Podcast appearances and mentions of Terry Golway

As WNYC celebrates its centennial this year, All Of It presents a special on the life of one of New York City's most important mayors: Fiorello La Guardia. La Guardia was the first Italian-American Mayor of New York who led the city during the aftermath of the Great Depression, Hitler's rise to power, and World War II. He was a Republican mayor in a liberal city who wasn't afraid of speaking out for what he believed was right. His decisions also have a huge impact on how our city looks and moves today. He unified our subway system, created NYCHA, and also was Mayor during the rise of the controversial figure, his Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. La Guardia also had a significant presence on WNYC airwaves during his tenure. His weekly "Talks to the People" broadcasts averaged 2 million listeners. He spoke directly to New Yorkers about issues that affected them, from the price of groceries, to war defense training, to more light hearted moments like when he read the comics to children during a newspaper strike. Join us for Patience and Fortitude: A History of Mayor La Guardia on WNYC, where we'll dive into the WNYC archives and get to know Mayor La Guardia, his early life, triumphs and faults, along with Terry Golway, author of the book, I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, And Why He Still Matters.

As WNYC celebrates its centennial this year, All Of It presents a special on the life of one of New York City's most important mayors: Fiorello La Guardia. La Guardia was the first Italian-American Mayor of New York who led the city during the aftermath of the Great Depression, Hitler's rise to power, and World War II. His decisions also have a huge impact on how our city looks and moves today. He unified our subway system, created NYCHA, and also was Mayor during the rise of the controversial figure, his Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. La Guardia also had a significant presence on WNYC airwaves during his tenure. His weekly "Talks to the People" broadcasts averaged 2 million listeners. He spoke directly to New Yorkers about issues that affected them, from the price of groceries, to war defense training, to more light hearted moments like when he read the comics to children during a newspaper strike. On the anniversary of his death, join us for Patience and Fortitude: A History of Mayor La Guardia on WNYC, where we'll dive into the WNYC archives and get to know Mayor La Guardia, his early life, triumphs and faults, along with Terry Golway, author of the book, I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, And Why He Still Matters.

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway's “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin's Press, 2024). The podcast tracks with Golway's thematic approach to his book, which features chapters on “In Defense of Democracy,” “The Immigrant's Friend,” and “The Anti-Politician Politician.” Golway recognizes and celebrates the Little Flower as a champion of enduring American political and cultural values that, once again today, as in his times, are under severe and seemingly unremitting stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway's “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin's Press, 2024). The podcast tracks with Golway's thematic approach to his book, which features chapters on “In Defense of Democracy,” “The Immigrant's Friend,” and “The Anti-Politician Politician.” Golway recognizes and celebrates the Little Flower as a champion of enduring American political and cultural values that, once again today, as in his times, are under severe and seemingly unremitting stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway's “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin's Press, 2024). The podcast tracks with Golway's thematic approach to his book, which features chapters on “In Defense of Democracy,” “The Immigrant's Friend,” and “The Anti-Politician Politician.” Golway recognizes and celebrates the Little Flower as a champion of enduring American political and cultural values that, once again today, as in his times, are under severe and seemingly unremitting stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/biography

