Gerald R. Ford. Ford was selected and confirmed as the vice President on December 6, 1973, while he was a US Congressman, after the resignation of Vice president Spiro T. Agnew. Ford then became President on August 9, 1974 with the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon.

(Ford ran for reelection but was defeated by Jimmy Carter in 1976, so he was never elected President or vice president.)

The Constitutional requirements to be president are:

1. be at least 35 years old

2. be a natural-born US citizen*

3. live in the US for 14 years.

* The Constitution specifically states that one must be a "natural-born" US citizen not "native-born." "natural born " is not defined by the Constitution and has not definitively been defined by the Supreme Court but is generally interpreted to mean either born in US territory or born of US citizens (see the Related Link below on US Code Title 8 for more information).

The exact words from the Constitution in Article II, Section 1, Clause 5:

"No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States. "

The 22nd amendment gives an additional requirement in that it makes a person ineligible for president if he had already been twice elected president or has been elected once and also served more than two years of a term to which he was not elected.
job vaccincess

This question is asking for opinions. Please keep the tone friendly when adding yours. This question is for voicing your opinion about what has been done right. See the related question below for voicing your opinions about what was done wrong in his Presidential term so far. If you disagree with another opinion in these answers, do not put that here, that is what the discussion section is for. When adding your opinion, put it below those opinions before yours.

*Note: some opinions may be based on biases,

misinformation or misinterpretation of facts.

