Shows
Rock in RetrospectReacting to the 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Nominees AnnouncementTom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss this year's nominees for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2025. Artists nominated this year include Bad Company, The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Chubby Checker, Joe Cocker, Billy Idol, Joy Division/New Order, Cyndi Lauper, Maná, Oasis, Outkast, Phish and The White Stripes.Send us a text2025-02-131h 24Rock in RetrospectMovie Talk: Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll PresidentR.I.P. Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States who was also one of history's greatest humanitarians. To pay tribute to this great man, I invited three Carter historians and biographers (Randall Balmer, Michael Brown and Mark Lempke) to talk about Mary Wharton and Bill Flanagan's 2020 documentary Jimmy Carter: Rock & Roll President. Featured in the film include music legends such as Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bono, Jimmy Buffett and Gregg Allman. Consider purchasing these works from our guests:Randall Balmer's biography Redeemer: The Life of Jimmy Carter and Michael Brown and Mark Lempke's c...2025-01-2357 min
Good FaithJohn Mark Comer: Resetting Our Relationship With God Are you ready to trade your New Year’s resolutions for spiritual growth? Host Curtis Chang and teacher and writer John Mark Comer dive into the transformative journey of spiritual reset to start the new year. Discover practical insights on community, the importance of Sabbath, and how to navigate the distractions of modern life, all aimed at nurturing a deeper spiritual hunger and fostering genuine connection with God and others. Download our free January Reset Guide Send your Campfire Stories to: info@redeemingbabel.org R...2025-01-111h 01Rock in Retrospect2025 Rock Hall Nominees DraftFor our first episode of 2025, let's start with a draft....more precisely a Rock Hall Nominees Draft! Tom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Performers category in 2025. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why we think they'll appear on the ballot. Get your pencils sharpened, fill out those scorecards and see if you agree (o...2025-01-041h 41
The Also-RansEpisode 29: They Shall Run and Not Be WearyOur last episode! Join Mark A. Lempke as the Also-Rans says goodbye.2024-11-0909 minRock in Retrospect2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Recap: Part IIThe second of two episodes covering the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. For Part II, I invited Mark Lempke and Greg Peurach to talk about their experiences watching the ceremony live and in person! The ceremony took place at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio on Saturday October 19th. Topics discussed include our favorite speeches (from both presenters and inductees), favorite musical performances and who they want to see honored at next year's ceremony. Send us a text2024-10-301h 24The Also-RansEpisode 28: Monument to the UnelectedThis time of the year, we are bound to see plenty of yard signs around our neighborhood. What if our favorite also-rans of years past had yard signs-- including very antiquated figures like Aaron Burr or Rufus King? Such is the nature of Nina Katchadourian's fascinating new art piece, Monument to the Unelected. In this episode we enjoy a lively discussion about art, history, and public space.2024-10-2928 minThe Also-RansEpisode 27: Kamala VeepstakesWe have a quick, emergency episode of the Also-Rans on deck! With President Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 race, we have a new presumptive nominee with VP Kamala Harris. This means she's got to pick a running mate-- and fast! With help from The Postrider's Michael Lovito and Lars Emerson, we break down Harris's options from the Democratic bench and even consider a few wild card possibilities.2024-07-241h 18
The Also-RansEpisode 26: Hillary Clinton, Unsung Methodist (w/ Gary Scott Smith)Everybody has an opinion about Hillary Clinton. But in order for it to be an informed opinion, one needs to be aware of the religious background that has guided her throughout her public career. We trace Clinton's Methodism in this episode with the help of Grove City College's Gary Scott Smith, author of "Do All the Good You Can: How Faith Shaped Hillary Clinton."2024-05-1948 minRock in RetrospectReacting to the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame InducteesTom Lane, Michelle Bourg and Mark Lempke give their initial thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2024 inductees.Send us a text2024-05-031h 37
