The American President: The American Way

It is often observed that American national identity is less a condition than an idea. What we have come to refer to as “the vision thing” is an expectation that our presidents will bring to the office a particularly strong sense of national mission. The four chronicled here (Thomas Jefferson, Calvin Coolidge, Herbert Hoover, Ronald Reagan) may have understood the special character of America in different ways, but in all cases a belief that there was a distinctly American way of doing things guided their decisions. “The American President” is a series that aired on PBS in 2000 profiling 41 U.S. chief executives, using exclusive interviews with Presidents Clinton, Bush, Ford, and Carter. Well known figures lend their voice to presidents of the past who lived before sound recordings, including: Colin Powell, Bob Dole, Walter Cronkite, Ben Bradlee, John Glenn, James Carville, Andrew Young, and the Rev. Billy Graham. Narrated by Hugh Sidey. Subscribe for access to interviews, series, films, and educational materials that address issues of social justice, history, politics, the arts, and culture by spotlighting relatable human stories of purpose and meaning. Learn about our work and how to support our mission here: For extended versions of these interviews and more, visit: @lifestoriesinterviewarchive Follow us on Instagram: Chapter Markers: Thomas Jefferson - His “Empire Of Liberty“ 1801-1809 (0:46) Calvin Coolidge - Silent Cal 1923-1929 (12:28) Herbert C. Hoover - American Individualist 1929-1933 (23:40) Ronald Reagan - An American Dreamer 1981-1989 (36:17) © Kunhardt Film Foundation. All Rights Reserved. #TheAmericanPresident #kunhardtfilmfoundation