Episode 8: Ohio v. Conventions

Ohio V. The World

Episode 8: “Ohio v. Conventions”. Alex visits the convention hall floor and the smoke-filled rooms of America’s past political conventions in Ohio. Political conventions are going to look very different in 2020 but usually they’re the Super Bowl for political junkies. We breakdown all six major party political conventions that have taken place in Ohio in American history. We focus on the first convention to be held in the Buckeye State: the 1856 Democratic Convention in Cincinnati. This first Ohio convention nominates our 15th President, James Buchanan. Journalist and author, Robert Strauss joins us to discuss his book about Buchanan, Worst. President. Ever. Robert shares how Buchanan got the nomination in Cincinnati, won the election and why many historians consider him our worst president. Buy Robert’s book Worst. President. Ever. here https://www.amazon.com/Worst-President-Ever-Buchanan-Presidents/dp/1493030590 We hit two conventions in Cincinnati in 1876 and 1880 with former guests Mike Allbritain, Todd Arrington and Dustin McLochlin. They walk us through the unlikely nomination of Ohioan Rutherford B. Hayes at the 1876 Republican Convention and Winfield Scott Hancock’s almost presidency as the nominee at the 1880 Democratic National Convention. We are joined by former guest and history professor at Case Western Reserve University, John Grabowski, to discuss the 1924 and 1936 Republican Conventions in Cleveland, OH. The successful presidential run of Calvin Coolidge is discussed as well as why a total of 3 political conventions were held on the shores of Lake Erie in 1924. We visit Depression-era Cleveland and the ill-fated nomination of Alf Landon at the 1936 Republican Convention. John and Alex look at life in Cleveland in the midst of the Great Depression and discuss the reasons behind Landon’s landslide defeat to FDR. Lastly, we go back to 2016 and the Republican National Convention at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The unlikely nomination of Donald Trump is analyzed with author and political analyst, Kyle Kondik. Kyle was at the convention in 2016 and discusses Trump’s speech and the mood in the convention hall. We also look forward to President Trump’s re-election bid in 2020 in the ultimate swing state of Ohio.

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