HISTORY This Week The Forgotten Life & Tragic Death of President James Garfield | A Conversation with ‘Death by Lightning’ Creator Mike Makowsky
5 snips
Nov 3, 2025 Mike Makowsky, the creator of the Netflix series *Death by Lightning*, dives into the forgotten story of President James Garfield, who ascended from poverty to the presidency unexpectedly. They explore his progressive ideals on civil rights and his commitment to reform. The discussion unveils the tragic circumstances surrounding his assassination by Charles Guiteau, revealing themes of political violence and vulnerability. Makowsky also speculates on what Garfield could have accomplished had he survived, making parallels to modern political challenges.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
From Poverty To Progressive Presidency
- James Garfield rose from extreme poverty to the presidency through grit, learning, and military service.
- His election was driven by his reform stance against corruption and patronage.
A Reformer's Threat To Machine Politics
- Garfield championed civil rights and civil-service reform, opposing the entrenched spoils system.
- His agenda directly threatened machine politics and patronage networks in Washington and New York.
Convention Speech Becomes Nomination
- At the 1880 Republican convention Garfield meant to nominate John Sherman but delivered a stirring speech that made delegates rally to him.
- After days of deadlocked voting, delegates unexpectedly transferred votes to Garfield and made him the nominee.
