The Road to Now
Bob Crawford (The Avett Brothers) & Dr. Ben Sawyer (MTSU History) share conversations with great thinkers from a variety of backgrounds – historians, artists, legal scholars, political figures and more –who help us uncover the many roads that run between past and present. For more information, visit TheRoadToNow.com If you'd like to support our work, join us on Patreon: Patreon.com/TheRoadToNow
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#324 Martin Van Buren: America’s First Politician w/ James M Bradley
01/06/2025
#324 Martin Van Buren: America’s First Politician w/ James M Bradley
Martin Van Buren served just one term as President from 1837 to 1841, but as the architect behind the founding of the Democratic Party, his legacy lives on in the US today. In this episode, we speak with James M. Bradley, author of the new book , to learn how Van Buren helped reshape politics in the 19th century and laid the groundwork for America’s two-party system. You can learn more about the work being done to preserve the papers of Martin Van Buren at . This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#323 In With The New (2025) w/ Ben & Bob
01/01/2025
#323 In With The New (2025) w/ Ben & Bob
Ben & Bob recap 2024, what they learned this year and what might be in store for 2025. Happy New Year! This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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The History of Santa Claus & Christmas Around the World w/ James Cooper
12/23/2024
The History of Santa Claus & Christmas Around the World w/ James Cooper
It’s Christmas time and this week we’re resharing the original RTN Christmas Classic! Christmas expert James Cooper joins Bob and Ben to explain how Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and other Christmas traditions made their way into popular culture. He also shares stories of lesser known traditions, such as setting fire to the giant Swedish straw goat known as the Gävlebocken! You can find out more about the history of Santa Claus and Christmas at James Cooper’s website This is a rebroadcast of RTN #82, which originally aired on December 18, 2017. This reair was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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It's a Wonderful Life: The Story Behind America's Favorite Christmas Movie w/ Eric Smoodin
12/17/2024
It's a Wonderful Life: The Story Behind America's Favorite Christmas Movie w/ Eric Smoodin
Dr. , film historian at the University of California- Davis and author of , joins Bob and Ben for the history of the people, the industry, and law that made Frank Capra’s 1946 film It’s A Wonderful Life into one of America’s quintessential Christmas films. This is a rebroadcast of episode 292 which originally aired on December 11, 2023. This reair was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#322 Mitch McConnell: The Price of Power w/ Michael Tackett
12/09/2024
#322 Mitch McConnell: The Price of Power w/ Michael Tackett
Journalist joins Ben & Bob to discuss his new book (Simon & Schuster, 2024). Tackett, who wrote the biography with McConnell’s consent, was granted unprecedented access to McConnell’s vast personal archives, his staff, and even the Senator himself, who sat for about 50 hours of interviews. If you’ve ever wondered how Mitch McConnell rose to power, how he's stayed there despite challenges from both parties, or what makes the man tick, this conversation has the answers. Michael Tackett covers . His work has earned him multiple awards, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Edgar A. Poe Award for National Reporting. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#321 The Circus Continues w/ Mark McKinnon
12/03/2024
#321 The Circus Continues w/ Mark McKinnon
Mark McKinnon is former chief media advisor to George W. Bush & John McCain, cocreator of , and current writer at Vanity Fair. In this episode, he joins Ben & Bob to recap the 2024 election and what they think might come next. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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Miss America's Secret Past w/ Amy Argetsinger
11/25/2024
Miss America's Secret Past w/ Amy Argetsinger
The Miss America pageant has always had its critics, but the stories of the organization and those who participated in it are far more dynamic than most people recognize. In this episode, Bob & Ben speak with Amy Argetsinger whose new book There She Was: The Secret History of Miss America explains Miss America’s origins, how the pageant both shaped and was shaped by American society, and why it might be okay that the pageant’s significance in American culture has faded. Bonus: Bob calls Miss USA “the confederacy of beauty pageants.” Listen to find out why that makes sense! is an editor for The Washington Post’s acclaimed Style section, where she has overseen coverage of media, popular culture, politics and society. Her new book was published by Atria//One Signal Publishers in September of 2021. You can follow Amy on twitter at . This is a rebroadcast of episode 210, which originally aired in October 2021. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#320 James Armistead Lafayette w/ Stephen Seals
