for anyone who loves American history. However historiography on display can be irritating as certain historical biases overshadow certain presidents.
xiibaro
3 out of 5 stars
Conceptually strong but poor in execution
I love the concept and have stuck with it for almost twenty episodes in large degree because some of the historians brought in for the show are quite good and add some interesting insights. That said, I find myself grinding my teeth for almost every host-centric interlude, wherein Cunningham tries to be cutesy (why on earth do we need to have a repeated segment on dating the former presidents?) or feign thoughtfulness (the writing for those moments of attempted solemnity are like an essay reading from a unctuous high schooler) to the detriment of the episode. The technical credits have gotten better over time (I'd agree with other commenters that those early episodes were very shaky) but what the show really needs to excel is a different host or writing staff.
Leensta
4 out of 5 stars
A little informal
I like this podcast and will continue to listen. It's has an informal quality and could use some editing, but the content is good. I don't want to be a hater, but the host needs to work on her speaking skills and vocal quality. It's not a voice for radio, but this could be fixed with practice.
Karen Sullivan
2 out of 5 stars
Disappointed
I love the idea, but this podcast feels like "Presidential History Lite" -- which surprised me given the people who were interviewed. The host doesn't have the gravitas or sense of history to pull this off. There is so much that could be done with a presidential history podcast. I hope this prompts someone else (are you listening Dan Carlson?) to give it a try.
bcmoon
4 out of 5 stars
Entertaining but...
This is a good podcast. They explore some lesser known details about the past presidents. I think the recurrent question about going on a blind date with each president is dumb. I'm male so it's not necessarily my place to say what is sexists against women, but this kind of seems like that. If this were a podcast on famous historical women and you asked every guest 'what would she be like in the sack?' that would be offensive, right? The podcast doesn't need this. Ask 'how did he treat his friends or loved ones?'.
Cwaireosleine
5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic and Improves
Really great podcast! I am going through it very quickly. If you start from the beginning just know that it gets better and better as it goes on. In the beginning I only somewhat liked it but now (midway though the 1800s I LOVE it!
Sunshine73fl
5 out of 5 stars
Interesting!
This podcast is educational and interesting! I would definitely recommend it to a friend.
vmitranspo
5 out of 5 stars
Love this!
Very well done. I've enjoyed every episode!
Ed Mahon
5 out of 5 stars
Great podcast!
Such a good podcast! Pleas make more like it!
x0lani
4 out of 5 stars
Great concept
The content gets 5 stars, but the production values are closer to 2. Still, it's an insightful lens for looking at the US presidency and American history.
CalenCross
5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic
Every president is different and this podcast spotlights those differences beautifully!
freecakeyall
4 out of 5 stars
Super cool!
I really love this podcast. It's a very interesting idea and pretty well done! I see a lot of complaints about the editing but it's gotten much better and isn't really that big of a deal either. I think the main person is enjoyable and all the guests have a lot to say. Overall, I'm glad I found it, it's worth listening to if you like politics.
CJinDC1
3 out of 5 stars
Good information, execution needs improvement
I was ecstatic about the concept of this podcast, and it has tons of interesting information about our presidents and our history. Unfortunately, it falls short in a few areas. They would be forgiveable if this was a person's first attempt at a podcast - unfortunately, this is sponsored by the Washington Post, and they ought to be able to do better. The host, while charming, doesn't appear to have sought feedback on her style before embarking on this journey. She often sounds on the verge of giggling, and she doesn't pronounce consonants ("important" pronounced as "impordand," for example). There's also a lot of garbage in the interviews (such as people answering phones), and the quality of interviews over the phone is terrible. Some of the most important information gets buried under silliness, like the 'blind date' question about each president. A good start, overall, and I'll continue listening, but it could use some upgrades.
Ultra chronic monstah
5 out of 5 stars
Best part of my Sunday!
Just finished the TR one and already looking forward to next week!
Bmck15
4 out of 5 stars
Informative but lacking
This a a pretty good podcast. I've gotten all the way to Abe Lincoln's episode and have enjoyed it enough, however, I do wish that it talked more about the actual events of each presidents time in office. For example, half of the John Adams episode was all about getting him a monument, not about the actual history of him. Like I said, very good and interesting. I like knowing what each presidents personality was like and how they would have dressed or what it would have been like to meet him for the first time, but it could use a bit more information on the actual time in office for each president.
F. Santos
5 out of 5 stars
Great Poscast
This is a great podcast. They always find a way to dig deep into the President's life and ends up revealing many aspects that you would have no way of knowing. I always look forward to the weekly update. You will not be disappointed!
KABergeron
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing
I love the journey that this podcast takes you on. It is a completely different side of our presidents. And, somehow, the presidents that you expect to be the least interesting are always the most interesting.
Wannabe podcaster in Spenard
4 out of 5 stars
Just what I've been looking for
WP is doing an excellent job of exploring the lesser know aspects of the US presidents, with indightful guests and nuanced conversations. Thank you for this. I loved Karl Rove's comparison of current partisanship with that in 1896.
