One called it a thumping. Another called it a shellacking. But whatever adjective is used, one thing you can be sure of: When Presidents conduct press conferences after mid-term elections, their reactions are often real, raw, emotional -- and unrehearsed.
With the 2022 mid-term elections approaching, the C-SPAN podcast "The Weekly" starts with the historic 1994 mid-term elections -- when Republicans won both chambers of Congress -- and hears reactions from every president since.

Which president called the mid-term elections a "thumping"? Which president called the mid-term elections a "shellacking"?

And how did President Donald Trump react in 2018 when Nancy Pelosi became House speaker again and Mitch McConnell expanded his Senate majority?
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Thumping and Shellacking: Presidents React To Mid-Term Elections

Connecting today's political discourse with the past 40 years of politics. Using audio taken from C-SPAN's vast Video Library, each episode focuses on a theme tied to current events providing a unique perspective on today's news.

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“This debate tonight has made crystal clear a challenge that is as old as America — the choice between hope and fear, change or more of the same.”
That was Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton – his closing statement in the October 11, 1992, presidential debate…
“More of the same” –  It’s a phrase Bill Clinton famously – and quite effectively – used  during the 1992 campaign…
And you don’t just hear it from Bill Clinton …”More of the same” is a warning you typically hear from other presidential candidates in other presidential campaigns.
But probably not this year….  In 2024 –  with a repeat of the same two candidates from the last presidential election – we likely won’t hear either side talk much –  if at all – about “more of the same.”
So let’s do it ourselves  – Let’s use this week’s episode of C-SPAN’s “The Weekly” to remember when “more of the same” was common campaign rhetoric… Yes, in this podcast we hear more of the same – about more of the same.
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When Presidential Candidates Warned About “More of the Same”

The Trump hush money trial has us talking about the National Enquirer.
But it seems like the tabloid never left the political conversation.
The National Enquirer’s pictures, scoops, and reporting have influenced the establishment political media for years.
In this week’s episode’s of C-SPAN’s podcast “The Weekly,” we revisit what we might be the most famous example of how National Enquirer reporting shapes broader political reporting – and even the presidential race. Our focus: Gary Hart.
How did conventional media react to the National Enquirer’s reporting of the Democratic presidential candidate having an alleged affair in 1987?
Hear all the self-reflection and hand-wringing in “The Weekly.”
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National Enquirer and Presidential Politics Reporting: Gary Hart 1987

During the recent White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, New York Times photographer Doug Mills got an award.
He got an award for his photography at last year's dinner, too.  And the Association awarded him in 2020 as well.
The Association gives out only five awards every year — and until just a few years ago, those awards did not acknowledge visual journalism.
So let’s make up for lost time.  Let’s recognize Doug Mills work before the Correspondents Association started giving him awards. In this episode of C-SPAN’s podcast “The Weekly,” we’ll revisit a specific moment in presidential history that changed America – and made many Americans aware of Doug Mills legendary work. We'll remember – in Doug Mills' own words from his appearances on C-SPAN – what he saw and experienced covering President Bush during the terror attacks of 9/11.

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What Doug Mills Saw On 9/11

The recent death of O.J. Simpson reminds us of one of the most controversial episodes involving a prayer opening a session of Congress…And its aftermath.
In this week's episode of C-SPAN’s “The Weekly, you’ll hear the full Senate prayer for O.J. Simpson following his arrest  … plus, the rare rebuke by a U.S. Senator. And then, you’ll hear the surprise twist that happened next.
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The Senate Prays … for O.J. Simpson

Elected in November 1984, Mitch McConnell now has over 4,300 speaking appearances on C-SPAN. 
And he’s been telling jokes from the beginning.
And - in this week’s episode of C-SPAN's “The Weekly” – we hear them!
We recently remembered Democratic Senator Joe Lieberman by hearing his jokes, quips, and humorous one-liners.
Now, it’s part II – BALANCE!  -- we hear a Republican Senator telling jokes … 
So, once again, get ready to have a good time  … and listen to the first ever Mitch McConnell Comedy Festival…..
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Thumping and Shellacking: Presidents React To Mid-Term Elections

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