11/18/2024
#320 James Armistead Lafayette w/ Stephen Seals
James Armistead Lafayette lived a remarkable life. After being granted permission by his enslaver to enlist in the cause, James joined up with the Marquis de Lafayette and served as one of the most important spies in the Revolutionary war. After many years of petitioning for his freedom, James eventually gained his freedom and officially changed his last name to Lafayette after the Frenchman with which he served and who later petitioned Congress for James’ freedom. In this episode, we learn more about the fascinating life of James Armistead Lafayette from , the historical interpreter who has played James at for more than a decade. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#319 Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn w/ Christopher Cox
11/11/2024
#319 Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn w/ Christopher Cox
Did you know that Woodrow Wilson didn’t have a regular job until he was 28 years old? Or that he didn’t complete all the requirements for a PhD? After retiring from politics in 2009, former Congressman and Securities & Exchange Commission Chair Christopher Cox decided to turn to history. The result is his new book, , which gives special attention to Wilson's views on race and women's rights, presenting the 28thPresident as “a man superbly unsuited to the moment when he ascended to the Presidency.” In this episode, Chris joins us to share the path that led him to Woodrow Wilson, the reasons he came to such an unfavorable opinion of him, and what his work adds to our understanding of a Presidency that has rapidly gone from reverence to rebuke. Find out more about the book at . This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer
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#318 Colombia, the US and the War on Drugs w/ Lina Britto
11/04/2024
#318 Colombia, the US and the War on Drugs w/ Lina Britto
Most Americans are aware of Colombia’s role in the international drug trade, but we know less about the role that Americans played in the story as consumers, smuggling pioneers, and practitioners of a foreign policy that facilitated the rise of Colombian drug production. In this episode, shares the fascinating story of how Colombia emerged as a major supplier of drugs to American consumers and how this relationship affected people in both countries. She also explains the origins of the “War on Drugs” in the US and tells the story of how Americans hippies in search of marijuana laid the groundwork for the distribution techniques later used by Pablo Escobar’s cocaine cartel. Dr. Lina Britto is Associate Professor of History at Northwestern University where she specializes in Colombian history and the history of the international drug trade. She is the author of This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#317 US Immigration Policy w/ Yael Schacher
10/28/2024
#317 US Immigration Policy w/ Yael Schacher
US immigration policy has become one of the most contentious issues in American politics, but there is one point on which most of us agree: our immigration policy is broken. And while the sheer number of interests involved mean that an easy fix is unlikely, the best place to start is with a sound understanding of how we got the immigration system we have today. As a historian of immigration who currently serves as Director for the Americas and Europe at Refugees International, Yael Schacher has a particularly well informed perspective on this issue. In this episode, Yael walks us through the history of immigration policy in the US and shares what she sees as the major challenges that stand in the way of reforming our current immigration system. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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The Epidemic Episode
10/21/2024
The Epidemic Episode
It’s flu season, so this week on the show, we’re bringing you something seasonal: a history of epidemics in two parts. In part 1, we talk about the 1918 influenza outbreak with John Barry, author of the NY Times Best-seller Seller And in part 2 we dig into the history of infectious disease with epidemiologist Erin Welsh, co-host of . This episode is a supercut of #120 The History of Influenza w/ John Barry and #151 Live in Chicago w/ Pete Souza & Erin Welsh, both of which originally aired in 2019. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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The Electoral College w/ Edward Foley
10/14/2024
The Electoral College w/ Edward Foley
