Saturday, May 19, 2012

Presidential Free Association: James Buchanan

This is part of a series called Presidential Free Association. I post the first word that comes to mind when I think of a president along with a brief explanation.




Disgraceful


James Buchanan is the only president from my home state of Pennsylvania and also the only president to remain a lifelong bachelor. He is also widely considered the worst president of all time. His presidency coincided with increasing partisan fervor, fatal violence in Kansas, the Panic of 1857, the Dred Scott decision, and the secession of the southern states from the union after the 1860 election. His infamy can most fairly be chalked up to the inability to be Abraham Lincoln, but it doesn’t change the fact that his presidency was pretty disgraceful.

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