The most intelligent president s we have ever had. I mean, he is up there in the top half dozen. And when we go through his life, by the end of it, or the middle of it, youre going to start laughing because youre just going to say no, that cant be, he cant be that good in that field, its just not possible. And then well find something else. And youre going to say, no, he is just incredibly bright. And the hope for his presidency was enormous. And so were going to discuss an absolutely brilliant human being. I was chatting with a friend before. And he asked me if i thought garfield was the most intelligent. Its i dont know how you test Something Like that. Its not as if you give president s iq tests. Its a lot easier with things that are easy to measure. Tall and short. I mean, we all know that madison was our shortest president , lincoln was our tallest president. Thats easy. I dont know how you know who the most intelligent. Certainly the two adams, jefferson, madison, lincoln. Garfie
Youre looking at some of the images from the 1884 election and listening to songs in support of james g. Blaine of maine and his running mate, john logan. Tonight our series continues and were live in the home of james g. Blaine, and since 1920, the official residence of maines governor. Were inside the blaine house with maines sitting governor. Do you have a sense of the man while youre here . Absolutely. Welcome to maine and welcome to the peoples house. Mr. Blaine is here every day and we see his spirit every evening, because we always say good night to him. What is your sense of living the house was built many years ago, many people have lived in it over the years, but he really is president in a lot of ways. What have you come to learn about the man by living in his midst . He not only was a very strong supporter and founder of the Republican Party in maine but a national leader, and started maine on its course to where we are now. And very, very influential both in the press, in
Garfield is one of the most intelligent president s we have ever had. He is up there in the top half dozen and when we go through his life, by the end of the middle of it, and youre going to say no, that cant be. He cant be that good in that field. Its just not possible, and then well find something else, and youre going to no. He is just incredibly bright, and the hope for his presidency was enormous, and were going to discuss an absolutely brilliant human being. I was chatting with a friend before, and he asked me if i thought garfield was the most intelligent. I dont know how you test Something Like that, and its not as if you give president s iq tests. Its a lot easier with things that are easy to measure, tall ask short. We all know that madison was our shortest president , lincoln was our tallest president because thats easy. I dont know how you know who the most intelligent. Certainly the two adams, jefferson, madison and Lincoln Garfield is right up there. So one of the reasons
His father was a rigid evolutionist preacher. Abolitionist preacher. He grew up in a very religious environment. Shortly after college, he was a teacher and became a lawyer. He was involved in a very important case, the decentralization of new york city streetcars. Desegregation of new york city streetcars. Theas a quartermaster in union army during the civil war in new york city. A opportunities for learning his own pockets, which he did not do as many others did. That he became involved in the machine politics of that era. In particular, he became very close to the flamboyant new york boss. He is an extremely interesting character. Brian the years he served as president . Scott he served as president from 1881, when garfield was shot and eventually died, until the end of his term in 1885. Brian who was president before and after him . Scott garfield before. Grover cleveland was president after. Brian why did you want to write a book about Chester A Arthur . Scott every president has
This week on q a. Journalist scott greenberger. His book on the life and times of chester a. Arthur. Scott greenberger, your book the unexpected president , who is the most interesting character in the book for you . Think Chester Arthur the most interesting character and the book. It is a story of redemption. He is a guy, his father was a very rigid abolitionist reacher, grew up in that preacher. He, shortly after college was a teacher, became a lawyer, moved to new york. Was involved in a very important case that resolved in the desegregation desegregation of you new york city street cars. He was on this moral path and then he served in the civil war, was quartermaster a quartermaster in the union army during the civil war in new york important jobs an with lots of opportunities. After the war, he became in vault involved in machine politics and in particular, he became close to the new york republican boss, a flamboyant character named Roscoe Conkling. Favoriterthur is my character