The Constitution empowers the electoral college to select the President, but the process for counting electors’ votes remains in the hands of Congress. In this episode, explains the origins of the electoral college, how and why the 12th Amendment changed the process for electing Presidents, and the concerns that led Congress to codify the procedure for counting electors’ votes in 1887. Edward also offers some specific ways that updating the Electoral Count Act of 1887 might help us avoid some of the potential problems that might arise in upcoming elections. Edward Foley holds the Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law at The Ohio State University, where he also directs its election law program. He is a regular contributor to The Washington Post and the author of multiple books, including (Oxford University Press, 2016) and (Oxford University Press, 2020). You can follow him on twitter at This is a rebroadcast of RTN #224 which originally aired on February 21, 2022. This version has been updated and abridged by Ben Sawyer. The original episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#316 The Women Who Shaped the White House in the 20th Century w/ Melissa Estes Blair
10/07/2024
#316 The Women Who Shaped the White House in the 20th Century w/ Melissa Estes Blair
Most accounts of women in mid-20th century American politics highlight trailblazers such as Frances Perkins or the handful of women elected to Congress in those years. But women’s participation in politics- both as voters and as party activists- was far more significant than most Americans realize, elevating a group of white middle-class women into positions of influence over Presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Dwight Eisenhower. Melissa Blair joins Ben & Bob to talk about how and why these women became cornerstones of party politics in these years and why they’ve largely been forgotten in our national memory. Melissa’s book, , chronicles the lives of five influential women whose work was critical in helping their party’s candidate win the White House in this era. is a Professor of History at Auburn University whose research focuses on women and politics in the United States in the twentieth century. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#315 America’s Most Violent Election w/ Dana Bash
09/30/2024
#315 America’s Most Violent Election w/ Dana Bash
On the surface, the election of 1872 might seem insignificant in US history; Ulysses Grant easily won reelection to the White House and his Republican Party maintained their dominance in both houses of Congress. In the south, however, the violence that followed the election at the state and local level was an ominous sign that the era of Reconstruction might soon be over. And, according to Dana Bash and her co-author David Fischer, nowhere saw more violence than Louisiana. In this episode, Dana joins Ben & Bob to discuss her new book , and how the violence that followed the 1872 election in Louisiana – including the slaughter of 150 unarmed black Americans in the small town of Colfax – laid the foundation for the restoration of white supremacy in the south. is chief political correspondent at CNN, where she also anchors Inside Politics and co-anchors State of the Union alongside Jake Tapper. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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American Ramble w/ Neil King Jr.
09/23/2024
American Ramble w/ Neil King Jr.
In 2021, Neil King Jr. threw a few basic items into a backpack and walked from his home in Washington, DC to New York City. Over the next 26 days/330 miles, he met new people, uncovered forgotten moments of history, and spent many days thinking about America. In this episode, Neil joins Ben and Bob to discuss his book, , and the lessons he learned along the way. Before walking from his house in DC to New York City, worked as a journalist for outlets across the globe, including The Tampa Tribune, The Prague Post, and The Wall Street Journal. On Sept 17, 2024, Neil King Jr.. We are reairing this episode to celebrate the excellence of his work and as a reminder that we are surrounded by beauty. We hope that this conversation – which is just one tiny line in Neil’s legacy- will help you to see the common ground we all share and the adventures that surround us if we just take the time to look. This episode originally aired as RTN #271 on May 1, 2023. The original episode was edited by Gary Fletcher. This reair was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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The 1970s w/ Jefferson Cowie
09/16/2024
The 1970s w/ Jefferson Cowie
For a long time, it seemed like not much happened in the 1970s. Today it seems like so much of what’s happening can be traced back to those same years. The 1970s was a pivotal decade in American history. In a ten-year span, the United States admitted defeat in Vietnam, saw a President (and Vice President) resign in shame, and came face to face with its leaders’ abuse of power at home and abroad. At the same time, American citizens directly experienced a score of problems, including “stagflation,” an energy crisis, and the consequences of environmental devastation. Yet in this era of deconstruction and disappointment, the political coalitions than defined the US from the 1980s until (today/recently?) were forged. In this episode, Jefferson Cowie joins us to talk about his book and what happened in the decade in which everything now seems to have happened. is James G. Stahlman Professor of History at Vanderbilt University and the author of multiple award-winning books, including , which was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2023. You can hear him discuss Freedom’s Dominion in episode #255, and check out his multiple appearances on the show by searching You can find out more about Jefferson Cowie and his work at his website by This is a rebroadcast of episode #115, which originally aired on December 18, 2017. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#314 Reflections on Stalinism w/ Lewis Siegelbaum
