Mass for Shut-ins: The Gin and Tacos Podcast
News:Politics
Story: Andrew Johnson gets incredibly drunk at his inauguration and makes a scene you'll have to hear about to believe. He calls out every member of the Cabinet by name (Wu-Tang style), makes up his own oath of office, and nearly drives his colleagues to weep from shame. And he owed it all to Civil War-era medicine's inability to treat serious illness except with Patent Medicines (i.e., alcohol, opium, or alcohol with opium)
Guest: Dr. Stephen Pettigrew, Senior Analyst on the NBC News decision team. He's one of the people who decides when races are "called" by the network on election night. He gives us a fascinating look behind that curtain, and there's some great insight about the challenges posed by alternative voting methods like mail-in ballots.
Cocktail of the Month: Doctor Chase's Soothing Cordial. In the spirit (pun intended) of the Johnson story, I found the recipe for a Civil War era patent medicine. I'll give you one hint: the first ingredient is opium. Like, just a big piece of opium.
Question Cathy returns with the mailbag.
Please support Mass for Shut-ins, an independent and ad-free podcast, via Patreon. Contact me via Facebook, Twitter (@gin_and_tacos), or the venerable website Gin and Tacos. Brand new seriously kick-ass t-shirts are available. Buy one why don't ya.
Thanks: Dr. Pettigrew, all the bands that contribute music (Waxeater, IfIHadAHiFi, The Sump Pumps, Oscar Bait), Zachary Sielaff, Question Cathy, and all Patreon supporters, subscribers, and listeners.
034 - Ryan Cooper (Left Anchor, American Prospect)
Minicast E2: The Contest Everybody Won
Minicast E1: Carter Glass of the Glass-Steagall Act
033 - Bunion Derbies
Minicast D8: The Cantaloupe that Changed the World
Minicast D7: The Giant Ruby Affair
Minicast D6: New Vietnam Theme Park
Minicast D5: The Grandfathered Spitballers
Minicast D4: John Brisker, NBA Star Turned Ugandan Mercenary
032 - Jen Howard (Clutter)
Minicast D3: Free Cars
Minicast D2: Agatha Christie Disappears! Sort of!
031 - The 1976 Swine Flu Vaccine Fiasco (David Parsons of Nostalgia Trap)
Minicast D1: The Poet Laureate of Kiribati
030 - Mike Konczal, Freedom from the Market (2021)
Minicast C10: The Hidden Politics of "The Night Before Christmas"
Minicast C9: I Beg Your (Presidential) Pardon (Power)
029 - Post-Election All-Mailbag Episode 2020
Minicast C8: Brazil Begs and Barters into the 1932 Olympics
Minicast C7: Harold Hering asks, what if the president tries to launch nukes while out of his mind?
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