Fail To The Chief

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, Thomas Bayard, Benjamin 'Beast' Butler, and the various third parties of the era, from the Women's Equality Party to the Prohibition Party. 

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 to re-edit and re-release old episodes (or just get to the new stuff already?). 

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.  

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)

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. 

We're back. 

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. 

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.