Running Mates

Trailer for Floor Fight

February 22, 2022 16:39 - 1 minute - 1.64 MB

Who was the best president we never had? Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito from ThePostrider.com are dedicated to finding out as they work their way through the ultimate bracket of losing presidential candidates in American history. Follow along to the podcast with the live bracket at ThePostrider.com/FloorFight and reach out to us at [email protected] or on Twitter to let us know who you'd pick!

Trailer for Politics Express

August 28, 2021 01:57 - 55 seconds - 1.25 MB

Running Mates host Lars Emerson introduces The Postrider team's newest general interest politics podcast, Politics Express. Subscribe now and check out the first episode, available wherever podcasts are found and on thepostrider.com.

Trailer for Watching Mates

March 04, 2021 15:00 - 2 minutes - 1.74 MB

Running Mates stars Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito introduce their new show, Watching Mates. Subscribe now and stay tuned for the first episode, available wherever podcasts are found and on thepostrider.com.

Episode 16: Series Finale - 2020 - Harris v. Pence

September 19, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 59 MB

In our series finale at the height of the 2020 election, Lars and Michael dive into a year wracked by a presidential impeachment, the coronavirus, and national protests, and explore Joe Biden's selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate as they challenge Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in the upcoming fall.

Episode 15: 2016 - Pence v. Kaine (Part 2)

August 29, 2020 15:00 - 48 minutes - 50 MB

In the part two of our 2016 election episode, Lars and Michael unpack their running mate choices for Hillary Clinton, argue about whether keeping Senate seats should be a priority, and end with the big conclusions about the vice presidential candidates this year.

Episode 14: 2016 - Pence v. Kaine (Part 1)

August 22, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 70.3 MB

In the part one of our 2016 election episode, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taps Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate, while reality television star and businessman Donald Trump picks Indiana Governor Mike Pence in order to win over conservative and religious voters.

Episode 13: 2012 - Ryan v. Biden

August 08, 2020 15:00 - 53 minutes - 57.8 MB

With America still recovering from the Great Recession, Republican nominee Mitt Romney chooses "mini-Mitt" Wisconsin Congressman and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan to hit incumbent President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on the big issue of the day: the economy.

Episode 12: 2008 - Biden v. Palin

July 25, 2020 15:00 - 1 hour - 72.5 MB

As unpopular wars rage on, the economy collapses and Lars and Michael delve into Republican nominee John McCain's miscalculation as he seeks a game changing vice presidential pick in Sarah Palin to counter the historic nomination of Barack Obama, who seeks a more traditional running mate with Joe Biden.

Episode 11: 2004 - Edwards v. Cheney

July 11, 2020 13:00 - 55 minutes - 60.4 MB

Amidst the War on Terror, President George W. Bush and his VP, Dick Cheney, are up for reelection against Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. In what turns into a presidential contest over their respective military records, patriotism, and foreign policy credentials, Kerry chooses, and later would regret having done so, North Carolina Senator John Edwards as his running mate.

Episode 10: 2000 - Cheney v. Lieberman (Part 2)

June 27, 2020 15:00 - 38 minutes - 42.6 MB

In the part two of our 2000 election episode, Lars and Michael discuss who Democratic candidate Al Gore should have put on the ticket instead of Joe Lieberman. They conclude with a broad analysis of the 2000 election, the direction of the parties and decisions they made at this point, and set the stage for the prevailing partisan trends in the 21st century.

Episode 9: 2000 - Cheney v. Lieberman (Part 1)

June 20, 2020 13:00 - 43 minutes - 47.6 MB

In the part one of our 2000 election episode, the impeached president Bill Clinton's Vice President Al Gore runs for the presidency and picks Joe Lieberman to try and distance himself from Clinton. Meanwhile, Republicans seek a compassionate conservative and land on George W. Bush, who tasks Dick Cheney with finding a vice presidential candidate for him, but Bush ultimately decides on Cheney himself. Two running mates who offer relatively little strength in the one state that matters...

Episode 8: 1996 - Kemp v. Gore

June 06, 2020 14:00 - 1 hour - 62.7 MB

President Bill Clinton and his vice president, Al Gore, are up for reelection and after a bruising midterm two years prior, Democrats have moved decisively to the center. Republicans face a crisis of confidence and their candidate, Bob Dole chooses throwback Jack Kemp as his running mate to try and remind Republicans of their past, while Clinton and Gore look to the future.

Episode 7: 1992 - Gore v. Quayle

May 23, 2020 15:00 - 52 minutes - 56.4 MB

The Cold War has ended and President George H.W. Bush and his vice president, Dan Quayle, are running for reelection in a tough economy. Republicans push Bush to drop Quayle from the ticket but he stays the course to take on Bill Clinton, who makes the unusual choice of naming neighboring southern Senator Al Gore as his running mate.

Episode 6: 1988 - Bentsen v. Quayle

May 09, 2020 15:05 - 59 minutes - 62.9 MB

The Reagan years are coming to an end and his vice president, George H.W. Bush is running for president himself against Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis. Lars and Michael discuss Bush's pick of young Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as his running mate and Dukakis' selection of the more mature Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen in what proves to be a showdown over smarts, experience, and who knew Jack Kennedy.

Episode 5: 1984 - Ferraro v. Bush

April 25, 2020 17:00 - 49 minutes - 50.9 MB

Walter Mondale figures he needs a game changing vice presidential pick to have any chance against the Reagan-Bush reelection in 1984. Lars and Michael discuss how Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman on a major party presidential ticket, holds up as a running mate, and the long odds Mondale faced regardless of his vice presidential pick.

Episode 4: 1980 - Bush v. Mondale

April 11, 2020 17:00 - 47 minutes - 51.1 MB

With Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale up for reelection, Lars and Michael discuss the foreign policy and economic crises that perpetuate a strong challenge from Ronald Reagan, who placates establishment Republicans by putting George H.W. Bush on the ticket.

Episode 3: 1976 - Mondale v. Dole

March 28, 2020 21:40 - 1 hour - 63.9 MB

Lars and Michael discuss the first post-Watergate presidential election and how Gerald Ford fails to excite or unite his party by picking Bob Dole as his running mate, while Jimmy Carter manages to capture optimism and credibility with Walter Mondale.

Episode 3: 1972 - Mondale v. Dole

March 28, 2020 21:40 - 1 hour - 63.9 MB

Lars and Michael discuss the first post-Watergate presidential election and how Gerald Ford fails to excite or unite his party by picking Bob Dole as his running mate, while Jimmy Carter manages to capture optimism and credibility with Walter Mondale.

Episode 2: 1972 - Shriver v. Agnew

February 22, 2020 14:30 - 48 minutes - 55.1 MB

Lars and Michael discuss Richard Nixon's deliberation over whether or not to keep his vice president, Spiro Agnew, on the ticket and take a deep dive into the bleak prospects for the Democratic nominee George McGovern and his struggle to even find a running mate in the first place.

Episode 1: 1968 - Agnew v. Muskie

February 08, 2020 14:15 - 1 hour - 63.6 MB

Lars and Michael discuss the 1968 running mates in our first full episode. In a divided and tormented nation, Richard Nixon picks Spiro Agnew in an attempt to woo southern voters with a law and order campaign and Hubert Humphrey picks Edmund Muskie to appease anti-war activists, cutting off his chances in key states.

Intro Episode

January 26, 2020 00:00 - 4 minutes - 5.25 MB

Lars introduces Running Mates, a show dedicated to the American vice presidency

Episodes