This Day in Esoteric Political History
667 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★★ - 913 ratingsWe’re living in unprecedented times. Maybe. In this show, Jody Avirgan (538, 30for30, TED) and historians Nicole Hemmer (Vanderbilt) and Kellie Carter Jackson (Wellesley) take one moment, big or small, from that day in U.S. political history and explore how it might inform our present –– all in about fifteen minutes.
New episodes release Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. Sign up for the newsletter and more at ThisDayPod.com. We’re also posting about moments from the past @thisdaypod on Threads and Instagram. If you have a suggestion for a topic, get in touch.
This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of the Radiotopia podcast network from PRX.
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Episodes
Denver Rejects The Olympics (1972)
November 15, 2022 12:39 - 18 minutes - 17.3 MB*** The Radiotopia fundraiser is happening right now! Support this show by becoming a member today: https://on.prx.org/3Ehr3B6 *** It’s November 15th. This day in 1972, citizens of Colorado rejected a proposal that would have funded the 1976 Olympics Games. Denver had been awarded the games two years earlier, but now local residents and officials were starting to question the economic and environmental cost. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why Denver said no, and how people are sta...
The GOP Reckoning Report (2012)
November 13, 2022 09:30 - 26 minutes - 23.8 MB*** The Radiotopia fundraiser is happening right now! Support this show by becoming a member today: https://on.prx.org/3Ehr3B6 *** It’s November 12th. This day in 2012, the GOP is licking its wounds after an underwhelming election result. It begins a process of self-reflection that would result in the “Growth and Opportunity Report,” a blueprint for a party that turns off fewer voters and embraces diversity. Jody, Niki, and Kellie revisit the report in the light of the 2022 midter...
The Colored Conventions Movement (1830)
November 10, 2022 09:30 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MB*** The Radiotopia fundraiser is happening right now! Support this show by becoming a member today: https://on.prx.org/3Ehr3B6 *** It’s December 3rd. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the Colored Conventions movement, and how Black leaders found a space for agency and progress before, during, and in the aftermath of the Civil War. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Es...
Election Day Special: Reporting The Results w/ Jad Abumrad
November 08, 2022 12:24 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBIt’s election day here in the United States. We hope you’ve already voted, or maybe are reading this while you’re standing in line. Today, we bring you an episode we originally did on election day in 2020 — a look at the history of how election results get conveyed, and the tension between speed and accuracy. Our guest is Jad Abumrad, former host of Radiolab. Enjoy, and happy voting! Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, ho...
Mid-Terms Week: NJ Voter Intimidation (1981)
November 06, 2022 09:30 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Mid-Terms week, looking at a few of our favorite mid-term elections that planted historical seeds for this year’s contest. Today, we look at an incident in 1981, where GOP-backed forces intimidated Black and Latino voters on Election Day as part of a ‘ballot security task force.” Some of the same tactics are popping up around the country in ...
Mid-Terms Week: The First Blue Wave (1826)
November 03, 2022 16:57 - 12 minutes - 11.3 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Mid-Terms week, looking at a few of our favorite mid-term elections that planted historical seeds for this year’s contest. Today, we look at the 1826 mid-term elections, where voters rebuked President John Quincy Adams after feeling that he’d been illegitimately elected in the previous election. This is also one of the first elections where ...
Mid-Terms Week: 1946 Changes Everything (1946)
November 01, 2022 15:53 - 15 minutes - 14 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Mid-Terms week, looking at a few of our favorite mid-term elections that planted historical seeds for this year’s contest. Today, we look at the 1946 mid-term elections, where Republicans scored a sweeping victory and America offered a rebuke of the FDR era. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about...
Mid-Terms Week: I'm Not A Witch (2010)
October 30, 2022 12:41 - 19 minutes - 17.7 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Mid-Terms week, looking at a few of our favorite mid-term elections that planted historical seeds for this year’s contest. Today, we look at the 2010 Delaware senate race, where Christine O’Donnell faced accusations and rumors that she was a witch in high school. She ended up losing by 17 points, but the legacy of her Tea Party moment contin...
