Rephonic
Artwork for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Bruce Carlson
Ronald Reagan
Chester Arthur
Civil War
Zachary Taylor
American Revolution
George Washington
Vietnam War
Democratic Party
Tariffs
2024 Election
Richard Nixon
Grover Cleveland
Republican Party
Iran-Iraq War
Slavery
Donald Trump
Jimmy Carter
Gilded Age
Inflation
Civil Rights

Since 2006, this podcast has been using history to elevate today's political debates. "The perfect antidote to bloviating talking heads, My History is thoughtful, nuanced, and highly engaging." -Columbia Journalism Review

PublishesDailyEpisodes545Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryNewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

Latest Episodes

The Battle of Chancellorsville. The Union has got the Confederates in their sights. But not for long. All the while, a reporter named Whitelaw Reid is tracking events. He's been kicked out of the coverage pool by the Union Army but that won't stop hi... more

YouTube

Eisenhower gets irritated. Lincoln finds a friend. Theodore Roosevelt seeks the truth at lunch. Madison sees talent. Greeley won't miss his dinner, despite the riots.

And a man has a simple plan. He'll make a newspaper that won't dirty your table.

more

YouTube

It went by fast! Show update. We've reached a milestone. And a few things you can do if you are interested.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YouTube

Does Protest work? Maybe, with other steps & factors. Looking at the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Freedom Summer, Mothers of the Disappeared and the American Revolution, we look at change, from despair to anger to moderation. These stories are used to an... more

YouTube

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Accepts Sponsors
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

This American President
This American PresidentThis American President
History Unplugged Podcast
History Unplugged PodcastHistory Unplugged
The Road to Now
The Road to NowRTN Productions

Recent Guests

Tom Oliphant
Author of The Road to Camelot, discussing JFK's media strategy
Author
Episode: OUR MEDIATED REPUBLIC, PART ONE
Chad Williams
Sandal J and Augusta Spector Professor of History and African and African-American Studies at Brandeis University; author of The Wounded World, WEB. DuBois and the First World War
Brandeis University
Episode: W.E.B. DuBois and The Wounded World w/ Chad L. Williams
A. B. Farquhar
Businessman and Civil War figure who supported Grover Cleveland and interacted with Lincoln
Historian/Subject of the account
Episode: CIVIL WAR: THE MAN WHO SOLD YORK, PENNSYLVANIA. AND OTHER STORIES
Greg Jackson
University professor, host of History That Doesn't Suck
History That Doesn't Suck
Episode: MIDTERMS: NIXON'S LONELY MIDTERM, 1970
Jason Petri
Signers of The Declaration buff and listener-turned-guest
Listener of MHCBUPY Politics / Signers deck creator
Episode: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DECLARATION after Signing? Also: Playing Cards With the Signers of The Declaration w/ Jason Petri
Tom McMillan
Author of The Year That Made America
Episode: A SECOND LOOK AT THE EVENTS of 1776 w/ Tom McMillan, Author of "The Year That Made America"
Page Brousseau
Listener and guest sharing perspectives on political history and contemporary issues
Episode: ARTICLE ONE GUY: Listener Talk with Page Brousseau
Chris Novembrino
Guest on the episode, discussed as a primary participant in the conversation
Episode: BOLD IDEAS AND CATHARTIC TRUTHS - Listener Talk With Chris Novembrino
Jane Perles
Former New York Times Beijing Bureau Chief, guest on this episode
Face Off, History/China-focused journalism
Episode: FREE SPEECH AND THOUGHTS

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 1.3k ratings
  • Deep dives of history!

    I greatly appreciate the depth that Bruce goes into with his podcast. I use this podcast as one resource for my teaching, and it helps me to deliver great lessons to my students!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Kimyung Kim -
    United States5 months ago
  • Savings and Loan crisis

    So far have only listened to the savings and loan crisis from September 2022; seems we are repeating ourselves in October 2025. I appreciate all the back history that led to the crisis. Good, thoughtful analysis too. Do wish some of the pauses were edited out. Kept thinking the podcast stopped lol

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    jen98a
    United States10 months ago
  • Don’t waste time with this

    This is best to ignore and skip it’s the epitome of regrettable all.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    The reviewer
    United Statesa year ago
  • a great part of your politics and history diet

    Bruce does a great job of doing the important work of tying the past to the present as nonpolitically as possible, and digging out the nuggets that makes history so interesting. Go elsewhere if “facts” are not your thing.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    j gentes
    United Statesa year ago
  • I'm learning so much!

