Fail to the Chief

Every episode, Thom Woodley delves into a different Loser of American presidential elections. Enjoy this re-release of diehard conservative (and possible Nesferatu) Hugh Lawson White of Tennessee, one of 1836's Way Too Many Whig candidates. 

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

It's July 4th, 2019, and Thom is going to quickly recap the 4th period of American history (from McKinley in 1896 through Hoover in 1928), and its presidential losers: William Jennings Bryan, Alton Parker, Eugene Debs, Charles Evans Hughes, James Cox, John W. Davis, Robert La Follette, Burton Wheeler, and Al Smith. In addition he discusses some might-have-been-also-rans: Silver Dick Bland, Champ C...

Thom Woodley dives into the groundbreaking third party candidacy of William Wirt and the Anti-Masonic party in this rerelease of a 2015 episode. 

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. 

Re-release of episode from 2015/2016 about 'Fighting Bob' La Follette, champion of the Progressive Party and bigtime loser of 1924.  

In this episode, Thom dives into one of the most forgotten presidential losers of all time, John W. Davis, 1924 Democratic dark horse nominee. 

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. 

REISSUE of an episode that came out in the Summer of 2016! Back then I compared James Cox to John Kasich (since both were, you know, governors of Ohio ultimately defeated by men who really had little knowledge of what the president did). But could this short, feisty, intense little man have ALSO prevented the stock market crash and depression? Listen on.

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. 

When Socialist presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs was sentenced for speaking out against World War 1, on September 18, 2018, he gave a stirring speech in support of his beliefs and principles, and in execration of the Espionage Act and the government that had spawned it. I read it here, poorly and quickly, in the streets of NYC!

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. 

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. 

Learn how the last Democratic-Republican nominee, Georgia's William Crawford, split the party apart and led to the rise of the two party system which ultimately bred hatred in the days leading to the Civil War. 

Thom goes through the Top 5 and Bottom 5 Losers so far, and also discuss FAIL TO THE CHIEF... the book???

Thom reads the 1896 Democratic National Convention 'Cross of Gold' speech of William Jennings Bryan. 

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. 

Thom summarizes his rankings for the losers of the period of American history from 1860-1892: Stephen Douglas, John Breckinridge, John Bell, George McClellan, Horatio Seymour, Horace Greeley, Samuel Tilden, Winfield Scott Hancock, James Blaine and James Weaver.  He also discusses some interesting 'nearly also-rans': William Seward, Salmon Chase, Cassius Clay, Roscoe Conkling, Thomas Hendricks, Tho...

In this rerelease, Thom dives into the election of 1816, the last mewling death cry of the Federalist Party and its standardbearer, Rufus King. 

You've probably never heard of James B. Weaver, but he's the first successful populist (leftist) candidate in American history. His 1896 third party run won five states and helped to change the landscape of politics from then on. In this episode, Thom Woodley tells you about his life, his politics, and maybe, just maybe, you'll come out a 'b.weaver'. 

James G. Blaine combined the politicking of Paul Ryan, the NYC elitist foibles of Hillary Clinton, and the plutocratic corruption of Donald Trump. And he almost became president in 1884.  Hear comic historian Thom Woodley go into what kept this scandal-ridden, political wunderkind out of the White House. 

When he ran for president in the midst of our most-forgotten major war, Dewitt Clinton was serving as both lieutenant governor of New York and Mayor of New York City - and he was both a Democratic-Republican and a Federalist. It was confusing times. How exactly did this canal-digging, city-building Magnus Apollo of a man lose to short, shriveled, sickly James Madison? Listen in to find out. 

We're back, with a new episode the first Tuesday of every month! This episode, Thom explores the election of 1880, which Civil War hero Winfield Scott Hancock lost to political partisan James Garfield. 

Thom Woodley dives into the history of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, two-time federalist loser (1804 and 1808).  New episodes coming the first tuesday of every month!

Special Re-Release! Thom Woodley dives deep into the life of the very first presidential loser (and star of the stage) Aaron Burr. Not just the bad guy in  Hamilton ... he very much played the bad guy in real life. But also the good guy! Because it's history and history is confusing.  Enjoy and let us know by reaching out to us on @failtothechief on Instagram if you are interested in us continuing...