Historical Society Program Preview: Second Bananas Who Moved Up To The Presidency

Far from the days when a Presidential candidate would choose an opponent for a running mate in order to silence him in the closet of the Vice Presidency, we are watching a campaign in which the interest and excitement following the under-ticket is nearly as great as that of the top candidates.  Not paid much attention in the first half century under the Constitution, the Vice Presidency suddenly took on importance for the country in 1841, when William Henry Harrison died of the pneumonia caught at his interminable inaugural speech, and John Tyler became President.

The Newtown Historical Society will present “From Second Banana to Headliner” on Tuesday, October 14, at 7:30 pm, in the community room of C.H. Booth Library, 25 Main Street. The program will be offered by Daniel Wolinsky.

(Note the Tuesday date for this month’s program, to accommodate the Columbus Day observation on October 13.)

Mr Wolinsky will examine the process of presidential succession, which has not always been a smooth one. In spite of the seeming clarity of the Constitution, John Tyler faced a battle to take possession of the higher office. He set a precedent that would be followed  in the following decades.

The talk will follow the first five of the Vice Presidents who moved up to the main seat: Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester Arthur, and Theodore Roosevelt. The first two followed a President who died of natural causes, which was shock enough for the country. The last three took office following the assassination of the sitting President, infinitely more upsetting, and at least in the case of Lincoln and Johnson, fertile ground for the growth of conspiracy theories.

Using an anecdotal approach, Mr Wolinsky will view the five men before they became Vice President, how they acceded to the office of President, and how they performed once they took the higher office.

Dan Wolinsky is a former college professor in the accounting field, and has written several publications in business and finance. His lifelong avocation has been American history, and he has presented programs many times in the area, including the one about the Pony Express last year for Newtown Historical Society.  He has also been a volunteer at Weir Farm, Keeler Tavern, Danbury Historical Society, and the Housatonic Tourist Bureau, and has himself served as president of several local groups. He is also a founder of the Danbury Learning Exchange, which is just starting a new season of public programs on a variety of topics; see the website, tle-danbury.org for details.

Newtown Historical Society programs are free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served following the presentation. Call the historical society at 426-5937 for further information.