President Profiles

In this episode we explore what made Clinton a winning candidate for the Democratic Party in both 1992 and 1996. From there we tackle his sex scandals and also his approach to race relations. Finally we end by talking about his economic miracle and his place in the presidential hierarchy with its accompanying limitations.

In this episode we begin with Clinton's childhood and then go on to his time at Georgetown (22:00). After which we discuss how he met Hillary (27:00) and then delve into his governorship.

In this episode we explore the second term of James Monroe. We start with the panic of 1819, and then move on to the Maine Missouri compromise, and finally end with Monroe's second term, his legacy, and a discussion of the Monroe doctrine.

We begin by talking about the War of 1812, then carry on with the election of 1816 (16:00). After this we talk about the Era of Good Feelings (22:00). Finally we discuss the territorial expansion that happened during Monroe's first term as well as the growing predicament of slavery.

In this episode we begin our discussion of the fifth president of the USA, James Monroe. Beginning with an introduction we head into his early life (11 mins), then onto his war service and reading law for Jefferson (16 mins). From there we go into a bit about his career in Paris (28 mins) and as governor of VA where he dealt with a slave rebellion (40 mins). Finally we end the podcast talking about his service in the cabinets of Jefferson (50 mins) and Madison (56 mins).

Garfield is murdered by a supporter who did not feel he was given a job which he deserved under the patronage system. After this we move on to Chester A. Arthur’s clash with Hayes, over his time as the Collector at the US Treasury Office, a job which made him quite well to do. As well as discussions on immigration during his period and his legacy.

In this episode we follow the rise of both Garfield and his VP Chester A. Arthur from their boyhoods through their respective educations, teaching careers, civil war service, congressional careers, and the 1880 campaign.

In this final episode on Jackson, we start with the $20 bill debate and then explore Jackson’s legacy including universal male suffrage, his legacy on race, and how his views impacted future generations of leaders including the Democratic party and even Abraham Lincoln.

After a long break, we are back to finish the series on Jackson with parts 7 and parts 8. In this part 7, we discuss Jackson’s adaptation of the American currency including the Bank Veto. After this we talk about perhaps Jackson’s most controversial point his Indian policy.

In this episode we deal with some of the more substantive issues of Jackson's first term as President including how he badly needed to raise revenue for the Federal Government, how he encouraged western migration, how he battled his enemies and consolidated power, and last how he suppressed those he felt were treasonous during the nullification crisis.

In this episode we discuss how Jackson deals with the election loss of 1824 and the notorious corrupt bargain. We go on to delve into how he was elected in 1828 by a wide margin, his inauguration, and finally his first turmoil in office during the Petticoat Affair.

From Governor of Florida through to his campaign for President in 1824, this episode contrasts Jackson with one of his political forebears Thomas Jefferson. We then discuss the events leading up to the 1824 election and how its consequent political movements ended in the election of John Q Adams, a result that Jefferson famously dubbed the corrupt bargain.

From Colonel of the Tennessee militia to the War of 1812, we discuss Jackson's military career in the southern states against the Native Americans, British, and Spanish in Florida, including an account of his famed victory in the battle of New Orleans.

In this episode, we discuss the early 19th century society Jackson had to make his way in, how Jackson and his contemporaries in Tennessee dealt with expansion against the French, Spanish and Native Americans, and Jackson's vs. Jefferson's view of what America should be.

In this episode we cover Jackson's birth in the Carolinas, the tragedies of his boyhood, his defiance and resolve in encounters with the British, and his prospects as he began his career on the Western expansionary state of Tennessee.

In this episode, Coolidge goes from VP to President after Harding dies unexpectedly and under inauspicious circumstances. We then explore his effective time as the nation's leader and the imprint his legacy has left.

This episode tracks the early history of Calvin Coolidge in New England, and his rise from state office to Vice President.

In this episode we explore McCarthy's influence on the Eisenhower period, the infrastructure projects that Eisenhower passed, his foreign policy approach, the hidden hand, and finally Eisenhower's rank as a president.

Eisenhower becomes president of Columbia University, he gets elected in 1952 and again in 1956. A synopsis of who is around him and what he gets done in his presidency including containment and immigration.

In this episode we uncover how Dwight Eisenhower gains command of the allied forces, what happened at D-Day, how the Axis was eventually defeated, and how the Western powers finished the war and sorted out the occupation of Europe.

This episode covers Dwight's early years at home, his time at West point, his early career in the military and his training under Douglas MacArthur leading up to World War II.

In this episode, discussion ensues about John Q Adam's famous family, childhood, precociousness in learning, personal character, the 1824 election and its implications for the country, as well as his career post presidency and his legacy as an early abolitionist.

This episode we touch on Colonial Mecklenburg county, Polk's upbrining, his move to Tennessee, the Tenn KY area excitement, Polk as protege of Jackson, his intense religiosity - and how his thinking was dominated by jurisprudence. Further, how Polk and his legacy are dominated by manifest destiny (he helped develop it), and the Mexican-American war and how the 1840s tech made US competent soldiers/engineers while Mexico remained more ossified (Note: corrections are to be made Polk is the 11th president, and the first of 10 children. His religion is Presbyterian, not Methodist)

In this episode we cover: Nixon takes over the presidency, the 1968 election, his plan going into Vietnam, how successful/unsuccessful his strategy was, Nixon as president, Nixon on foreign affairs, lessons from Vietnam.

The end of our series on LBJ and his handling of Vietnam. Continues into the beginning of the story of Nixon and his attitudes towards the presidency and Vietnam.

The spread of communism post WWII, the doctrine of containment, the perceived inevitability of socialism's conquering of communism, how LBJ perceived the war going in, his strategic error and lack of understanding of the situation in Vietnam

LBJ's time in Texas, Entry into politics, rise in the Senate, and promotion to the presidency in the midst of the tumult of JFK's assassination.

How USA got into Vietnam, the buildup to the war, the First Indochina War, what the major figures of the time thought of it (Nixon, LBJ, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy)

Grant battles against Lee; Grant and the union win the Civil War; Lincoln's death; the beginning of reconstruction and Grant's post military career.

A podcast on US Grant: his move back to midwest pre-Civil War, beginnings of Civil War and context, Grant's regimen, the conditions of battle, Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga.

Grant as president: His election win, his legacy, scandals, and detractors.

Profiles in presidents. Interviews and discussions regarding American presidents (Family and early life, Birth order and potential effects, paternal ambition, Maternal attachment, education, early career aspirations, Mexican War Service, the West Coast, Hardscrabble)