Reframing America

Lyndon B. Johnson was an irresistible force - unfortunately, Vietnam was an immovable object. In the second episode of their two-part Season 4 finale, Ryan Rasmussen and Tony Rydberg try to balance the dizzying highs and abysmal lows of LBJ's tenure, two extremes that merged to form one of the most confounding presidential legacies in American history.

LBJ guided America through the tragedy of JFK's assassination; he redefined social equality with the Civil Rights Act; he set America's vision toward a "Great Society" with Medicare, Medicaid, education access, and so much more. Lyndon B Johnson did all of this by understanding what power was and where he could get it - and yet, his failure to grasp the latent power within North Vietnam has forever darkened the historical impact of his presidency. In Part 1 of this two-part Season 4 finale, Ryan Rasmussen and Tony Rydberg sift through the good, the bad, and the ugly of one of the most consequential presidencies in American history.

What does history celebrate: the man or the achievements? Is JFK remembered for what he accomplished in life or for the tragedy of his death? Ryan Rasmussen and Tony Rydberg sift through myth and reality to determine where they stand on JFK's accomplishments, his place in history, and his assassination.

Millions remember the moment when JFK was shot, but how well do they everything that happened before that? Was John F. Kennedy an iconic leader or a popular figurehead? Did he truly effect change, or did he just say the right words? Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen re-examine the life and presidency of America's 35th president to determine which was greater: the style or the substance?

In the second episode of their two-part series, Ryan Rasmussen and Tony Rydberg analyze the highs, the lows, and the legacy of one of America's most consequential presidents: Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The name "Dwight D. Eisenhower" conjures images of a sparkling smile, an iconic war hero, and a fatherly figure guiding America through the 1950s. Behind that glossy exterior, Eisenhower's tenure as president was one of profound, controversial, and ultimately morally questionable covert actions. Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen reflect on Eisenhower's life and presidency in Part 1 of their two-part series on the man the world called "Ike."

In the second of this two-part episode, Ryan Rasmussen and Tony Rydberg dissect the best, the worst, and the controversial about Harry Truman's time as president. They break down his personality, answer the unanswerable, drop some historical hot takes, and ultimately decide if Harry Truman's portrait should remain on the walls of America's history classrooms.

Harry Truman was never good at first impressions. The army didn't want him. He was just a cog in the Missouri political machine. Even his future wife had to warm up to the idea of being with him. And yet — when he finally had a moment in the spotlight, Harry Truman's indomitable will and indefatigable spirit carried him to victory after victory, though victory came without a cost. In the first of a two-part examination, Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen unpack the life and career of a president who gave America some of its proudest moments and its greatest moral conundrum.

World War II seemed like the end of the world, but in truth, it signaled the birth of a new world. In Part Two of their analysis of the Second World War, Ryan Rasmussen and Tony Rydberg discuss the myriad ways the conflict shaped the world long after the guns stopped firing. From historical outrages to how the war defined the legacy of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ryan and Tony address a wide range of issues, capping the episode with their selection for the "face on the wall" that will represent World War II in America's high school history classrooms.

World War II is the singular event of modern history, encompassing the darkest depths of the human soul, the highest aspirations of invention, and the tenacious capacity to persevere with the fate of the world at stake. Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen piece together the mosaic of history that ushered the world to the brink of annihilation and back again. After checking out this episode, be sure to return for the Part 2 episode, where Ryan and Tony will break down the many legacies, for better or worse, of World War II.