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The Jefferson Exchange

The Unhappy #1: The First President Impeached

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The 17th President.
Mathew Brady/Library of Congress

The ongoing talk of impeaching President Trump begs the question: what other presidents have been impeached? The answer: only two.

Bill Clinton we know about. The other president was Andrew Johnson, who assumed the office after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. Johnson faced an extemely hostile Congress. He was impeached by the House of Representatives, then tried in the Senate, where he was acquitted by a single vote.

Historian Brenda Wineapple tells the story of the Johnson impeachment in her new book The Impeachers: The Trial of Andrew Johnson and the Dream of a Just Nation.  She finds some striking parallels to our current political climate. 
 

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The Jefferson Exchange is Jefferson Public Radio's daily news program focused on issues, people and events across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Angela Decker is the program's senior producer, Charlie Zimmermann is the assistant producer, and Geoffrey Riley hosts the show.