US Presidential Elections Series Episodes

July 17, 2024

S012 - There and Back Again: 1912

Year(s) Discussed: 1908-1921 Four candidates. Forty-eight states. Only one can come out on top with at least 266 electoral votes needed to win. To discuss the knock down, drag out brawl that was 1912, I am joined by Joseph Pascone of the Turning Tides Podcast to go through the ins and outs of th…

Guest: Joseph Pascone

May 19, 2024

S011 - The Center Cannot Hold: 1860

Year(s) Discussed: 1860-1861 Though the United States had experienced an election with four primary candidates before, the presidential election of 1860 was unique in that the candidates were based more on geographic region, and the result of that election would change the course of American his…

Guest: Alycia

March 10, 2024

S010 - The Jeffersonian Revolution: 1800

Year(s) Discussed: 1800-1801 The election rematch between President John Adams and Vice President Thomas Jefferson in 1800 did not go quite according to plan thanks to the original method of electors casting ballots. In this episode, I am joined by friend and fellow podcaster, Howard Dorre from …

Guest: Howard Dorre

Feb. 4, 2024

S009 - The Corrupt Bargain Elections: 1824 and 1876

Year(s) Discussed: 1824 and 1876 In the first of a special series of conversations about past US presidential elections, I am joined in this episode by Zachary DeBacco of Drinks with Great Minds in History to discuss the two "corrupt bargain" elections of 1824 and 1876. In addition to the ins an…

Guest: Zachary DeBacco

Dec. 31, 2020

S008 – Transition Gone Wrong

Year(s) Discussed: 1875-1877 Though the US takes pride in the regular practice of peaceful transitions of power from one presidency to the next, sometimes the transition is not quite so peaceful, especially when the results are in dispute. Such was the case in the aftermath of the presidential …

Nov. 2, 2020

S007 – Unprecedented Part III: 1968

Year(s) Discussed: 1907-1968 In a year of domestic unrest, social strife, and uncertainty at home and abroad, the United States prepared for a presidential election in 1968. Little did they know that it would be a contest unlike any other. In the midst of a turbulent campaign, political norms we…

Aug. 2, 2020

S006 – It’s Convention Time!

Year(s) Discussed: 1824-1992 Since the first national party convention in the United States in September 1831, party conventions have played a key role in American politics. In this episode, we explore the role of these gatherings in determining presidential nominees as well as setting agendas t…

June 21, 2020

S005 – Unprecedented Part II

Year(s) Discussed: 1936-1944 With increasing uncertainty in the global situation and continued instability in the domestic economy, candidates lined up on both the Democratic and Republican sides to succeed Franklin Roosevelt at the end of his second term. However, 1940 found the President consi…

April 19, 2020

S004 – Unprecedented Part I

Year(s) Discussed: 1800-1801, 1816-1825, 1860-1864 While some presidential elections function in much the same way as others of the time, there are those select few that reshape the process or are noteworthy for being unique in some way. In the next two episodes of the special series, I will be …

March 1, 2020

S003 – The Super Tuesday Spectacular

Year(s) Discussed: 1976-1988 Super Tuesday happens at least once every four years in the modern US presidential election cycle, but how much does anyone really know about this date on the campaign calendar? In this episode, I explore the history of Super Tuesday and how it impacted numerous pres…

Feb. 1, 2020

S002 – Primaries vs Caucuses

Year(s) Discussed: 1901-2008 What is the difference between a primary and a caucus anyway? Listen as I explore that question and discuss the various permutations of both as well as how the presidential primary calendar came to have Iowa and New Hampshire as the first contests in this episode.

Jan. 5, 2020

S001 – A History of Primaries

Year(s) Discussed: 1816-1976 Did you know that presidential primaries in the United States are a rather modern innovation and that for a long time, presidential primary winners often didn’t end up as the party’s nominee? Learn how the primary system came to be what it is today, the varying impac…