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PODCAST

Plodding Through The Presidents

Howard & Jessica Dorre

Join history blogger Howard Dorre and his wife Jessica Dorre for a deep irreverent dive into lesser-known stories of the early American presidents. They dig into the myths, mysteries, scandals, and drama of the founders and their families, with a dash of marital banter.

history improv

All Episodes

12:17

Jimmy Carter and the Swamp Rabbit

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/12/30

Remembering 39th President Jimmy Carter, we share the quirky story of Carter's encounter with a distressed swamp rabbit while fishing in Georgia—and how it turned into front page news. This was originally part of our Season 3 episode "Cara Finnegan & Photographic Presidents." Find out more at plodpod.com Behold our brand new 2025 Presidential Pets wall calendar at

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52:30

Attack on Christmas Pies with Bennett Rea

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/12/24

We're joined by Bennett Rea of Cookin' with Congress to talk about his historical culinary adventures and our team-up to recreate a massive Yorkshire Christmas pie like the ones George Washington unsuccessfully attacked each year at Mount Vernon. You can find Cookin' with Congress at https://www.cookinwithcongress.com/ and on Instagram & TikTok @cookinwithcongress — check out the Christmas pie! Behold our brand new 2025 Presidential Pets wall calendar at

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27:45

Rebecca the Disgraceful Raccoon

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/12/18

We look at the wild life of Rebecca, President Coolidge's pet raccoon. She was sent to the Coolidges to be part of their Thanksgiving dinner, but Calvin and Grace instead fell in love with the critter—and the press couldn't get enough of Rebecca's scandalous behavior. Our thanks to veterinarian Dr. Jake Levin for his insights on raccoon as pets. Check out Rebecca and many more furry friends in our 2025 Presidential Pets wall calendar at

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36:26

James Monroe and the Tongs of Fire

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/12/04

We plunge into the personalities behind a showdown between President James Monroe and his strong-willed Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford, in a moment that truly captures the end of the Era of Good Feelings. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PLODDING and get on your way to being your best self. Find out more at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon community at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents Check out

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66:08

Friendsgiving Spectacular 2024

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/11/18

Howard joins Kenny Ryan from [Abridged] Presidential Histories, Alycia from Civics & Coffee, and Jerry Landry from Presidencies of the United States for a conversation covering everything from their favorite lesser-known historical figures and the role of historians in the future to who would be the killer in an Agatha Christie-style murder mystery where all the presidents are suspects.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PLODDING and get on

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39:49

George Washington's Incompetence with James Early

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/11/05

We're joined by James Early, host of the hit podcast Key Battles of American History, for a look at the devastating military failure of young George Washington and the qualities that later made him so successful in the military and politics.This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PLODDING and get on your way to being your best self. Find out more at plodpod.com Check out James Early's podcast Key Battles of American History at

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28:02

Presenting: Country Over Self

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/11/01

We're sharing the first episode of a new podcast we think you'll enjoy. It's called "Country Over Self: Defining Moments in American History."In each episode of this miniseries, host Matt Blumberg interviews a different presidential historian about a pivotal moment when a president chose to put their country ahead of their party and themselves. In this episode, Matt talks with Julian Zelizer about the 36th President, Lyndon B. Johnson, and how Johnson used his detailed knowledge of the legislative

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56:34

The Last Check on Democracy with Savannah Eccles...

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/10/22

We’re joined by Savannah Eccles Johnston (savypolitics on Instagram and cohost of the new podcast This Constitution) to talk about the formation of the American presidency, checks and balances, and the death of institutions at the hands of partisanship. First we take a look at what the American presidency might have looked like, if Alexander Hamilton got his way. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at https://betterhelp.com/PLODDING and get on your way to being your

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44:39

The Thing in the White House - Southern Gothic

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/10/08

We're excited to share an episode of the Southern Gothic podcast coproduced by Howard, who also pops up as a guest commentator. This is the story of "The Thing," a supernatural entity who reportedly terrorized the White House staff in 1911, and the key players involved: chief of staff Archibald Butt, President William Howard Taft, and lady's maid Florence Marsh—the only person to have actually seen the ghost. Southern Gothic host Brandon Schexnayder takes us on a journey through this haunting and

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46:50

Murder & The Masons

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/09/24

We dig into the history of the Freemasons, focusing on the disappearance and alleged murder of William Morgan, the mysterious man who wrote a book exposing their secrets in 1826. The conspiracy to protect those involved and the intense public backlash led to the first third party in America, the Anti-Masonic Party. Though short-lived, they managed to rack up a few electoral votes in the Election of 1832 with William Wirt as their reluctant presidential nominee. It's a tale of two Williams, one

