Philip Abbott is Distinguished University Professor at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA. His recent books include Accidental Presidents: Death, Assassination, Resignation and Democratic Succession (2008) and Political Thought in America: Conversations and Debates, fourth edition (2010). He has published articles in a number of journals, including Journal of Politics, Presidential Studies Quarterly, and Perspectives on Politics. He has held the Thomas Jefferson Chair in American Studies at the University of Amsterdam.