The ‘S’ in ‘Harry S. Truman’ Really DID Stand for Something
So now it comes out that the ‘S’ in the name of Harry S. Truman actually did have a meaning. For years we’ve heard people say that the S “doesn’t …..
Posts tagged: POTUS
The Lincoln-Douglas-Trump Debates
“Faced with a litany of criminal charges, Donald Trump on Sunday told a campaign rally in Iowa that he would prefer to die by electrocution rather than be eaten by …..
LBJ’s Long Hair
The Atlantic’s Kevin Townsend has a lovely little article about how retired President Lyndon Johnson grew his hair out in Texas in the last year of his life. It starts …..
Jimmy Carter Did His Bit
[Editorial note: Rather than read the post below, try this wonderful article by journalist James Fallows, a Carter speechwriter in the 1970s: An Unlucky President, And A Lucky Man. And …..
Martin Luther King Pushed for Global Justice, Not Just Civil Rights at Home
MLK’s vision for nonviolence included abolishing what he called triple evils – racism, poverty and militarism – and his anger at the Vietnam War led him to push for a broader agenda.
Bo the Dog Has Crossed the Rainbow Bridge
Bo in 2009. (Official White House photo by Chuck Kennedy) Bo the Dog has died, sad to say. The former First Dog passed away at age 12 after a bout …..
![ST-A4-93-62 27 November 1962.President Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (JBK), and children in White House Nursery.. [Scratches throughout the negative].Please credit "Cecil Stoughton. White House Photographs. John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston"](https://www.who2.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Jackie-John-Jr.-and-Caroline-104x76.jpg)
Jackie Kennedy’s Last Visit to the White House
It had been eight years since Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis left the White House, eight years since black bunting had hung from the East Room windows and her husband’s body rested …..
Joe Biden Inaugurated as U.S. President
Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris are inaugurated today as the 46th president, and the 49th vice president, of the United States. “Today” being January 20, 2021. They replace Donald Trump …..
Trump to Georgia Secretary of State: Please Cheat
President Donald Trump asked Georgia’s Secretary of State to “find 11,780 votes” and “recalculate” the state’s presidential vote totals in a remarkable and damning phone call on Saturday. The hour-long …..
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris are the Next President and Vice President of the United States
It’s official: Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris will be the next president and vice president of the United States of America. The Democrats defeated Republican incumbents Donald Trump and Mike Pence …..
NY Daily News on Trump: ‘Three Men and a Baby’
Now, there’s a headline writer who went home with a sense of a job well done. Noted the article: Trump was the lone living president to play no official role in …..
George H.W. Bush: A Decent Man, A Bitter Political Legacy
Any discussion of President George Herbert Walker Bush, who died yesterday at age 94, should start by acknowledging that he was by any measure a public servant, a family man, …..
Medal of Honor Winner Florent Groberg Is Married
Vows — the weekly wedding section of The New York Times — is always good for an unusual courtship story, a meet-cute or even a few tears. This week it …..
Trump Family Tax Fraud: How Reporters Cracked the Story
Donald Trump has long claimed that he turned “a small loan of a million dollars” from his father into a billion-dollar fortune. Now a special investigation by The New York …..
Manafort: GuiltyCohen: Guilty
President Donald Trump‘s former campaign manager and personal lawyer both were declared guilty today of crimes including tax fraud, bank fraud, campaign finance cheating, and other illegal financial shenanigans. Paul …..
Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen Biographies: New!
Our biographies of Stormy Daniels and of Michael Cohen are now live on Who2. Their connection is bizarre, seedy and deservedly huge news. Stormy Daniels is the adult film actress who …..
The Obama Official Portraits: One Strange, One Wonderful
The new portraits of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were unveiled today at the National Gallery. Here they are: Barack Obama’s portrait is by Kehinde Wiley, and …..
How Old is Michael Flynn? Nobody Knows for Sure
Lt. General Michael Flynn celebrates his 59th birthday sometime this month. The trick is, nobody seems to know when. Oh, presumably his mother knows. But we looked pretty hard for the exact …..
Born 100 Years Ago: JFK, Ella and So Many More
What a year for being born was 1917! Actor Dean Martin, Secretary of State Cyrus Vance and jazz star Thelonius Monk all hit their 100th birthdays this year… and they can’t even crack the top …..
