My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

In the past 100 years, over 80% of the first term midterms went badly for Presidents, and their party lost seats. But in a few cases they did not. And a few times when they did, the result was very little real change or even a kind of win. A look at first term midterms during the Presidencies of Chester Arthur, Harding, FDR, GW Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

A combo of new and previously recorded MHCBUYP episodes reveals that while many first term midterms have devastated the President's plans, Presidents don't always do badly, there are 'stave' elections where Presidents have lost so little it's almost a win. And sometimes, a defeat has positive effects.

Music by Josh Woodward and Lee Rosevere in this episode. Find them on the Free Music Archive website
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We've talked about who owns media, who writes it. Now will talk about the debates about what is in it? This episode is about bias in the news media.

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"To the victor goes the spoils" True of government jobs after a 19th century election. Also true of newspapers. Much of the spoils system perfected during Jackson's time helped newspaper publishers get ads, printing and postmaster jobs.


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First rule is: Nobody talks about Giggle Club. Second. When he says no pencils, it's no pencils. Third. Get a buddy. Fourth. Don't take it so seriously, my good man. FDR's Press relationship on this episode, and Wilson before him.

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Press has power. Can it be too much? Or is it needed to offset governmental power? We look at some interesting, powerful, and at times problematic press people. The renegade Grant critic Don Piatt, the FDR basher McCormick, Seward's pain and Lincoln's booster Medill, and the man who ran for President, Horace Greeley.

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