Polling Week: Let's Get Thermostatic w/ Harry Enten
October 27, 2022 14:26 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Polling Week, looking at some interesting polling-related stories with our friend Harry Enten of CNN. Today, a look at the fundamental forces that underlie midterm elections, and ways to measure them, such as the generic ballot. Be sure to catch Harry on CNN every day! Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t ...
Polling Week: The Red Wave (1994) w/ Harry Enten
October 25, 2022 12:53 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Polling Week, looking at some interesting polling-related stories with our friend Harry Enten of CNN. In 1994, Republicans took back control of congress for the first time in 40 years (!) in what was clearly a “wave” election. We discuss how the polling didn’t anticipate such a big gain, and when you call something a wave vs a swing vs some ...
Polling Week: Harry Reid's Upset (2010) w/ Harry Enten
October 23, 2022 12:30 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Polling Week, looking at some interesting polling-related stories with our friend Harry Enten of CNN. In 2010, polls consistently showed Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid down to challenger Sharron Angle. But on election day, Reid ended up beating his polls by about seven points. We discuss what that race can teach us about midterm polli...
Referendum Week: Prop 13 (1978)
October 20, 2022 15:50 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Referendum Week, looking at the world of referendums, ballot initiatives, and more. Today, we look at California’s Proposition 13, perhaps the most significant ballot initiative in the 1970’s “referendum fever” era. It was part of a larger anti-tax revolt, and has had decades-long ripple effects for our politics and government. Sign up for ...
Referendum Week: The Badass Grandmas of North Dakota (2018) w/ Joshua Graham Lynn
October 18, 2022 14:22 - 14 minutes - 13.3 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Referendum Week, looking at the world of referendums, ballot initiatives, and more. In 2018, a group of women who came to be known as the “Badass Grandmas” got together to pass anti-corruption legislation in North Dakota. It showed the power of referendums at the state level to help fix our democracy. Our guest is Joshua Graham Lynn, CEO of...
Referendum Week: Direct Democracy In Action (1778) w/ Joshua Graham Lynn
October 16, 2022 14:08 - 26 minutes - 23.9 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re doing a number of episodes that may help you track and process the current news. This week, it’s Referendum Week, looking at the world of referendums, ballot initiatives, and more. In 1778, Massachussets voters took part in the first referendum in US history, voting on whether to approve a state constitution. We discuss how that very first vote contained many of hte hallmarks of direct democracy initiative — and look at America’s appeti...
Mid-Term Favorites: The Murkowski Write-In (2010)
October 13, 2022 08:30 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re taking on and revisiting some of our favorite mid-term related topics. Today, we revisit an episode from 2021. In 2010, Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski prevailed in her re-election effort — one in which she was forced to mount a write-in campaign after losing the primary. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how hard it is to get a successful write-in campaign going, and what the Murkowski story says about the way in which parties and voters ...
Mid-Term Favorites: Paul Wellstone Plane Crash (2002)
October 11, 2022 08:30 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re taking on and revisiting some of our favorite mid-term related topics. Today, we revisit an episode from 2020. Just days before the 2000 mid-term election, beloved Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash, upending the race. Jody and Niki discuss the political effect, and the loss of a progressive champion. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, o...
Mid-Term Favorites: Contract with America (1994) w/ Kirsten Soltis Anderson
October 09, 2022 08:30 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBIn the run-up to the November election, we’re taking on and revisiting some of our favorite mid-term related topics. Today, we revisit an episode from 2020. On this day in 1994, Republicans in the House of Representatives gathered on the steps of the Capitol to announce the “Contract with America,” a plank of ten policy points that they pledged to uphold if they seized back power in the upcoming midterm elections. Jody and Niki are joined by pollster Kristen Soltis Anderson of Ech...
