Vice Presidencies Of The United States Episodes

Tenure of Office: December 28, 1832 - March 4, 1833How did a man praised for his "patience, industry and excellent judgment" find himself at the center of a national power struggle? Known for being at his desk by dawn, Hugh Lawson White built a reputation in his career of public service and business leadership which positioned him to take up the role of President pro tem when the Senate rostrum was vacant. However, his sense of duty led this lifelong Jackson ally to break ranks and become the face of the opposition in the South. Listen in to learn more about this one-time presidential contender who was for a brief time a heartbeat away from the presidency.

Tenure of Office: December 8, 1817 - March 4, 1825 (as Secretary of War); March 4, 1825 - December 28, 1832 (as Vice President); April 1, 1844 - March 10, 1845 (as Secretary of State) Though we come to the end of Calhoun's life and career in this episode, as I and my special guests, Alycia of Civics and Coffee and Alex of the Vice Presidencies series, learn, Calhoun was on the go to the very end with a stint as Secretary of State followed by a return to the US Senate. In our final evaluation of his legacy, will we deem him to be a Cabinet and/or Vice Presidential All-Star? Listen in to find out!

Tenure of Office: December 8, 1817 - March 4, 1825 (as Secretary of War); March 4, 1825 - December 28, 1832 (as Vice President); April 1, 1844 - March 10, 1845 (as Secretary of State)In the contested presidential election of 1824, Calhoun was without question elected as Vice President. In this episode, I am joined by Alycia of Civics and Coffee and Alex of the Vice Presidencies series to explore his tenure during his nearly (but not quite) two terms in office, how he navigated (and facilitated) the changeover in presidents, and his move from the rostrum to a Senate seat in the midst of a national crisis. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: December 8, 1817 - March 4, 1825 (as Secretary of War); March 4, 1825 - December 28, 1832 (as Vice President); April 1, 1844 - March 10, 1845 (as Secretary of State)Few figures loom as large in the annals of American history or have left such a challenging legacy with which to grapple than John Caldwell Calhoun of South Carolina. In this episode, I am joined by Alycia of Civics and Coffee and Alex of the Vice Presidencies series to explore Calhoun's early life, his rise to prominence in the US House of Representatives, and his tenure as Secretary of War in the Monroe administration. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1817 - March 4, 1825 Despite talking about resigning shortly after he took office, Daniel D Tompkins managed to serve out two full terms as Vice President. His tenure, however, was filled with financial difficulties and fighting the state of New York and the federal government to resolve debts incurred during the War of 1812. Despite winning reelection, Tompkins's reputation and his health would suffer in his eight years in office. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1817 - March 4, 1825The only 19th century Vice President to serve two full terms (spoiler alert), in this episode, we cover Daniel D Tompkins's political rise in New York and transformation from the Clinton political machine's "Farmer's Boy" to a wartime governor who acted in his own right to ensure his state's defense admirably enough to be pushed forward to the second highest office in the land. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: November 25, 1814 - March 3, 1817With the death of VP Elbridge Gerry, the Senate had to choose someone from their ranks who could preside over them so that they could carry out business for the next two and a half years. Luckily, they knew a guy who was already familiar with the view from the rostrum. Join us to learn more about John Gaillard of South Carolina's rise in politics and what he got up to in his lengthy tenure as President Pro Tem. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1813 - November 23, 1814Despite being elected to the First Congress under the Constitution, Elbridge Gerry would hit some rocky patches in his career of public service after 1789. Still, the twists and turns that led him on a diplomatic mission to France, a couple of terms as governor of Massachusetts, and finally to presiding over the Senate as Vice President left us with much to discuss as we evaluated his overall life at the end. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1813 - November 23, 1814Signer of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation, Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts quickly rose to become one of the key leaders in Congress during the American Revolution and the war's aftermath. However, as Alex and I explore in this episode, when it came time for the Constitutional Convention, Gerry would have more than a few things to say about the new government taking shape which would impact the trajectory of his political career. Sources used in this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: April 20, 1812 - March 3, 1813What happens when a Vice President dies? Prior to the 25th Amendment, that meant that a President Pro Tempore (or "for the time being") was chosen to preside over the Senate until the next election. After the death of George Clinton in 1812, the person chosen for that position was William H Crawford of Georgia. Join us as we learn more about what it meant to be President Pro Tempore at the time and what Crawford did during his tenure. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1805 - April 20, 1812After coming out of retirement for one more term as governor of New York, George Clinton went on to become Jefferson's vice president. Find out how he became the first of only two VPs to date to serve under two different presidents and why he didn't necessarily see that as a good thing by listening to this episode. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1805 - April 20, 1812No, he's not *that* George Clinton of Parliament-Funkadelic fame, but there are still so many interesting points to discuss about the life and career of Revolutionary War general and first governor of New York George Clinton. In this episode, Alex and I explore his rise to political prominence and his first six (yes, six) terms as Governor. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1801 - March 4, 1805Burr may only have served one term as Vice President, but as we discuss in this episode, it was a turbulent four years filled with political intrigue, power struggles, and a rather infamous duel. The drama would not end when Burr left office, however, as his post-vice presidency years had conspiracies and exile in store for him. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.Content Note: There is discussion of sexuality throughout this episode.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1801 - March 4, 1805For the first Vice President whose life we are covering from start to end, Aaron Burr brings quite the tale to tell. From personal tragedy early in life to a meteoric rise in politics, from distinguished instances of military service to a romantic relationship with a married woman, there is much to discuss leading up to the constitutional crisis that was the Election of 1800. Sources used for this episode can be found at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.

Tenure of Office: March 4, 1797 - March 4, 1801Though Thomas Jefferson's four years in the nation's second highest office doesn't always get as much attention as other points in his career, as my co-host Alex and I explored in this episode, the man from Monticello was doing more than twiddling his thumbs while presiding over the Senate. However, we'll have to see if his actions during this tenure earn him a place among the VP All-Stars.

Tenure of Office: April 21, 1789 - March 4, 1797John Adams had a lengthy, busy career in public service, but it's likely that he would not rank his eight years as the first Vice President of the United States as one of his crowning achievements. Join my co-host Alex and myself as we explore his tempestuous tenure in this office and determine whether it was notable enough or impactful enough for Adams to preside from the rostrum of VP All-Stars.

Year(s) Discussed: 1789-2023While the US vice presidency is a constitutionally-created office, arguably the role that the vice president plays in American politics and the federal government has experienced the greatest shifts of any other position on the national stage. This episode begins our exploration of the lives and legacies of the individuals who have served as Vice President with an examination of the history of the office, how the Constitution has changed the role, and some of the precedents set and unprecedented scenarios we'll see in this series. More information can be found on the website: https://www.presidenciespodcast.com.