Vice Presidents of The United States Podcast

About Vice Presidents of The United States Podcast

A history of the United States, as told through its vices, the holders of the second-highest office in the land. Bruce Carlson delves into the lives of the individuals who have achieved the second office of American government. Learn history, and hear some great stories.

Publisher

Bruce Carlson

Category

history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 Oct 2018

Latest episode

1 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

1 of 40 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   1 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Two Grandmothers: Charles Curtis

   Host [Host Name] interviews historian [Guest Name] about Charles Curtis's complex legacy as Vice President during the Great Depression and his impact on Native American policy.

2. 

   18 Oct 2025

   We Cannot Surrender Our Institutions: Calhoun

   Defender of his view of Southern rights, Vice President John Calhoun was the only VP to serve under Two Presidents. Both of those Presidents would come to dislike him strongly, as would (we think it's fair to say) most people today. That's because he undermined both Presidents he served under, and because Calhoun's defense of slavery went beyond what a majority of Southern Congressmen and Senators in his time would support. And even in context, it deserves the anger it generates today. If there's any silver linings for (some) modern ears, we discuss his position on tariffs (against them) and his position against federal power in local areas which could get a nod from those that hate him otherwise. He also opposed the Mexican War for the same reasons as Lincoln. It was in his view a war started by a President. And in his mind at least he was always pro-Union - though contemporary political opponents contested this. We won't do much celebrating of this Vice President, but to know history we have to talk about him.

3. 

   23 Sept 2025

   Theodore Roosevelt's Four Days

   That's all TR had as Vice President, technically.  His official duties were just four days in March.  From there he spoke, wrote letters and travelled and to at least one person, complained about the restrictions of the Vice Presidency. Until the change. In this episode we'll actually get a bit into those four days in March 1901 and what happened. They did cover a bit of American history.  And we will look at his ride to become President.

Inside a recent episode

Two Grandmothers: Charles Curtis

Published 1 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] But the federal government forced the Kaa from Kansas into what was then Indian Territory in 1873. We now know it as the state of Oklahoma. And so his caw grandmother was moving to that territory and Curtis was going to go with her and that side of the family. But his caw grandmother instead urged him to remain in Kansas and to live with his white grandparents, continue his course of his regular education. Curtis would describe watching the wagons leave putting his possessions in a flour sack, mounting his pony, and returning the opposite direction to Topeka. He called his grandmother's advice the turning point in my life. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.8 / 5

59 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 19 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

18

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

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Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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