American University; author of “The Case for Impeachment"
Professor of History at American University in Washington, DC and author of The Keys to the White House and White Protestant Nation: The Rise of the American Conservative Movement
PROFILE
Allan Lichtman
Guest
FROM Allan Lichtman
Press Play with Madeleine Brand
Historian outlines eight ways President Trump can be impeached American University historian Allan Lichtman has been dubbed the “prediction professor.” He was one of the lone voices who called Trump’s win, using a set of historical factors that has helped him predict nearly every presidential election since 1984. Just days after Trump’s win, Lichtman prognosticated that the president would likely be impeached.
To the Point
Political Party Conventions: What Are They For? Party conventions used to nominate presidential candidates. Now that's all done in advance. Next week's Republican Party convention plans to break with tradition. Instead of waiting until Wednesday, they'll nominate Mitt Romne y on Monday, the first day of their convention in Tampa. Does that mean conventions don't matter? Recent history suggests that they do. Remember Barack Obama's keynote speech in 2004? Remember Sarah Palin in 2008? We hear about conventions past — with the voices of Franklin Roosevelt, Hubert Humphrey, John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. How have the raucous gatherings of political insiders evolved into carefully scripted TV productions? Will the Republicans finally unite behind Mitt Romney next week in Tampa? Can they survive the Florida weather?
Which Way, L.A.?
Washington Hammering Out Duel Debt Ceiling Plans As the markets and the public look on nervously, the clock continues to tick toward the August 2 deadline as negotiations continue over raising the federal debt ceiling. As leaders from both parties develop separate plans, one of the contested issues is the length of any extension. President Obama and the Democrats want to put the issue to rest until after the 2012 election, while the Republicans want to keep the government on a shorter leash.
To the Point
Hammering Out Dueling Debt Ceiling Plans Just over a week before the August 2 deadline, Washington seems no closer to a deal to raise the debt ceiling. After Speaker of the House Boehner walked out of negotiations with President Barack Obama Friday, talks went on all weekend between and within the parties. Now the Speaker is working on a GOP plan while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid works on a Democratic alternative. Today, global markets are down amid concerns about the lack of a deal. Directors of the International Monetary Fund have weighed in , citing the urgency of a deal that includes entitlement reforms, additional savings in healthcare, as well as revenue increases, and advising against fast cuts which could impact consumer spending.
To the Point
Is the War in Iraq Really Over? In last night's speech from the Oval Office, President Obama said it's time to "turn the page" from Iraq to Afghanistan…and the economy, but 50,000 American troops remain in Iraq. Sectarian violence could break out again. The President did not say "mission accomplished," so what comes next? After seven years, at a cost of almost a trillion dollars, what has the US achieved? What do Iraqis think, and how does the US look now in the eyes of the rest of the world? Will President Obama be remembered for ending the war in Iraq or for sinking the country deeper into Afghanistan?
Which Way, L.A.?
War and Peace and the Nobel Prize President Obama accepted his Nobel Peace Prize today with humility and a defense of the war in Afghanistan. He said the use of force can bring lasting peace. Compared to others who've won the prize, he called his own accomplishments "slight." We hear excerpts of today's " lecture " and get different reactions. Why did he get the prize? Was it premature? Was the Nobel committee sending a message? Did it create an embarrassing contradiction? (View the slideshow )
To the Point
Obama Accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo President Obama accepted his Nobel Peace Prize today with humility and a defense of the war in Afghanistan. He said the use of force can bring lasting peace. Compared to others who've won the prize, he called his own accomplishments "slight." We hear excerpts of today's " lecture " and get different reactions. Why did he get the prize? Was it premature? Was the Nobel committee sending a message? Did it create an embarrassing contradiction? (View the slideshow )
Which Way, L.A.?
Obama Was on the Ropes, Now Clinton Urged to Get Out of the Ring Last week, it appeared that Reverend Wright had put the kibosh on Barack Obama . Then came the speech about race and Bill Richardson's endorsement . Now pundits are asking when Hillary Clinton will hang up her running shoes. With ten states still to hold presidential primaries, what if Clinton goes on a winning streak? Are the primaries really the best measure of who will win in November? Are swings in conventional wisdom about political campaigns determined by competition for hits on political websites?
To the Point
Obama Was on the Ropes, Now Clinton Urged to Get Out of the Ring Last week, it appeared that Reverend Wright had put the kibosh on Barack Obama . Then came the speech about race and Bill Richardson's endorsement . Now pundits are asking when Hillary Clinton will hang up her running shoes. With ten states still to hold presidential primaries, what if Clinton goes on a winning streak? Are the primaries really the best measure of who will win in November? Are swings in conventional wisdom about political campaigns determined by competition for hits on political websites?
To the Point
The Last State of the Union Speech and 11 Months to Go President Bush delivered his final State of the Union address last night to a divided Congress. He got a full complement of standing ovations, but mostly from Republicans. The speech contained modest new proposals, positive language about Iraq and a call for bipartisanship on the economy. Democrats called it the last gasp of a failed presidency. Even Republicans were hard-pressed to celebrate. Senator John McCain didn't even show up. Was anybody listening? George W. Bush will be the most powerful man in the world until January of next year. What are the prospects for his lame-duck administration? What will history say about the "compassionate conservative" who ended up focused on partisanship and warfare?
To the Point
The Political Legacy of Gerald Ford The man who is often called "the accidental president" was eulogized today by official Washington. Gerald R. Ford , who died a week ago at the age of 93, was appointed Vice President when Spiro Agnew stepped down in the midst of a scandal. Ford became President when Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 to avoid impeachment. After two and a half years, he was defeated by Jimmy Carter in 1976. How did a "creature of Congress" handle executive power in a time of crisis? What are the legacies of Ford himself and the White House staff that included Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney?
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To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
White House budget proposal slashes and burns President Trump's first budget request is considered dead on arrival in Congress — a familiar development in Capitol Hill. We hear what it reveals about the priorities of the new administration. What's likely to die… and what might survive?
To the Point
Trump's 'America First' goes missing abroad In the Middle East, President Trump is changing some policies of the Obama Administration—and reversing his own campaign attacks on Islam as a religion that "hates us." We hear about his visit to Saudi Arabia and what's at stake for the rest of his foreign excursion.
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?