 The Papers of
the Presidents
The American Presidency Project is the only online resource that has consolidated, coded, and organized into a single searchable database:
• The Messages and Papers of the Presidents: Washington - Taft (1789-1913)
• The Public Papers of the Presidents:
Hoover to G.W. Bush (1929-2007)
& Obama (2009)
• The Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents:
Carter - G.W. Bush (1977-2009)
• The Daily Compilation of Presidential Documents:
Obama (2009-2012) 
• Our archives also contain thousands of other documents such as party platforms, candidates' remarks, Statements of Administration Policy, documents released by the Office of the Press Secretary, and election debates:
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| Noteworthy State of the Union Addresses from the APP's complete archive: |
| "The British Government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought significant quantities of uranium from Africa." |
| George W. Bush - January 28, 2003 |
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| "The era of big Government is over. But we cannot go back to the time when our citizens were left to fend for themselves." |
| William J. Clinton - January 23, 1996 |
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| "President Washington began this tradition in 1790 after reminding the Nation that the destiny of self-government and the "preservation of the sacred fire of liberty" is "finally staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people." For our friends in the press, who place a high premium on accuracy, let me say: I did not actually hear George Washington say that. [Laughter]" |
| Ronald Reagan - January 26, 1982 |
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| "Today, that freshman Member from Michigan stands where Mr. Truman stood, and I must say to you that the state of the Union is not good: Millions of Americans are out of work..." |
| Gerald Ford - January 15, 1975 |
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| "I believe the time has come to bring that investigation and the other investigations of this matter to an end. One year of Watergate is enough." |
| Richard Nixon - January 30, 1974 |
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| "We must spare no effort to raise the general level of health in this country. In a nation as rich as ours, it is a shocking fact that tens of millions lack adequate medical care." |
| Harry S. Truman - January 5, 1949 |
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| "In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms." |
| Franklin D. Roosevelt - January 6, 1941 |
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The Ten Most Viewed Documents
(since 9/1/12) |
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2012 Newspaper Endorsements Score
(Top 100 Papers by Circulation) |
| With 3 papers having reported as of October 7 |
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| Total Papers |
1 |
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| Total Circulation |
236,929 |
625,968 |
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| links to complete data pages - 2012 | 2008 |
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| The American Presidency Project (americanpresidency.org), was established in 1999 as a collaboration between John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters at the University of California, Santa Barbara. |
| Our archives contain 102,317 documents related to the study of the Presidency. |
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| How President Obama Compares to Other Incumbents: Key Data |
Economic Growth: change over quarter one year earlier first term and two prior years
(Update: October 1, 2012 - Quarter II revised and Q III & IV Estimate) |
| Winning Reelection including Obama |
Losing Reelection including Obama |
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| click to enlarge |
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| 2012 Presidential Debates and in History |
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"I don't believe, Mr. Frankel, that the Yugoslavians consider themselves dominated by the Soviet Union. I don't believe that the Romanians consider themselves dominated by the Soviet Union. I don't believe that the Poles consider themselves dominated by the Soviet Union."
--Gerald R. Ford, Presidential Debate at Palace of Fine Arts Theatre in San Francisco, October 6, 1976 |
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"There you go again..."
--Ronald Reagan, Presidential Debate at the Convention Center Music Hall in Cleveland
October 28, 1980 |
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"Next Tuesday is election day. Next Tuesday all of you will go to the polls; you'll stand there in the polling place and make a decision. I think when you make that decision, it might be well if you would ask yourself, are you better off than you were 4 years ago? [...] If you don't agree, if you don't think that this course that we've been on for the last 4 years is what you would like to see us follow for the next 4, then I could suggest another choice that you have."
--Ronald Reagan, Presidential Debate at the Convention Center Music Hall in Cleveland
October 28, 1980 |
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"I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience."
--Ronald Reagan, Presidential Debate at the Kansas City Convention Center, October 21, 1984 |
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"Q: Governor, if Kitty Dukakis were raped and murdered, would you favor an irrevocable death penalty for the killer?
A: No, I don't, Bernard. And I think you know that I've opposed the death penalty during all of my life."
--Michael S. Dukakis, Presidential Debate at the University of California, Los Angeles
October 13, 1988 |
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"The man is practicing fuzzy math again."
--George W. Bush, Presidential Debate at the University of Massachusetts in Boston
October 3, 2000 |
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| view the complete debate archive |
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39
years ago |
Letter to Spiro T. Agnew About His Decision to Resign as Vice President
October 10, 1973 |
| Dear Ted: The most difficult decisions are often those that are the most personal, and I know your decision to resign as Vice President has been as difficult as any facing a man in public life could be. Your departure from the Administration leaves me with a great sense of personal loss. You have been a valued associate throughout these nearly five years that we have served together. However, I respect your decision, and I also respect the concern for the national interest that led you to conclude that a resolution of the matter in this way, rather than through an extended battle in the Courts and the Congress, was advisable in order to prevent a protracted period of national division and uncertainty. As Vice President, you have addressed the great issues of our times with courage and candor. Your strong patriotism, and your profound dedication to the welfare of the Nation, have been an inspiration to all who have served with you as well as to millions of others throughout ...read full document |
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| The Document Archive Contains 102,317 Records |
| • Executive Orders |
4871 |
• State of the Union Addresses |
92 |
| • Proclamations |
6104 |
• State of the Union Messages |
138 |
| • Press Conferences |
1983 |
• Inaugural Addresses |
56 |
| • Saturday Radio Addresses |
1366 |
• Addresses to Congress (non-SOU) |
50 |
| • Fireside Chats (FDR) |
27 |
• Addresses to Nation |
247 |
| • Veto Messages |
1141 |
• Addresses to the United Nations |
44 |
| • Radio & TV Correspondents Dinners |
36 |
• Addresses to Foreign Legislatures |
70 |
| • Party Convention Addresses |
34 |
• College Commencement Addresses |
152 |
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