Story Archives of 'Presidents'

Oliver Stone’s latest biopic, W, opened in theaters this weekend. The story of George W. Bush’s rise to power, from rowdy frat-boy to the big desk in the Oval Office, came in fourth at box offices, bringing in just over $10.5 million.

It's rare for Hollywood to produce a movie about a sitting U.S. president - in the final weeks of a heated election season, no less. But there have been hundreds of films made about American presidents, both real and fictional. Garen Daly of the Frugal Yankee joins us on Word of Mouth to look back through some presidential films he finds notable.

And while some of these films have earned their place in cinema history, there’s no denying that the Washington, D.C. we see on the big screen differs greatly from the real-life version on the Potomac. But for those with an inside understanding of how politics work in the Beltway, it can be pretty frustrating to see how D.C. is depicted by Hollywood. In fact, it drives producer Richard Paul crazy. Click here to listen.

See more of Garen's presidential film picks:

Every four years, on the 20th of January, the U.S. swears in a new commander-in-chief. It’s a time for optimism, reflection, and a renewed sense of purpose for America, and the president’s first speech to the nation is key in setting the tone. We’ll talk with the editors of “Fellow Citizens,” a new compilation of our presidents’ inaugural addresses.

Guests

• Robert Remini, Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives and co-editor of Fellow Citzens
• Terry Golway, Curator of the Kean Center for American History at Kean University in Union, New Jersey and co-editor of Fellow Citzens

Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush urged members of the Class of 2007 to serve their communities.

Across the country, people are remembering former President Gerald Ford, who died Tuesday at the age of 93.

Here in New Hampshire, Governor John Lynch ordered flags lowered to half-staff in Ford's honor.

Friends and political activists in the Granite State are praising the man they say brought decency back to the White House after President Nixon's resignation.

Joining in that chorus is former 1st District Representative, and Democrat, Norman D'Amours, who served in Congress during the Ford Administration.

He recalled his memories of the 38th President for NHPR's Mark Bevis.

Long before they tried to win the nation’s highest office, Presidents from Washington to Bush, were trying to win the hearts of their future wives. Sometimes these women were unofficial chief political advisors, other championed causes, while some were just loving spouses. For Valentines day, we’ll look at the special relationship of Presidents and their wives and try to separate passion from politics.

Laura's guest is Gerard Gawalt, Curator of the papers of presidential families in the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress and author of My Dear President: Letters between Presidents and Their Wives.