F. Roosevelt, 189, 190
and White House tunnel, 127
Wilson, 161
American Indians, 51, 54–56, 95, 110, 113
American party, 74
Arthur, Chester A., 121–25, 122
Arthur, Ellen Lewis Herndon, 123–24
assassination attempts
Ford, 237
Hayes, 111
Jackson, 48
A. Johnson, 103
Lincoln, 97
Reagan, 246
F. Roosevelt, 189
T. Roosevelt, 151
Truman, 196–97
Tyler, 61
assassinations
Garfield, 118, 120
J. Kennedy, 207
R. Kennedy, 217
Lincoln, 81, 92, 96–97, 102
McKinley, 141
B
Bank of the United States, 44, 51, 60
Blaine, James, 116, 120, 132
Booth, John Wilkes, 96, 97, 103
Britton, Nan, 166, 167
Bryan, William Jennings, 141
Buchanan, James, 82, 83–88, 84
Burr, Aaron, 41
Bush, Barbara Pierce, 178
Bush, George Herbert Walker, 251–55, 252, 278
Bush, George W., 264–71, 265
C
cards, presidents and, 165, 166, 202
Carter, James Earl, 235, 236, 238–43, 239, 246
Carter, Rosalynn Smith, 177
China, 141, 194
civil rights, 194, 200, 216–17
Civil War, 2, 89, 91–92, 94
Clay, Henry
and J. Q. Adams, 36, 37
Compromise of 1850, 68, 74
and W. H. Harrison, 56
and Polk, 63
and Tyler, 60
Cleveland, Frances Folsom, 132
Cleveland, Grover, 127, 128–33, 129, 136, 230
Clinton, Hillary Rodham, 178, 258, 260, 262, 263
Clinton, William Jefferson, 231, 256–63, 257, 278
Cold War, 206–7, 247
Coleman, Anne, 86–87
communism, 194, 200–201, 223, 253
Compromise of 1850, 68, 74
constitutions
Kansas (LeCompton), 85, 88
Massachusetts, 10
United States, 1, 8, 23, 58, 92
Coolidge, Calvin, 168–72, 169, 179, 181, 231
Coolidge, Grace, 171
Cuba, 140, 141, 148, 206–7, 213
D
Dallek, Robert, 211
Declaration of Independence, 15, 18
Democrats
beginnings of party, 44
and election of 1876, 111–12
and slavery, 76–78
and Vietnam, 217
and Watergate, 224, 229
Dickinson, Charles, 47
Douglas, Stephen, 78, 91, 92
drinking habits
J. Adams, 13
Buchanan, 87
G. W. Bush, 264, 269
Cleveland, 132
E. Ford, 177
Grant, 106, 107–8
Harding, 166
Jackson, 45
A. Johnson, 102
L. Johnson, 2, 218
Nixon, 226
Pierce, 79
Washington, 8
drug usage accusations, 177, 208, 226, 242, 269
E
Eisenhower, Dwight David, 198–203, 199, 223, 227
Eisenhower, Mamie Geneva Doud, 176–77
Emancipation Proclamation, 91–92
F
Federalist party, 12, 14, 40
Fillmore, Millard, 72–75, 73, 126
First Ladies. See specific names
Fisk, Jim, 109–10
Ford, Elizabeth Bloomer Warren, 177
Ford, Gerald R., 2, 82, 232–37, 233, 246
Franklin, Benjamin, 13, 40
Freemasons, 82
G
Garfield, James A., 82, 116–20, 117, 278
Garfield, Lucretia, 118
General Arbitration Treaty, 156
Germany, 158, 187, 194, 200
Goldwater, Barry, 216, 246
golf, presidents and, 156, 165, 202
Gore, Al, 266, 278
Gould, Jay, 109–10
Grant, Jesse, 104
Grant, Julia Boggs Dent, 107, 175
Grant, Ulysses S., 104–10, 105
corrupt administration, 118, 119
and Hayes, 111, 114
military career, 2, 91
re-election campaign, 116
Great Depression, 171, 179, 181, 186
Guiteau, Charles, 118, 119–20, 121, 123
Gulf War (1991), 253–54, 267
Gulf War (2003), 267–68
H
Halpin, Maria, 131
Hamilton, Alexander, 23, 40, 41
Hancock, John, 40
Harding, Florence Kling De Wolfe, 163
Harding, Warren G., 2, 82, 163–67, 164, 181
Harriman, Averell, 228
Harrison, Benjamin, 127, 130, 134–37, 135
Harrison, William Henry, 54–57, 55 ,58 ,134
Harvey, Peter, 96
Hayes, Lucy Ware Webb, 114, 175, 230
Hayes, Rutherford B., 111–15, 112
about Arthur, 124–25
election controversy, 116
and Garfield, 116
and McKinley, 138
personality, 2
pet cat, 230
White House pest problems, 127
Hemings, Sally, 21
Hersh, Seymour, 210, 213, 226
Hickock, Lorena, 176, 189–90
Hoover, Herbert, 179–83, 180
Hoover, Lou Henry, 176
Hume, Paul, 195–96
Humphrey, Hubert, 221, 224
Hurricane Katrina, 268
Hussein, Saddam, 253–54, 267
I
impeachments, 98, 100–101, 262