Donald Trump’s Children: An Easy Guide
President Donald Trump has five children by his three wives, and with his inauguration as president on January 20th, we’ve been seeing more questions about the Trump kids. Here’s a guide …..
Joe Biden Given Presidential Medal of Freedom in Surprise Ceremony
Vice President Joe Biden was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom today by President Barack Obama in a surprise White House ceremony. Always emotional, Joe Biden cried openly during much of …..
Carrie Fisher Outlived General Patton, Fell Short of Leon Trotsky
Carrie Fisher died much too young, sadly: at 60 years and 67 days. However, age is relative. Some famous historical people we think of as “older folks” died right before …..
A Coastal Elitist Votes for the Heartland
Coastal elites have been voting for the heartland for 50 years. The problem is that the heartland has been voting the other way.
Barron Trump Photos: New!
Barron Trump is the 10-year-old son of President-elect Donald Trump and his wife, Melania. We’ve just added a new biography of the tyke, and with it comes a raft of Barron Trump …..
President Obama Meets President-Elect Trump
President Barack Obama met president-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office this week, two days after Trump’s surprise election as America’s next president. Another great photo by ace White House …..
Tiffany Trump Biography – New!
Our Tiffany Trump biography is live. Now that Donald Trump has been elected president, it’s time for us to start expanding related biographies, and Tiffany Trump certainly qualifies. She’s Trump’s …..
Donald Trump Elected President
Donald Trump was elected the 45th president of the United States on Tuesday night. He will succeed Barack Obama on January 20, 2017. While final totals are not yet in, …..
Robert Caro on LBJ and the Biographer’s Art
If you like biography, interviews or Lyndon B. Johnson, don’t miss this Paris Review interview with Pulitzer Prize-winner Robert Caro. Caro is now starting his fifth decade of work on …..
George Bush is Still Hating on Broccoli
This week a young child wrote to former President George Bush (the elder) to proclaim his love of broccoli. The president’s reply: Proud of young Cooper’s interest in healthy eating. …..
Trump 2016: The Anime Commercial
Trump-ah, 2016! If this video won’t make you vote for Donald Trump, probably nothing will. Granted that he does destroy the entire planet with his robot hand-rays at the end, but …..
The White House Easter Egg Roll Used to Get a Little Crazy
Photos of the White House Easter Egg Roll show that it was a little less educational and more freewheeling in the old days.
The White House Situation Room Clocks are Rather Interesting
As we were prowling the White House Flickr photo feed recently, this photo of the White House situation room caught our eye. It’s from December 5 of 2015; President Barack Obama is …..
Facts About the Presidents
Presidents Day is the day we honor our former chief executives by closing banks, pruning roses and selling towels. Find out more with the Who2 grab bag of presidential biographies and facts.
LBJ’s War on Poverty: It Worked!
Was the “war on poverty” a failure? Not hardly.
Grover Cleveland vs. Benjamin Harrison: The Dramatic Recreation!
The year is 1888, and the departing president and the president-elect face off in an emotional encounter — recreated through the power of animation.
John F. Kennedy: A Few Thoughts on the 50th Anniversary of His Death
Remembering a president who would have turned 96 this year.
Calvin Coolidge Shaved Himself For Marriage
Our 30th president was shaving himself, wearing only underwear and a top hat, when his future wife first laid eyes on him.
John F. Kennedy and Ireland: The Love Affair Continues
Near the 50th anniversary of his famous visit, John F. Kennedy is still beloved in his ancestral home.
Michelle Obama in Vogue
Well, she looks great. Let’s just admit she looks great.
Eisenhower and Nixon Fishing: Whatta Photo
Has a less-believable photo ever been issued in any presidential race?
Ulysses S. Grant: His Last Desperate Days
The cancer-ridden president knocked out 10,000 words a day as he raced to complete his memoirs before his death.
Valentine’s Day Special: Esperanza Spalding Plays ‘Overjoyed’
The super-bassist plays one of Stevie Wonder’s most hopeful love songs at the White House.
Photos of Queen Elizabeth With 12 U.S. Presidents
She’s zipped through an even dozen presidents during her 60 years on the throne.