The Whiskey Rebellion and the Fear Of The Tax Collector (1794)
October 06, 2022 12:45 - 22 minutes - 21 MBIt’s October 6th. In 1794, violent skirmishes are breaking out in Western Pennsylvania as the newly formed country tries to levy a tax on whisky. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how the tax was a test for the new government, and how paranoia and violence against tax collection has a long history in the United States. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Poli...
Franklin in France (1776) w/ Mike Duncan
October 04, 2022 11:49 - 32 minutes - 30 MBIt’s October 4th. In 1776, Benjamin Franklin is headed to France as the Continental Congress’s first diplomat, looking to secure support for the American independence movement. Jody and Kellie are joined by Mike Duncan, history podcaster behind series such as “Revolutions” and “The Fall of Rome.” They discuss Franklin’s diplomatic goal, his taste for the Parisian nightlife — and why the values of the Founding Fathers continue to be contested and politicized. Mike is on tour all th...
Rudy vs Brooklyn Museum (1999) w/ Harry Siegel
October 02, 2022 14:32 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBIt’s October 2nd. This day in 1999, a First Amendment battle is brewing between New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the Brooklyn Museum, which is mounting a controversial exhibit Giuliani deems “sick stuff.” Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Harry Siegel of the podcast FAQ NYC to discuss how every side took advantage of the news cycle — and what the controversy presaged about today’s free speech debates. Subscribe to FAQ NYC wherever you get your podcasts! Sign up for our ne...
Rural Free Delivery (1896)
September 29, 2022 11:27 - 18 minutes - 16.6 MBIt’s September 29th. This day in 1896, a postal worker sets out to deliver the mail to ten rural towns in West Virginia. It’s the start of the Rural Free Delivery service. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the program changed the way Americans got their mail, lined the pockets of the politicians and businessmen who backed the project — and transformed the country’s infrastructure. Plus: can you really mail a baby? Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And d...
No Crime Day (1986) w/ Josh Levin
September 27, 2022 13:50 - 23 minutes - 21.5 MBIt’s September 27th. This day in 1986, NBA star Isaiah Thomas promoted “No Crime Day” in the city of Detroit. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Slate’s Josh Levin to talk about the effort, how it represented the approach to drugs and violence in the 1980s, and the legacy of Thomas’s initiative. Josh and his team have a full episode on No Crime Day in the latest season of Slate’s “One Year” podcast. Be sure to subscribe to Josh’s latest season of One Year wherever you get your ...
Pauli Murray Shoots Her Shot (1971)
September 25, 2022 12:05 - 17 minutes - 15.6 MBIt’s September 25th. In 1971, the longtime activist and law professor Pauli Murray wrote a letter to Richard Nixon nominating herself for the vacant Supreme Court seat, even though she admits that the letter will likely make no difference as it “finds its way to the wastebasket.” Jody, NIki, and Kellie what the letter represents about Pauli Murray’s long career of activism, advocacy, and art. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprah...
Dogs as Deflection: Fala and Checkers (1944/1952)
September 22, 2022 13:01 - 21 minutes - 20 MBIt’s September 22nd. Today, we visit two speeches that used anecdotes about dogs to deflect and charm. In 1944, FDR gave a speech about his dog Fala and the misuse of government funds — the jokes he cut about Fala, written with the help of Orson Welles, helped belittle his critics. Eight years later to the day, in a long speech about improper gifts and funds, VP candidate Richard Nixon told a story about receiving his pet dog Checkers. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the two speeche...
The Cleveland BalloonFest Fiasco (1986) w/ Clare Malone
September 20, 2022 08:30 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBIt’s September 19th. In 1986, the city of Cleveland decided to stage a charity event in which they released millions of balloons into the air. It went very, very poorly. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by The New Yorker’s Clare Malone, a Cleveland native, to discuss why balloonfest went so wrong, and what to make of Cleveland’s many attempts at rehabilitating its image. Here’s a video of Balloonfest: https://youtu.be/n0CT8zrw6lw Be sure to check out Clare’s Ringer podcast serie...