1. Prevented the collapse of the American automotive industry by making GM restructure before bailing them out, and putting incentive money to help the industry. As a result, many jobs were saved and some were created as GM became the Number 1 auto manufacturer in the world again.
2. Shifted the focus of the war from Iraq to Afghanistan, and put the emphasis on reducing terrorism (where it should have been all along)
3. Relaxed Anti-American tensions throughout the world
4. Signed order to close the prisoner "torture camp" at Guantanamo Bay
5. Has made the environment a national priority, and a primary source for job creation
6. Has made education a national priority by putting emphasis and money behind new ideas like charter schools, but speaking directly to school children in telling them they have to do their part
7. Won the Nobel Peace Prize - Pres. Obama has stated "Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges" to which the Nobel prize's nominating committee responded: "For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world's leading spokesman."
8. Created a $789 billion economic stimulus plan
9. Made the appointment of first Latina to the Supreme Court
10. Pushed for attractive tax write-offs for those who buy hybrid automobiles
11. Authorized construction/opening of additional health centers to care for veterans
12. Renewed dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues
13. Began the process of reforming and restructuring the military 20 years after the Cold War to a more modern fighting force. This includes new procurement policies, increasing size of military, new technology and cyber units and operations, etc.
14. Provided better body armor to our troops
15. Created the "Cash for clunkers" program that offers vouchers to trade in fuel inefficient, polluting old cars for new cars to help stimulate auto sales, save energy, and help the environment
16. Changed the failing status quo military command in Afghanistan
17. Closed offshore tax safe havens
18. Deployed additional troops to Afghanistan
19. Ended previous policy of awarding no-bid defense contracts
20. Ended media blackout on war casualties and the return of fallen soldiers to Dover AFB
21. Ended the previous practice of cutting the FDA and circumventing FDA rules
22. Ended previous practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug manufacturers for cheaper drugs; the federal government is now realizing hundreds of millions in savings
23. Ended previous practice of having White House aides rewrite scientific and environmental rules, regulations, and reports
24. Enabled the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that has created 2.1 million jobs (as of 12/31/09)
25. Ended previous policy of not regulating and labeling carbon dioxide emissions
26. Ended previous policy of offering tax benefits to corporations who outsource American jobs; the new policy is to promote in-sourcing to bring jobs back
27. Ended previous policy on torture; the US now has a no torture policy and is in compliance with the Geneva Convention standards
28. Launched website Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology
29. Ended previous practice of protecting credit card companies; in place of it are new consumer protections from credit card industry's predatory practices
30. Ended previous "stop-loss" policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
31. Enabled law that energy producing plants must begin preparing to produce 15% of their energy from renewable sources
32. Established a National Performance Officer charged with saving the federal government money and making federal operations more efficient
33. Established a new cyber security office
34. Expanded the SCHIP program to cover health care for 4 million more children
35. Expanded vaccination programs
36. Provided funding to families of fallen soldiers to have expenses covered to be on hand when the body arrives at Dover AFB.
37. Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with more than $1.4 billion to improve services to America's Veterans
38. Encouraged Federal support for stem-cell and new biomedical research
39. Budgeted funds for high-speed, broadband Internet access to K-12 schools
40. Responded with compassion and leadership to the earthquake in Haiti
41. Responded immediately and efficiently to the floods in North Dakota and other natural disasters
42. Launched Business.gov - enabling conversation and online collaboration between small business owners, government representatives and industry experts in discussion forums relevant to starting and managing a business - Great for the economy
43. Improved housing for military personnel
44. Improved conditions at Walter Reed Military Hospital and other military hospitals
45. Changed failing war strategy in Afghanistan
46. Improved benefits for veterans
47. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants…) after years of neglect
48. Donated his $1.4 million Nobel Prize to nonprofit organizations
49. Increased opportunities in AmeriCorps program
50. Provided tax credits to first-time home buyers through the Worker, Home Ownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 to revitalize the U.S. housing market
51. Increased pay and benefits for military personnel
52. Increased student loans
53. Instituted a new policy on Cuba, allowing Cuban families to return "home" to visit loved ones
54. Cracked down on companies that deny sick pay, vacation and health insurance to workers by abusing the employee classification of independent contractor. Such companies also avoided paying Social Security, Medicare and unemployment insurance taxes for those workers
55. Limited salaries of senior White House aides; cut to $100,000
56. Placed limits on lobbyists' access to the White House
57. Protected 300,000 education jobs that would have otherwise been lost, such as teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors through the Recovery Act
58. Placed limits on White House aides working for lobbyists after their tenure in the administration
59. Pushed for the Children's Health Insurance Re-authorization Act on February 4, 2009, which provides quality health care to 11 million kids - 4 million who were previously uninsured
60. Lowered drug costs for seniors
61. Made more loans available to small businesses
62. Held many more press conferences and town halls and provides much more media access than previous administration
63. Signed the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first piece of comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the lives of Americans living with paralysis
