‘The Hidden History of the White House’ dives into presidential secrets

Did you know the White House has a serious rat problem? That’s one of the many realities Corey Mead uncovers in his new book, “The Hidden History of the White House: Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments,” which looks at the experience of living in the U.S. president’s residence.

In addition to his work as an author, Mead is an associate professor of English at City University of New York’s Baruch College.

On Tuesday, ABC News’ Stephanie Ramos talked to Mead about writing the book in an election year, where the Obama administration got the sandwiches to eat while they monitored the operation to hunt down Osama bin Laden and the horrible conditions some residents have had to endure.

ABC NEWS: Our next guest takes readers on what goes on behind the scenes of some of the most defining moments in American history, right inside the People’s House, where it all happens.

Corey Mead’s new book, “The Hidden History of the White House: Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments,” is inspired by Wondery’s chart-topping American History Tellers podcast, which is known for its immersive signature style of putting the listeners in the story, experiencing that history. Corey Mead is joining me now in studio. Great to have you here.

MEAD: Thanks so much for having me Stephanie, appreciate it.

ABC NEWS: Nice to meet you. So your book places readers in the shoes of historical figures and really takes them through these defining moments. So what made you want to write this book, and how did you find these incredible stories?

MEAD: Well, I mean, in terms of wanting to write the book, it was a partnership with American History Tellers, this podcast. And so their thought was in an election year when everybody’s thinking about who’s going to be the next occupant of the White House, or most people are thinking about that, what about giving some context to the personalities that occupied the White House, the nature of the White House itself, some of the building.

And then, it’s this incredible place where, within these four walls, people have experiences that they don’t have anywhere else. Nobody else in history has these experiences, so it’s incredible.

So in terms of picking or finding the stories, I mean, there could be, we could have done God knows how many volumes of this book because every story that happens in there are so incredible. So this was just some of the ones that gave kind of the scope of the experiences.

ABC NEWS: Yeah, it’s so interesting and it’s smart to do it around this time, leading into an election. In the last chapter of the book, you shared details about the SEAL team operation to assassinate Osama bin Laden. Without giving away too much …

MEAD: They got him.

ABC NEWS: They did. But as you were researching it and looking into this operation, along the way, was there anything that surprised you?

MEAD: It was funny, That’s the chapter that I was actually the most familiar with beforehand. But the idea with the way to tell the stories of all the chapters, including that one, was to kind of tell it in this immersive, you-are-there way. So with that chapter, I was struck by some of the things like that, the platter of sandwiches in front of the, y’know, Obama and Clinton and all the people gathered around in that picture is from Costco, right? Or in that famous …

ABC NEWS: Were they really?

MEAD: Yeah.

ABC NEWS: Costco does good stuff.

MEAD: Costco does a good job. Or that famous photograph where they all look kind of stricken — I don’t know if I ever knew this — it was taken because one of the helicopters actually crashed, one of the SEAL helicopters.

But it turns out it was an intentional crash. They were trying to clip the wings, they couldn’t hover the way they were supposed to. But Obama and his team watching it had no idea. So for all they knew, the entire operation had just gone south and was a disaster. So it’s those kinds of human moments, like in that chapter, that really open it up, I think.

ABC NEWS: Yeah, that’s really eye-opening. And also you weave in so many different stories, like Andrew Jackson’s 1829 inauguration. I mean, taking it way back.

MEAD: Right.

ABC NEWS: It’s so many interesting stories. So before writing this book, what were some of the details that completely shocked you?

MEAD: I was really shocked, over and over again, at how completely decrepit the White House has been at many times in its history. I mean, it’s rat-infested; apparently it still is. That’s just like a faction of it. But there’ve been so many times during its history when the White House has been literally crumbling.

Like, for example, when Harry Truman moved in and his wife Bess, and his child Margaret, in the 1950s, I mean, literally threadbare carpets, curtains hanging by a thread, the floors when you would walk would rotate like this because they were so wobbly. You know, there were massive chandeliers wobbling over people’s heads during receptions.

And finally it all came to a head when Margaret Truman, his daughter, was playing her piano and the piano plunged through the floor because the floors were in such bad shape. So they had to do a complete rebuild. So I really, you know, you have this exterior image of the White House as being so fancy and I think they try to keep the reception rooms nice. But that hasn’t always been the case with the actual living quarters.

ABC NEWS: Well, congratulations.

MEAD: Thank you.

ABC NEWS: It seems like a fascinating book, very excited to read it. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing with us.

MEAD: Appreciate it.

ABC NEWS: “The Hidden History of the White House” is available wherever books are sold.