Book notes Program David mccullough discussed his biography of president harry truman the book was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for biography and instrumental in changing attitude about the truman presidency. Heres a portion of the interview. The number of president s that were already assassinated why would the government have protections for them. It was not done i wouldve the government have a pension they were pensions of Army Officers and everybody else but no pension for the president he had very little money he had to borrow some money, quite secretly which dean cosigned to pay for the move back home. This is not wellknown and it doesnt mean he didnt have money he did have money but he needed cash to cover the expenses of moving out of the white house and when he got home in order to provide himself some income he undertook the writing of his autobiography, his memoirs which no other president has done except for herbert hoover, herberts time in office was briefer than trumans and