The American Presidents

How did democratic America respond to its cold war enemies led by dictators who promoted the myth of their heroic leadership?

John F. Kennedy confronted the challenges posed by his cold-war enemies' 'heroic' leaders by moulding the narratives of 'consensus history' into the activist rhetoric of the New Frontier. Jon Roper examines how his image, heroic style of leadership, and legacy - America's war in Vietnam - impacted upon his successors. After Kennedy the hero, America saw Lyndon B. Johnson, the casualty of war; Richard Nixon, heroic failure; Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter, faith-healers; Ronald Reagan, star; George Bush, deputy; and Bill Clinton, survivor.

From Kennedy's inauguration to Clinton's impeachment hearings, the book examines the development of the character of the contemporary presidency during one of the most fascinating and turbulent periods in its history.