Presidential Cabinets

Guest: Lindsay M. Chervinsky, Historian, White House Historical Association, Author of “The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution” President-elect Joe Biden will have a lot to deal with when he becomes president–tackling the pandemic and restoring the economy. Presidents need advisers they can trust in a crisis. So, perhaps it will surprise you to learn that the US Constitution doesn’t actually provide for a Presidential cabinet. In fact, the idea that a president would consult with a small group of advisers was really upsetting to many of the founding fathers. And yet, every US president since Washington has had one. (Originally aired April 2, 2020).