09/09/2024
#314 Reflections on Stalinism w/ Lewis Siegelbaum
The debates over school curricula, banned books, and what educators can teach in their classes have become increasingly polarizing in recent years, but they are nothing new in the US. For those who researched, wrote and taught about the Soviet Union under Stalin during the Cold War, following the evidence to a conclusion that challenged America’s established narrative could lead to denunciations and accusations of disloyalty. Despite this challenge, a generation of scholars dedicated their professional life to the study of Soviet history, generating far more in-depth and humane accounts of the past than the black and white narratives offered up by most political scientists and others who presented Soviet society as atomized and powerless. As one of the most prolific Russian historians of his generation, Lewis Siegelbaum knows this story well. In this episode, he joins us to discuss his new book, , in which he, co-editor Arch Getty and ten of their peers share their own reflections on how they came to study Soviet history, how the political environment affected their own work, and what they got right (and wrong) in their career. Lewis also shares his story of witnessing the unexpected collapse of the USSR, what we learned when Soviet archives opened in the 1990s, and how current events remain haunted by the simplistic view of Russian history to which many Americans still adhere. is Jack and Margaret Sweet Professor Emeritus of History at Michigan State University where he taught from 1983 until 2018. He has authored multiple award-winning books on Soviet history, including , and served as doctoral advisor to many aspiring scholars, including Ben Sawyer. If you’re interested in learning more about Soviet history, we recommend that you check out the website , which Lewis cofounded and is the most widely-used online source for teaching and learning about Soviet history. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#313 How John Adams Defined the Presidency w/ Lindsay Chervinsky
09/02/2024
#313 How John Adams Defined the Presidency w/ Lindsay Chervinsky
John Adams’ single term as President has long been cast as a low point in his political career, but Lindsay Chervinsky sees it differently. "George Washington created the Presidency,” she writes in her new book Making the Presidency, “but John Adams defined it.” In this episode, Lindsay joins us to share why she sees Adams as a crucial figure in transforming an office that had been established for, and created by, George Washington, into a position with the customs and practices that could be passed down through generations. Along the way, Lindsay explains why she thinks we’ve gotten Adams so wrong (hint: both Jefferson and Hamilton disliked his politics), the crucial role he played in establishing a peaceful transition of power, and how the January 6th insurrection might help us all have a greater appreciation for President John Adams. Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky is the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of the new book , which is out September 5th, 2024 from Oxford University Press. You can find out more about her work at her website: If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out Lindsay Chervinsky's previous RTN appearances on The Road to Now: · · · This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher
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#312 America’s Worst Vice President w/ Niki Hemmer
08/26/2024
#312 America’s Worst Vice President w/ Niki Hemmer
The 2024 Presidential election is in full swing and so is the parade of personal attacks, appeals to emotion and (most important for us) grandiose and unsubstantiated claims about history. And of the many statements that fall in that last category, one stands out as both exceptionally ridiculous and a perfect setup to connect today’s politics to the past: that Kamala Harris is “considered the worst Vice President in history.” Much like Trump himself, who followed by saying “I don’t know who the hell did that, if they do polls…” we couldn’t find any valid ranking of all 49 Vice Presidents, let alone one that ranked Harris in last place. So we decided to take the issue on ourselves and ask you to help us elect the candidate that you think deserves the title of “America’s Worst Vice President.” To help you make your choice, Vanderbilt historian and co-host joins Ben to explain the power and responsibilities allocated to the Vice President under the Constitution, the history of the office itself, and the changes brought about by the 12th and 25th Amendments. Most importantly, however, Ben and Niki make their pitches for who they think is the worst Vice President and reach consensus on the VPs who should be in the Final Four. The rest is up to you- you just have to vote: *We’re using the polling function on our Patreon page, but you do not need to be a patron to vote in this poll- it just makes it easier for us to centralize the votes in one place! The Finals will open at 8pm on Monday, Sept 2nd and run until Sunday, Sept 8th. This episode was recorded in the podcast studio at . A special thanks to the Curb Center’s David Wilson and Gina Yu for their help in arranging this recording. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Legacy w/ Mark Updegrove & Mark A. Lawrence
08/19/2024
Lyndon Baines Johnson’s Legacy w/ Mark Updegrove & Mark A. Lawrence
With a sitting VP running for President for the first time since Al Gore’s failed bid for the White House in 2000, there’s been a lot of talk about the role the VP plays in government, the impact a VP pick has on a Presidential campaign, and just how much Kamala Harris’ record as VP/relationship to President Joe Biden can show us about her own agenda, should she win the White House. So today we begin a three-episode run focused on the Vice Presidency and those who have held the office with a conversation on Lyndon B. Johnson. Lyndon B. Johnson’s Presidency is bookended by the tragedies of JFK’s assassination and the escalation of the Vietnam war, but his career in politics and the policies he championed transcend his time in the Oval Office. In this episode, two of the foremost experts on LBJ, Mark Updegrove and Mark A. Lawrence, join Bob & Ben to discuss Johnson’s life and legacy. is the President & CEO of the LBJ Foundation in Austin, TX, the presidential historian for ABC News, and the author of multiple books on Presidential History, including . is Director of the and Associate Professor of History at UT-Austin. He is the author of multiple books on US history including This is a rebroadcast of RTN #256, which originally aired on December 12, 2022. This reair was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#311 Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: A 200 Year View w/ Mark Schneider
08/12/2024
#311 Lafayette’s Farewell Tour: A 200 Year View w/ Mark Schneider
On August 15th, 1824, the Marquis de Lafayette returned to the United States for a grand farewell tour. It was his first visit since leaving the US in the late 1780s. The tour was a unifying moment for a deeply divided country. In the wake of a crippling economic downturn, and a fracturing over the Missouri question and the issue of slavery, the nation was in the midst of a bitter Presidential election. The first without a political or military hero of the American Revolution on the ballot. Lafayette’s visit, if only for a moment, reminded the nation of the Spirit of 76 and their beloved adopted French son. Thanks to the organization, , for the next thirteen months, Lafayette 200 celebrations will retrace the steps of the Marquee de Lafayette’s historic tour. On this episode of the Road to Now we welcome . Mark has embodied Lafayette for over 25 years. Along the way he has educated students of history young and old about Lafayette’s life and the role he played in the American Revolution. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to check out our episode on w/ Julian Ischer on , , and all major podcast apps. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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The History of North Carolina Popular Music w/ David Menconi & Dolph Ramseur
08/05/2024
The History of North Carolina Popular Music w/ David Menconi & Dolph Ramseur
Journalist has documented the people and sounds of North Carolina’s music scene for almost three decades. In this episode, Ben and guest co-host Dolph Ramseur speak with David about his book and how the music of “The Old North State” is both reflected in, and a reflection of, its people. David Menconi spent 28 years writing for the Raleigh News & Observer and was . His other works include " (University of Texas Press, 2012); " (co-written with Ray Benson, University of Texas Press, 2015). You can follow him on twitter at . Guest co-host Dolph Ramseur is the founder of and a member of the North Carolina Hall of Fame. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to check out David's second appearance on our show in episode . If you’re enjoying The Road to Now, please consider , giving us a 5 star rating/review on Apple podcasts and sharing this episode with a friend who might also enjoy it. Thank you! This is a rebroadcast of RTN #182, which originally aired on October 19, 2020. This reair was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#310 The Stone Pony: An Oral History w/ Nick Corasaniti
07/29/2024
#310 The Stone Pony: An Oral History w/ Nick Corasaniti