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43:52

Living Constitutionally with A.J. Jacobs

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/09/10

We welcome author and human guinea pig A.J. Jacobs to chat about his new book The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning. For a year he tried to put himself in the shoes—and tricorn hat—of the founders, and he shares what he learned from an absurd and enlightening immersion into the document that defines our nation.NEW: Please send us your Local Lore — hometown histories, interesting historical markers, and weird local claims to fame

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52:03

John Adams Under Fire with Lindsay Chervinsky

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/08/27

First, we talk about how a day of fasting and prayer in 1798 turned into a night of fear and flying "cockades." Then we’re joined by presidential historian Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, author of the new book Making The Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged The Republic, for an insightful conversation about how President John Adams was a much savvier politician than he gets credit for—especially considering he was surrounded by saboteurs and jerkfaces. NEW: Please send us your Local Lore

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39:26

Thomas Jefferson's Beloved Dick

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/08/13

We explore Thomas Jefferson's love of mockingbirds, especially his favorite pet mockingbird, Dick. We also look at what this tells us about Jefferson's personality and why mockingbirds are anything but innocent. NEW: Please send us your Local Lore — hometown histories, interesting historical markers, and weird local claims to fame! Send them to ploddingthrough@gmail.com and we might feature them in an upcoming series! Find out more at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family at

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50:40

Andrew Jackson's True Role in the Trail of Tears

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/07/30

Andrew Jackson’s legacy is forever tied to the Trail of Tears, but what role did he actually play in the controversial Indian Removal Act of 1830 and the atrocities that followed? We look at how much blame Jackson deserves by evaluating 7 of the most common points used to defend him—including the ideas that Indian removal was popular and inevitable, and that Jackson had the best interests of Native Americans at heart.Find out more at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family at

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42:36

FDR and the Spirit of America with Paul Sparrow

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/07/16

We’re joined by Paul M. Sparrow, former director of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library and Museum, to discuss the subject of his exciting new book “Awakening the Spirit of America: FDR’s War on Words with Charles Lindbergh—and the Battle to Save Democracy” and the ways those struggles are mirrored today.We look at how Charles Lindbergh and his wife Anne Morrow Lindbergh were leading voices against American involvement in World War II, believing that democracy’s stint might be over and that

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37:19

The Legacy of Lyncoya

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/07/02

We explore the final years and legacy of Lyncoya, the Native American child raised at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, focusing on Jackson's attempt to get Lyncoya into West Point Military Academy and the way Lyncoya has been memorialized in Calhoun County, Alabama.Find out more at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents Check out our merch store at https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294 Key sources

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41:10

The Adoption of Lyncoya: Andrew Jackson's Native "Son"

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/06/18

The story of Lyncoya, an orphaned Native American child adopted by Andrew Jackson, is often used to soften the image of the man most associated with the Trail of Tears. In this episode, we explore the events that made Lyncoya an orphan, what we know about his childhood at The Hermitage and his role in Jackson's family, and his usefulness as a political tool. This is the first in a two-part series about Lyncoya.Find out more at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family at

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38:59

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with David Head & Timothy Hemmis

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/06/04

The Burr Conspiracy and the most notorious early American scoundrels are the focus of our chat with historians David Head and Timothy Hemmis, co-editors of the new book “A Republic of Scoundrels: The Schemers, Intriguers and Adventurers Who Created a New American Nation.” But first, we look at an anonymous letter sent to John Adams in 1798 warning him that the most dangerous scoundrel in the nation was right under his nose.Find out more at plodpod.com Consider joining our Patreon family at

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49:47

Presidential Grave Hunter with Kurt Deion

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/05/21

We dig into the story of Attorney General and one-time presidential candidate William Wirt's missing skull, followed by a conversation with historian and author Kurt Deion whose unique journey is chronicled in the book "Presidential Grave Hunter: One Kid's Quest to Visit the Tombs of Every President and Vice President."Find out more at plodpod.com. Learn more about Kurt Deion at presidentialgravehunter.com and kurtshistoricsites.com Consider joining our Patreon family at

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43:45

The Undeniable Rizz of Aaron Burr

Plodding Through The Presidents ·

2024/05/07

We dig into the powerful, hypnotic charisma—the rizz—of Vice President Aaron Burr, specifically two events in March 1805 that showed his mesmerizing effect on those around him. Find out more at plodpod.com. Consider joining our Patreon family at https://www.patreon.com/ploddingthroughthepresidents Check out our merch store! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/plodding-through-the-presidents?ref_id=24294 Special thanks to Gwen Fries, author of The Beehive blog post Sympathy for the Devil: John Quincy

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92 results

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