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway's “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin's Press, 2024). The podcast tracks with Golway's thematic approach to his book, which features chapters on “In Defense of Democracy,” “The Immigrant's Friend,” and “The Anti-Politician Politician.” Golway recognizes and celebrates the Little Flower as a champion of enduring American political and cultural values that, once again today, as in his times, are under severe and seemingly unremitting stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway's “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin's Press, 2024). The podcast tracks with Golway's thematic approach to his book, which features chapters on “In Defense of Democracy,” “The Immigrant's Friend,” and “The Anti-Politician Politician.” Golway recognizes and celebrates the Little Flower as a champion of enduring American political and cultural values that, once again today, as in his times, are under severe and seemingly unremitting stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has any American mayor ever made a greater stamp on the public consciousness than the Little Flower, Fiorello La Guardia, mayor of New York City from 1934 to 1945? La Guardia is brought to life in historian Terry Golway's “I Never Did Like Politics”: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters (St. Martin's Press, 2024). The podcast tracks with Golway's thematic approach to his book, which features chapters on “In Defense of Democracy,” “The Immigrant's Friend,” and “The Anti-Politician Politician.” Golway recognizes and celebrates the Little Flower as a champion of enduring American political and cultural values that, once again today, as in his times, are under severe and seemingly unremitting stress. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fiorello LaGuardia was one of the twentieth century's most colorful politicians―a 5'2'' ball of energy who led New York as major during the Depression and World War Two, charming the media during press conference and fighting the dirty machine politics of the city. He was also quintessentially American: the son of Italian immigrants, who rose in society through sheer will and chutzpah.La Guardia made an unsuccessful attempt to enlist during the Spanish-American War. Following that, he served in two U.S. consulates in Europe from 1901 to 1906, and later worked as an interpreter at Ellis Island from 1907 to 1910. Strongly disapproving of corrupt Tammany Hall, his charisma and appeal to minority groups led to victories in districts that were traditionally Democratic. From 1923 to 1933, La Guardia gained national prominence in the House of Representatives, aligning himself with reformers and progressives. In the 1933 mayoral race, Franklin Roosevelt saw La Guardia as a potential ally who could collaborate across party lines. From there he took on the New York mayor's office with gusto.Today's guest is Terry Golway, author of “I Never Did Like Politics: How Fiorello La Guardia Became America's Mayor, and Why He Still Matters.”

Terry Golway, Author

Fighting for the rights of immigrants and the impoverished during the Great Depression, Fiorello La Guardia was considered “America's mayor” by millions of New Yorkers during his 12 years in office. In a new book about La Guardia, journalist and historian Terry Golway looks at the many political lessons to be learned from the former mayor's leadership — and how they can be applied today. Golway joined NY1's Errol Louis to talk about La Guardia's legacy and discussed his post-mayoral life, the funny story of how an airport opened in his name and how La Guardia would be perceived in today's political climate.  Join the conversation, weigh in on Twitter using the hashtag #NY1YouDecide or give us a call at 212-379-3440 and leave a message. Or send an email to YourStoryNY1@charter.com.

In this episode of Life Matters, Brian focuses on the very specific nature of a very specific political party: the Democrat Party of the United States. He finishes with a comparative and contrastive look at the striking difference between a Democracy and a Republic. As an explanatory template, he uses a recent publication from a Democrat Party operative and New York Times contributor, Terry Golway. The book is, Machine Made; Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics. While Brian clearly disagrees with the principles and nature of Tammany Hall, he recommends the book itself as a valid expose, and an unflinching examination of machine or collectivist politics. It was mastered in New York City and spread through much of New York, and is continuing to this very day. Golway, himself, states that the corrupt society of Saint Tammany or "Tammany Hall", founded in 1786, is the template being employed by the modern Democrat Party today. Stuffing ballot boxes, blanketing precincts with empty ballots, collecting and completing them, absence of ballot signature verification, less than honest voting tabulation were all a regular part of the Tammany machine.  Boss Tweed, one of its more notorious “bosses”, is perhaps the most infamous for gleefully celebrating his questionable methods, and eventually being exposed for obvious political corruption. Though caught, he was obviously less than penitent.   Many famous names from American history, Roosevelt and LaGuardia, are now familiar to us because they spent considerable efforts in attempts to limit the corrupt influence of Tammany on the city and state of New York.  When the Irish potato famine (1846-1852) drove millions to emigrate to the US, Tammany workers awaited them at the New York docks. Tammany "ward heelers" then knew where they lived and obliged them with employment if they could. All social and religious interests were accommodated and all accommodation came with political obligation. The machine was set. The resources of government and its influence would lubricate the machine. After exploiting the Irish immigrant population, Tammany spread its tentacles into the new Italian immigrant populace. Fiorello La Guardia was one who spoke out powerfully against the evils and corruption of racial exploitation, groupthink and machine politics as practiced by Tammany.  Before him, Theodore Roosevelt sought and received an appointment as a police commissioner in New York City in 1895, specifically because Tammany used the authority of government, as embodied in the police, to enforce its policies. Roosevelt was tenacious and popular with the press, but largely ineffective. But because of his commitment to stand against corruption and the evil of Tammany, he "rose like a rocket" in New York politics. But Roosevelt could not finish the job. The Tammany machine has not gone away. It still exists. It has morphed into the backbone of New York politics. Its methods are openly used by the modern Democrat party, and Terry Golway's, Machine Made:  Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics. makes no bones about that. 

