POLL: Pick the Next Extra History Series! "American Presidents"

Here's an opportunity to get to know some of the unusual aspects around a particular US president. Who do you want to know more about?

Andrew Johnson: Trashing Lincoln's Legacy

Andrew Johnson was never supposed to be president. Raised in poverty, never able to finish school, he became a hero to the Union during the Civil War, when he became the only sitting US senator from a southern state who refused to back secession. It was for that reason Lincoln took him as a running mate in 1864—picking him as an act of unity, since he was a southern Democrat who'd owned slaves until the previous year. But after Lincoln's assassination, Johnson suddenly became the key figure in readmitting southern states to the Union. His positions of conciliation and compromise with the south made him mortal enemies in the Republican-controlled congress, leading to the nation's first impeachment trial.

Ulysses S. Grant: Soldier President

The two things everyone says about Ulysses S. Grant is that he was a good general, but a bad president... but one of those things isn't true. While the political neophyte Grant had difficulty noticing and controlling corruption in his administration—a major error—and stumbled on the economy, he also put forth a robust civil rights platform, extended voting rights for African-Americans, and championed the separation of church and state. However, he would end up trading away the gains of Reconstruction, a move that would have terrible consequences for African-Americans in the south...

Teddy Roosevelt: Trust-Buster

When Theodore Roosevelt came to the presidency, trusts and monopolies were putting a stranglehold on American consumers. Companies like Standard Oil had purchased so many competitors and parts of their supply chain that they ruled over large sections of the economy, driving smaller competitors out of business before buying them or engaging in price-fixing with other large rivals. Roosevelt attacked them, welding as his weapon the 1890 Sherman Antitrust Act. He broke up monopolies, brought regulation to American business, and created what would become the departments of Commerce, Labor, and the Federal Trade Commission. Though he did on occasion overstep... like when he tried to regulate how words were spelled.

Warren Harding: Beyond Teapot Dome

Say what you will about Warren Harding, but the man loved his dog. Laddie Boy got an official portrait, birthday cakes made of dog biscuits, and a seat at the table during cabinet meetings. Which was great for Harding, because the press attention on Laddie Boy distracted from the wanton corruption in his administration. There was the head of the Veteran's Bureau, who defrauded hospitals and sold medical supplies. His Attorney General wrapped up in bootlegger payoffs and guiding seized companies to friends. Then there was the big one, Teapot Dome, where drilling rights to a strategic oil reserve were exchanged for a payoff... leading to the first cabinet member ever to serve prison time. And where was Harding during all this? Already dead, of course.

What series would you like us to air on Extra History? Cast your vote(s) below and let us know! 

Friendly reminder: You can vote for as many choices as you want! This style of voting helps us see what people are most interested in without having to make tough decisions between a couple of close favorites. The poll will end at 11:59 PM PT on Sunday, October 11th.

Current Schedule: End of the Samurai --> Saladin --> Your Vote