Attributes of Successful Presidents, Part 4

The Massachusetts College of Law hosted historians and political scientists to explore successful and unsuccessful presidents. This session dealt with Ulysses S. Grant and Warren G. Harding. Phillip Payne argued that Warren G. Harding was a better president than his reputation. Brooks Simpson discussed President Grant. Gene Healey talked about presidents from the later 19th century. Following their speeches, the panel members responded to questions from the audience. Lawrence R. Velvel moderated.

Brooks Simpson is the author of Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph Over Adversity, 1822-1865 (Houghton Mifflin, 2000). Philip Payne was the site manager of the Warren G. Harding home and memorial. He is the author of the forthcoming book Dead Last: The Public Memory of Warren G. Harding’s Scandalous Legacy (Ohio University Press).

“Revaluating the Presidencies of U.S. Grant and Warren G. Harding” was a panel in a conference titled “Chasing Success or Courting Failure: An In-Depth Look at the Attributes an American President Must Possess for Success.” close