08 Martin Van Buren & Top 5 Pardons

Forgiveness is in the air as we discuss the Top 5 Pardons in American history. Then we turn to the life and career of Martin Van Buren, the shrewd politician who masterminded the creation of the Democratic Party and Andrew Jackson's rise to political dominance. When he succeeded Jackson, however, Van Buren inherited a crisis that would plague his presidency. In a redemptive post-presidency, he took a principled stand against the party he started.  We try to give a lesser-known president his due in an epic episode that spans the tumultuous antebellum period.