“When Smoot thought he was right, there was no stopping him.” a biographer said Reed Smoot, Senator from Utah is behind one of the most ill-considered tariffs in history, passed at during the Great Depression. He also has an interesting story, having faced religious prejudice and being initially refused entry into the Senate.

He also was progressive on issues of big railroad regulation and child labor. But when it came to tariffs…he sided with those who opposed him on those questions.

We talk about his history and (if you want to jump, it’s about minute 32:45) we talk tariffs and why they’ve been not part of American policy since the days Smoot was alive.

A history of the characters, fake colonels, phone answerers, ghostwriters and wire-pullers that Presidents from Chester Arthur to T.R. to Coolidge to Nixon have used at different times. While the scale of these individuals may be in stark contrast to current trends, each was controversial in his time, and helpful and sometimes unhelpful to Presidents in various ways.

RIP President Carter, 1924-2024. In this episode, we tell some stories about Carter, two controversial pardons, his first meeting with both Ted Kennedy and Hunter S. Thompson (at the same event), to solar power in the White House, to a little known banking reform.

Year three of Jimmy Carter’s Presidency is a lot tougher than year one. An intraparty rival, nagging inflation, a hostage crisis and a break in relations with the Soviets. Carter attempts to make a different kind of Presidential speech, one that treats Americans as equals. Will it work?

Music by the excellent Lee Rosevere and theme song by Chris Novembrino.

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Grover Cleveland’s road to the only non-consecutive Presidential term was not an easy one. He’d have to pass a series of political tests to get his chance. The first obstacle that had to be overcome was: Grover himself. Did he want to do it? Then he’d have to navigate rivals and frenemies.

And through it all he was boosted by a cadre of friends, and the undisputed fact that he had won a popular vote while losing the election four years before. Don’t be a Goody-goody, an anti-Egoist or a Snapper. Listen to this episode.

The story of Black Hawk’s War is central to the development of the Midwest of the United States. Notably, the securing of Illinois and the development of Iowa. But was it war? Was it worth fighting? Zachary Taylor has an opinion, among others.

We tell the story of that war that involved two Presidents and a Confederate President, and tell from Black Hawk’s own story.

PART ONE

A special “guest” of President Jackson is paraded though Washington D.C. He has a story.

PART TWO:

The “war” wasn’t so, according to its major general. We look into this.

Lyndon Johnson’s decision to withdraw from the 1968 Presidential race was the definition of a shocking TV moment. With a President not accepting the nomination of his party for the first time since, we think it’s time to release our previously Patreon-Only episode on LBJ and the 1968 convention.

Remember to support our Patreon – link at myhistorycanbeatupyourpolitics.com. This was originally content from the Patreon, and there’s plenty more there when you sign up.

Lyndon Johnson said he would leave the Presidential race in 1968. But would he have accepted a draft? and did he even conspire to engineer one? We won’t answer the question in this two-part series, but we will get into the details. Why was a guy out of politics still controlling his party? Who was that memo writer “Bert” who did not match with any name in the White House or on the Campaign. And what about that Birthday Cake? In two parts we will get into everything.

We should note. This episode was recorded years ago, and there’s no implication that Biden-LBJ situations are the same. In fact, they make a better contrast than comparison. Still there is much to learn.

Part I – “I Will Not Accept Your Nomination”

Part II- “Dig In”

William Howard Taft is best known as the President who was challenged by his own friend for the Presidency. Or he’s known for a bathtub story that wasn’t even true. With Richard Lim of This American President Podcast, we discuss the many accomplishments of William Howard Taft as an executive and a jurist, and correct some misperceptions.

Who’s running? Who will win? Does anyone care? What’s up with the dude with the waterski? With our favorite UK politics commentator, Steve Byrne of What Am Politics Podcast, we discuss the surprising UK general election.

In our two-part series on the 1848 election, American politics is experiencing its greatest tumult. To long-time politicos the world is upside down as Whigs are working with Democrats, Democrats with Whigs. Writers are declaring a new Young America and an out with the old. America’s territory is about to expand greatly, and there’s arguments about how.

Into this mix, almost as a relief to Whigs, is a new national hero.

But is he the right choice for the highest office? The choice might split the party apart.

PART I: Run Rough and Ready

PART II: Pennsylvania is the Battle-Ground