64. Negotiated deal with Swiss banks to permit US government to gain access to records of tax evaders and criminals
65. Promoted a new Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
66. Announced creation of a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record for medical records of members of the U.S. Armed Forces to improve quality of medical care
67. Encouraged new federal funding for science and research labs
68. Created new funds for school construction
69. Ordered all federal agencies to undertake a study and make recommendations for ways to cut spending
70. Ordered a review of all federal operations to identify and cut wasteful spending and practices
71. Began the phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdated weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq and Afghanistan
72. Reengaged in the talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions
73. Provided tax credit to workers thus cutting taxes for 95% of America's working families
74. Reengaged in the treaties/agreements to protect the Antarctic
75. Removed restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research
76. Helped reverse a downward spiral of the stock market. On January 19, 2009, the last day of President Bush's presidency, the Dow closed at 8,218.22. In February 2010, the Dow closed at 10,309.24
77. Renewed loan guarantees for Israel
78. Restarted the nuclear non-proliferation talks and building back up the nuclear inspection infrastructure and protocol
79. Returned to the government the money authorized for his family's refurbishment of White House offices and private living quarters
80. Sent envoys to the Middle East and other parts of the world that had been neglected for years; reengaging in multilateral and bilateral talks and diplomacy
81. Unveiled a program on Earth Day 2009 to develop the renewable energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents. These regulations will enable, for the first time ever, the nation to tap into our ocean's vast sustainable resources to generate clean energy in an environmentally sound and safe manner
82. Signed national service legislation; expanded national youth service program
83. Permitted states to enact fuel efficiency standards above federal standards
84. Arranged for students struggling to make college loan payments to have their loans refinanced
85. Commanded and authorized the SEALS team to gain the successful release of a US captain held by Somali pirates
86. Pushed for the FDA to now regulate tobacco
87. Ended the previous stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan longer than their enlistment date
88. Cut the missile defense program by $1.4 billion in 2010
89. Provided for the public to meet with federal housing insurers to refinance (the new plan can be completed in one day) a mortgage if they are having trouble paying
90. Arranged for the closing of the "secret detention" facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere
91. Implemented the US financial and banking rescue plan
92. Commanded the US Navy to increase patrols off the Somali coast
93. Signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in the defense procurement and contracting system
94. Visited more countries and met with more world leaders in his first six months in office than any prior President
95. Improved relations with Iran
96. Improved U.S. policy on climate change
97. Set timetable for exiting Iraq and brought troops home
98. Improved relations with Russia
99. Improved relations with the Islamic World
100. Made progress towards greater cooperation on limiting nuclear proliferation
101. Created jobs with his economic stimulus plan causing the unemployment rate to decrease. Currently at the lowest in recent years.
102. Drastically slowed down the recession
103. Saved Wall Street
104. Passed the Lilly Ledbetter Act (equal work for equal pay)
105. Signed the healthcare reform laws after he pushed for the successful passage of the comprehensive health care reform
106. Signed into law a financial reform package related to Wall Street
107. Nominated two of the only four women ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court
108. Presided over the departure of U.S. combat troops from Iraq after seven years.
109. Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
110. Created closer oversight of the financial services/credit card industry
111. Ratified the nuclear weapons reduction treaty with Russia
112. Rescued the US automobile industry
113. Provided timetables for bringing our troops home from Afghanistan
114. Accomplished the extension of unemployment compensation
115. Put an end to discrimination against homosexuals in the military
116. Assisted in the overthrow of Moammar Gadhafi, with no loss of American life
117. Extended unemployment compensation
118. Started a new hospital records system
119. He has done wonderful work starting to repair the sullied image of the United States around the world
120. Helping the earth become a better place
121. Gave money for veterans
122. Encouraged people to do the right things and not the wrong
123. Told people to believe in their dreams and to go through with them and have a great life
124. He has given the late night talk show hosts a lot of new material for their jokes, as well as the 'forwarded' email jokes
125. Kept John McCain from becoming President, which is all the contribution he needs to make. Even if he screws up royally, at least he kept Senator McCain from sitting in the "big boy's chair"
126. Called for resumption of Arab-Israeli peace negotiations
127. Introduced George Mitchell as an envoy for peace in Palestine
128. Improved strained relations with moderate Arab leaders (like with his meeting with President Mubarak of Egypt and his meeting with King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz
129. Started reversing U.S. efforts to isolate antagonists such as Iran and Syria
130. Believes that there needs to be an elimination of nuclear weapons (like nuclear weapons in Iran)
131. He has tried to do the best things possible to try to fix our country and the world's Economic Crisis (Watch the CBS Evening News w/ Katie Couric weekdays on CBS @ 6:30pm Eastern)
132. Improved Relations with Russia
133. Made the Rights of Women around the World a Core Component of the U.S. foreign policy
134. Made Progress towards Greater Cooperation on Limiting Nuclear Proliferation
135. Improved Relations with Iran
136. Sponsored these bills (unverified):

