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April 15, 1865. President Lincoln is dead and the country in turmoil. Secretary of War Edwin Stanton takes control, determined to bring the assassin to justice—but the hunt for John Wilkes Booth isn’t all that grips Stanton. Lincoln’s successor, Vice President Andrew Johnson, is likely to bend to southern interests and undo the very progress for which Lincoln died. Edwin Stanton must employ every bit of political wile he can muster to secure the future of the freed slaves, and the nation. Co ...
On election night, two-term president Oliver Pierce watches in disbelief from the White House as Charles Dunwalke wins a controversial electoral college victory. With only 73 days before Dunwalke’s inauguration, president Pierce makes a secret decision to act, with historic and possibly catastrophic consequences.
On February 10th, 1796, Vice President John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, lamenting the state of discourse in the country. The election was nearing—and becoming heated. Newspapers screamed, factions warred, and John Adams was dismayed with what he called “the wicked Game.” Americans in 2020 can relate. They still have to endure weeks of shouting, outrage, and the worst sort of political rancor as the country once again chooses its president. But it’s almost always been this way. And to pr ...
Secretary of War Edwin Stanton returns in Season Two, still fighting to carry forward President Lincoln’s legacy. To finish the job of Reconstruction, Stanton joins with newly elected President Ulysses S. Grant to fight a political battle in Washington and win a war against a menacing threat wreaking havoc all across the South: the Ku Klux Klan. He…
A charismatic Russian woman arrives in the US on a mission to improve relations between the two countries, and she soon makes some powerful friends. But who is Maria Butina? And who is she working for? As Maria gets closer to the rich and connected she also attracts the attention of the FBI. In the politically charged world of US-Russia relations, …
This excerpt comes from the Seizing Freedom episode titled "A Powerful Black Hand." From the start of the Civil War, Black Americans were eager to lend their resources to the Union cause, but the Union was slow on the uptake. Despite their other differences, the North and South remained united in their belief in white supremacy. But when the Union …
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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2020, Biden vs. Trump: The Soul of America
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President Donald Trump faces off with President Obama’s political wingman: Vice President Joe Biden. In a contest defined by partisan rancor, congressional investigations and a global pandemic, Donald Trump claims he is the man to “Keep America Great” while Joe Biden claims he is the man to win the battle for the “Soul of America.” Created, hosted …
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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2016, Clinton vs. Trump: The Omega and the Alpha
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Donald J. Trump returns to the political arena. First as a longshot candidate and then as an improbable frontrunner, Trump makes his way through a crowded Republican primary field to take on Democratic nominee, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Trump and Clinton go head to head in a divisive election that upends political norms and further deepen…
As Barack Obama fends off attacks on everything from his foreign policy to the color of his suits, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney defends his religion and fights his way through a crowded Republican primary to secure the GOP nomination. As the 2012 election takes shape, both sides see a narrow path to victory. In the midst of the divisiv…
New York Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton enters the 2008 election as the presumptive favorite to win the Democratic nomination. But Barack Obama, a first-term senator from Illinois, creates a groundswell in the Party and leaves Clinton behind. To win the White House, Obama must overcome racist attacks from both sides, conspiracy theor…
As President George W. Bush navigates the challenges of his first year in office, he is confronted by one of the gravest, most horrific tragedies ever to reach American shores. But Bush’s response to 9/11 puts his presidency under fire. In the wake of the United States’ invasion of Afghanistan, Bush’s decision to go to war with Iraq costs him polit…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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2000, Bush vs. Gore vs. Nader: Gettin’ Snippy
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With Bill Clinton’s tenure as president coming to an end, Vice President Al Gore takes up the mantle for the Democrats. Gore tries to distance himself from the Clinton scandals while Republicans look to the son of a former president to get them back into the White House. In November of 2000, Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush …
Bill Clinton bounces back from early problems in his presidency and looks to become the first two-term Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt. To stop him, Republicans turn to Senator Bob Dole and try to conjure images of a glorious American past that only they can bring back. But Dole won’t be the Democrats’ biggest problem: with re-electio…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1992, Bush vs. Clinton vs. Perot: The Baby Boomer and the Independent
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President George H.W. Bush tries to shore up his Republican coalition and offer the American people a clear picture of what a second Bush term will look like. Meanwhile, down South, a young saxophone-playing Democratic governor from Arkansas and an Independent Texas businessman will make a second term for Bush seem like an impossibility. Created, h…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1988, Bush vs. Dukakis: Character Assassinations
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Vice President George H. W. Bush is Ronald Reagan’s heir apparent. But in order to defeat Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis, Bush must embrace Reagan’s conservatism, get the best of a respected primary challenger named Bob Dole, and escape the shadow of what many call the biggest political scandal since Watergate. Created, hosted and executive pro…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1984, Mondale vs. Reagan: The Teflon President