History 605History 605: S4 Ep 4: "George McGovern: My Brother's Keeper and Progressive Christianity," with Mark LempkeMark Lempke joins Ben Jones on this edition of History 605 to discuss his book, George McGovern: My Brother's Keeper and Progressive Christianity2024-04-2250 minHistory 605History 605: S4 Ep 4: "George McGovern: My Brother's Keeper and Progressive Christianity," with Mark LempkeMark Lempke joins Ben Jones on this edition of History 605 to discuss his book, George McGovern: My Brother's Keeper and Progressive Christianity2024-04-2250 minRock in Retrospect2024 Rock Hall Nominees DraftFor our first episode of 2024, let's start with a draft....more precisely a Rock Hall Nominees Draft! Tom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar, Michelle Bourg and Greg Peurach return to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Performers category in 2024. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why they should appear on the ballot. There's a lot of strategic decisions involved but this is a fun, engaging conversation on the...2024-01-111h 48The Also-RansEpisode 25: 99 Problems and a Ditch Ain't One (w/David Spanagel)DeWitt Clinton was put forward for president in 1812 in unusual circumstances: during the middle of a war, and by a party to which he didn't belong. He came within striking distance of taking out James Madison, the father of the Constitution. But as we upstate New Yorkers know, his real significance is through his vital support for the Erie Canal. To make this project a reality, Clinton often worked closely with scientists and natural philosophers, such as Amos Eaton. Looking at Clinton this way opens us up to a world where politics, the sciences, and the arts were closely...2023-12-121h 01The Also-RansEpisode 24: The Animated Feather Duster (w/ Maury Thompson)Charles Evans Hughes may not have become president, but he still has one of the most impressive resumés in American history: Governor of New York, Secretary of State, and both Associate and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Any town in the U.S. would be glad to have a native son of such accomplishment. And indeed, his home town of Glens Falls is happy to promote their connection to Hughes. Joining us for this episode is Glens Falls newspaperman and Hughes expert Maury Thompson.2023-11-1752 minThe Also-RansEpisode 23: The All-Star Congress, pt. 1 (w/ Jon Grinspan and Tom Balcerski)For the first and possibly only time ever, three historians pick their All-Star Congress: one person from each state. While silly and esoteric, this project offers some intriguing questions. Do you celebrate someone who is ruthless but significant? Or someone who "did the right thing"? Do the officeholders of today stack up against the legendary greats of the past? Join us as we break the laws of time and space to put together a motley crew of congresspeople and senators-- with Tom Balcerski (Eastern Connecticut) and Jon Grinspan (The Smithsonian).2023-10-301h 12Rock in RetrospectJimmy BuffettThis week we pay tribute to the late, great Jimmy Buffett. One of the most successful and prolific singer-songwriters of the last half-century, Buffett captured the hearts and imaginations of millions of fans across the world. One of those fans is Dr. Mark Lempke (Host of The Also--Rans) who talks about Buffett's life, career and impact on both the music industry and popular culture. Other topics discussed include Buffett's extremely loyal fanbase (affectionately known as "Parrot Heads"), his distinctive style as both a musician and a songwriter, some of our favorite songs from his extensive catalogue, and why he...2023-10-061h 26The Also-RansEpisode 22: Here Comes the Judge (w/Bruce Dearstyne)Being an unsuccessful presidential candidate usually results in obscurity. Don't expect the wider public to remember who you were, unless you were a truly exceptional figure like Henry Clay. Today, we'll look at perhaps the most obscure person ever nominated by a major party: Alton Parker. This NY Court of Appeals judge was the Democrats' choice to run against Theodore Roosevelt in 1904. But still waters run deep. We will explore Parker's important legacy as a judge, and why he was the Democratic nominee in 1904, with New York historian Bruce Dearstyne.2023-08-1356 minThe Also-RansEpisode 21: Unbought and Unbossed (w/ Anatasia Curwood)Shirley Chisholm ran what appeared to be a quixotic campaign for the presidency in 1972. Yet, her legacy in American politics runs deep, and a new generation of lawmakers, particularly women of color, look to her as an inspiration. Even so, it's easy to reduce her importance to "firsts"- first black woman in Congress, first black woman to run for president, and so on. To help paint a fuller, more complicated picture of Congresswoman Chisholm, we are pleased to have as our guest-- Anastasia Curwood of the University of Kentucky. She's the author of the new book "Shirley Chisholm...2023-07-2258 minThe Also-RansEpisode 20: The Fifty States DraftWe brought the band back together! This time around, my grad school friends and I draft the fifty states to cobble together our own countries. What will we prioritize: Politics? Trade? Nuclear arsenal? You'll have to listen to find out. Guests include: Sarah Handley-Cousins, Rick Mikulski, Billy Pritchard, and John Riley.2023-07-152h 04The Also-RansEpisode 19: Rock Us, Dukakis (w/ Robert Fleegler)The year is 1988 and the choice is stark: a patrician Vice-President from a prominent New England family or a first-generation Greek-American who became Governor of Massachusetts. 