    Bruce makes history more interesting by telling it as a story instead of facts and dates like in high school history class. He is such a font of knowledge.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jerodsmom
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Consistently deep dives that are accessible and informative.
Balanced, informative, and academically grounded.
High-quality, nuanced analysis with strong production.
Engaging, well-researched history that connects past and present.
Thoughtful critique of current events through historical context.

Top History Podcasts

World War II with Tom Hanks
World War II with Tom HanksThe HISTORY Channel | Back Pocket Studios | Audacy
History That Doesn't Suck
History That Doesn't SuckProf. Greg Jackson
The Ancients
The AncientsHistory Hit
Lore
LoreAaron Mahnke

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

W.E.B. DuBois and The Wounded World w/ Chad L. Williams
Q: What drew you to the story of Du Bois and the First World War as a subject for this book?
The guest explains that Du Bois represents a rare fusion of scholarly rigor and activist purpose, using the war to test ideas about citizenship, democracy, and Black freedom, and that this history reveals how individuals navigate political complexity while pursuing truth.
This is William Rufus King w/ Thomas Balcerski - The Forgotten VP, His Role in The Compromise of 1850, His Relationship with James Buchanan and More
Q: How does Balcerski describe the relationship between King and Buchanan?
Balcerski argues that King likely had deeper attractions and emotional expression toward Buchanan, but Buchanan's responses were more platonic and strategic; the correspondence suggests a one-sided intimacy that informs our understanding of gay relationships in the 19th century, challenging modern assumptions while underscoring the complexities of political alliances.
This is William Rufus King w/ Thomas Balcerski - The Forgotten VP, His Role in The Compromise of 1850, His Relationship with James Buchanan and More
Q: What makes William Rufus King a significant figure in the era of the Compromise of 1850?
King played a steady, behind-the-scenes role as presiding officer over the Senate during the passage of the Compromise of 1850, acting as a bridge between factions and helping to coordinate the legislative process despite limited speaking time; his leadership and strategic positioning helped move controversial pieces forward.
ARTICLE ONE GUY: Listener Talk with Page Brousseau
Q: So I have on Page, Page, thanks for coming on. How long have you been a listener of the show?
Page explains he has been listening since late 2006, describing a long-standing engagement with the show's historical approach and its relevance to his own experiences.
CALIFORNIA BANK ROBBERIES: Talking With Listener Peter Houlahan
Q: What drew you to write about the Norco bank robbery and its significance in California history?
Peter explains his background in journalism and how his two crime-focused books led him to explore the Norco incident as a lens into broader trends in policing, banking, and public policy, showing how a single event can reflect systemic shifts.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About My History Can Beat Up Your Politics

What is My History Can Beat Up Your Politics about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show uses historical events and figures to illuminate today's political questions, offering deep, contextual storytelling that connects past policy decisions and social movements to contemporary debates. Episodes cover inflation cycles, constitutional reforms, wars, presidential decisions, and landmark civic moments, often featuring scholarly guests or expert hosts who unpack complexity with clarity. Listeners likely benefit from thoughtful analysis, nuanced perspectives, and connections between era-specific events and modern policy debates, with occasional guest appearances and sponsor integrations that reflect a long-running, research-driven approach.

Where can I find podcast stats for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to My History Can Beat Up Your Politics and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does My History Can Beat Up Your Politics get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for four million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does My History Can Beat Up Your Politics have?

To see how many followers or subscribers My History Can Beat Up Your Politics has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to My History Can Beat Up Your Politics?

These podcasts share a similar audience with My History Can Beat Up Your Politics:

1. This American President
2. History Unplugged Podcast
3. The Road to Now
4. Throughline
5. Ben Franklin's World

How many episodes of My History Can Beat Up Your Politics are there?

My History Can Beat Up Your Politics launched 20 years ago and published 545 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact My History Can Beat Up Your Politics?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for My History Can Beat Up Your Politics?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of My History Can Beat Up Your Politics. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on My History Can Beat Up Your Politics?

Recent guests on My History Can Beat Up Your Politics include:

1. Tom Oliphant
2. Chad Williams
3. A. B. Farquhar
4. Greg Jackson
5. Jason Petri
6. Tom McMillan
7. Page Brousseau
8. Chris Novembrino

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days