Key facts
- Former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton contributed essays to the 'In Pursuit' project.
- The project features essays on 43 presidents and 30 first ladies, excluding current President Biden and President Trump.
- George W. Bush's essay on George Washington highlights the importance of humility and voluntarily relinquishing power.
- Stanley McChrystal's essay on Ulysses S. Grant emphasizes choosing law over personal loyalty.
- Bill Clinton's essay on Theodore Roosevelt focuses on expanding rights and challenging corporate interests.
- Colleen Shogan, the U.S. archivist fired by Trump, curated the project.
Former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton have contributed essays to a 250th-anniversary project called 'In Pursuit,' which features writings on various U.S. presidents and first ladies. Although the project aimed to be non-partisan and avoid contemporary politics, the essays by these former presidents implicitly address anxieties surrounding the current era of President Donald Trump, particularly concerning the use of power, democratic health, and the integrity of the presidency.
George W. Bush's essay, focusing on George Washington, celebrates the first president's humility and willingness to relinquish power, setting a precedent for limiting presidential terms. This theme resonates with concerns about Trump's reluctance to cede power after the 2020 election and his discussions of a potential third term.
Stanley McChrystal's contribution, an essay on Ulysses S. Grant, emphasizes a leader's commitment to principles larger than personal ambition and resisting pressure to align with political factions. McChrystal highlights the choice between law and personal loyalty, a theme relevant to Trump's demands for fealty from officials.
Bill Clinton's essay examines Theodore Roosevelt, focusing on his efforts to expand the concept of 'we the people' against powerful corporate interests, while also acknowledging Roosevelt's exclusionary views. This contrasts with Trump's calls for patriotic interpretations of American history.
The 'In Pursuit' project, curated by U.S. archivist Colleen Shogan, includes essays from a diverse group of historians, authors, and public figures, covering all presidents except Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Shogan, who was fired by Trump without explanation, stated the project's goal was to surface lessons from American history to inform the present and future.
Other contributors include Chief Justice John Roberts on William Howard Taft, Hillary Clinton on Eleanor Roosevelt, Michelle Obama on Jacqueline Kennedy, Karl Rove on William McKinley, Ken Burns on Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Michael Beschloss on Lyndon Johnson. The project is organized by More Perfect, a nonpartisan alliance of presidential centers and academic organizations.