Posted on Sep 29, 2022
Opinion | Donald Trump is not the worst U.S. ex-president — yet
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It’s important to keep in mind that Trump is not - yet - the worst ex-president in U.S. history. Trump has made a serious effort to dishonor his post-presidency, of course. He likely has encouraged future insurrections by vowing to pardon the rioters who sacked the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. And he’s stashed boxes of top secret documents at his home at Mar-a-Lago, raising serious national security concerns.
But John Tyler, a Whig who held office from 1841 to 1845, was even worse. Tyler actually tried to destroy the Union by joining the Confederacy’s war of treason in defense of slavery. Tyler’s treachery is worth remembering as a warning about the real danger a former president can pose.
But John Tyler, a Whig who held office from 1841 to 1845, was even worse. Tyler actually tried to destroy the Union by joining the Confederacy’s war of treason in defense of slavery. Tyler’s treachery is worth remembering as a warning about the real danger a former president can pose.
Opinion | Donald Trump is not the worst U.S. ex-president — yet
Posted from nbcnews.com
American History
Donald Trump
National Security
Slavery
Posted >1 y ago
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."A party’s total repudiation of its own sitting president was unprecedented at the time, and it has never been repeated. (In 1974, a majority of Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee voted against impeaching Richard Nixon.) The Whigs would elect only one more president — Zachary Taylor, in 1848, who also died in office. Figures such as Lincoln were ultimately unable to cohabit with Southerners like Alexander Stephens, who would be the vice president of the Confederacy, and the party imploded ahead of the 1856 election.
Lincoln, Seward and other anti-slavery Whigs soon formed the core of the new Republican Party, which led the Union to victory in the Civil War. The Whigs’ refusal to embrace Tyler’s presidency, at the cost of splitting their party and losing future elections, turned out to be a small step toward defeating a criminal rebellion and abolishing slavery. Today’s Republicans would do well to take note."
..."A party’s total repudiation of its own sitting president was unprecedented at the time, and it has never been repeated. (In 1974, a majority of Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee voted against impeaching Richard Nixon.) The Whigs would elect only one more president — Zachary Taylor, in 1848, who also died in office. Figures such as Lincoln were ultimately unable to cohabit with Southerners like Alexander Stephens, who would be the vice president of the Confederacy, and the party imploded ahead of the 1856 election.
Lincoln, Seward and other anti-slavery Whigs soon formed the core of the new Republican Party, which led the Union to victory in the Civil War. The Whigs’ refusal to embrace Tyler’s presidency, at the cost of splitting their party and losing future elections, turned out to be a small step toward defeating a criminal rebellion and abolishing slavery. Today’s Republicans would do well to take note."
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