inaugurations
address, custom of, 6
Buchanan, 81
Carter, 238
W. H. Harrison, 56–57
Hoover, 172, 181–82
A. Johnson, speech by, 102
Lincoln, 91, 102
Madison, 25, 27
Pierce, 79, 81
Reagan, 241
F. Roosevelt, 181–82, 184
Washington, 6
Iran hostage crisis, 240–41
Iran-Contra scandal, 247
Iraq, 253–54, 267–68
J
Jackson, Andrew, 42–48, 43
election controversy, 36
Freemasonry, 82
and Monroe, 31
and Polk, 63
and Van Buren, 49
White House improvements, 126
Japan, 74, 187, 255
Jefferson, Martha, 19, 21
Jefferson, Thomas, 15–22, 16
and Adams, 13, 14, 17
death, 14
health, 26
about Madison, 25
about Monroe, 29
pet bird, 230
as vice president, 12
about Washington, 7–8
Johnson, Andrew, 82, 98–103, 99, 127
Johnson, Eliza McCardle, 101
Johnson, Lady Bird, 220
Johnson, Lyndon Baines, 82, 214–20, 215, 231, 236
Jones, Paula, 260, 261, 262
K
Kansas-Nebraska Act, 78, 83
Kennedy, Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, 177, 211, 212
Kennedy, John Fitzgerald, 204–13, 205
about Jefferson, 15
and Johnson, 216
about Nixon, 228
pets, 231
Kennedy, Joseph Sr., 204–5, 208, 209–10, 211
Kennedy, Robert, 208, 210, 211, 212, 217
King, William Rufus, 87
Kissinger, Henry, 226–27
Korean War, 194, 201
Lamon, Ward, 97
Lane, Harriet, 86
Lawrence, Richard, 48
Lea
gue of Nations, 160, 161
left-handed presidents, 278
LeHand, Missy, 189, 190
Lewinsky, Monica, 259–60, 261–62
Lincoln, Abraham, 89–97, 90
family, 174–75
and A. Johnson, 100, 102
pets, 230
Southern secession, 85
Lincoln, Mary Todd, 97, 174–75
Louisana Purchase, 17, 31
M
MacArthur, Douglas, 194, 200
Madison, Dolley Payne Todd, 23–24, 27–28, 173
Madison, James, 6, 23–28, 24
Manifest Destiny, 63–64
Mann, Horace, 71
Marshall Plan, 194
McCarthy, Joseph, 194, 200
McClellan, George, 89
McHenry, James, 13
McKinley, Ida Saxton, 142, 175
McKinley, William, 138–42, 139
Freemasonry, 82
pet parrot, 230
and Taft, 152–54
Mencken, H. L., 172
Mercer, Lucy, 189, 190
Merry, Andrew, 18
Mexican War, 63, 65, 67
Missouri Compromise of 1820, 78
mob connections, 210
Monroe, Elizabeth Kortright, 173
Monroe, James, 29–33, 30, 82
Monroe, Marilyn, 211
Monroe Doctrine, 31
“Mr. President,” phrase, 6, 13–14
N
naps, presidential, 155–56, 172, 249–50
Nelson, Willie, 242
“New Deal,” 186–87
Nixon, Patricia, 226
Nixon, Richard M., 206, 221–29, 222, 232, 234
Nobel Peace Prize winners, 144, 241
O
Obama, Barack, 272–79, 273
Ogle, Charles, 52
P
Panama, 150, 253
Parker, Dorothy, 171
Pendleton Act of 1883, 118, 123
Peru, 74
pets, presidential, 230–31
Philippines, 140, 141, 152–54, 155
Pierce, Franklin, 76–81, 77
Pierce, Jane Appleton, 80, 174
Platt, Thomas, 137
political parties. See specific names
Polk, James Knox, 63–66, 64
about Buchanan, 86
Freemasonry, 82
about Taylor, 71
White House improvements, 126
Polk, Sarah, 66
presidency, development of, 1, 6, 8, 13–14
Presley, Elvis, 223, 228
Progressive “Bull Moose” party, 144, 151, 154–55
Pulitzer Prize winners, 207
R
Reagan, Nancy, 178, 250
Reagan, Ronald, 235, 241, 244–50, 245, 278
Reconstruction, 100–101, 113
Republicans
and election of 1876, 111–12
and Federalists, 12, 14, 40
and Garfield, 116
and Reconstruction, 100–101
renamed Democrats, 44
and slavery, 83, 85, 91
“Stalwarts,” 116, 122–23
Revolutionary War, 6, 7
Roosevelt, Alice, 147
Roosevelt, Edith Kermit Carow, 147
Roosevelt, (Anna) Eleanor, 176, 188, 189–90
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, 184–90, 185
Freemasonry, 82
and Hoover, 181–82
pet dog, 231
and Truman, 191–92, 193
White House alterations, 127
Roosevelt, Theodore, 143–51, 145
Freemasonry, 82
and B. Harrison, 136
about McKinley, 140
personality, 2
pets, 231
about E. Roosevelt’s marriage, 188
and Taft, 152, 154, 155
Root, Elihu, 140, 150, 155
