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
Defoe’s Social Distancing and Reopening in 1660s, SARS, More on Kent State
Touching on a few topics from the various notebooks I’m been assembling. Little more detail on Kent State, and more that Ruffner said in the interview I couldn’t fit in the cast. Also the original SARS disease and Daniel Defoe’s … Continued
VP Picks Who and Why (from ’08)
a really old one – but a lot of the content applies, as to the categories of VP picks. Do you heal a party, patch up a weakness, create buzz, or something else? I aired this episode before one of … Continued
The Battle of New Orleans, and the Myth That Your Side Will Win
Well, a rerun of a 2014 episode, part of a series about ‘Lies Your Talking Head Told You’. What the battle of New Orleans was like, and how it changed politics in America forever.
Interview with Kent State Photographer Howard Ruffin
A rough cut of a just completed interview with ANOTHER eyewitness to the events at Kent State May 4th 1970. Howard Ruffin took the photographs that would appear in LIFE Magazine from that day. We discuss a lot of topics, … Continued
Truman in Texas, Monkeys in Space, Washington’s English Relatives
These are the topics we tackle in this episode, based on our recent interview with AJ Baime. Stay safe.
AJ Baime Full Interview: Truman and 1948
We spoke with A.J. Baime 2 years ago, and he’s back on again. This time to discussion the election of 1948, The Marshall Plan and Truman. Parts of te interview will be used on an upcoming episode of the podcast … Continued
Coolidge Becomes President
We talk about the transition of Coolidge from Vice President to President. His style, his politics, and the challenges he would face, including a potential challenger. How he became President was one of his greatest assets.
Kurt Schmoke: Drug Legalization When it Was ‘Dangerous’
In 1987, Baltimore would elect a new mayor with great hope and promise. He didn’t come from any of the political clubs. He could see things differently. When he looked at the drug trade, he came up with a unique … Continued
Stories From the 1918 Spanish Flu Episode – Bonus Episode from 2017 Laura Spinney Interview
The Spanish Flu was devastating, and in this episode we tell stories about the devastation, it’s impact on New York and on the art world, and how the epidemic victims were counted. I enjoyed my conversation w/ science journalist Laura … Continued
The Rum Romanism and Rebellion Moment – More About 1884 and The Incident that Sunk Blaine
(a little glitch with the last one) A little more about 1884 for premium subscribers! DId Blaine really not hear the Rum Romanism and Rebellion comment? And other things.
Levi Morton, Vice President
An early cut and preview of my podcast on Levi Morton, Benjamin Harrison’s vice president.