Pardon Me?! A Presidential History Podcast

S2E17 - Oh, how we wish the queerest president wasn’t one of our nation’s worst! So gay, so terrible, y’all. Trent and Marissa talk out Buchanan’s long-term relationship with Rufus King, the many scandals of his administration, and his chronic inaction in the lead up to the Civil War. Plus, gallons of oysters, Russian czarinas, slippery leather pumps, and a D.C. love shack! This is the end of Seas...

S2E16 - Tune in as Trent and Marissa break down the infamous Kansas-Nebraska Act and its bloody consequences.  Signed into law by hot loser Franklin Pierce in 1854, it allowed the people themselves to decide whether or not to allow slavery in the territories. What could possibly go wrong? Well, just voter fraud, the beating of a congressman, broadswords, fleeing governors, killing sprees, the deat...

S2E15 - Known for being one of our hottest presidents but also one of the worst, the story of Franklin Pierce is full of tragedies, horse accidents, drinking, bad timing, and fainting. President during a time of deepening political divides, Pierce made all the wrong choices and hung out with all the wrong people. Trent and Marissa talk through it all, including the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Gadsden...

S2E14 - As the Whig Party dies and the Republican Party begins forming, a party based on bigotry and xenophobia surges in popularity. Trent and Marissa track the secret societies that end up creating the Know Nothing Party, profile its major players, and analyze the impact the party had on American History. Plus, a best-selling book that turns out to be a hoax, Martin Scorcese’s Gangs of New York,...

S2E13 - A political nobody, Fillmore rose to the presidency when Zachary Taylor died in office, and then promptly screwed everything up! Listen in as Trent and Marissa talk sh*t about this guy’s Nativist views, his whiny baby behavior, and his idiotic choices as president. This episode also features an explanation of the Compromise of 1850, appearances from Queen Victoria and the Pope, plus a scan...

S2E12 - Think you know the Gold Rush? Think again! Trent and Marissa discuss the scams, the schemes, the gambling, the price-gouging, and the really, really long boat rides to California. The Gold Rush and its population boom caused a genocide of the Native Californian Peoples, the destruction of land, the growth of San Francisco and Sacramento, the construction of railroads, a wave of Chinese imm...

S2E11 - The first man to become president with zero political experience! Like, absolutely none! He was never an elected official, had no party affiliation, and never voted. His wife even prayed that he wouldn’t win the election! Join Marissa & Trent as they follow the story of how Zachary Taylor, a run-of-the-mill military man, rose to the highest office in the land. Don’t worry, we talk abou...

S2E10 - As Texans, Marissa and Trent are obligated to share the story of the Lone Star State! Tune in for a wild tale that takes us from colonization to statehood, including mini-biographies of the three men who served as PRESIDENT of Texas (this is a presidential history podcast, after all). This episode is a quick and dirty rundown of Texas, sprinkled with hot takes about coaches as teachers, sh...

S2E09 - Known for accomplishing everything he set out to do as president, Polk is considered one of the most effective presidents in U.S. History. But that won’t stop Marissa and Trent from absolutely tearing this self-righteous jerk to shreds! Polk doubled the size of the United States, but with consequences that have rippled through the ages. Join us for a tale that includes botched surgery, And...

S2E08 - Rhode Island might be small but it is packed with massive drama! The Dorr Rebellion is a footnote in history too juicy not to share. Take a really old royal charter, a fight for suffrage, a stubborn governor, and some guy who’s willing to stick it to the man, and BAM, we’ve got a rebellion! And an illegal election! And faulty cannons! And a public relations campaign! And Marissa and Trent...

S2E07 - The worse the president, the better the gossip. John Tyler was made vice president under William Henry Harrison almost as an afterthought. Throw in an untimely death, and this Virginia-born brat takes the highest seat in the land. He fathered 15 children, was fiercely oppositional, fell in love while president, and was kicked out of his political party. This episode has everything a gossip...

S2E06 - Marissa and Trent put on their plaid detective hats to solve the mystery of what REALLY killed William Henry Harrison. They follow the clues through porous swamp soil, unfortunately located hills, night soil buckets, and stupid doctors! Listen in for details about 1840s Washington D.C. that will shake you to your core. AND SPOILER ALERT: Harrison wasn’t the only presidential victim of this...

