Running Mates

The Postrider Roundup: Trailer

The Postrider — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 11:13:14 -0400

The Postrider Roundup is a new biweekly podcast from The Postrider, offering a dynamic, up-to-date look at American politics, from Congress to the campaign trail. On the Roundup, Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito dive into the latest developments in DC, analyzing elections, legislation, and the complexities of the ever-evolving political landscape with a unique blend of pragmatism, enthusiasm, and humor. Follow now to catch the episodes!

Episode 17: 2024 - Vance v. Walz

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 07:00:00 -0400

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes four years later, Running Mates is back, and Lars and Michael are thrilled to get back into talking vice presidential picks in our quadrennial return to the show. They dive into the Biden presidency, explore Donald Trump's selection of JD Vance as his running mate, talk about Vice President Kamala Harris' sudden rise to the top of the ticket, and her selection of Tim Walz. Then they get into the Running Mates material you know and love: talking about who we'd have picked for them instead!

Trailer for Floor Fight

The Postrider — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 11:39:33 -0500

Who was the best president we never had? Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito from ThePostrider.com are dedicated to finding out as they work their way through the ultimate bracket of losing presidential candidates in American history. Follow along to the podcast with the live bracket at ThePostrider.com/FloorFight and reach out to us at contact@thepostrider.com or on Twitter to let us know who you'd pick!

Trailer for Politics Express

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Fri, 27 Aug 2021 21:57:11 -0400

Running Mates host Lars Emerson introduces The Postrider team's newest general interest politics podcast, Politics Express. Subscribe now and check out the first episode, available wherever podcasts are found and on thepostrider.com.

Trailer for Watching Mates

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Thu, 04 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0500

Running Mates stars Lars Emerson and Michael Lovito introduce their new show, Watching Mates. Subscribe now and stay tuned for the first episode, available wherever podcasts are found and on thepostrider.com.

Episode 16: Series Finale - 2020 - Harris v. Pence

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 19 Sep 2020 11:00:00 -0400

In our series finale at the height of the 2020 election, Lars and Michael dive into a year wracked by a presidential impeachment, the coronavirus, and national protests, and explore Joe Biden's selection of Kamala Harris as his running mate as they challenge Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence in the upcoming fall.

Episode 15: 2016 - Pence v. Kaine (Part 2)

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 29 Aug 2020 11:00:00 -0400

In the part two of our 2016 election episode, Lars and Michael unpack their running mate choices for Hillary Clinton, argue about whether keeping Senate seats should be a priority, and end with the big conclusions about the vice presidential candidates this year.

Episode 14: 2016 - Pence v. Kaine (Part 1)

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 22 Aug 2020 11:00:00 -0400

In the part one of our 2016 election episode, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton taps Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her running mate, while reality television star and businessman Donald Trump picks Indiana Governor Mike Pence in order to win over conservative and religious voters.

Episode 13: 2012 - Ryan v. Biden

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 08 Aug 2020 11:00:00 -0400

With America still recovering from the Great Recession, Republican nominee Mitt Romney chooses "mini-Mitt" Wisconsin Congressman and House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan to hit incumbent President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on the big issue of the day: the economy.

Episode 12: 2008 - Biden v. Palin

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 25 Jul 2020 11:00:00 -0400

As unpopular wars rage on, the economy collapses and Lars and Michael delve into Republican nominee John McCain's miscalculation as he seeks a game changing vice presidential pick in Sarah Palin to counter the historic nomination of Barack Obama, who seeks a more traditional running mate with Joe Biden.

Episode 11: 2004 - Edwards v. Cheney

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 11 Jul 2020 09:00:00 -0400

Amidst the War on Terror, President George W. Bush and his VP, Dick Cheney, are up for reelection against Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. In what turns into a presidential contest over their respective military records, patriotism, and foreign policy credentials, Kerry chooses, and later would regret having done so, North Carolina Senator John Edwards as his running mate.