Happy Birthday, Millard Fillmore!
Millard Fillmore was born 7 January 1800 in Cayuga County, New York. Happy birthday, Millard! His presidency isn’t memorable, but his final words are.
Pete Souza’s Favorite White House Photos of 2012
The ace White House photographer releases his favorite shots of Barack Obama and family.
1876: When (Rutherford) Hayes Met Samuel (Tilden)
It wasn’t one of America’s prettiest elections.
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney: The Handshake
The challenger and the president have had a post-election chat.
Joe Biden is 70! Where Will He Be When He’s 82?
The cheerful vice president was born in Scranton on November 20th of 1942. Will he become the oldest first-time president in 2017?
Obama Does the McKayla Maroney ‘Not Impressed’ Face
The unhappy Olympic silver medalist takes her face to the White House.
Election Day 2012: Vote, You Devils!
Barack Obama or Mitt Romney or Green/Libertarian/other? Today’s the day to choose sides.
Ike’s Bluff: How a Canny President Kept the Cold War Cold
Wily Dwight Eisenhower used a combination of brains and befuddlement to keep nukes out of action in the 1950s.
Inside Barack Obama’s Old Harvard Law Apartment!
Barbells, beige carpet and a beat-up couch — still a student apartment, all right!
Randy Newman is ‘Dreaming of a White President’
The Toy Story composer goes back to his cynical roots with a song for Campaign 2012.
Letitia Tyler Made White House History By Dying on This Day 170 Years Ago
She was the first First Lady to die in the White House — and also the first to die while holding a fake rose.
Bill Clinton’s Democratic Convention Speech: Text
The former president delivered a crowd-pleaser in Charlotte.
Just a Nice Photo: The Father In Chief
The First Family watches as the First Lady gives her speech to the Democratic convention.
Happy Birrrrthday, Mister President!
President Barack Obama is now 51 years old.
Betty White Poses With Presidents and Elephants
“Mister President, how about you be JFK and I’ll be Marlene Dietrich?”
Secretary of Commerce Bryson Takes Medical Leave After Seizures
John Bryson will get a full health workup and treatment for the seizures said to have caused his hit-and-run crashes this weekend.
Five Photos of John Glenn Getting Older
He isn’t getting any younger, but he is wearing the Presidential Medal of Freedom. What are you wearing?
What’s George W. Bush Up to These Days?
Eating crabmeat soufflé and visiting Crawford, says The Daily Telegraph.
Happy 50th Deathday to Edith Wilson, Our First Female President
First Lady Edith Wilson ran the country for more than a year, to hear some people tell it. And she died 50 years ago today.
How Long Do Carter, Clinton or the Bushes Have to Live to Pass Gerald Ford?
Gerald Ford was America’s longest-lived president, but a few of the younger boys are nipping at his heels.
Surprise! New Transcripts Show Nixon Blamed His Enemies
President Nixon, still the victim after all these years.
What Happened to Barack Obama?
“When he wants to be, the president is a brilliant and moving speaker, but his stories virtually always lack one element: the villain who caused the problem, who is always left out, described in impersonal terms, or described in passive voice, as if the cause of others’ misery has no agency and hence no culpability.”
How Many Other Presidents Turned 50 in Office?
Barack Obama turns 50 years old on this very day. Question: How many other U.S. presidents have turned 50 while in office? Take a guess, and we’ll give you the answer after this roll call.
Barack Obama: A Birthday Timeline
Ever think to yourself as a kid, “Gee, I wonder where I’ll be when I’m 50?”If you’re Barack Obama, the answer to that question turned out to be: “In the White House, at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, as the duly-elected President of the United States.”
Why Can’t Today’s Republicans Compromise?
It’s all about conservative voter turnout, says Nate Silver:
“The Jews Are Born Spies,” Says President Nixon
President Nixon: The Jews are born spies. You notice how many of them are? They’re just in it up to their necks.Haldeman: Well, got a basic devious abil– deviousness that–President Nixon: Well, also, an arrogance, an arrogance that says– that’s what makes a spy. He puts himself above the law.
Michelle Bachmann is Running for President
Michelle Bachmann announced today that she’s running for the 2012 Republican nomination for president.
