[Abridged] Presidential Histories

By: Kenny Ryan
  • Summary

  • From Yorktown to the Civil War, Pearl Harbor to 9/11, discover the pivotal moments that defined each president's life and legacy and the lessons we can draw from them. New episodes available the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month.
    © 2025 [Abridged] Presidential Histories
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Episodes
  • 44.A) Obama's 08' Iowa campaign, an interview with Chelsea Waliser
    Mar 4 2025

    What's it like to be on the inside of a dark horse presidential campaign?

    Chelsea Waliser knows.

    Waliser was an Obama campaign regional field director during the lead up to first-in-the-nation 2008 Iowa Caucus. For nearly a year, she hired, trained, and organized volunteers for a candidate who was viewed by many as a long shot. What drove her to Obama? What's it like to spend a year of your life in Iowa? And how did Obama's campaign beat the odds?

    Tune in to find out.

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    41 mins
  • 44.) Barack Obama 2009-2017
    Feb 17 2025

    "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." - Barack Obama, on the campaign trail, Feb. 5, 2008

    Nothing was ever going to come easy to Barack Obama, and many thought he was crazy for trying, but belief himself was something Obama had in spades, and it lifted him to the presidency of the United States. Follow along as Barack Obama rises from a humble start as a community organizer in Chicago to crack into Illinois Democratic politics, transform his career with a 2004 national convention speech, and shock the political establishment by becoming the first African American President in U.S. history in 2009. His reward? Two foreign wars, an economy in free fall, and an opposition party committed to saying 'no!' at every turn. It was one of the most challenging hands any president has been given, and yet he overcame it to save the American economy and settle its foreign policy on stable ground.

    Bibliography
    1. Obama: The Call of History - Peter Baker
    2. Bush - Jean Edward Smith

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    50 mins
  • 43.A) An Afghan Story, an interview with Sahba Azami
    Jan 27 2025

    Sahba Azami was born an Afghan refugee.
    Today, she's an Afghan refugee once more.
    But, for nearly 20 years, she was not a refugee. She was simply an Afghan. And the future was bright.
    Brought back to the country of her parents' birth after the United States toppled the Taliban, Sahba joined a vanguard of young women who were going to make the most of the precious opportunity that had been denied every generation of Afghan women before them -- She pursued an education.
    Sahba graduated college. She graduated law school. She joined the Afghan president's administration. She was building a new country.
    But then the Taliban returned.
    It's an odd thing to realize: Sahba's life has almost certainly been more dramatically changed and changed again by the decisions of American presidents than my own, but it's a realization I can't shake. The decision of American presidents made it possible for Sahba to return to Afghanistan and pursue an education. The decisions of American presidents contributed to Afghanistan's collapse, separating her from her family, and making her a refugee in a faraway land.
    But still, she dreams.
    Today, she shares her story.

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    39 mins

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balanced view

very informative, expanded my knowledge base regarding Luncoln's views and beliefs, as well as his reasoning for instituting policies.

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Favorite Historical Podcast

1. I love the humor. It’s subtle and has just the right amount of sarcasm.
2. It’s informative in the best way. There’s a variety of experts telling different parts of history. Each guest has an opinion and Kenny Ryan lets them speak—even if he clearly disagrees with the guest’s views.
3. It beats the stereotypes. The Herbert Hoover episodes blew my mind. Hoover is looked down upon by history. When we think of Hoover, we associate him with The Great Depression (and Anne if you’re into musicals). This podcast broke that stereotype for me and completely changed how I see the past, present, and future. This podcast is not afraid to say good things about presidents who are viewed negatively or to say bad things about presidents who are perceived positively.

In conclusion, thanks Kenny. You’re doing great and I am so excited for more episodes.

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