According to the British Universities Film & Video Council (BUFVC): "The bulk of the programme consists of interviews of US presidents by
Hugh Sidey, contributing editor of 'Time' magazine. The Commission on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution made four programmes, with one president featured in each, which were originally broadcast in the USA on PBS in 1991 and 1992. The OU version intercuts the Commission's programmes around subject areas in order to contextualise the interviews in terms of their historical context and the wider political debate. Some of the incidents mentioned are illustrated by archive materials. In this programme President Carter gives his account of his Middle East diplomacy and the Camp David accords, the Iranian hostage crisis (including the failure of the 'Desert One' rescue attempt), the Panama Canal Treaty and the invasion of Afghanistan. President Reagan discusses Star Wars, the 'evil empire' speech, the Rekjavik and Geneva summits, Nicaragua and 'Irangate'."