Romney's Secret 47% Tape (2012) w/ David Corn
September 18, 2022 08:30 - 36 minutes - 33.6 MBIt’s September 17th. In 2012, durig the home stretch of the presidential election, a secretly-recorded tape of Mitt Romney at a fundraiser upended the race. The video showed him talking about “47% of Americans” who don’t pay taxes, expect to live off government largesse — and are not voters that Romney is concerned with. Jody, NIki, and Kellie are joined by David Corn, DC Bureau Chief for Mother Jones magazine, who broke the story of the leaked tape. They discuss how the tape came ...
The Christiana Resistance (1851)
September 15, 2022 12:41 - 19 minutes - 18.3 MBIt’s September 15th. This day in 1851, a dramatic showdown takes place in Christiana, Pennsylvania over four fugitive enslaved people who were hiding in a farmhouse near the Maryland border. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the details of the showdown and how the incident at Christiana ratcheted tensions in the run-up to the Civil War. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day...
The Basket Of Deplorables (2016)
September 13, 2022 13:09 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBIt’s September 13th. This day in 2016, comments from Hillary Clinton about how half of Trump supporters can be put into a “basket of deplorables” are going viral. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the context of where Clinton made those comments, why her larger point was lost — and why it’s always a mistake for politicians to generalize about their opponent’s supporters. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie,...
Partisans Week: Clinton Chronicles VHS (1994)
September 11, 2022 13:40 - 16 minutes - 15.5 MBNicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.” All this week, she’s walking through some of her favorite stories from the book, which is available for purchase now. Today: conspiracy theories about the Clintons circulate through a viral VHS tape. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day ...
Partisans Week: Buchanan at Smuggler's Gulch (1992)
September 08, 2022 13:01 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBNicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.” All this week, she’s walking through some of her favorite stories from the book, which is available for purchase now. Today: a story about how Pat Buchanan carved out an extreme stance about the US-Mexico border, and immigration became a key GOP issue Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, h...
Partisans Week: Black Helicopters (1995)
September 06, 2022 08:30 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBNicole Hemmer has a new book out! It’s called “Partisans: The Conservative Revolutionaries Who Remade American Politics in the 1990s.” All this week, she’s walking through some of her favorite stories from the book, which is available for purchase now. Today: a story about black helicopters, conspiracy theories, and radicalism in the Pacific Northwest. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Ra...
The Mystery of LBJ's "Box 13" (1948) w/ Mark Lawrence
September 04, 2022 12:35 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBIt’s September 4th. In 1948, a heated Texas Senate primary comes down to a very mysterious box of ballots found in Jim Wells County — which conveniently put Lyndon Johnson ahead by just a few votes. Jody, NIki, and Kellie are joined by Mark Lawrence of the UT-Austin and the LBJ Library to discuss what we know and don’t know about the “Box 13” scandal — and whether it truly changed the trajectory of LBJ’s political career. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com...
Brownie, Heckuva Job (2005)
September 01, 2022 13:01 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBIt’s September 1st. In 2005, in the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, George W Bush offered praise to the director of FEMA, Michael Brown, saying “Brownie, you’re doing a a heckuva job.” Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the phrase became such a flashpoint, and how it represented so much of what was wrong with the Katrina response and the Bush administration in general. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted b...
Lincoln's Avenger (1894)
August 30, 2022 16:17 - 17 minutes - 15.8 MBIt’s August 30th. This day in 1894, a man by the name of Thomas H “Boston” Corbett is presumed dead in a fire in Minnesota. Boston Corbett led a troubled life, particularly over the previous thirty years, during which he was best known as the man who killed John Wilkes Booth — the man who killed Abraham Lincoln. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss the circumstances under which Corbett killed Booth, the way in which he was treated as a hero, and the spiral Corbett’s life took as he embra...
