In it’s short existence the states that fashioned themselves a Confederacy would hold 2 congressional elections. The second one could be considered a midterm, as it was about halfway through Jefferson Davis’s intended 6 year term.

The midterm election everyone is not talking about in this midterm season. Air Force One. Candidates in Fire Trucks. Culture War Weaponized. A TV Mess-Up. New Political Concepts and Midterm Election Awareness. Nixon’s first presidential midterm election (the election in which the House and Senate would be up for election) would turn out to be his last, but no one knew it at the time.

Nixon tried something Presidents hadn’t tried and took off in Air Force One to boost GOP candidates and attack hippie “thugs” across the country. He hoped to reverse the midterm trend. He did not, and he blamed bad audio and unhelpful political science. He may have done better than he thought.

Have we forgotten about George W. Bush and how much today’s politics were settled during his administration? Does Congress have any role anymore? Have we reached a point where Congress not only has less power but doesn’t want to use what it has? Over the years, federal power has shifted from Congress to the President, with particular acceleration since Reagan and George W. Bush’s Presidencies. David Sirota of The Lever Podcast and Master Plan Podcast joins us to talk about this trend and how it is a planned effort with people of both parties involved.

His podcast, Master Plan, is available at: https://podcasts.apple.com/br/podcast/master-plan/id1723377799

Our series on this misunderstood President examines his short Presidency in the midst of great struggles, his plan and what happened.

Part I:

The first year of Bill Clinton’s Presidency.

Well, the 1880’s finally has some visual media coverage. That’s the good news.

I do think it was an enjoyable series. I’m at a bit of a disadvantage being a history podcaster, as “suspension of disbelief” is kind of contrary to the mission of educating about details of history. But it is enjoyable, especially the acting performance of Matthew Macfayden.

-No, Blaine didn’t speak to Conkling casually. They did not speak.

–Blaine, Grant and Sherman were not present at the 1880 convention. Blaine was monitoring by telegraph close by, which was an endless source of material for Conkling (which would have been accurate and entertaining/funny to include).

–Arthur did not offer to resign as Vice President. If he did, it would not be up to Garfield to “accept it” he’d give that to Blaine as Secretary of State, and his letter would be the only step, as a Constitutional officer. But it didn’t happen, so why discuss, right?

-Arthur did not storm out of Conkling’s carriage.

-Arthur was not at the President’s bedside.

-Arthur did not refuse to break the deadlock as Vice President, he did break it, in his first days, casting 3 tie votes to organize the Senate.

– After that, the Senate appointed a pro tempore President and made a deal with a Virginia Independent Senator and there was no deadlock.

-Garfield did not meet Guiteau.

-Arthur did meet Guiteau, or rather, Guiteau forced himself on him. And he did give him a speaking assignment in NYC as 1880 New York campaign manager. This was common for newcomers, it was one of hundreds of little speech slots that party faithful would do. His was not good and lasted a few minutes. He did not get him into parties or drink with him.

-Blaine did not meet Guiteau at his house or the park, rather he threw him out of the State Department.


-Chauncey Depew did not replace Conkling in the Senate. elbridge Lapham did.

– More importantly, the resign plan was not Conkling’s idea. It was Platt. He wanted away out of his predicament of having to vote for Robertson as collector. He convinced Conkling, who then thought it was a good idea. Show presents it other way around.

-Conkling continued to see Kate Sprague (nee Chase) well into Arthur’s Presidency. The showdown moment with the wife in Albany did not happen. Politics, a split among the Stalwarts, not a metoo moment drove Conkling’s downfall in the Senate vote.

-A little too much “cussing” if you ask me. I’m sure though in a few moments these guys did use these words, but not this much.

Despite all this, yes you should watch.

*This would have been better to tell the accurate story- more entertaining.

Sponsored by:

The University of Aberdeen:

https://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses/

Push in the drawer of your CD-ROM drive and enjoy random stories of politics and culture from the 1990’s. Stories that haven’t gotten much notice since.

Sponsored by:

The University of Aberdeen:

https://on.abdn.ac.uk/online-history-courses/

A five-episode series on an elusive and misunderstood President. From his early years, to his time as a port collector (and political organizer), to his time in the White House.

The early years

I am a stalwart…

I will accept the nomination, sir

The pistol and the transom

In 2005, George W. Bush launched a Social Security reform plan, along with a tour of the country. He won an election and he was going to spend political capital he had earned. It didn’t work. We get into it.

In 1985, a surprise quick meeting of five finance ministers in New York’s Plaza Hotel would stoke markets better than any intervention or huge summit the world could imagine. But there were a few side effects.

It’s one of James Baker’s signature moves in his career, and it hasn’t quite ever been replicated. He knew why he did it: to stave off protectionist Democrats in Congress. Now it’s come up again, in the context of Trump administration tariffs, with a new angle. Let’s look at what happened, and all of the results and possibilities.