June 28, 2022 - Politico New York editor Terry Golway provides the backstory on Tim Sullivan the long-deceased Democratic politician who authored the 1911 gun control law in New York that was recently struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court.

It’s a curse that’s hung over New York politics for the last 50 years: No Governor since Nelson Rockefeller has made it past the third term in office. A few weeks ago, it looked like Andrew Cuomo was on track to break the curse. But now, roiled in a scandal involving Covid deaths at nursing homes, Cuomo’s political future is looking less certain. POLITICO’s Terry Golway reports. Plus, the heads of Facebook, Google and Twitter agree to testify before lawmakers again. And the Biden administration says it won’t share vaccines with poor countries until most Americans are vaccinated. Terry Golway is the Albany editor for POLITICO New York. Jeremy Siegel is a host for POLITICO Dispatch. Irene Noguchi is the executive producer of POLITICO audio. Jenny Ament is the senior producer of POLITICO audio. Read more: Republican senators push to investigate Cuomo over New York nursing home deaths New York assemblymember: Cuomo 'berated me,' asked me to lie about alleged cover-up Cuomo makes frenemies with fellow Democrats amid crisis

This week at In The Past Lane, the American History podcast, I speak with historian Terry Golway, author of, Frank and Al: FDR, Al Smith, and the Unlikely Alliance That Created the Modern Democratic Party. It’s a remarkable story of two unlikely allies – one a patrician who went to Harvard and the other the son of immigrants who did not graduate 8th grade – and how they came together to remake the Democratic Party in the 1910s and 1920s. This transformation led to the New Deal, a revolutionary period in American history that changed the relationship between the American people and the federal government. In the course of our conversation, Terry Golway explains: Who Al Smith was and how he played a key role in the transformation of the Tammany Hall political machine into an agent of reform in the 1910s and 1920s. How Franklin Delano Roosevelt transformed from an elitist, good government reformer to a committed advocate of progressive reform. How Al Smith and FDR pioneered in making the New York State Democratic Party the agent of progressive reform and how these ideas and programs formed the foundation of the New Deal. How Al Smith played a key role in resisting the KKK’s influence in the Democratic Party.  How Al Smith and FDR, once great allies, had a falling out once FDR became president. And how they later reconciled. How the constituency that made up the new Democratic Party – the urban, immigrant, African American working-class – came to be known as the New Deal Coalition and how it played a key role in national politics from the 1930s through the 1970s. Recommended reading:   Terry Golway, Frank and Al: FDR, Al Smith, and the Unlikely Alliance That Created the Modern Democratic Party (St. Martin’s Press) Robert Chiles, The Revolution of ’28: Al Smith, American Progressivism, and the Coming of the New Deal Lizabeth Cohen, Making a New Deal: Industrial Workers in Chicago, 1919-1939 Terry Golway, Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics William E. Leuchtenburg, Franklin D. Roosevelt and the New Deal: 1932-1940 Eric Rauchway, Winter War: Hoover, Roosevelt, and the First Clash Over the New Deal Robert A. Slayton, Empire Statesman: The Rise and Redemption of Al Smith More info about Terry Golway - website  Follow In The Past Lane on Twitter  @InThePastLane Instagram  @InThePastLane Facebook: InThePastLanePodcast YouTube: InThePastLane     Music for This Episode Jay Graham, ITPL Intro (JayGMusic.com) Kevin McCleod, “Impact Moderato” (Free Music Archive) Andy Cohen, “Trophy Endorphins” (Free Music Archive) Ketsa, “Follow the Course” (Free Music Archive) Jon Luc Hefferman, “Winter Trek” (Free Music Archive) The Bell, “I Am History” (Free Music Archive) Production Credits Executive Producer: Lulu Spencer Technical Advisors: Holly Hunt and Jesse Anderson Podcasting Consultant: Dave Jackson of the School of Podcasting Podcast Editing: Wildstyle Media Photographer: John Buckingham Graphic Designer: Maggie Cellucci Website by: ERI Design Legal services: Tippecanoe and Tyler Too Social Media management: The Pony Express Risk Assessment: Little Big Horn Associates Growth strategies: 54 40 or Fight © In The Past Lane, 2019 Recommended History Podcasts  Ben Franklin’s World with Liz Covart @LizCovart The Age of Jackson Podcast @AgeofJacksonPod Backstory podcast – the history behind today’s headlines @BackstoryRadio Past Present podcast with Nicole Hemmer, Neil J. Young, and Natalia Petrzela @PastPresentPod 99 Percent Invisible with Roman Mars @99piorg Slow Burn podcast about Watergate with @leoncrawl The Memory Palace – with Nate DiMeo, story teller extraordinaire @thememorypalace The Conspirators – creepy true crime stories from the American past @Conspiratorcast The History Chicks podcast @Thehistorychix My History Can Beat Up Your Politics @myhist Professor Buzzkill podcast – Prof B takes on myths about the past @buzzkillprof Footnoting History podcast @HistoryFootnote The History Author Show podcast @HistoryDean More Perfect podcast - the history of key US Supreme Court cases @Radiolab Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell @Gladwell Radio Diaries with Joe Richman @RadioDiaries DIG history podcast @dig_history The Story Behind – the hidden histories of everyday things @StoryBehindPod Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen – specifically its American Icons series @Studio360show Uncivil podcast – fascinating takes on the legacy of the Civil War in contemporary US @uncivilshow Stuff You Missed in History Class @MissedinHistory The Whiskey Rebellion – two historians discuss topics from today’s news @WhiskeyRebelPod American History Tellers ‏@ahtellers The Way of Improvement Leads Home with historian John Fea @JohnFea1 The Bowery Boys podcast – all things NYC history @BoweryBoys Ridiculous History @RidiculousHSW The Rogue Historian podcast with historian @MKeithHarris The Road To Now podcast @Road_To_Now Retropod with @mikerosenwald

