[Lurking Libertarian]

All Andrew Johnson wanted to do was carry out Lincoln's vision for Reconstruction, but Thaddeus Stevens and his unrepentant radicals crucified the man. The only reason that they wanted to impeach him is because he wanted to treat his fellow Southerners as if they were human beings, rather than the evil, rabid dogs that the Radical Reconstructionists saw us as.

But he did it with such incompetence that he empowered the Radicals far more.

[AzaleaCity5691]

"But he did it with such incompetence that he empowered the Radicals far more."

I think they would have been empowered no matter what, remember, these people were absolutely crazy. Most of the ones who came down here were abject oppurtunists, and they were just gleefully cheered on by Washington.

If Johnson had been the most articulate man on the planet, he wouldn't have been able to do any good, because the radicals were absolutely intent on remaking the South to fit their desires. I will say though that attending that inauguration drunk (if it is true) was a bad decision on Johnson's part.