1988 is remembered for its dirty campaign tricks, and for being the last presidential election of the Cold War. Today we look at the man at the receiving end of so much of the dirt and abuse: Michael Dukakis. Robert Fleegler from the University of Mississippi is our guest expert. 2023-07-0148 minThe Also-RansEpisode 18: The Vice Squad (w/ Michael Lovito and Lars Emerson)All U.S. presidents are products of their time and place. So...what would happen if we plucked them out of that time and place and into 21st century America? How would their politics change? Would they even be electable? And most importantly...who would they pick as running mates? To answer that last question, we're going to look at 10 presidents and try and figure out their best running mates out of today's politicians. Joining me are The Postrider's Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito.2023-05-071h 29The Also-RansEpisode 17: Almost Lincoln (w/ Jeff Ludwig)For the first time, we'll look at a man who didn't even earn his party's nomination. In 1860, the Republican Party met in a gigantic wigwam in Chicago to choose their nominee for president. The smart money was on a conscientious antislavery man and the party's most prominent public figure: New York's William H. Seward. The public was shocked when delegates instead chose an obscure man who was most famous for losing a Senate race: Abraham Lincoln. Instead of being the man who led the nation through the Civil War, Seward became Lincoln's most important advisor an...2023-05-011h 02The Also-RansEpisode 16: The Great Compromiser (w/ David and Jeanne Heidler)He might be the most consequential also-ran in American history. And the best Speaker of the House. And one of its ten greatest senators. Harry of the West, the Sage of Ashland, the Great Compromiser...it's Henry Clay. How did this man, who lost his quest for the presidency three times, become one of the most impactful statesmen of his day? To help answer this riddle, we talk to Clay biographers David and Jeanne Heidler ("The Essential American").2023-04-111h 07The Also-RansEpisode 15: Eggheads of the World, Unite! (w/ Scott Farris)If you are a Baby Boomer, there's a good chance that Adlai Stevenson was the first Also-Ran of your lifetime. The Illinois governor ran against Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956, losing both times. Stevenson's loss showed a growing problem within the electorate: eloquence, urbanity, and wit-- all of which he had in abundance-- were now seen as political liabilities in a Cold War era that required a different kind of leader. 2023-02-181h 22The Also-RansEpisode 14: The Nature of the Beast (w/ Elizabeth Leonard)For the first time, The Also-Rans explores a third-party candidate. It's Civil War General/industrialist/suffragist/abolitionist/labor advocate Benjamin F. Butler, who ran as the Greenback candidate in 1884. In Dixie, he's mostly known as the tyrannical "Beast" governing conquered New Orleans with an iron fist. Elizabeth Leonard of Colby College is our guest expert for this discussion of this divisive Civil War icon.2023-01-1558 minThe Also-RansEpisode 13: A Cabinet of Never-WeresLast episode, we drafted a presidential cabinet of Also-Rans with Lindsay Chervinsky. Today, we are drafting a presidential cabinet of fictional characters. Rock Hall expert Philip Bergman and academic outlaw Han Ong join me in scouring pop culture to make the best administration possible. 2023-01-101h 21Rock in Retrospect2023 Rock Hall Nominees DraftTom Lane, Mark Lempke, David Schnelwar and Greg Peurach return to the show to discuss who they believe will be nominated for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2023. To spice things up, we're gonna predict the ballot in a draft-style format! Over the course of 5 rounds, we each select 5 artists and make the case on why they should appear on the ballot. There's a lot of strategic decisions involved but this is a fun, engaging conversation on the direction we think the Rock Hall is heading next year. Get your pencils sharpened, fill out t...2022-12-161h 40The Also-RansEpisode 12: Consigned to the Cabinet (w/ Lindsay Chervinsky)There was a time when serving in the cabinet was the fast track to the presidency. Today, it seems that being in the cabinet destroys presidential aspirations, as happened to Hillary Clinton. Or else a cabinet office is a consolation prize to one of your party's also-rans, as was the case for John Kerry. How did this change happen? We are joined by Lindsay Chervinsky, author of "The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution" to look at the shadow the cabinet casts over the also-rans. We'll also draft an "All Also-Ran Cabinet"--- w...2022-09-1356 minThe Also-RansEpisode 11: The Turncoat Vice-President (w/ Tom Balcerski)We're back! The Also-Rans returns with a look at John Breckinridge, the dashing young vice-president who was the silver medalist in the 1860 election that brought Lincoln to the White House. Joining me is Tom Balcerski, author of "Bosom Friends," which looks at the