In the fifth and final installment of our Frank and Al miniseries, Terry Golway explores how the political ambitions between FDR and Al Smith were set aside during WWII, with the country united behind a common cause. Learn more about Frank and Al: FDR, Al Smith, and the Unlikely Alliance That Created the Modern Democratic Party by reading this episode's full transcript or picking up the book! Transcript on Quick and Dirty Tips: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/history/how-wwii-united-fdr-and-al-smith Buy the Book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250089656

In Part 4 of our Frank and Al miniseries, Terry Golway chronicles how most Democrats were met with defeat in the 1928 election season, most except for one man: Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Learn more about Frank and Al: FDR, Al Smith, and the Unlikely Alliance That Created the Modern Democratic Party by reading this episode's full transcript or picking up the book! Transcript on Quick and Dirty Tips: https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/history/how-fdr-became-governor-of-new-york-in-1928 Buy the Book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250089656

For most Americans, Tammany Hall is a symbol of all that was dishonest, corrupt, illiberal, and venal about urban government and the political machines that ran it in the past, a shorthand for larceny on a grand scale. Not so, says Terry Golway. In his new book Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics (Liveright, 2014) Golway argues that Tammany, a popular nickname for the Democratic organization of the County of New York (better known as Manhattan), introduced a “new politics” and a “new social contract” to America. Tammany, he shows, encouraged voters in an undemocratic republican era to look to accessible local figures for protection from the devastations of laissez-faire capitalism in a time before the safety net. Arguing that the Irish who escaped the potato famine brought with them lessons about the importance of power and the usefulness of “transactional” relationships between voters and elected officials, Golway believes that Tammany came to represent the modern way of practicing democracy: interest-based politics. While many of its flaws cannot not be denied, he writes, the popular narrative has also been shaped by the reformers of the past, who tended to mix their critiques with class-based fear and moralism, if not outright anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-urban sentiment. William “Boss” Tweed personifies the organization for most, although his reign lasted just two years. A better representative, Golway thinks, is Charles Murphy, the longest-running leader of the party chapter, and the man who nurtured the careers of two young legendary, nation-changing reformers, and proud Tammany men: Robert Wagner and Al Smith, forerunners and major architects of the New Deal. Sure to stir a little debate, Golway's book is revisionism in a good spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most Americans, Tammany Hall is a symbol of all that was dishonest, corrupt, illiberal, and venal about urban government and the political machines that ran it in the past, a shorthand for larceny on a grand scale. Not so, says Terry Golway. In his new book Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics (Liveright, 2014) Golway argues that Tammany, a popular nickname for the Democratic organization of the County of New York (better known as Manhattan), introduced a “new politics” and a “new social contract” to America. Tammany, he shows, encouraged voters in an undemocratic republican era to look to accessible local figures for protection from the devastations of laissez-faire capitalism in a time before the safety net. Arguing that the Irish who escaped the potato famine brought with them lessons about the importance of power and the usefulness of “transactional” relationships between voters and elected officials, Golway believes that Tammany came to represent the modern way of practicing democracy: interest-based politics. While many of its flaws cannot not be denied, he writes, the popular narrative has also been shaped by the reformers of the past, who tended to mix their critiques with class-based fear and moralism, if not outright anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-urban sentiment. William “Boss” Tweed personifies the organization for most, although his reign lasted just two years. A better representative, Golway thinks, is Charles Murphy, the longest-running leader of the party chapter, and the man who nurtured the careers of two young legendary, nation-changing reformers, and proud Tammany men: Robert Wagner and Al Smith, forerunners and major architects of the New Deal. Sure to stir a little debate, Golway's book is revisionism in a good spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most Americans, Tammany Hall is a symbol of all that was dishonest, corrupt, illiberal, and venal about urban government and the political machines that ran it in the past, a shorthand for larceny on a grand scale. Not so, says Terry Golway. In his new book Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics (Liveright, 2014) Golway argues that Tammany, a popular nickname for the Democratic organization of the County of New York (better known as Manhattan), introduced a “new politics” and a “new social contract” to America. Tammany, he shows, encouraged voters in an undemocratic republican era to look to accessible local figures for protection from the devastations of laissez-faire capitalism in a time before the safety net. Arguing that the Irish who escaped the potato famine brought with them lessons about the importance of power and the usefulness of “transactional” relationships between voters and elected officials, Golway believes that Tammany came to represent the modern way of practicing democracy: interest-based politics. While many of its flaws cannot not be denied, he writes, the popular narrative has also been shaped by the reformers of the past, who tended to mix their critiques with class-based fear and moralism, if not outright anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-urban sentiment. William “Boss” Tweed personifies the