S2E05 - William Henry Harrison is the record holder for the teensiest-weensiest-ittiest-bittiest presidential term at just 31 days. And in this episode, he must face the seering judgements of Marissa and Trent! He was a follower, father of ten children, stealer of lands, and a man who, despite never having lived in a log cabin, was the face of a very log-cabin-heavy political campaign. Although he...

S2E04 - The first major financial crisis in the United States? What could possibly be relevant or interesting about that? Well, sweet listener, history likes to repeat itself, especially when it comes to financial crises. Trent and Marissa break down important questions like, “What is money?”, “Is capitalism bad?” and “What were the logistics of buying land with literal, physical gold?” Money talk...

S2E03 - You may know him for his sideburns, but Martin Van Buren was so much more! He was a sneaky little fox who schemed and gossiped his way from his Dutch roots in Kinderhook, NY all the way into the highest office in the land. He created the Democratic Party, made the word “OK” popular, and orchestrated many devious dealings behind closed doors. All while wearing the fanciest of outfits! Email...

S2E02 - Ah yes, the White House’s first true sex scandal. Listen in to learn how Margaret Eaton, the spicy daughter of a tavern keeper, scandalized the ladies of Washington society, caused a major rift in Andrew Jackson’s cabinet, and inadvertently affected the future of the presidency. This episode has it all: gossip, possible infidelity, Italian scam artists, and vice-presidential scheming.    E...

S2E01 - Season Two of Pardon Me?! kicks off with a man that needs no introduction. Honestly, how do you even summarize this guy? Tragic childhood! Countless brushes with death! A scandalous marriage! The Battle of New Orleans! Irritable bowels! The rise of Populism! An unchecked amount of executive power! Truly evil policies regarding the seizure of Native American lands that affect generations! T...

Season two is right around the corner, and since everyone in class has been on their best behavior, Trent and Marissa are previewing the silly presidential men coming to your podcast feed this year! First episode of season two will be available May 1st, with episodes every other Monday for the rest of 2023.    Email pardonme.presidentialpod@gmail.com to contact us or issue corrections (with source...

S1E13 - We’re wrapping up season one with a real banger of an election! 1824 ushered in our boyfriend, John Quincy Adams, to the presidency, but not without heckin’ controversy! With only one major party on the ballot, and four candidates splitting up the vote, what could possibly go wrong? Tune in for a breakdown of how this election led to new political parties, campaign tactics, the inevitabili...

S1E12 - Is John Quincy Adams a window into our own souls? A product of overbearing parents, John and Abigail Adams, JQA had a lackluster presidency but a truly extraordinary life. He was a well-traveled prodigy child, an aspiring poet, translator of German literature, hobby gardener, metric-system enthusiast, fierce abolitionist, HATER of Andrew Jackson, celebrated orator, statesman, and the only...

S1E11 - If you’ve never heard of the American Colonization Society, then buckle up! Often overlooked in U.S. History, the American Colonization Society colonized land in West Africa (later becoming the nation of Liberia), and then sent over thousands of Black Americans, providing minimal aid and resources. Trent and Marissa discuss the involvement of the U.S. Government (including support from the...

S1E10 - You may know him from the Monroe Doctrine, but he’s so much more than his foreign policy reform! Monroe was our fourth Virginia enslaver president (that’s 4 out of 5 so far, y’all), the last of the “founding fathers” (after this we promise to shut up about the American Revolution), and our first really outdoorsy president (he would have looooooved REI). Trent and Marissa also unpack the co...

S1E9 - Listen in for a quick and dirty summary of the War of 1812. Think it’s boring? Think again! Trent and Marissa discuss British impressment, Crybaby William Hull, why cannons are scary, and Miley Cyrus’s connection to the National Anthem. There’s also an unusual amount of singing on this episode. You’re welcome? PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT: In this episode, we reference “The 1812 Overture” by...

S1E8 - Once described as “the most unsociable creature in existence,” we suspect James Madison might have been a stack of books inside of a trenchcoat. He was the father of the U.S. Constitution, the BFF of Jefferson, a true lover of politics, and an enslaver who didn’t seem to lose any sleep over it. We unpack the Madison legacy, discuss the hotness of Dolly Madison, and explain why the history o...

S1E7 - Finally, a duo almost as iconic as your humble podcast hosts! Listen in as we recount Lewis & Clark’s journey west, which included mercury-filled laxatives, men crying at the ocean, mysterious missing journals, and… *record scratch* a potentially queer relationship??? If you think you know the Lewis & Clark expedition, think again! Email pardonme.presidentialpod@gmail.com to contact us or i...