Biden Bites Kinnock (1987)
August 28, 2022 08:30 - 20 minutes - 19.2 MBIt’s August 27th. This day in 1987, rumors are building that Joe Biden had plagiarized remarks from British politician Neil Kinnock. Soon, reporters would find evidence that Biden used lines directly from Kinnock’s remarks, without attribution, in a debate — and other instances of plagiarism would emerge in the coming weeks. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how Biden’s plagiarism was uncovered, how it sank his 1988 presidential bid, and how his reputation for borrowing phrases has pe...
Port Chicago Mutiny (1944)
August 25, 2022 08:30 - 17 minutes - 16 MBIt’s August 25th. In 1944, a group of sailors at Port Chicago in California are facing mutiny charges, after refusing to work under dangerous conditions. Just under a month earlier, there had been a massive explosion at the same location, killing hundreds. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the sailors refused to work, the impact of the Port Chicago explosion, and the way in which the mostly-Black sailors were mistreated by the Navy and the U.S. government. Sign up for our newslet...
Wooed By Mussolini (1926)
August 23, 2022 08:30 - 16 minutes - 14.8 MBIt’s August 22nd. Throughout the late summer of 1926, legendary journalist Ida Tarbell is publishing a series of flattering profiles of Benito Mussolini. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss why the muck-raking journalist is falling under the spell of the rising dictator, and why so many other Progressive voices seem to be doing the same. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day ...
Hoover Feeds Russia (1922)
August 21, 2022 08:30 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBIt’s August 19th. This day in 1922, a massive food relief program is underway, with tons of American supplies headed for Russia. Jody, Kellie, and Niki discuss why the United States was committed to aiding the Russian famine, and how Herbert Hoover built his reputation as a food administrator in the wake of WWI. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Political...
The Roots of "Roots" (1976)
August 18, 2022 14:09 - 15 minutes - 14.1 MBIt’s August 18th. This day in 1976, Alex Haley’s sprawling epic Roots hits the bookshelves. It quickly caused a sensation — and controversy. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how Haley’s work came together, the enormous impact it had, and the mix of fact and fiction that somewhat clouded the work. Check out Reconsidering Roots, the book Kellie edited about Haley and the Roots television miniseries. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about O...
The Acquittal of Joan Little (1975)
August 16, 2022 08:30 - 14 minutes - 13 MBIt’s August 16th. This day in 1975, a woman by the name of Joan Little was acquitted of murder — the first case in which a woman is acquitted of a murder committed in self-defense against sexual assault. Jody, Niki and Kellie discuss how Little became an unlikely public figure, how the civil rights movement of the time rallied around her case, and the legacy of her acquittal. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by...
The Benghazi Memo (2012) w/ Leon Neyfakh
August 14, 2022 14:24 - 26 minutes - 24 MBIt’s August 14th. In 2012, on August 16th, a State Department memo was sent regarding the security of the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. Less than a month later, the compound was attacked, and four Americans died, including Ambassador Chris Stevens. Jody, NIki, and Kellie are joined by Leon Neyfakh, host of FIASCO, to discuss the roots of the deep Benghazi attack — and how the politicization of the incident has completely muddied the waters of understanding why the tr...
The Irish-American Gun-Runners (1973) w/ Nate Lavey
August 11, 2022 13:59 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBIt’s August 11th. This day in 1973, a group of Irish-Americans known as “The Fort Worth Five” are caught up in the court system, accused of running guns to Ireland to aid the independence movement. Jody, Niki, and Kellie are joined by Nate Lavey to discuss how regular Irish-Americans got involved in the freedom fight, and the long political and financial nexus between groups like NORAID in the United States and the IRA in Ireland. Nate is the host of the excellent new podcast “For...