organization for most, although his reign lasted just two years. A better representative, Golway thinks, is Charles Murphy, the longest-running leader of the party chapter, and the man who nurtured the careers of two young legendary, nation-changing reformers, and proud Tammany men: Robert Wagner and Al Smith, forerunners and major architects of the New Deal. Sure to stir a little debate, Golway’s book is revisionism in a good spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most Americans, Tammany Hall is a symbol of all that was dishonest, corrupt, illiberal, and venal about urban government and the political machines that ran it in the past, a shorthand for larceny on a grand scale. Not so, says Terry Golway. In his new book Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics (Liveright, 2014) Golway argues that Tammany, a popular nickname for the Democratic organization of the County of New York (better known as Manhattan), introduced a “new politics” and a “new social contract” to America. Tammany, he shows, encouraged voters in an undemocratic republican era to look to accessible local figures for protection from the devastations of laissez-faire capitalism in a time before the safety net. Arguing that the Irish who escaped the potato famine brought with them lessons about the importance of power and the usefulness of “transactional” relationships between voters and elected officials, Golway believes that Tammany came to represent the modern way of practicing democracy: interest-based politics. While many of its flaws cannot not be denied, he writes, the popular narrative has also been shaped by the reformers of the past, who tended to mix their critiques with class-based fear and moralism, if not outright anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-urban sentiment. William “Boss” Tweed personifies the organization for most, although his reign lasted just two years. A better representative, Golway thinks, is Charles Murphy, the longest-running leader of the party chapter, and the man who nurtured the careers of two young legendary, nation-changing reformers, and proud Tammany men: Robert Wagner and Al Smith, forerunners and major architects of the New Deal. Sure to stir a little debate, Golway’s book is revisionism in a good spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most Americans, Tammany Hall is a symbol of all that was dishonest, corrupt, illiberal, and venal about urban government and the political machines that ran it in the past, a shorthand for larceny on a grand scale. Not so, says Terry Golway. In his new book Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics (Liveright, 2014) Golway argues that Tammany, a popular nickname for the Democratic organization of the County of New York (better known as Manhattan), introduced a “new politics” and a “new social contract” to America. Tammany, he shows, encouraged voters in an undemocratic republican era to look to accessible local figures for protection from the devastations of laissez-faire capitalism in a time before the safety net. Arguing that the Irish who escaped the potato famine brought with them lessons about the importance of power and the usefulness of “transactional” relationships between voters and elected officials, Golway believes that Tammany came to represent the modern way of practicing democracy: interest-based politics. While many of its flaws cannot not be denied, he writes, the popular narrative has also been shaped by the reformers of the past, who tended to mix their critiques with class-based fear and moralism, if not outright anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-urban sentiment. William “Boss” Tweed personifies the organization for most, although his reign lasted just two years. A better representative, Golway thinks, is Charles Murphy, the longest-running leader of the party chapter, and the man who nurtured the careers of two young legendary, nation-changing reformers, and proud Tammany men: Robert Wagner and Al Smith, forerunners and major architects of the New Deal. Sure to stir a little debate, Golway’s book is revisionism in a good spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For most Americans, Tammany Hall is a symbol of all that was dishonest, corrupt, illiberal, and venal about urban government and the political machines that ran it in the past, a shorthand for larceny on a grand scale. Not so, says Terry Golway. In his new book Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics (Liveright, 2014) Golway argues that Tammany, a popular nickname for the Democratic organization of the County of New York (better known as Manhattan), introduced a “new politics” and a “new social contract” to America. Tammany, he shows, encouraged voters in an undemocratic republican era to look to accessible local figures for protection from the devastations of laissez-faire capitalism in a time before the safety net. Arguing that the Irish who escaped the potato famine brought with them lessons about the importance of power and the usefulness of “transactional” relationships between voters and elected officials, Golway believes that Tammany came to represent the modern way of practicing democracy: interest-based politics. While many of its flaws cannot not be denied, he writes, the popular narrative has also been shaped by the reformers of the past, who tended to mix their critiques with class-based fear and moralism, if not outright anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-urban sentiment. William “Boss” Tweed personifies the organization for most, although his reign lasted just two years. A better representative, Golway thinks, is Charles Murphy, the longest-running leader of the party chapter, and the man who nurtured the careers of two young legendary, nation-changing reformers, and proud Tammany men: Robert Wagner and Al Smith, forerunners and major architects of the New Deal. Sure to stir a little debate, Golway’s book is revisionism in a good spirit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To the Irish immigrant haunted by the potato famine and bigotry of the Know Nothing movement, Tammany Hall's support of the poor was a godsend. Terry Golway, author of "Machine Made" provides a revisionist view of Tammany Hall. A great read!

