The Best and Worst Presidential Cabinets in U.S. History

By: Lindsay M. Chervinsky, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Lindsay M. Chervinsky

Think of presidential cabinets like snowflakes. No two presidents put together the same cabinet. But all of them, regardless of shape or size or whether they’re made up of friends or enemies (or even “frenemies”), are central to the story of the United States of America.

When American presidents nominate cabinet officers, who receive the title of secretary and are confirmed by the Senate, they consider experience, geographic and racial diversity, political principles, and more. The objective is to build a circle of close advisors with whom the president will collaborate on issues - while remaining largely out of the view of congressional or public oversight. But as presidential cabinets have shown all too clearly, just as many fail as succeed.

The political, and very human, dynamics behind presidential cabinets, from George Washington to Joe Biden, come to life in The Best and Worst Presidential Cabinets in U.S. History. What Lindsay M. Chervinsky offers in this eye-opening Audible Original is an investigation of the good, the bad, and the ugly of presidential cabinets. Covering more than two centuries of history, it’s a fascinating tour of scandals, colorful personalities, big events, and triumphs of diversity and bipartisanship. Not to mention jobs with a very high turnover rate.

What makes a presidential cabinet - and therefore a presidency - succeed or fail? Turns out that it’s all about who has your back.

©2021 Audible Originals, LLC (P)2021 Audible Originals, LLC.

Dr. Chervinsky is articulate and very well informed on this important topic. I am very impressed with her preparation and

I am very impressed with Dr. Chervinsky’s articulate presentation and her deep knowledge of this crucial topic.

Great Insights into Presidential History

Dr Chervinsky is a clear and entertaining writer and reader of this history of presidential cabinets. It is a wide scope across over two hundred years of US presidents and organized into compelling chapters by topics about 30 minutes each.
The reviews accusing the author of bipartisanship are reflections of thin-skinned partisans balking at historical facts that contradict their world view. Dr Chervinsky is a delightful read and reader. Looking forward to her next book.

Fair, thorough, and fascinating

This subject may not be at the top of everybody’s mind, but after listening to the sample it was clear that this would be worth listening to. I always told my children when they were growing up that you didn’t have to know everything to be a good president, but you needed to know who to listen to and surround yourself with trustworthy experts. These lectures showed how true that was.

Going through topics instead of just administrations chronologically helps clarify the hows and whys of good cabinets and how they affect our perceptions of good (and less good) presidents.

The lectures were fascinating and easy to listen to. I’d definitely choose anything else this professor might have on Audible.

Title is misleading

This is a general introduction to the cabinet and it’s history and function. It doesn’t focus on particularly bad cabinets except in a lecture on corruption and it brings up good cabinets mostly to illustrate a general theme (e.g how cabinets can be teams of rivals). It isn’t a bad Great Course but it wasn’t what I expected.

very interesting

fascinating and quick study of the influence of and personalities in cabinets across US history. this course would be rated my much higher but for the hurt feelings of conservatives, as the professor describes the humanitarian atrocities committed by the Trump administration.

Interesting view

I enjoyed listening to different rules and regulations that the government has to abide by. I found it very interesting and informative

Too Current

leans a little too heavily on current (2021) politics when their place in history has yet to be determined but otherwise a very good listen

Fascinating details

Thoroughly enjoyed this lesson on the fascinating details of the President's Cabinets.. Loved hearing the differences between the Presidents and their cabinets throughout history. I loved hearing Lindsay M. Chervinsky tell these stories in her voice. Highly recommend this as well as Her other book.

Biased unreflective presidential history

The title is misleading in that the president is the focus of most discussions rather than the cabinet. There are much better presidential histories around.
it should have stopped with Ronald Reagen as the lectures show strong pro-Democratic bias for all more recent presidents. Especially the discussion on scandals which never mentions the many scandal allegations of the Clinton and Obama administrations while characterizing Trump as so scandal plagued the news couldn't keep up, or highlighting Trump's reliance on family advice as a problem while Clinton's reliance on the First Lady was acceptable.
The one truly interesting part was rehabilitation of US Grant from the historical view of a scandal tainted administration. That shines a light on her failure to do the same for Warren Harding, on whom she spends an inordinate amount of time for a 2.5 year long administration while failing to mention some admirable Harding accomplishments. It also fails to see how, if past administration scandals can be trumpeted for political effect, perhaps we are seeing the same partisan motivation with the non-stop focus on more recent scandals.
it's a shame that these lectures are probably typical of the superficiality and partisanship probably dominating history pedagogy today.

Definitely not bipartisan

While the information for the most part is accurate. The story is told with a slant toward a pertucial party. Disappointing, I would prefer the fact of each President to be presented the same.