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With a Republican-controlled Senate and a clear mandate from the American people, Ronald Reagan sets out to show American strength abroad and to reduce the role of “big government” at home. The idea that his political future will ever be in question seems impossible, but a widening wealth gap and a lone gunman’s bullet will threaten his first term …
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1980, Carter vs. Reagan: Let’s Make America Great Again
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President Jimmy Carter fights to keep the White House in a trial by fire of domestic recession and international turmoil. Carter defends his presidency against the rise of a softer, more approachable brand of conservatism embodied by the skillful optimism and powerful charisma of Republican nominee Ronald Reagan. Created, hosted and executive produ…
When Nixon gets caught up in the biggest presidential scandal in American History, he enlists the help of a man with unimpeachable character: Gerald R. Ford Jr. In the wake of Watergate, Ford becomes the only man to ever be appointed to the presidency. In his reelection bid for an office he was never elected to, Ford must prove himself worthy of hi…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1972, McGovern vs. Nixon: Failure Comes Easy At Times Like This
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In a contest largely defined by the Vietnam War, Republican President Richard Nixon fights to keep the White House out of the hands of Democratic nominee Senator George McGovern. In order to give Nixon a run for his money, McGovern and his anti-war message must survive a political scandal that threatens to bring McGovern’s judgment and leadership s…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1968, Nixon vs. Humphrey vs. Wallace: Law and Order
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Against the backdrop of the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, President Johnson declares his intention not to run in the 1968 contest, leaving the door open for Former Vice President Richard Nixon to stage a political comeback. In order to win the White House, Nixon must win the hearts and minds of a divided electorate and a political syst…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1964, Johnson vs. Goldwater: A Choice, Not An Echo
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In the aftermath of JFK’s assassination, Lyndon Johnson fights to shed the mantle of accidental president. But as he strives to carry forward Kennedy’s legacy, he faces a barrage of opposition from a divided Democratic party. Meanwhile, across the aisle, the Republicans fight to mount a defense as they rally around a conservative candidate who hope…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1960, Nixon vs. Kennedy: Behind the Curtain
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Democrat John F. Kennedy and Republican Richard Nixon fight for the White House on new technological turf: the rise of television sets the stage for an unprecedented campaign defined by race, religion and dirty tricks. But on the campaign trail, “Tricky Dick” Nixon meets his match in John F. Kennedy’s relentless brother, Bobby Kennedy. Created, hos…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1956, Stevenson vs. Eisenhower: A Chance for Peace
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In the run up to the 1956 contest, Ike battles severe health issues, an intensifying Cold War and enemies in the Democratic party. But his greatest struggle during the campaign isn’t with Adlai Stevenson and the Democrats, it’s with his Secretary of State: John Foster Dulles. The conflict between these two political titans comes to a head in the mi…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1952, Stevenson vs. Eisenhower: The Fund Crisis
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Dwight “Ike” Eisenhower takes on a determined Democratic party united behind the popular Illinois governor, Adlai Stevenson. But in the run up to the 1952 contest, Ike’s biggest cross to bear is not the Democrats; it’s a member of his own party. As Ike defies the Republican establishment and fights for the White House on his own terms, he does his …
In the wake of World War II, as President Truman fights to establish a new peace, Republican Governor Thomas Dewey gears up for a second run at the White House. As Truman strives to fulfill Franklin D. Roosevelt’s progressive legacy with his “Fair Deal” for America, Dewey tries to capitalize on a growing anti-Truman sentiment brewing all across the…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1944, Dewey vs. Roosevelt: The Last Stand
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As World War II rages on, FDR is in the political fight of his life against a young political newcomer, Republican Thomas Dewey. Riding the wave of Republican gains in the 1942 midterms, the youthful, fresh-faced Dewey attacks the tired old man in the White House by promising to bring about a swift end to the war. Created, hosted and executive prod…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1940, Willkie vs. Roosevelt: Storm on the Horizon
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Against the backdrop of World War II, FDR’s position of neutrality is threatened as he seeks to become the first president to serve three terms in office. To win the White House in the 1940 contest, FDR must get the best of business tycoon Wendell Willkie, a former Democrat and an affable political outsider with an axe to grind. Created, hosted and…
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American Elections: Wicked Game
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1936, Landon vs. Roosevelt: New Deal on Trial
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As FDR pushes his progressive agenda, Republicans turn to a progressive candidate of their own: Kansas Governor Al Landon. Landon and the Republicans fight to make the election a referendum on fiscal responsibility, while FDR defends his New Deal against a slew of opponents, including the infamous media mogul and scandal machine, William Randolph H…
