PRESIDENTS

Rutherford B. Hayes: The National Hero of ... Paraguay?

In Rutherford B. Hayes' hometown of Delaware, Ohio, there's a memorial to the late U.S. president; it's a plaque that marks his birthplace, which is now a gas station. In Paraguay, people might find this fact horribly offensive.

A Brief History of Presidential Vacations

We're in the throes of summer vacation season, but at least one American is still on the job. While it's rumored that President Obama will follow in the footsteps of President Clinton and vacation on Martha's Vineyard, he hasn't had a chance to break out

Nixon's Stance on Abortion

Whether you love him or hate him, Richard Nixon is easily one of the most complex and fascinating characters we seem to tackle. In the magazine, we've talked about how he created the EPA, how he was responsible for a six-fold increase in the National Endo

Who Pays for the Obama Family's Food?

Like all presidents, Barack Obama and his family will have to pay for their own food while they're living in the White House. But does someone actually send them a bill? How does this system work?

6 Presidential Siblings and the Headaches They Caused

Every aspect of the American presidency comes under intense scrutiny, but few parts of a president's life contain as many amusing, slightly sordid anecdotes as their siblings' behavior. When a new president takes office, his ne'er-do-well siblings receive

Ollie Atkins, White House photographer, Wikimedia Commons // Public Domain

11 Notable Presidential Pardons

Presidents as far back as George Washington have waited until their final days in office to sign pardons. Let's take a look at some of history's more notable ones.

Everything You Wanted to Know About the Electoral College But Were Afraid to Ask

Who makes up the Electoral College? Where and when does the Electoral College vote? What happens if no candidate received 270 electoral votes? And all your other Electoral College questions answered.

(Photo by Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

What was the "Checkers Speech" and why is it so important?

Fifty-six years ago yesterday, Republican VP candidate Richard Nixon went on TV to give what's known as the "Checkers Speech." Why does a speech named after a dog live on in our cultural subconscious more than half a century later?

Who's Next? A Look at Presidential Succession

Between 1841 and 1975, more than a third of U.S. presidencies ended abruptly because of death, resignation or disability. But even with the leader of the free world gone, the country never descended into anarchy. How'd we pull that off?

How Ex-Presidents and Prime Ministers Make their Money

Upon taking up residency in the White House, a president also assumes a tidy salary of $400,000 a year, plus extra cash for expenses. That's certainly not the kind of change you'd find under most couch cushions, but it's not such a princely sum that the p

A Red Phone FAQ

The Red Phone, also known as the Red Telephone, the Moscow-Washington hotline and the Hot Line, is a "confidence building measure" and communications system designed to decrease tensions and prevent accidental nuclear war by providing direct contact betw

LBJ: The President Who Marked His Territory

Here, we're choosing to remember Lyndon B. Johnson not by the many political wheels he set into motion, but by the stuff he kept by his side—and close to his heart.

Five Amazing Facts About Franklin Pierce (in honor of his 203rd birthday)

Here are five fun and possibly amazing facts about the man they called "Young Hickory of the Granite Hills."