American democracy has never been a given—it has been tested, strained, and at times, nearly broken. Some of the greatest threats have come not from foreign adversaries but from within—from presidents who sought to expand their power beyond constitutional limits.
In his new book, The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It, political theorist and constitutional scholar Corey Bretschneider explores these moments of crisis and resistance, offering lessons for our own time.
At a live event recorded at the Robert H. Smith Auditorium at The New York Historical, Corey joined Preet to discuss the dangers of executive overreach, the resilience of democratic institutions, and the lessons history holds for today.
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Executive Producer: Tamara Sepper; Editorial Producer: Noa Azulai; Associate Producer: Claudia Hernández; Deputy Editor: Celine Rohr; Technical Director: David Tatasciore; Audio Producers: Matthew Billy and Nat Weiner.
REFERENCES & SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS:
- The Presidents and the People: Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It, W. W. Norton & Company, 2024
- The New York Historical