Interview, Feb 18 - Historian Howard Zinn says excitement about this year's Presidential election is justified because the US is coming off possibly "The worst President in the history of the United States." But Zinn tells a cautionary tale about the leadership of a President. Instead, he says, change only comes from people's demands.

As one example of people demanding change, Zinn points to the Bill of Rights. He says the Constitution did not contain a Bill of Rights until protests by the people influenced the Founding Fathers to insert it. He also highlights Franklin D. Roosevelt's implementation of the New Deal.

"[FDR was] probably the best President we've had, in our history, in terms of presiding over legislation to help the poor... and yet, if you look at his case, Roosevelt came into office facing a country in desperation and turmoil.And he faced general strikes,.. and acts of civil disobedience... so Roosevelt himself was reacting."

Civil disobedience, strikes, protests, unemployment unions, tenant coalitions put pressure on the government, Zinn said.

"Again and again, we see that where change has taken place, it has taken place through the initiative of people's movements. And that's the way it will be, and that's why the hope that one presidential candidate, if elected will bring about radical change.. that hope is misplaced if it ignores the fact that no president candidate is going to make a fundamental change unless there's a demand by the citizenry, for such a change."

Zinn says Hillary Clinton was 'ignorant of history' when she said on the campaign trail last month that it was President Lyndon B. Johnson was the one who implemented the Civil Rights Act. Johnson's Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the result of a black movement, Zinn says.

These examples prove, for Zinn, that it is not the President who brings about change, but that the people who demand it and force their leaders to respond.

What do the people demand?

by Karen Miller

Candidates in this year's presidential race are asking voters to vote for them, but what are voters asking of their next president. Election Unspun's producer Karen Miller hit the streets in the Washington DC area and found that voters this year are demanding a president who tells the truth, has smarts and who cares.