▁historian ▁special izing ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁presiden cy . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁nine ▁books ▁on ▁the ▁presiden cy . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Besch loss ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Chicago , ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁Fl oss mo or , ▁Illinois , ▁and ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁E agle bro ok ▁School , ▁Phill ips ▁Academy ▁( And over ), ▁Williams ▁College ▁and ▁Harvard ▁University . ▁He ▁major ed ▁in ▁political ▁science , ▁working ▁under ▁James ▁Mac G reg or ▁Burn s ▁at ▁Williams , ▁from ▁which ▁he ▁graduated ▁with ▁High est ▁Hon ors , ▁and ▁earned ▁an ▁M BA ▁at ▁Harvard ▁Business ▁School , ▁with ▁the ▁original ▁intention ▁of ▁writing ▁history ▁while ▁serving ▁as ▁a ▁foundation ▁executive . ▁His ▁college ▁th esis ▁Kennedy ▁and ▁Ro ose vel t : ▁The ▁Une asy ▁Alliance ▁was ▁published ▁from ▁Harvard ▁Business ▁School ▁when ▁he ▁graduated . ▁ ▁Career ▁Besch loss ▁worked ▁for ▁CNN ▁as ▁a ▁political ▁anal yst . ▁He ▁also ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁frequent ▁comment ator ▁on ▁the ▁P BS ▁News H our ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁N BC ▁News ▁President ial ▁Histor ian . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁trust ee ▁of ▁the ▁White ▁House ▁Historical ▁Association ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Archives ▁Foundation ▁and ▁he ▁also ▁s its ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁Smith son ian ' s ▁National ▁Museum ▁of ▁American ▁History . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁trust ee ▁of ▁the ▁Thomas ▁Jefferson ▁Foundation ▁( Mont ic ello ), ▁the ▁Urban ▁Institute , ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Virginia ' s ▁Miller ▁Center ▁of ▁Public ▁Affairs ▁and ▁the ▁P