     • S.RES.529 : A resolution designating July 13, 2006, as "National Summer Learning Day".

     • S.2048 : A bill to direct the Consumer Product Safety Commission to classify certain children's products containing lead to be banned hazardous.

     • S.2125 : A bill to promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

     • S.2154 : A bill to provide for the issuance of a commemorative postage stamp in honor of Rosa Parks.

     • S.2259 : A bill to establish an Office of Public Integrity in the Congress and a Congressional Ethics Enforcement Commission.S.3627 : A bill to prohibit the Department of Defense and the Department of Energy from selling, distributing, or transferring elemental mercury, to prohibit the export of elemental mercury, and for other purposes

137. He has done us proud, he is one of the best Presidents ever
138. Ordered Osama Bin Laden killed on May 1st 2011
139. Signed a detailed form to ban abuse to prisoners
140. Sent out 800+ bills, most of which helped the US or will in the future
141. Put his life on the line just to fix bush stupid mistakes
142. Signed an Executive Order on government contracting to fight waste and abuse
143. Renewed dialogue with NATO and other allies and partners on strategic issues
144. Launched Recovery.gov to track spending from the Recovery Act, an unprecedented step to provide transparency and accountability through technology
145. Launched a $15 billion plan to boost lending to small businesses
146. Invested heavily in education both as a way to provide jobs now and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity
147. Signed an Executive Order establishing the White House Office of Urban Affairs
148. Issued a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making
149. Answered questions at the first online town hall from the White House that were submitted and voted on transparently by the public at WhiteHouse.gov
150. Established a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities
151. Launched Business.gov - enabling conversation and online collaboration between small business owners, government representatives and industry experts in discussion forums relevant to starting and managing a business
152. Appointed the first ever Federal Chief Information Officer to provide management and oversight over federal IT spending
153. Signed the Children's Health Insurance Reauthorization Act on February 4, 2009, which provides quality health care to 11 million kids - 4 million who were previously uninsured
154. Issued an Executive Order repealing the Bush-Era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research
155. Committed to phasing out the expensive F-22 war plane and other outdates weapons systems, which weren't even used or needed in Iraq/Afghanistan
156. Played a lead role in G-20 Summit that produced a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis
157. Signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition Reform Act to stop fraud and wasteful spending in the defense procurement and contracting system
158. Ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay and a review of our detention and interrogation policy, and prohibited the use of torture
159. Appointed Special Envoys for Climate Change, Southwest Asia, the Middle

