
NEW: 1952/1956. Adlai Stevenson, the Thinking Man's President.
This is a repost as there was an error the first time I posted! Comic historian Thom Woodley digs into the record of Adlai Stevenson II, Governor of Illinois and two-time nominee of the Democratic party, who lost big to Dwight Eisenhower.
47mins
3 Dec 2019
Rank #1

1936. Landslide Alf Landon
in this episode, Thom Woodley discusses the very boring Kansas governor Alf Landon and his landslide loss to Franklin D. Roosevelt.
41mins
9 Jul 2019
Rank #2
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1948. Henry Wallace, the Secret Soviet Spy candidate?
Join comic historian Thom Woodley as we talk about Henry Wallace, former Vice President and the 1948 candidate of the Progressive Party... and also maybe, just maybe, a secret Soviet asset.
35mins
5 Nov 2019
Rank #3

1916. Charles Evans Hughes, the Beard we can Believe in.
In this episode, Thom looks at one of the best presidential losers of all time, Charles Evans Hughes. He lost to Woodrow Wilson by only about six thousand votes, but it's all good - he went on to serve as both Secretary of State and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, so don't feel too bad.
35mins
2 Apr 2019
Rank #4
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BONUS! The 5th Era of American Politics Review
In this episode, we explore ALL of the losers of the 5th Period in American Politics (1932-1968), Alf Landon, Wendell Willkie, Thomas Dewey, Adlai Stevenson, Strom Thurmond, Henry Wallace and Barry Goldwater, and find out where they rank among the losers of all American history. We also talk about some notable other losers of the era: Henry Breckinridge, Cactus Jack Garner, Estes Kefauver, Averell Harriman, Bob Taft, Douglas MacArthur, Nelson Rockefeller and the classic perennial candidate of them all, Harold Stassen.
33mins
14 Jan 2020
Rank #5

Barry Goldwater: the Ted Cruz of 1964
Join humorist historian Thom Woodley as he discusses the men who lost presidential elections. This time he talks about conservative icon and uber-loser Barry Goldwater. Please subscribe and rate us on iTunes! And follow us at @failtothechief.
39mins
29 Jun 2016
Rank #6

1900-1920. Eugene V. Debs and the (first) Socialist Revolution
Did you know that America had socialist candidates before Bernie Sanders? We sure did. In fact, union organizer Eugene Debs ran as the Socialist candidate in five elections - including one from a prison cell.
39mins
19 Mar 2019
Rank #7

1864. George McClellan, the Trump of the Civil War
Join comic historian Thom Woodley on a discussion of the very Trumplike candidate to lose against Abraham Lincoln in the middle of the Civil War.
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Rank #8

1904. The Anonymous Alton B. Parker.
Thom Woodley explores the candidacy of Judge Alton B. Parker, the most forgotten of all losers - so forgotten that this democratic nominee has never even had a biography written about him.
36mins
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Rank #9

1872. Horace Greeley and the Lamestream Media
Join comic historian Thom Woodley as he investigates the losers of presidential history. In this episode, Liberal Republican candidate and New York Tribune founder-editor Horace Greeley. He lost to Ulysses Grant, was a titan of media, and a journalistic icon, as well as a brilliant genius and possible lunatic. (History politics presidents worst comedy)
38mins
25 May 2017
Rank #10

James Cox: The John Kasich of 1920
Humorist historian discuss the presidential losers. In this episode, Gov. James Cox of Ohio, who lost in 1920 to Warren G. Harding and bears a striking similarity to Gov. John Kasich of Ohio.
30mins
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Rank #11

1824 and 1832. The Incredible Henry Clay (Part 1)
Thom rereleases part 1 of his all-time favorite loser, Henry Clay, the man who ran six times, was nominated thrice, saved the Union thrice, and probably almost destroyed it a few times too.
36mins
30 Apr 2019
Rank #12

Ep 29: La la la Loser, La la la La Follette (Re-release)
Re-release of episode from 2015/2016 about 'Fighting Bob' La Follette, champion of the Progressive Party and bigtime loser of 1924.
34mins
21 May 2019
Rank #13

1928. Al Smith, the Happy Warrior
In this episode, humorist historian Thom Woodley dives into Al Smith, Governor of New York, first Catholic nominee, a man who might have prevented the Depression even though he never even went to high school.
40mins
4 Jun 2019
Rank #14

1896, 1900, 1908. William Jennings Bryan, shaper of the Democratic Party.
Thom Woodley discusses three-time democratic party loser William Jennings Bryan, and what the world would be like had this preacher-in-chief been elected.
53mins
5 Feb 2019
Rank #15

1876. Samuel Tilden and the Ruther-Fraud of the Century
Comic historian Thom Woodley dissects the back stories, politics and failures of the men who lost presidential elections. In this episode, epic 1876 loser Samuel Tilden, who had the election stolen right from under his beaklike nose.
36mins
30 Aug 2017
Rank #16

1924. John W. Davis, Pride of West Virginia
In this episode, Thom dives into one of the most forgotten presidential losers of all time, John W. Davis, 1924 Democratic dark horse nominee.
35mins
7 May 2019
Rank #17

1868. Horatio Seymour, the Man who Wouldn't be President (please??)
Join comic historian Thom Woodley on a tour through the losers of presidential history - this time Horatio Seymour, Governor of New York, who lost the election of 1868 to Ulysses S. Grant, and has the distinction of being the loser who most sincerely did NOT want to become president.
37mins
15 Apr 2017
Rank #18

BONUS! The Cross of Gold Speech by William Jennings Bryan
Thom reads the 1896 Democratic National Convention 'Cross of Gold' speech of William Jennings Bryan.
20mins
13 Feb 2019
Rank #19

BONUS! The Premature Obituary of John Breckinridge
Thom reads the New York Times' premature and erroneous obituary of John C. Breckinridge, thought to be killed in the Civil War (but actually surviving for another 12 years).
6mins
8 Mar 2016
Rank #20