TN Week: Elvis, Cash, and Tricky Dick (1972) w/ Jane Carr
August 09, 2022 13:45 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBBig news! Niki Hemmer is moving to Vanderbilt University to teach and found a center on the presidency. To help her get up to speed, she’s hosting “Tennessee Week” on the show with a few conversations around some key and fascinating moments in TN history. Today, Niki and Kellie are joined by Jane Carr, editor at CNN and Memphis native, to discuss the strange ties between Richard Nixon and two musical icons — Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash. They break down Nixon’s understanding of th...
TN Week: State of Franklin (1784) w/ Jane Carr
August 07, 2022 12:17 - 20 minutes - 18.5 MBBig news! Niki Hemmer is moving to Vanderbilt University to teach and found a center on the presidency. To help her get up to speed, she’s hosting “Tennessee Week” on the show with a few conversations around some key and fascinating moments in TN history. Today, Niki and Kellie are joined by Jane Carr, editor at CNN and Memphis native, to discuss the “State of Franklin,” a short-lived breakaway republic in what is now eastern Tennessee. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at...
TN Week: Saint Dolly w/ Jad Abumrad
August 04, 2022 13:19 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBBig news! Niki Hemmer is moving to Vanderbilt University to teach and found a center on the presidency. To help her get up to speed, she’s hosting “Tennessee Week” on the show with a few conversations around some key and fascinating moments in TN history. Today, Niki and Kellie are joined by Jad Abumrad, founder of Radiolab, Nashville native, and host of “Dolly Parton’s America.” They discuss what Dolly Parton has meant to TN, and the country. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out ...
What About Your Gaffes (2012)
August 02, 2022 10:09 - 17 minutes - 16.2 MBIt’s July 31st, 2012. This day, on the campaign trail, a reporter shouts a question at Mitt Romney: “What about your gaffes?!” Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the question came to be asked and why it perfectly encapsulates everything wrong with modern political journalism. Plus, why the other questions asked that day weren’t that much better. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopi...
The Sinking of Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior (1985) w/ Adam McKay
July 31, 2022 12:47 - 22 minutes - 20.6 MBIt’s July 31st. This day in 1985, two divers acting on behalf of the French government planted bombs on the Greenpeace ship The Rainbow Warrior, blowing a hole in the side of the hull and sinking the vessel, killing one person on board. Jody and Niki are joined by Adam McKay to discuss the incident, the reasons that the French government attacked a private ship, and the legacy of Greenpeace’s environmental activism. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And ...
Morris The Cat And Adam McKay's Big Break (1992) w/ Adam McKay
July 28, 2022 11:53 - 24 minutes - 22.5 MBIt’s July 28th. This day in 1992, “Morris The Cat,” the feline spokesperson for Nine Lives cat food, is in the heart of a stunt presidential campaign. Jody and Niki are joined by director and writer Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up, Vice, Anchorman) to talk about the campaign and how Adam’s career changed as a result. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric Political ...
Bush Gets Stuck In A Bog (1995)
July 26, 2022 08:42 - 13 minutes - 12.5 MBIt’s July 26th. This day in 1995, former President George HW Bush gets stuck neck-deep in a Canadian bog while on a fishing trip. Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how exactly Bush got stuck, how he got out, and his deep love of fishing, as expressed in a letter to the editor of the Deh Cho Drum paper in Fort Simpson, N.W.T. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. This Day In Esoteric...
The ADA Changes Everything (1990)
July 24, 2022 07:07 - 15 minutes - 14.4 MBIt’s July 24th. This day in 1990, President George HW Bush signed the American with Disabilities Act, after decades of activism and political pressure from disabilities rights advocates. Jody, Niki, and Kellie discuss how the ADA transformed American life, not just for people with disabilities, and how the passage fits into Bush’s legacy. Sign up for our newsletter! Find out more at thisdaypod.com And don’t forget about Oprahdemics, hosted by Kellie, out now from Radiotopia. Thi...