role of masculinity and friendship in the Jacksonian Age.2022-09-0853 minRock in RetrospectReacting to the Rock Hall's Class of 2022 InducteesOn this very special episode, we have 5(!) returning guests - Mark Lempke, Tom Lane, Michelle Bourg, Greg Peurach and David Schnelwar- joining us to give their reactions to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's Class of 2022 inductees. We discuss each of the 14 inductees for this year's class and also which artists will likely be considered for next year's ballot. Send us a text2022-05-062h 14The Also-RansEpisode 10: The 2022 Presidents' Day Fantasy DraftPresidents' Day is coming up, so we are going to do something special to celebrate. With four grad school friends, Mark undertakes the world's first and only fantasy-style presidents draft. Each person gets 9 picks, all 45 people who served as president will get drafted. Who goes first? Who goes last? Who picks the best team? Find out in what I believe is our most fun and uproarious episode to date. Our special guests are Mark Boonshoft, Sarah Handley-Cousins, John Riley, and Billy Pritchard.2022-02-152h 08The Also-RansEpisode 9: Jim Crow's Gentleman Lawyer (w/ Leland Ware)In 1924, a divided Democratic Party met in Madison Square Garden to pick their presidential nominee. It took 103 ballots to arrive at John W. Davis, a talented but obscure Wall Street lawyer who had served in the Wilson administration. With the Roaring Twenties roaring, he didn't have a prayer of upsetting Calvin Coolidge. Thirty years later, he returns to the public eye to work on the legal cases that became Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka. On the side favoring segregating public schools. To help us understand this dynamic, we are honored to have Prof. Leland Ware of the...2022-02-071h 16Rock in RetrospectReflecting on the Rock Hall's Class of 2022 NomineesMark Lempke (The Also-Rans) returns to the show to discuss our thoughts on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's official Class of 2022 ballot...on the day they were announced! We provide an in-depth analysis of each artist on this year's ballot and their chances for induction.Send us a text2022-02-031h 39The Also-RansEpisode 8: Liberalism on the FritzIt was the first presidential election of my lifetime-- and a resounding victory for Ronald Reagan and conservatism. But what about the man underneath the landslide? We'll explore Walter Mondale-- the first modern vice-president and the exemplar of Midwestern liberalism, with help from Jeffrey Bloodworth of Gannon University.2022-01-171h 23Rock in RetrospectThe Rock Hall Prospects Project: 2022 UpdateIn a roundtable discussion of Nick's recently-revised rankings of his Top 100 Rock Hall Prospects Project (aka Top Rock Hall Snubs), he is joined by 4 guests who are incredibly knowledgeable of all things Rock Hall: Joe Kwaczala (Who Cares About the Rock Hall?) , Mark Lempke (The Also-Rans), Tom Lane (Tom Lane's Music Blog) and Troy Smith (CLE Rocks). While we focus primarily on the artists added and removed from the original list, we also discuss a wide number of issues related to the Rock Hall. It's a thought-provoking and often-hilarious discussion that allows us to critically think about the future o...2022-01-122h 14The Also-RansEpisode 7: We Want Willkie!In 1940, with World War II already underway in Europe, the Republicans nominate...a former Democrat who had never held office before. How did Wendell Willkie, "the barefoot boy from Wall Street", come to take the GOP by storm? And why is it so important that both parties nominated an internationalist that year?To fully understand these questions, we need to delve deep into the final chapter of Willkie's public life-- his "One World" tour across the globe during the middle of the war. Samuel "Sandy" Zipp from Brown University is our guest expert.2021-12-131h 26
Who Cares About the Rock Hall?Who Are the Rock Hall's Biggest Snubs? w/ Troy Smith, Nick Bambach, and Mark LempkeThree of the most thoughtful Rock Hall bloggers/writers/enthusiasts around (Troy Smith, Nick Bambach, Mark Lempke) join Joe & Kristen to break down who are the current biggest Rock Hall snubs. This show is part of Pantheon Podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices2021-11-191h 16The Also-RansEpisode 6: The Railsplitter's ShadowJust about everything we know about Stephen Douglas can be tied back to the man who defeated him for the presidency, Abraham Lincoln. No other also-ran is defined, in popular memory, by his opponent quite so much as he. With help from special guest Tim Connors, we will look at Douglas as a frontier stump-speaker, an advocate of American expansion, and finally, a staunch defender of the Union at the onset of civil war.2021-11-171h 01The Also-RansEpisode 5: The Divorcee Who Struck It RichWe discuss James M. Cox who lost the 1920 election to Warren Harding, a man who is, by historians' acclamation, one of our worst presidents. Our guest expert is David Pietrusza, author of 1920: The Year of Six Presidents. We'll explore James Cox's dubious significance as the first divorced presidential contender, FDR's debut as the running mate, and our experiences growing up in upstate New York's Mohawk Valley.2021-10-061h 11The Also-RansEpisode 4: The Closest ElectionWith special guest Todd Arrington of the Garfield National Historic Site. Join us as we look at the presidential election with the closest popular vote margin in all of U.S. history. Marvel as two former Union generals fight for the presidency: James Garfield and Winfield Hancock. We'll discuss the might-have-beens attending to Garfield, an abolitionist and savvy congressman; and Hancock, a famous war hero who courted Southern support and whose position on the issues was a bit of a mystery. Todd and I will also consider the C-SPAN president rankings that were released last month. 