We look at the wild life of Rebecca, President Coolidge's pet raccoon. She was sent to the Coolidges to be part of their Thanksgiving dinner, but Calvin and Grace instead fell in love with the critter—and the press couldn't get enough of Rebecca's scandalous behavior.

Our thanks to veterinarian Dr. Jake Levin for his insights on raccoon as pets.

Check out Rebecca and many more furry friends in our 2025 Presidential Pets wall calendar at https://www.lulu.com/shop/plodding-through-the-presidents/presidential-pets-plodding-through-the-presidents/paperback/product-rmv895m.html

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We plunge into the personalities behind a showdown between President James Monroe and his strong-willed Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford, in a moment that truly captures the end of the Era of Good Feelings. 

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Howard joins Kenny Ryan from [Abridged] Presidential Histories, Alycia from Civics & Coffee, and Jerry Landry from Presidencies of the United States for a conversation covering everything from their favorite lesser-known historical figures and the role of historians in the future to who would be the killer in an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery where all the presidents are suspects.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PLODDING and get on your way to being your best self.

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We're joined by James Early, host of the hit podcast Key Battles of American History, for a look at the devastating military failure of young George Washington and the qualities that later made him so successful in the military and politics.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PLODDING and get on your way to being your best self.

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Check out James Early's podcast Key Battles of American History at https://omny.fm/shows/key-battles-of-american-history

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We're sharing the first episode of a new podcast we think you'll enjoy. It's called "Country Over Self: Defining Moments in American History."

In each episode of this miniseries, host Matt Blumberg interviews a different presidential historian about a pivotal moment when a president chose to put their country ahead of their party and themselves.

In this episode, Matt talks with Julian Zelizer about the 36th President, Lyndon B. Johnson, and how Johnson used his detailed knowledge of the legislative process and his unique blend of personal intimidation and charm offensive to bring about what he considered the moral imperative of his day: Civil Rights and Voting Rights.

To learn more about Country Over Self or to check out other episodes head to www.countryoverself.com

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We’re joined by Savannah Eccles Johnston (savypolitics on Instagram and cohost of the new podcast This Constitution) to talk about the formation of the American presidency, checks and balances, and the death of institutions at the hands of partisanship. First we take a look at what the American presidency might have looked like, if Alexander Hamilton got his way.

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PLODDING and get on your way to being your best self.

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Vote.

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We're excited to share an episode of the Southern Gothic podcast coproduced by Howard, who also pops up as a guest commentator.

This is the story of "The Thing," a supernatural entity who reportedly terrorized the White House staff in 1911, and the key players involved: chief of staff Archibald Butt, President William Howard Taft, and lady's maid Florence Marsh—the only person to have actually seen the ghost. Southern Gothic host Brandon Schexnayder takes us on a journey through this haunting and explores possible identities of this ghost based on Florence's description.

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We dig into the history of the Freemasons, focusing on the disappearance and alleged murder of William Morgan, the mysterious man who wrote a book exposing their secrets in 1826. The conspiracy to protect those involved and the intense public backlash led to the first third party in America, the Anti-Masonic Party. Though short-lived, they managed to rack up a few electoral votes in the Election of 1832 with William Wirt as their reluctant presidential nominee. It's a tale of two Williams, one missing skull, and a prime example of the Streisand effect.

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We welcome author and human guinea pig A.J. Jacobs to chat about his new book The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning. For a year he tried to put himself in the shoes—and tricorn hat—of the founders, and he shares what he learned from an absurd and enlightening immersion into the document that defines our nation.

NEW: Please send us your Local Lore — hometown histories, interesting historical markers, and weird local claims to fame! Send them to [email protected] and we might feature them in an upcoming series!

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First, we talk about how a day of fasting and prayer in 1798 turned into a night of fear and flying "cockades." Then we’re joined by presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, author of the new book Making The Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged The Republic, for an insightful conversation about how President John Adams was a much savvier politician than he gets credit for—especially considering he was surrounded by saboteurs and jerkfaces.  

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