Cover image of Fail to the Chief

Fail to the Chief

Fail to the Chief is the podcast where comic "historian" Thom Woodley talks about the men who became President... almost. Romp through the losers of presidential history, laugh and marvel at how diffe... Read more

Ranked #1

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NEW: 1952/1956. Adlai Stevenson, the Thinking Man's President.

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 Adl... Read more

3 Dec 2019

47mins

Ranked #2

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1936. Landslide Alf Landon

1936. Landslide Alf Landon

in this episode, Thom Woodley discusses the very boring Kansas governor Alf Landon and his landslide loss to Franklin D.... Read more

9 Jul 2019

41mins

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Ranked #3

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1948. Henry Wallace, the Secret Soviet Spy candidate?

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 Pr... Read more

5 Nov 2019

35mins

Ranked #4

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1916. Charles Evans Hughes, the Beard we can Believe in.

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... Read more

2 Apr 2019

35mins

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Ranked #5

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BONUS! The 5th Era of American Politics Review

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 Wi... Read more

14 Jan 2020

33mins

Ranked #6

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Barry Goldwater: the Ted Cruz of 1964

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 c... Read more

29 Jun 2016

39mins

Ranked #7

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1900-1920. Eugene V. Debs and the (first) Socialist Revolution

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 D... Read more

19 Mar 2019

39mins

Ranked #8

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1864. George McClellan, the Trump of the Civil War

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... Read more

12 Mar 2017

37mins

Ranked #9

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1904. The Anonymous Alton B. Parker.

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 ... Read more

5 Mar 2019

36mins

Ranked #10

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1872. Horace Greeley and the Lamestream Media

1872. Horace Greeley and the Lamestream Media

Join comic historian Thom Woodley as he investigates the losers of presidential history. In this episode, Liberal Republ... Read more

25 May 2017

38mins

Ranked #11

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James Cox: The John Kasich of 1920

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... Read more

12 Jun 2016

30mins

Ranked #12

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1824 and 1832. The Incredible Henry Clay (Part 1)

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, save... Read more

30 Apr 2019

36mins

Ranked #13

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Ep 29: La la la Loser, La la la La Follette (Re-release)

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 los... Read more

21 May 2019

34mins

Ranked #14

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1928. Al Smith, the Happy Warrior

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 ma... Read more

4 Jun 2019

40mins

Ranked #15

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1896, 1900, 1908. William Jennings Bryan, shaper of the Democratic Party.

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 th... Read more

5 Feb 2019

53mins

Ranked #16

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1876. Samuel Tilden and the Ruther-Fraud of the Century

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... Read more

30 Aug 2017

36mins

Ranked #17

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1924. John W. Davis, Pride of West Virginia

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 Democrat... Read more

7 May 2019

35mins

Ranked #18

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1868. Horatio Seymour, the Man who Wouldn't be President (please??)

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, Gove... Read more

15 Apr 2017

37mins

Ranked #19

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BONUS! The Cross of Gold Speech by William Jennings Bryan

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. 

13 Feb 2019

20mins

Ranked #20

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BONUS! The Premature Obituary of John Breckinridge

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 Civ... Read more

8 Mar 2016

6mins

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