Happy 100th Birthday to the ‘Happy Warrior’
Hubert H. Humphrey was born 100 years ago today.
Donald Trump Decides Not to Win the Presidency
He’s done for 2012, though he totally would have won:
The Day They Got Bin Laden: Photos
The White House has released a remarkable series of photos from Sunday, as President Barack Obama and his national security team followed the attack on Osama bin Laden’s compound.
Osama bin Laden is Dead
Osama bin Laden is dead.
Barack Obama’s Long-Form Birth Certificate
Remarkable. The White House today published a copy of President Barack Obama’s long-form birth certificate. Here it is:
Ellen Axson Wilson, Ill-Fated First Lady, is Your 3700th Biography
Ellen Axson Wilson, the first wife of President Woodrow Wilson, has become Who2’s 3700th biography. Mr. Hehn finished and posted her profile just last night.
Every Last Photo Ever Taken of Good Old Abe Lincoln
Every known photo of Abraham Lincoln from 1846 until his death in 1865. He was about 37 years old in that first shot, 56 when he died. My faves are …..
Barack Obama: “This Will Be My Final Campaign”
“This will be my final campaign, at least as a candidate.”So said Barack Obama in an email to supporters this morning, announcing that he’s filing the paperwork to run for president in 2012.
Geraldine Ferraro Biography: Five Things You Didn’t Know
Geraldine Ferraro has died at age 75.
Presidential Candidates 2012: Tim Pawlenty Gets Things Rolling
Tim Pawlenty, the former governor of Minnesota, declared today that he is forming a presidential exploratory committee for 2012. “Declared” isn’t quite right: he announced it via this video on his Facebook page:
David Axelrod Reflects
For political wonks (and Chicagoans) only: David Axelrod talks about Obama’s first two years.
Sarah Palin Uses Naughty Internet Slang
Over at Media Matters, they’re featuring a video clip from Fox News — in which former Alaskan governor Sarah Palin uses naughty internet slang — on national tee-vee! — to harp on President Barack Obama’s recent State of the Union address (hint: it’s not SOTU).
Barack Obama’s 2011 State of the Union Address: the Transcript
Here’s the text.Or try this clever video-with-highlighted-text feature from The NY Times.
Herbie Hancock, Lang Lang in Chinese-American ‘Rockit’ Pact
Jazz great Herbie Hancock and Chinese phenom Lang Lang met at the grand piano during Wednesday night’s state dinner for Hu Jintao at the White House.James Fallows has the critical backgrounder.
Did John Kennedy Kill the Hat Industry?
Not so much. It was American Express what done it.
John F. Kennedy’s Inauguration: The Beaver Hat!
This is the beaver-and-silk hat worn by John F. Kennedy at his inauguration as U.S. president on this day 50 years ago.The John F. Kennedy Library describes the top hat this way:
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is 60!
Grab a bushel of corn and raise a toast: Tom Vilsack was born on this day in 1950. He has been America’s Secretary of Agriculture since January of 2009.
Memories of the Al Gore Administration
What if the Supreme Court had given the election to Al Gore instead of George W. Bush? New York magazine imagines.
Richard Pryor, The First Black President, +5
Surprising but true: Richard Pryor died only five years ago today, on 10 September 2005, of a heart attack. He was only 65.
The Tax Deal: A Stroke of Obama Genius?
Andrew Sullivan puts the best possible face on the deal for Democrats.
Ted Sorensen, JFK Counselor and Speechwriter, Dead at 82
Ted Sorensen has died of a stroke in New York City. He was 82 years old.
“Holy General Jackson!” Truman Becomes President
Simpler times.The Senate historian describes the day in 1945 that Harry Truman became president of the United States:
Barack and Michelle Obama: Helicopter Parents
President Barack Obama, with his wife Michelle (at top) and daughters Malia (right) and Sasha, returned to the White House yesterday after the family’s 10-day vacation in Martha’s Vineyard. All four made a stopo
The George W. Bush Memoir: Alternate Covers
Gawker offers some options.
Occupation: Alpha Dog
One perk of being President of the United States: When filling out your tax return, under Your occupation you get to write “U.S. President.”It’s the little things that count.