2021-09-081h 12The Also-RansEpisode 3: The Last FederalistWith special guest Dr. David Gary. Rufus King is one of the most obscure of the also-rans, but he was an active part of countless key moments in early American political history: he fought in the Revolution, helped frame the U.S. Constitution, implemented the Jay Treaty, helped figure out the Northwest Ordinance, and was one of the first prominent anti-slavery American politicians. He was also the final presidential candidate fielded by the dying Federalist Party. With help from our guest, we'll explore how King's career mirrors the rise and fall of one of America's first political parties. 2021-08-231h 13The Also-RansEpisode 2: Whatever Became of Hubert?With special guest Dr. Jennifer Delton of Skidmore College. 1968 was a year of turmoil in many parts of the world. In the U.S., this was most keenly felt in protests over the Vietnam War, the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, and the violence outside of the Democrats' convention in Chicago. Their nominee that year, Hubert H. Humphrey, is the focus of our second episode. We will chart how Humphrey built up the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Minnesota and his humane, pragmatic, and consensus-driven approach to midcentury liberalism. 2021-08-071h 25Rock in RetrospectPeter, Paul and MaryNick and special guest Dr. Mark Lempke (The Also-Rans) discuss the musical and cultural significance of the 60s folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary. When they formed in 1961, it didn’t take long for them to become one of the most popular musical acts of their time. Along with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, Peter, Paul and Mary were at the forefront of the folk revival scene of the early 1960s. They famously covered Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” and even performed the song at the March on Washington demonstration in 1963. It was, in fact, on the very same stage...2021-08-041h 39The Also-RansEpisode 1: The Agony of DefeatOr "The Tao of Losing." This introductory episode to The Also-Rans introduces the podcast's concept and makes the case for why we need to pay attention to the candidates who lost the presidential election. 2021-07-1428 min
The McGovern ReportMR 2:4 The Legacy and Future of Progressive Christianity: A Conversation with David Gerber and Mark LempkeSince 1980, progressive Christianity, once the powerful force for civil rights and against the Vietnam war, has faded from the scenes. Voices like George McGovern and Walter Mondale who proclaimed a social gospel, are fading. In their place is a more conservative muscular version of evangelical Christianity that downplays the need for social justice and works instead to preserve traditional values. Why the shift? Is there a role for progressive Christianity in the future? How can progressive Christian find its voice again?
Included in this conversation are David A. Gerber and Mark Lempke. David A. Gerber is University...2021-03-241h 02The McGovern ReportMR 1:6 McGovern and the Social Gospel: A Conversation with Mark LempkeMark Lempke, Author of "My Brother's Keeper: George McGovern and Progressive Christianity" joins me today to discuss the influence of the social gospel on George McGovern and how this message might resonate today. Mark is a historian of post-war religion and politics. He specializes in progressive Christianity and the Christian left that developed in the 1960's and 70's. He completed his Ph.D. from the State University of New York in Buffalo and taught on the SUNY campus in Singapore before he moved back to Rochester NY. Mark and I discussed the importance of Walter Rauschenbusch on McGovern's thought...2020-06-2241 min
Dig: A History PodcastGeorge McGovern and the Elusive Christian LeftWar, Conflict and Violence Series #1 of 4. While today, press coverage treats Christianity’s alignment with political conservatism as a foregone conclusion, there is a larger milieu of liberal and progressive activism with Christian social justice. Join Averill and special guest Mark Lempke, PhD, for this special episode exploring George McGovern and the elusive Christian Left. Get the transcript and bibliography, and info about our guest host Mark Lempke, at digpodcast.org Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2017-09-1757 min