     East, Sudan, and a Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan

160. Increased infrastructure spending (roads, bridges, power plants) after years of neglect
161. Increased minority access to capital
162. Developed a comprehensive new strategy on Afghanistan and Pakistan that will help defeat Al Qaeda and authorized the deployment of more than 21,000 troops to Afghanistan
163. Signed the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act which gives the federal government more tools to investigate and prosecute fraud, from lending to the financial system, and creates a bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the financial practices that brought us to this point
164. Signed the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act
165. Increased, for the first time in more than a decade, the fuel economy standards for Model Year 2011 for cars and trucks so they will get better mileage
166. Issued a Presidential Memorandum to the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances
167. Announced a new U.S.-Mexico border initiative
168. Concluded cyberspace policy review
169. Established a new "U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue"
170. Announced new policy steps towards Cuba
171. Provided funding for advanced manufacturing technologies
172. Issued a Presidential Memorandum on the Freedom of Information Act instructing the Attorney General to issue new guidelines to the government implementing those same principles of openness and transparency in the processing of FOIA requests
173. Funded the design of a new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015
174. The Executive Order on Presidential Records brings those principles to presidential records by giving the American people greater access to these historic documents, severely curtailing the ability to use executive privilege to shield those documents
175. Signed the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, a hallmark piece of legislation
176. Signed an Executive Order establishing a White House Council on Women and Girls to provide a coordinated Federal response to the challenges confronted by women and girls and to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level agencies consider how their policies and programs impact women and families
177. Reengaged in the agreements/talks on global warming and greenhouse gas emissions, and addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference
178. Supported the first steps of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide
179. Managed several natural disasters successfully, including oil spill in the Gulf- one of the worst environmental disasters ever- severe winter ice storms and flooding in several states
180. Provided new car tax credit
181. Purchased fuel efficient American-made fleet of vehicles for the federal government
182. Nominated Sonia Sotomayor to Supreme Court. She's confirmed and becomes the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice
183. Helped reverse a downward spiral of the stock market. On January 19, 2009, the last day of President Bush's presidency, the Dow closed at 8,218.22. Today, the Dow closed at 10,309.24 (February 2010)
184. Earned an unprecedented success rate of 96.7% on winning congressional votes on issues where he took a position. He did even better than legendary arm-twister Lyndon Johnson who had a 93% success rate in 1965
185. Signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act that made it a federal crime to assault an individual because of his or her sexual orientation or gender identity
186. Appointed the first Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy
187. Signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act authorizing advance appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs by providing two-fiscal year budget authority thus enabling better medical care for veterans. Endorsed by the American Legion, American Veterans, Blinded Veter...ans Association, Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Military Officers Association, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Paralyzed Veterans of America and Vietnam Veterans of America
188. Held impromptu press conference to urge Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross and other corporate health insurance companies that raise premiums in high amounts without explanation. Rep. Henry Waxman launches probe. In this case, Anthem Blue Cross wanted to raise premiums 39%. They have now put the increase on hold for two months (as of February 2010). Legislation preventing such increases pending
189. Designated $1.5 billion from the Troubled Asset Relief Program to fund programs at local housing finance agencies in the states hardest hit by the housing crisis: California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan. The MBA forecasts that foreclosures will peak in the last quarter of 2010
190. Extended discounted COBRA health coverage for the nation's unemployed from 9 months to 15 months. Workers laid off between September 1, 2008 and February 28, 2010 qualify
191. Extended unemployment benefits for 2,000,000 unemployed Americans by 20 weeks. At the time the bill was signed 7,000 unemployed Americans were losing their unemployment benefits each day
192. Eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education which was significantly increased during the Bush Administration to $176 million annually
193. Rescinded the Global Gag Rule
194. Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history including more women appointees than any other incoming president
195. Committed to no permanent military bases in Iraq through the Defense Authorization Act
196. Provided the Department of Veterans Affairs the largest spending increase in 30 years to improve medical facilities and national cemeteries, and to assist states in acquiring or constructing state nursing homes and extended care facilities
197. Strengthened the Endangered Species Act
198. Empowered states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves. Fourteen states have allowed some use of marijuana for medical purposes: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Maryland, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington
199. Enhanced earth mapping
200. Increased funding for national parks and forests in 2010, and plans to do it again for FY 2011
201. Allocated special funding to the Labor Department to provide green job training to veterans
202. Allocated funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to save thousands of police or firefighter jobs from being cut during the recession
203. Created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economy 3.5% [as of December 31, 2009] through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
204. Signed on to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
205. Signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. The Act extends the Ryan White programs through 2013
206. Ordered a review by the Sentencing Commission of mandatory minimum sentences
207. Signed the Travel Promotion Act of 2010 to increase travel to the United States
208. Expanded the Rural Energy for America Program and USDA energy grants to empower farmers that want to use renewable energy
209. Revitalized and empowered the EPA, OSHA and the SEC to protect workers and consumers by regulating business practices
210. Signed the HIRE Act
211. Did not apologize to BP for making them take responsibility for the mess they created, as the GOP has done
212. Did not suggest that taxpayers foot the bill for the spill instead of BP, like John Boehner, Michele Bachmann, Tom Donohoe and other GOPers think we should
213. Did not further injure out of work Americans by blocking the extension of unemployment benefits in June of 2010
214. Worked tirelessly to get Congress to work in a bipartisan manner and encouraged Democrats and Republicans to work together and compromise . Democrats did
215. As the leader of the most powerful nation on earth, Barack Obama has inspired billions of people across the globe to take part in their political community, especially the youth populations
216. Supported funding for deep space travel by NASA (incl. asteroids and Mars)
217. Imposed a $500,000 cap on senior executives' pay for the most distressed financial institutions receiving federal bailout money
218. Developed new Afghan War policy that limits aerial bombing and prioritizes aid, development of infrastructure, diplomacy, and good government practices by Afghans
219. Announced the long-term development of a national energy grid with renewable sources and cleaner, efficient energy production
220. Held first Seder ever in the White House
221. Backed the START Treaty
222. Stood for the food safety regulation bill
223. President Obama pushed for the successful passage of comprehensive health care reform; signed into law a financial reform package related to Wall Street; nominated two of the only four women ever to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court; and presided over the departure of U.S. combat troops from Iraq after seven years. He also was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009 for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."
224. Quit smoking cigarettes as a leader and role model to set an example of a healthier lifestyle
225. Guantanamo Bay closed. Human rights were being breached so now the prisoners (some American citizens) can have fair treatment.
226. Removed Troops from Iraq. Relieving military stress, lowering war costs, strengthening Iraq's infrastructure
227. Health Care Reform will insure all Americans, would lower costs of treatment, increase quality of medical care
228. Economic Stimulus, etc. Expensive measures were necessary to revitalize the economy, jobs are being created slowly but surely, Obama is not at fault for the mounting economic struggles, he inherited them.
229. Appointed nation's first Chief Technology officer
230. Signed financial reform law establishing a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to look out for the interests of everyday Americans
231. Signed financial reform law requiring lenders to verify applicants' credit history, income, and employment status. Signed financial reform law prohibiting banks from engaging in proprietary trading (trading the bank's own money to turn a profit, often in conflict with their customers' interests). Signed financial reform law allowing shareholders of publicly traded companies to vote on executive pay.
232. Provided $12.2 Billion in new funding for Individuals With Disabilities Education Act
233. Extended Benefits to same-sex partners of federal employee.
234. Implemented voluntary disclosure of White House visitors for the first time in US history.
235. Signed the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, giving the FDA the authority to regulate the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of tobacco for the first time.
236. Developed stimulus package, which includes approx. $18 billion for non-defense scientific research and development.
237. He's worked hard to please both sides of the political spectrum and work with republicans to pass fair legislation.
238. He wants people to pay more attention to their kids.
239. He got Bin Laden.
240. Has been one of the most (if not the most) fiscally responsible presidents in the past 60 years. See the graph in the related links section that shows his spending compared to the recent presidents back through Ronald Reagan. Don't believe the politically-driven lies that he is spending more than all others. The economic reports show the opposite.