An interview with Terry Golway, author of Machine Made: Tammany Hall and the Creation of Modern American Politics. Golway’s book is a new revisionist history of New York City’s political machine, Tammany Hall, which seeks to look at other aspects of the organization aside from corruption. Subscribe in a reader

Terry Golway reconsiders Tammany Hall … Fred Rotondaro says Obama’s foreign policy is strong … and Bill Press interviews Congressman John Sarbanes.   St. Patrick’s Day is coming up and historian Terry Golway tells us how the Irish political machine known as Tammany Hall became the forerunner of the New Deal. Regular commentator Fred Rotondaro compares President Obama to a couple of Republicans – Teddy Roosevelt and George H.W. Bush. And Bill Press interviews Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes about big money in Washington. Terry Golway Tammany Hall no longer exists, but when it did, the New York political machine created a social safety net at the neighborhood level long before government programs came along. Author Terry Golway thinks we still need strong political organizations like that. http://books.wwnorton.com/books/Machine-Made/ Fred Rotondaro Analyst Fred Rotondaro says Republicans blame President Obama for everything that goes wrong in the world, but his foreign policy is actually strong – speaking softly and carrying a big stick. http://www.americanprogress.org John Sarbanes Bill Press and his guest, Congressman John Sarbanes of Maryland. http://sarbanes.house.gov/‎ Jim Hightower California's Water Crisis is Becoming a Beer Crisis.  