Episode 10: 2000 - Cheney v. Lieberman (Part 2)

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 27 Jun 2020 11:00:00 -0400

In the part two of our 2000 election episode, Lars and Michael discuss who Democratic candidate Al Gore should have put on the ticket instead of Joe Lieberman. They conclude with a broad analysis of the 2000 election, the direction of the parties and decisions they made at this point, and set the stage for the prevailing partisan trends in the 21st century.

Episode 9: 2000 - Cheney v. Lieberman (Part 1)

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 20 Jun 2020 09:00:00 -0400

In the part one of our 2000 election episode, the impeached president Bill Clinton's Vice President Al Gore runs for the presidency and picks Joe Lieberman to try and distance himself from Clinton. Meanwhile, Republicans seek a compassionate conservative and land on George W. Bush, who tasks Dick Cheney with finding a vice presidential candidate for him, but Bush ultimately decides on Cheney himself. Two running mates who offer relatively little strength in the one state that matters: Florida.

Episode 8: 1996 - Kemp v. Gore

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 06 Jun 2020 10:00:00 -0400

President Bill Clinton and his vice president, Al Gore, are up for reelection and after a bruising midterm two years prior, Democrats have moved decisively to the center. Republicans face a crisis of confidence and their candidate, Bob Dole chooses throwback Jack Kemp as his running mate to try and remind Republicans of their past, while Clinton and Gore look to the future.

Episode 7: 1992 - Gore v. Quayle

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 23 May 2020 11:00:00 -0400

The Cold War has ended and President George H.W. Bush and his vice president, Dan Quayle, are running for reelection in a tough economy. Republicans push Bush to drop Quayle from the ticket but he stays the course to take on Bill Clinton, who makes the unusual choice of naming neighboring southern Senator Al Gore as his running mate.

Episode 6: 1988 - Bentsen v. Quayle

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 09 May 2020 11:05:00 -0400

The Reagan years are coming to an end and his vice president, George H.W. Bush is running for president himself against Democratic candidate Michael Dukakis. Lars and Michael discuss Bush's pick of young Indiana Senator Dan Quayle as his running mate and Dukakis' selection of the more mature Texas Senator Lloyd Bentsen in what proves to be a showdown over smarts, experience, and who knew Jack Kennedy.

Episode 5: 1984 - Ferraro v. Bush

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 25 Apr 2020 13:00:00 -0400

Walter Mondale figures he needs a game changing vice presidential pick to have any chance against the Reagan-Bush reelection in 1984. Lars and Michael discuss how Geraldine Ferraro, the first woman on a major party presidential ticket, holds up as a running mate, and the long odds Mondale faced regardless of his vice presidential pick.

Episode 4: 1980 - Bush v. Mondale

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 11 Apr 2020 13:00:00 -0400

With Jimmy Carter and Walter Mondale up for reelection, Lars and Michael discuss the foreign policy and economic crises that perpetuate a strong challenge from Ronald Reagan, who placates establishment Republicans by putting George H.W. Bush on the ticket.

Episode 3: 1976 - Mondale v. Dole

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 28 Mar 2020 17:40:00 -0400

Lars and Michael discuss the first post-Watergate presidential election and how Gerald Ford fails to excite or unite his party by picking Bob Dole as his running mate, while Jimmy Carter manages to capture optimism and credibility with Walter Mondale.

Episode 2: 1972 - Shriver v. Agnew

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 22 Feb 2020 09:30:00 -0500

Lars and Michael discuss Richard Nixon's deliberation over whether or not to keep his vice president, Spiro Agnew, on the ticket and take a deep dive into the bleak prospects for the Democratic nominee George McGovern and his struggle to even find a running mate in the first place.

Episode 1: 1968 - Agnew v. Muskie

Lars Emerson & Michael Lovito — Sat, 08 Feb 2020 09:15:00 -0500

Lars and Michael discuss the 1968 running mates in our first full episode. In a divided and tormented nation, Richard Nixon picks Spiro Agnew in an attempt to woo southern voters with a law and order campaign and Hubert Humphrey picks Edmund Muskie to appease anti-war activists, cutting off his chances in key states.

Intro Episode

Lars Emerson — Sat, 25 Jan 2020 19:00:00 -0500

Lars introduces Running Mates, a show dedicated to the American vice presidency