The Stone Pony and its hometown of Asbury Park, New Jersey are iconic settings in the story of some of America’s greatest rock musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, and Southside Johnny Lyon. The Pony’s path from high-risk passion project to iconic venue was, however, anything but direct; from its founding in 1974, the club was caught in the greater forces at work in late-20th century America. So how did the Stone Pony thrive when so many other venues closed? And what set Asbury Park apart from so many other American towns? In this episode, The New York Times’ joins us to talk about his new book and what he learned from interviewing Bruce Springsteen and dozens of other musicians and industry professionals who helped make the club into what it is today. If you enjoy this episode, make sure to check out our episodes on and . This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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The 2020 Election: A (Revisited) First Draft w/ Robert Costa
07/22/2024
The 2020 Election: A (Revisited) First Draft w/ Robert Costa
Joe Biden has decided to decline the Democratic nomination for the Presidency in 2024 so today we take a look back at Biden’s path to seek the nomination in 2020 and Ben shares his thoughts on why July 21, 2024 might be the day that secures Biden’s legacy in American history. Our conversation with Robert Costa on , which he co-authored with Robert Woodward, originally aired as RTN episode 213 on November 15, 2021. This episode includes an edited version of that conversation with a new introduction by Ben. The original episode description is below: The 2020 Presidential election was one of the most tumultuous in American history, and while Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump is settled, Trump’s refusal to accept defeat has had implications that transcend his time in the oval office. In this episode, Bob and Ben speak with Robert Costa, whose new book draws on his and co-author Bob Woodward’s extensive investigation of the Biden and Trump campaigns and Trump’s handling of executive power during his time in office. Robert explains how he finds and vets sources, his method of “deep background” interviews, and how he maintains journalistic disinterest in the face of intense partisan conflict. He also discusses what he learned about Trump and Biden as candidates and individuals and why he believes that the peril that characterized the Trump-Biden transition remains a source of concern more than a year after the 2020 election. is the chief election & campaign correspondent for CBS News, where he covers national politics and American democracy. You can follow him on twitter at If you enjoyed this conversation, check out our previous conversation with Robert in RTN “I think you’ve always been fair.” -Donald Trump to Robert Woodward This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#309 Sam Patch: America’s First Daredevil w/ Rivers Langley & Narado Moore
07/15/2024
#309 Sam Patch: America’s First Daredevil w/ Rivers Langley & Narado Moore
When the Erie Canal opened in the 1820s, it brought with it an industrial system that radically transformed the daily lives of the American farmers who lived in the region. Out of this disruption came some of America’s earliest labor actions, the rise of new Christian sects, and America’s first daredevil, Sam Patch, who dazzled the masses and offended the powers that be simply by jumping off higher and higher things into water. Why did Sam Patch become a national figure whose actions drew acclaim across the country? Why did those in power denounce Patch’s exhibitions as “irrational fun” and seek to stop him from performing? And how does Patch’s life tell the greater story of the Jacksonian Era and catch the attention of Jackson himself? The answers to all that and more are right here in Rivers Langley’s expertly crafted story, as told to Ben and Narado Moore. Rivers Langley is a Los Angeles-based comic, host of podcast, and a scriptwriter for The Dollop. Links to Ben’s appearances on TGFTW below. Narado Moore is a Birmingham-based standup comic, host of the podcast and co-host of The story of Sam Patch, as told to Ben and Narado Moore was recorded in December, 2021 and originally aired as part of . This episode includes a new introduction/conversation with Rivers Langley about Patch’s place in history and how we can see his story in American life today. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer. Links: “A Tour Guide’s History of Los Angeles w/ Rivers Langley” RTN #202 – -
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Woodrow Wilson & Presidential Morality w/ Patricia O'Toole
07/08/2024
Woodrow Wilson & Presidential Morality w/ Patricia O'Toole