See also the related question below asking for opinions about what he has done wrong so far.

General George Washington (1732-1799) was the first President of the United States of America under the US Constitution. He was elected in 1787 and again in 1792 and served as President from April 30,1789 until March 4, 1797.

The Hanson argument--

Sometimes, John Hanson is referred to as the first US president due to his ancestors' success of convincing the Maryland Legislature that he was the first President to serve under the articles of Confederation--- but that is NOT the same as the elected President of the US. The Hanson Family's lobbying effort was so complete that in 1903 Maryland included his statue, as one of two, allocated for each state in the US Capitol's Statuary Hall. Although Hanson served as President of the United States Congress Assembled, under the Articles of Confederation, , this was very different from that of a modern-day U.S. Presidency. Moreover, Hanson was actually the third President of the United States in Congress Assembled. The Articles of Confederation Presidency lineage as follows:

• Samuel Huntington was the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled. This was under the Articles of Confederation, March 1, 1781 to July 6, 1781.
• Thomas McKean was the second President of the United States in Congress Assembled elected on July 10th, 1781 and served until November 4th, 1781.
• John Hanson was the third President of the United States in Congress Assembled. He was elected by the United States in Congress Assembled Delegates on November 5, 1781 to November 4, 1782. He was the first President to serve a full one year term under the Articles of Confederation.

William Howard Taft is the only person in US History to serve as both President of the United States and and a member of the US Supreme Court.

In 1921, President Warren G. Harding nominated Taft to replace Chief Justice Edward Douglas White, who had died in office. The Senate confirmed his nomination in a secret vote by a margin of 60-4. Taft presided over the Court until 1930, when he was forced to retire due to ill health.

The Senate (Legislative branch) votes to confirm or reject the Presidents' (Executive branch) US Supreme Court (Judicial branch) nominees. Approval requires a simple majority of the Senators voting, unless a Senator attempts to block the vote by filibuster, in which case a three-fifths (60) vote is required to end the filibuster. under current Senate rules.

For more information, see Related Questions, below.

congress A+

US Presidents who were assassinated and their assassins:

Abraham Lincoln: April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth

James Garfield: July 2, 1881 by Charles Guiteau

William McKinley: September 6, 1901 by Leon Czolgosz

John Kennedy: November 22, 1963 by Lee Harvey Oswald

More details on the assassinations

1) Abraham Lincoln was shot on Good Friday, April 14, 1865 at approximately 10:15 p.m. President Abraham Lincoln was shot by actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth while attending a performance of Our American Cousinat Ford's Theatre with his wife and two guests. Lincoln died the following day-April 15, 1865-at 7:22 a.m., in the home of William Petersen. Booth was shot on April 26 in Virginia.

