Grover Cleveland’s First Inaugural
Bruce reads Cleveland’s first Inaugural address, with some analysis.
Even More Esoteric Notes About The 2020 Election
More things to consider about the results of the 2020 Election, besides the big result, that didn’t make it into the main cast.
Transcript for Did Nixon Win the Popular Vote and Other Stories Episode.
On the evening of June 18th, 1954, Albert Love Patterson walked out of his law office in Phoenix City, Alabama. Former state senator soldier in France in World War One was aware of how bad the situation the town he … Continued
Disputed Elections (from 2007)
Disputed Election, from 2007. Some interesting nuggets.
Rivals and Friends: Blaine and William Sherman, McKinley and Dewey
Two GOP Candidates reckon with potential military rivals. One susses, the other waits their potential rival out. And other stories of the 1884 and 1896 election that couldn’t fit in the episode of DONT RUN FOR PRESIDENT
Lincoln and Zachary Taylor
A little bit about Lincoln, and his advocacy and defense of Zachary Taylor, a president who preceded him by three Presidents, all of them ineffective. Zachary Taylor would get barely over a year in office, but his stance on brewing … Continued
“Too Minnesota Nice?” A Look at Humphrey, Anna Chenault and the End of the 1968 Campaign
When it was discovered that Nixon through aide/supporter Chenault had interfered with Vietnam peace talks, LBJ left it to the Democratic candidate Humphrey to use or not use the revalations in politics. Humphrey declined. When asked why Humphrey didn’t use … Continued
Leftovers from Don’t Run for President: Susan B. Anthony Votes, The 1908 Election and More
As normal, I never fit everything I plan to in one episode. This was especially true with the ‘Don’t Run for President’ episode. In this cast, the extras left in various notebooks and computer text files. Susan B Anthony struggles … Continued
The Manhattan Project Within the Clinton Campaign, 1992
A secret ‘campaign within the campaign’ to act as odbudsman for campaign rhetoric may have helped Clinton win in 1992. Other successful campaigns should follow.
Sargent Shriver, VP Candidate
A bit about Sargent Shriver’s legacy, his running for Vice President in 1972 and good and bad moments, including a surprising connection to Joe Biden’s future.
Transcript to ‘Kent State, After the Bullets’
They called it Solar Totem. But to many, they wouldn’t know what it was. Students that pass by it in Kent State University in April of 1970, say, might never have known that it was there at all. South of … Continued
The Cute Little Third – from 2013
A cast about the Third Amendment, not talked about much but not without its powers.
Transcript – John W. Davis Also Ran
For most people, John W. Davis is at best a footnote, a speck of information and a textbook about presidential election history, the Also-Ran of Calvin Coolidge. Nineteen twenty four. You open up the historical electoral maps and you see … Continued
Cuomo Not Running for President. Henry Clay Running Two Campaigns, and Not Leaving Office.
Since we talked about people not running for President in this cast we talk about Mario Cuomo and address that topic. I tell a Leftover story about Henry Clay we didn’t get into on the main cast. About his two … Continued
Smoke-Filled Room?
Was there a room where Warren G. Harding was selected for the GOP nomination in 1920. It might be more story than substance. But what about George Harvey’s room in the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. Well… We look into this, … Continued
“DRAFT JOHNSON” – Did LBJ Really Withdraw From the 1968 Race. Special Epiosde
Lyndon Johnson surprised the nation and some of his supporters and administration officials when he said he would not seek, nor accept the nomination for President in 1968. But did he mean it? New evidence has surfaced that Lyndon Johnson … Continued
The Original ‘Veep’ Alben Barkley
Who was the first VP? John Adams. Who was the first Veep? Truman’s VP Alben Barkley was the first to use the knickname for the job, Veep, coined by his grandson. We talk about Barkley in this episode that is … Continued
About the 1980 Election: Did the Hostage Issue Turn the Election? And Walt Whitman and “The United States is and are.”
More from Rick Perlstein about the 1980 election; did the hostage issue really have the impact that most think it did (including Bruce, up until hearing this). Also Walt Whitman and his use of The United States ‘are’ and the … Continued
Thoughts After 2016 Election
Worth a re-listen to my post-2016 episode for premium subscribers, with my thoughts of what happened and what might happen, now four years later. I quoted Harold Wilson but it’s actually Harold MacMillan who was the Prime Minster of the … Continued
Howard Cosell and Politics, Other Leftover From the ’76 Episode; Also Supreme Court Decisions
We look at the Trump tax return case and the Faithless Elector cases recently decided by the Supreme Court. Also Howard Cosell and his view of politics in 1976, some unused material from the 1976 Convention Cast.
Vaccines – From 2014
From 2014, our look at vaccines and healthcare politics related to it. With some material blended in from other casts related to vaccines, including the Boston slave who saved the city.
DACA Supreme Court Decision, Texas “Pig War” Unrest and Politics
A talk on a bunch of different topics, including the strange story of a conflict between the Republic of Texas and France
The Whiskey Rebellion and Federal-State Power
Some thoughts about rebellions, federal and state power, the Whskey excise tax rebels of 1794 and the actions of the local government in Pittsburgh at the time. Spurred on by our discussion with Lindsay Chervinsky about George Washington’s Cabinet.
Healthcare, Episode from 2009
I discussed a lot about healthcare when the issue was hot during the Obamacare debate. I had some ideas that angered both left and right, and also got into the history of healthcare, or really the lack of it, in … Continued
Young Cheney
Known as a backroom-dealer and powerful Vice President, less is known about DIck Cheney’s younger years. We tell the story on this preview of a Vice Presidents podcast episode, for Extra Podcast subscribers. Thanks for your support. Cheney’s family were … Continued