Patricia O’Toole’s (Simon & Schuster, 2018) examines the life of a President whose policy was guided by his personal sense of morality. From today’s perspective, Woodrow Wilson’s time in the White House (1913-1921) seems full of contradictions. He supported a constitutional amendment to ensure women’s suffrage, but oversaw the re-segregation of America’s civil service. He championed national self-determination for the people of Europe, but readily deployed US soldiers to intervene in Latin America. And he won re-election with the slogan “He Kept Us Out Of War,” yet called for America’s entry into World War I just a little over a month after his second inauguration. In spite this, O’Toole says that a close examination of Wilson’s thought and policy reveals a consistent world view that binds these seemingly contradictory actions together. is the author of five books, including , which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. She previously taught in the School of the Arts at Columbia University was a fellow of the Society of American Historians. This is a rebroadcast of RTN #93 which originally aired on April 30, 2018. This rebroadcast was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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Securing the Revolution: Washington’s Farewell Address w/ John Avlon
07/01/2024
Securing the Revolution: Washington’s Farewell Address w/ John Avlon
On July 4th, we celebrate American Independence. But, as Ben argues in his new intro to this episode, the real gift of the founding generation was more than that: it’s the inheritance of the revolution. George Washington is one of the most revered figures in American history. As Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, Washington led his troops to one of the most unlikely and world-shaking victories in modern history, and his selection as President of both the Constitutional Convention and the new government designed that summer in Philadelphia, demonstrate the unmatched faith that the founders had in General Washington. Today, however, we tend to remember Washington more for the jobs he held than for the personal qualities that made him a remarkable member of the founding generation, but the wisdom left to us by our first President in his farewell address is perhaps more relevant today than ever before. In this episode of The Road to Now we explain why in our discussion with Daily Beast editor-in-chief John Avlon about his book . Our conversation with John Avlon originally aired as RTN #48 which originally aired on March 13, 2017. This episode includes an updated intro reflecting on the American Revolution by Ben Sawyer, recorded July 1, 2024. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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When the Irish Invaded Canada w/ Chris Klein
06/24/2024
When the Irish Invaded Canada w/ Chris Klein
In 1866, the Fenian Brotherhood, comprised primarily of Irish Civil War veterans, led a series of attacks on Canadian provinces just across the border from the United States. Their goal: seize Canadian territory and exchange it for Irish independence. Similar raids continued until 1871, and although they were ultimately unsuccessful, they are part of a greater story of the American Civil War, Irish Independence, and trans-Atlantic immigration to the United States in the mid-19th Century. In this episode, Bob & Ben speak with about his book is an author and freelance writer specializing in history. He writes stories about the past that inform us about the present and guide us to the future. He is the author of four books, including Strong Boy: The Life and Times of John L. Sullivan, America’s First Sports Hero, and a frequent contributor to history.com and many other media outlets. This is a rebroadcast of RTN #125, which originally aired on March 18, 2019. This version was completely reedited using software by Ben Sawyer.
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#308 An Unholy Traffic: Slave Trading in the Civil War w/ Robert K.D. Colby
06/17/2024
#308 An Unholy Traffic: Slave Trading in the Civil War w/ Robert K.D. Colby
The American Civil War and the end of slavery in the US may seem like one and the same from our modern perspective, but for those living through the conflict, the abolition of human bondage was anything but certain. Even into the last days of the war, slave traders in Confederate-held cities continued to auction off human beings, realizing handsome profits as they imposed violence and family separation on their subjects. In his new book, , Robert K.D. Colby brings together a wide variety of sources to offer up a never-before seen look into the slave trade during the American Civil War. In this episode, he joins Ben and guest co-host Tim Talbott to explain how the slave trade evolved, why slave traders remained confident in the future of slavery even during the Civil War, and how the combined trauma of slavery and war impacted enslaved Americans long after their freedom had been secured. is Assistant Professor of History at Ole Miss who specializes in the Civil War and the history of slavery. His newest book, An Unholy Traffic was published by Oxford University Press in April 2024 and is available in and audiobook. Tim Talbott is the Chief Administrative Officer for the in Fredericksburg, Virginia and founding member and President of the . Tim holds a MA in Public History from Appalachian State University, where Ben had the great fortune to study alongside him. Relevant Links: · · · This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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