2) James Garfield was shot on July 2, 1881. He did not die until 2 months later, on September 19, 1881 and it is now believed that he died from blood poisoning due to poor medical treatment. Guiteau was tried, convicted, and hanged. The James A. Garfield assassination took place in Washington, D.C., at 9:30 a.m. on July 2, 1881, less than four months after Garfield took office. Charles J. Guiteau was the assassin. Garfield died 11 weeks later, on September 19, 1881 due to infections caused by substandard medical care.

3) William McKinley was shot twice on September 6, 1901 and died September 14, 1901. The assassin was anarchist Leon F. Czolgosz who was convicted and electrocuted.

4) John F. Kennedy was shot at 12:30 PM CDT November 22, 1965, and was dead on arrival at Parkland General Hospital in Dallas. Lee Harvey Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby two days later. Kennedy was shot while riding with his wife Jacqueline in a presidential motorcade through Dealey Plaza. Although Kennedy was not formally declared dead until half an hour after the shooting, he effectively died instantaneously. The ten-month investigation of the Warren Commission of 1963-1964 concluded that Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald, an employee of the Texas School Book Depository in Dealey Plaza. The United States House Select Committee on Assassinations (HSCA) of 1976-1979 later determined that Kennedy's murder was probably the result of a conspiracy that included Oswald.

Unsuccessful attempts at assassination

There have been about two dozen actual attempts on many other Presidents.

Andrew Jackson was not hurt after a man pointed two different pistols at him at close range and pulled their triggers, but miraculously they both failed to fire.

Theodore Roosevelt was shot while running again for President in 1912, and the bullet remained in him until his death in 1919. Ronald Reagan was shot two months after his inauguration in 1981, but fortunately survived the ricochet wound that penetrated his lung. Gerald Ford was the target of two female assassins, fired upon once but was not hit.
William mckinely

Impeachment is the process used by a legislative body to bring charges of wrongdoing against a public official. Basically, it is the indictment of an appointed or elected public officer on serious criminal charges. The legal basis for impeachment is stated in Article II, Section 4 of the United States Constitution:

"The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors."

The House of Representatives is the only body that can impeach federal officials. If a federal official is impeached, a trial by the Senate follows, which is where guilt and the potential removal from office is debated. It is important not to confuse impeachment with conviction. Impeachment is just a formal accusation; it is only the first step in removing a public official from office.

The idea of impeachment in the United States is usually discussed in reference to the president, although only two presidents have ever actually been impeached, compared to seventeen officials in other positions. Andrew Johnson was impeached on February 24, 1868, on charges of violating the Tenure of Office Act by removing Secretary of War Edwin Stanton from office. William ("Bill") Clinton was impeached on December 19, 1998, on charges of lying under oath to a federal grand jury and obstruction of justice. Both Johnson and Clinton were acquitted in the Senate. Impeachment proceedings against Richard Nixon had made it out of committee, but he resigned from office on August 9th, 1974 before it could be debated on the House floor.

Impeachment inquiries have been attempted on a number of presidents throughout the United States' history, including John Tyler, Harry Truman, and Ronald Reagan. In fact, every elected president since 1980 has been the subject of at least one Congressional resolution that suggested impeachment inquiries.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) was the only U.S. President elected to four terms: 1932, 1936, 1940 and 1944. He died on April 12, 1945, only three months into his fourth term, and was succeeded by his Vice President, Harry Truman.

On February 27, 1951, almost 7 years after FDR's death, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was ratified essentially limiting the term of the U.S. President to two 4-year terms.* Prior to the 22nd Amendment, there was no limit on the number of terms a President could service. Prior to FDR, Presidents followed a precedent set by George Washington to only serve two terms, even though they were not required to limit themselves.

*The 22nd Amendment actually allows an individual to serve a maximum of 10 years as President, but they can only be elected as President for 2 terms. In order for an individual to serve as President for 10 years, they would have to first be Vice President and assume the Presidency with less than 2 years remaining of the outgoing President's term, and then win 2 terms as President.