logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
13m 22s

Chet Arthur Steps Up (1881)

JODY AVIRGAN & RADIOTOPIA
About this episode

It's September 24th. This day in 1881 (actually, September 22nd) Vice President Chester Arthur assumes office after James Garfield dies from an assassination. 

Jody, NIki, and Kellie discuss how Arthur was really no one's first choice, but nevertheless rose to meet the moment and gravity of the situation.

This Day In Esoteric Political History is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.

Your support helps foster independent, artist-owned podcasts and award-winning stories.

If you want to support the show directly, you can do so on our website: ThisDayPod.com

Get in touch if you have any ideas for future topics, or just want to say hello. Follow us on social @thisdaypod

Our team: Jacob Feldman, Researcher/Producer; Brittani Brown, Producer; Khawla Nakua, Transcripts; music by Teen Daze and Blue Dot Sessions; Audrey Mardavich is our Executive Producer at Radiotopia


Up next
Today
Teach-Ins (Plus A Special Announcement!) w/ Nate DiMeo
It's October 9th. Today, we look back at the first "teach-ins" at the University of Michigan in 1965, and discuss the power of gathering together to learn and teach. Plus, we announce our very own teach-in, taking place in Washington DC on October 26th!Jody, NIki, and Kellie are ... Show More
29m 25s
Oct 7
The First Modern Shutdown w/ Steve Kornacki (2013) [Archive Episode]
Today, we look back an episode we did about October 2013, when the United States government shut down after the Congress was unable to agree to a new budget proposal, that had been saddled with provisions that would have defunded Obamacare.Jody and Niki are joined by NBC/MSNBC co ... Show More
24m 25s
Oct 5
The First Time Democrats Shut Down The Government (1879) [Some Sunday Context]
On Sundays, we try to bring you new conversations and episodes from the archives that provide a little context for the news of 2025. Today: a look back at the very first government shutdown, and how shutdowns have wrapped up budget fights and larger ideological battles before.Sig ... Show More
21m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2025
Succession 1625: James I to Charles I
March 2025 marks the 400th anniversary of the death of King James VI and I, and the succession of his son Charles I. Crowned King of Scotland at just 13 months old in 1567 and later succeeding Elizabeth I in England in 1603, James envisioned a unified United Kingdom. However, he ... Show More
49m 3s
Sep 2
History's Worst F*ckboys: Charles II
Our mini-series exploring the worst f*ckboys in history is back!In today's episode, Kate is joined by Dr. David Taylor of Oxford University to get to know the so-called Merry Monarch and the many women in his life.Was it better to be married or be a mistress to Charles II? How ma ... Show More
44m 49s
Jun 2025
Fall of Thomas More
In the second of our special episodes exploring the rise and fall of Sir Thomas More, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb and Dr. Joanne Paul chart the great Tudor statesman's demise. Despite his silence about Henry VIII's self-proclamation as Supreme Head of the Church of England, More ... Show More
56m 16s
Oct 2
Who Was the Worst President Ever?
What makes a bad President? Who was the worst of all time? Don is joined by Professor Jeremi Suri, author of The Impossible Presidency and co-host of This Is Democracy.Next week we'll be looking at who is the best President ever!Edited by Tim Arstall. Produced by Freddy Chick. Se ... Show More
32m 28s
Sep 2024
200. Battleground '44 - Black Tuesday at Arnhem
Joining Saul on this episode of Battleground '44 is Al Murray, co-host of our sister podcast - We Have Ways of Making You Talk, and author of Arnhem: Black Tuesday: The Classic Battle as Never Told Before. Together they look at the the events on Tuesday September 19, 1944 - a ter ... Show More
54m 4s
Nov 2024
Herbert Hoover gave us Woody Guthrie (with David Cunningham)
Welcome to the final episode of What Just Happened, a Recall This Book experiment. In it you will hear three friends of RTB reacting to the 2024 election and discussing the coming four years. David Cunningham, chair of Sociology at Washington University in St Louis, is author of  ... Show More
24m 27s
Aug 22
How Hot Was Henry VIII?
With SIX wives, Henry VIII must have had something going for him, right? Was he handsome? Charming? Intelligent? Just plain powerful?In this episode, Kate is joined by Professor Suzannah Lipscomb, host of our sister podcast Not Just the Tudors. They discuss the vanity of Henry VI ... Show More
45m 27s
Sep 28
33. Prince Albert’s Dying Wish: Stopping An American-British War (Ep 2)
Why did Britain and America nearly go to war over the capture of two Confederate officers from a British Ship? What did President Lincoln’s Emergency War Cabinet respond to Britain’s threatening ultimatum? How did Prince Albert keep the peace with the last letter he ever sent? Jo ... Show More
33m 22s
Nov 2021
Amerithrax at 20 w/ Robbie Martin
Guerrilla History- Intelligence Briefings will be roughly a twice monthly series of shorter, more informal discussions between the hosts about topics of their choice.  Patrons at the Comrade tier and above will have access to all Intelligence Briefings. We have another fun Intell ... Show More
1h 27m
Feb 2025
How Kash Patel Came to Loathe the Media and Love Trump
This week, the Senate will consider more of Trump’s Cabinet nominees, including his pick for FBI director, Kash Patel. For this midweek podcast, we're looking back at this conversation host Micah Loewinger had with Atlantic staff writer Elaina Plott Calabro, who charted Patel's r ... Show More
17m 21s