Ever hear of Tammany Hall? Author Terry Golway tells us it was one machine that worked. So was the Chicago machine, and former Democratic Senator Alan Dixon of Illinois tells us why. And Bill Press interviews former GOP Senator Larry Pressler. There’s a lot of talk about the seamy side of politics in New Jersey, but author Terry Golway maintains that political machines used to do some good, at least in New York. Former Senator Alan Dixon looks back, also – at a career that began with the blessing of the Illinois Democratic machine. And Bill Press interviews Republican-turned-Independent Senate candidate Larry Pressler. Terry Golway Once upon a time, a political machine in New York called Tammany Hall pretty much controlled the national Democratic Party. Though it was known for corruption, author Terry Golway insists that it worked for the little guy before there was a social safety net. http://chpp.kean.edu/users/terry-golway Alan Dixon Our next guest is former Illinois Senator Alan Dixon, a moderate Democrat who talks about a day when Republicans and Democrats in Congress could actually get things done. https://www.facebook.com/pages/US-Senator-Alan-Dixon-Memoir-The-Gentleman-from-Illinois/180738472064831 Larry Pressler Bill Press and his guest, former Republican Senator Larry Pressler. http://www.senatorlarrypressler.com/ Jim Hightower Wall Street warns Democrats: Avoid Populism!

In 1931, Judge Samuel Seabury was leading an investigation for Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt into corruption in New York's magistrate courts when a witness in the investigation named Vivian Gordon was found murdered in the Bronx. Because of the public demand for answers in this high-profile murder case, FDR could no longer keep his uneasy peace with Tammany Hall and expanded the scope of Seabury's investigation. What Seabury's team uncovered brought down Mayor Jimmy Walker and began to topple the Tammany Hall stranglehold on New York City politics.Joining me in this episode is writer Michael Wolraich, author of The Bishop And The Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age.Our theme song is Frogs Legs Rag, composed by James Scott and performed by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under Creative Commons. The mid-episode music is by Daniel Carlton on Pixabay and is available for use via the Pixabay Content License. The episode image is “Mid-town Manhattan, looking northeast toward Chrysler Building,” photographed by William Frange, ca. 1931; there are no known restrictions on publication and the image is available via the Library of Congress.Additional Sources:“The Politics and Iconography of Tammany in the Early American Republic,” by Keith Muchowski, Journal of the American Revolution, August 19, 2021“Boss Tweed's Rise and Downfall | New York: A Documentary Film [video],” PBS.“The corrupt N.Y. congressman who was sentenced to prison — and escaped,” by George Bass, The Washington post, July 2, 2023.“The Case For Tammany Hall Being On The Right Side Of History,” NPR Fresh Air, March 5, 2014.“How an Unlikely Alliance Saved the Democrats 100 Years Ago,” by Terry Golway, Politico Magazine, September 17, 2018.“Franklin D. Roosevelt: Life Before the Presidency,” by William E. Leuchtenburg, UVA Miller Center.“Samuel Seabury,” Historical Society of the New York Courts.“The Insane 1930s Graft Investigation That Took Down New York's Mayor—and Then Tammany Hall,” by Erin Blakemore, History.com, Originally posted April 17, 2019, and updated April 22, 2019.“The Dead Woman Who Brought Down the Mayor,” by Rachel Shteir, Smithsonian Magazine, February 25, 2013.“Jimmy Walker May Have Been NYC's Most Corrupt Mayor, but Damn Was He Fun,” Avenue Magazine, December 2, 2021.“Jazz Age Mayor and Villager, Jimmy Walker,” by Sarah Bean Apmann, Off the Grid, June 18, 2020.