My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

We discuss the tight election that elected the first Democratic President in 25 years and some comparisons and contrasts to the current election. A President's umbrella, salutes for his "big foot," chain-armor clad parades, and the importance of a concern for the "general weal." all in this episode. Music by Stephan Siebert, About Life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 1880 election was close, with Democrats and Republicans seeking an advantage in its waning days when a letter hits a major city newspaper purporting to be in the hand of a candidate. It is a letter that could turn the election. With Todd Arrington, a historian at the James A. Garfield National Historic Site in Mentor, Ohio, we discuss James A. Garfield's surprise nomination and the Morey letter. We also discuss what could have been had Garfield lived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bit of an American political story about politics, corn, common sense.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eagle Claw, popularly known as Desert One, was the unsuccessful attempt to rescue hostages in Iran in 1980, hostages that had been held since the storming of the embassy in 1979. Replaying two previous podcasts on the topic, we look at the hostage-taking and the rescue attempt. How the plan may have worked? What went wrong? Also, why the embassy was stormed in 1979 and why it was the second time that year. Why one hostage was mad that he was rescued. These topics are discussed and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Baltimore in the 1850's was a fearsome place where politics and gangs were hard to separate. Yet it was the connecting stop for new Presidents and Union Soldiers getting to Washington D.C. We speak with Josh Mensch. Josh is the co-author with Brad Meltzer of the New York Times bestselling nonfiction history book The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America’s 16th President—and Why It Failed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Newark N.J. suffered a brutal and consuming riot, or rebellion, depending on how you see things, in the hot summer of 1967. Through the voices of history, we hear about those events, what caused it, and the musician who got caught up and became an unlikely spark. Caught off guard, police and National Guard and a scuffle became a war. How the '67 events caused a change in government, was noticed in national politics, and how it remains an influence even for today's events. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

George Washington did not get a Cabinet as President. He created it. His precedents forged the institution and the President's relationship to the Executive Departments. Washington didn't fire a cabinet member, but he set the precedents in this area and in others. We are joined by Lindsay M. Chervinsky, a historian with the white house historian Her book, The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution has been published by Harvard University Press. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talk Idi Amin, Kim Jong-il and other despots with Scott Rank of History Unplugged Podcast joins us to talk about his book History's Nine Most Insane Rulers. We get into Amin's awful suppression of opposition, deportation of Indian and Pakistani Ugandans, and extra judicial killings. Other insane rulers were more amusing, and we talk about that too.  Lee Rosevere provides music on this program - check out his music on bandcamp.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The May 4, 1970 shootings at Kent State killed 4 students and wounded 9. Paula Stone Tucker was a student going through her work and studies on campus when she witnessed a historic event. We talk about Kent State, how the 4 days unfolded, and get Paula Stone Tucker's take on events. She is the author of the book Surviving a Kent State Memoir. We are grateful to Ohio vs. the World Podcast for lending the story of another Kent State shooting survivor Dean Kahler. Sign up for Alex's podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Godwin's Law is Not a Law. And yet, it probably should be followed in most cases. (re-do of past episode that contained an error). The surprising history of the rule that one should not discuss Nazis in debates, and the person who is not a scientist nor a lawmaker who came up with it. Also, when you can violate the rule and what the rule says about meme-driven discussions in 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices