Reframing America

John Quincy Adams served the United States from his teens to his 80s. So, why did his presidency go so pear-shaped? Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen explore the elusive and enigmatic administration of America's sullen Founding Son.

In this appetizer to the Thanksgiving feast, Tony Rydberg is serving up a hotdish made of hot takes - including Tony's idea for a new Constitutional amendment! Dish yourself a heaping helping of hot takes and share them with your relatives - especially when conversations get tricky. Happy Thanksgiving!

America was feelin' good with James Monroe as its fifth president, but was Monroe's "Era of Good Feelings" really as good as it sounds? Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen explore the administration of one of the coolest cats ever to be president.

We're so excited to return to Reframing America for season 2, where we will reframe 1809 to 1865. We'll be covering, discovering, and uncovering some of the most consequential, controversial and downright bizarre moments in our nation's history. Subscribe now -- and don't forget to brush up on Season 1!

In the Season One finale, Tony Rydberg, Ryan Rasmussen and Matt Urbanek grapple with the immense contradictions between the soaring idealism of Thomas Jefferson and the far more troublesome reality of his life. Will Jefferson's battered legacy withstand a frontal assault in order to keep his portrait on the wall of presidents?

Is John Adams the most under appreciated and unfairly remembered President of all time? Tony Rydberg, Ryan Rasmussen, and Aaron Gorath make the case that the Adams presidency is vastly underrated and that Adams himself deserves much more honor and esteem than he’s received from the country he helped create.

Does Washington-the-Man hold up against Washington-the-Mythical-Hero? Tony Rydberg and Ryan Rasmussen break down the first presidency in US history and assess whether the man lives up to the hype. Get your oven mitts ready, because there are some pipin' hot takes coming your way!

Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical masterpiece Hamilton: An American Musical can be found on Broadway, on tour, on Dinsey+... but should it be found in American classrooms? In this episode, Tony offers his perspective on the role Hamilton should (or shouldn't) have as high school curriculum. Plus -- because, apparently, he thinks he knows better than Lin-Manuel Miranda, -- Tony shares his "Hamilton What-if Wishlist."

What would America be like without a president? Just check out the years prior to George Washington's election. In this episode, Tony Rydberg, Ryan Rasmussen, and Jeff Vizenor settle the question of which American is the best symbol for the pre-Washingtonian era of American history.