When Lillian Cunningham, host of the podcast Presidential, offhandedly mentioned that Alec Baldwin resembles 13th President of the United States, Millard Fillmore, it didn't prepare me to find a photograph that looked like Jack from 30 Rock had been subjected to an old-west photo booth.
Presidential covers the character and legacy of each of the 44 U.S. Presidents, one per week leading up to Election Day 2016. I've found it to be especially interesting when discussing the less vaunted Commanders-in-Chief, whether the topic is Polk's unparalleled legislative efficiency, the greatest killer of the 19th century White House (The water supply), or the fact that most historians believe James Buchanan was America's first gay head of state. When covering the better-known subjects, Presidential's one episode can feel restrictive, though the choice to focus on character as much as legacy means even the Lincoln episode yields fresh insights.
With the election 100 days away, Cunningham is up to Herbert Hoover, so now's a perfect time to listen to Presidential.