S
Scott, Winfield, 74, 78
secessions by Southern states, 68, 85, 89, 103
Secret Service
for Coolidge, 172
development of, 61, 80
for Hayes, 111
for Johnson, 219
for Kennedy, 211, 212
slavery
and J. Q. Adams, 36
Amistad incident, 36
and Buchanan, 85
Compromise of 1850, 74
and Democrats, 76–78
“doughface” Northerners, 76
Emancipation Proclamation, 91–92
and Fillmore, 74
and Jackson, 46
and Jefferson, 18–19
and A. Johnson, 100
and Lincoln, 91–92
and Pierce, 78
and Republican Party, 85, 91
and Taylor, 68
Soviet Union
Cold War era, 201, 241
Cuban missile crisis, 206–7
fall of, 253
Nixon’s visit, 224
and Reagan, 246, 247
Truman Doctrine, 194
Spanish-American War, 140–41, 148
Stanton, Edwin, 100, 102–3
Starr, Kenneth, 260, 261
Summers, Anthony, 226
T
Taft, Helen “Nellie” Herron, 154, 175–76
Taft, William Howard, 2, 82, 144, 152–56, 153
Taylor, Peggy, 70–71
Taylor, Zachary, 67–71, 69
appearance, 2
military career, 65
pet horse, 230
White House improvements, 127
Teapot Dome scandal, 165
Truman, Bess, 195, 196
Truman, Harry S, 191–97, 192
Freemasonry, 82
about Nixon, 228
White House improvements, 126
World War II, 187
Truman, Margaret, 195–96
Tyler, John, 58–62, 59
Tyler, Julia Gardiner, 60, 61–62, 173–74
Tyler, Letitia, 60
V
Van Buren, Hannah Hoes, 53
Van Buren, Martin, 49–53, 50
Bank of the United States, 60
and Polk, 63
White House improvements, 126
Vietnam, 201, 207, 217, 224
W
War of 1812, 27–28, 29–31, 37, 44
Washington, George, 4–9, 5
Freemasonry, 82
on political parties, 12
temper, 2
Washington, Martha Custis, 7, 9
Watergate scandal, 224, 225, 229, 232
Whig party, 56, 60, 61
White House
burning of, 28, 126
furnishings, 27, 32–33, 124
improvements, 126, 127, 219
officially named, 149
pest problems of, 127
plunder of, 28, 97
restorations, 126, 177, 196
security, 61, 80
Whitewater scandal, 260, 262–63
Wilson, Edith Bolling Galt, 162
Wilson, Ellen, 161, 162
Wilson, (Thomas) Woodrow, 157–62, 159
election of 1912, 144, 155
and Hoover, 179–80
and T. Roosevelt, 148–49, 155
World War I, 158–60
World War II, 187, 193, 200
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Of all the sources used in researching this book, five were indispensable. The Reader’s Companion to the American Presidency, edited by Alan Brinkley and Davis Dyer, and Neil A. Hamilton’s Presidents: A Biographical Dictionary are excellent overviews of the men and their times. Paul F. Boller’s Presidential Anecdotes remains a classic chronicle of White House folklore, while Real Life at the White House: Two Hundred Years of Daily Life at America’s Most Famous Residence, by John Whitcomb and Claire Whitcomb, is a veritable treasure trove of information about presidential families and their struggles with everyday existence. For a look at the presidents in their own words, I found Presidential Wit and Wisdom: Maxim
s, Mottoes, Sound Bites, Speeches, and Asides—Memorable Quotes from America’s Presidents, by Jess Brallier and Sally Chabert, to be extremely helpful.
I would also like to thank my editor, Jason Rekulak, who believed in me from the start and whose comments helped create a better book; Erin Slonaker, whose assiduous reading of the manuscript held me to the highest of standards; Monika Suteski, whose inspired illustrations are as entertaining as anything I’ve written; designers Susan Van Horn and Andrea Stephany, who whipped an unwieldy project into a beautiful book; Michael Regan, for his indispensable contributions to the final chapter; and Lauren Beck, without whose love, support, and input this whole thing would literally have been impossible.
HISTORY WAS NEVER THIS MUCH FUN IN SCHOOL!
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