Slimdickly
5 out of 5 stars
It's a must listen every week
This podcast will make you smarter in a way others can only hope to
Shelbyloudelong
5 out of 5 stars
So Great!
I love politics and history and this podcast talks about both. I just found it so I've been binge-listening. It is so cool to learn more about past leaders. It is also funny! Love it!
Podcast information
- Amount of episodes
- 53
- Subscribers
- 45
- Verified
- No
- Website
- Explicit content
- No
- Episode type
- episodic
- Podcast link
- https://podvine.com/link/..
- Last upload date
- June 6, 2023
- Last fetch date
- June 8, 2023 3:44 AM
- Upload range
- MONTHLY
- Author
- The Washington Post
- Copyright
- © The Washington Post
susbcribers
- BONUS | Happy Presidents’ Day! Or … not?Students, teachers and historians reflect on what has changed — and should change — about the way we teach presidential history today. This special episode features presidential experts Barbara Perry and Julian Zelizer, “How the Word Is Passed” author Clint Smith, and the AP government and politics class of teacher Michael Martirone.0 comments0
- Presidential Nov 8 · 53m Joe Biden: Triumph, tragedy and the fate of the centerFour years later, the “Presidential” podcast adds a new biography to its cadre of American presidents. This special episode explores Joe Biden's decades-long, hard-fought personal and political path to the White House, with the New Yorker’s Evan Osnos.0 comments0
- BONUS | What books about Trump say about AmericaBooks published in the Trump era reveal the battles over, and changes in, the American presidency today. In this special episode of “Presidential,” Post nonfiction book critic Carlos Lozada shares what he’s learned from reading more than 150 of them.0 comments0
- BONUS | Pandemic, propaganda and the presidencyThe 1918 influenza pandemic killed more than 675,000 Americans, but President Woodrow Wilson never made a single public statement about it. Why? Here’s what happens when efforts to promote patriotism and suppress free speech collide with a deadly virus.0 comments0
- BONUS | When a VP pick changes historyGeraldine Ferraro broke a major barrier in American politics in 1984, when she became the first woman nominated for the vice presidency by a major party. It was a historic decision by Democratic presidential candidate and former vice president Walter Mondale. And it did more than pave the way to the White House for more diverse candidates — it also fundamentally changed the way all future presidential campaign teams would approach vice-presidential announcements and conventions. Hosted by Washington Post journalist Lillian Cunningham, this podcast episode features former vice president and ’84presidential candidate Walter Mondale; Mondale’s former campaign press secretary, Maxine Isaacs; and vice-presidential historian Joel Goldstein. This is a special episode of the “Presidential” podcast series. In 44 chronological episodes, the “Presidential” podcast took listeners on an epic historical journey through the personality and legacy of each of the American presidents. Created and hosted by Lillian Cunningham, “Presidential” features interviews with the country’s greatest experts on the presidency, including Pulitzer Prize-winning biographers, historians and journalists. The full “Presidential” series is available to listen to here. Start listening at the very beginning, with the life of George Washington, or jump ahead to any president whose story you want to better understand. Photo credit: Associated Press0 comments0
- BONUS | Binding up the nation's woundsThe famous black contralto singer Marian Anderson performed at the Lincoln Memorial in 1939, after being denied the ability to perform down the street at Constitution Hall. And when she did, she transformed the monument into something more than a stone temple to Abraham Lincoln. She ushered in its new life as an active place for generations of Americans to continue the work to“bind up the nation’s wounds.” Hosted by Washington Post journalist Lillian Cunningham, the podcast episode features experts Molefi Kete Asante, head of the African American Studies Department at Temple University; Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln”; and Post architecture critic Philip Kennicott. This is a special episode of the “Presidential” podcast series. In 44 chronological episodes, the “Presidential” podcast took listeners on an epic historical journey through the personality and legacy of each of the American presidents. Created and hosted by Lillian Cunningham, “Presidential” features interviews with the country’s greatest experts on the presidency, including Pulitzer Prize-winning biographers, historians and journalists. The full “Presidential” series is available to listen to here. Start listening at the very beginning, with the life of George Washington, or jump ahead to any president whose story you want to better understand.0 comments0
- LIVE EVENT | 'Unprecedented Presidents' live from WBUR CitySpaceFour years after making Presidential, host Lillian Cunningham led a panel examining what's really unprecedented--or not--about Donald Trump's presidency. Historians Alexis Coe, Drew Gilpin Faust and Julian Zelizer joined for this live event in Boston.0 comments0
- Presidential Aug 15 · Harry S. Truman: Trying to make the right callBiographer David McCullough looks at some of the most difficult decisions President Truman made during his time in the White House, and Washington Post polling manager Scott Clement examines the biggest polling failure in presidential history.0 comments0
- Franklin D. Roosevelt: Through Eleanor's eyesAllida Black, editor of the Eleanor Roosevelt papers, along with FDR Library Director Paul Sparrow and White House speechwriter Sarada Peri, examine Franklin Roosevelt's leadership through the lens of the first lady's own contributions to his presidency.0 comments0
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