Dr. M.A. Davis
@mikedavis.bsky.social
Historian in WNC
working on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW
author of the first chapter of https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/wars-we-never-fought-9798765121535/
teaching part-time at Lees-McRae College
opinions my own
listen to me at https://tinyurl.com/meonnprwow
working on THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW
author of the first chapter of https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/wars-we-never-fought-9798765121535/
teaching part-time at Lees-McRae College
opinions my own
listen to me at https://tinyurl.com/meonnprwow
he tried in 1906 to become Governor, then again in 1912, first as a Republican then as a Bull Mooser, and failed both times. (he was a bit too much of a radical for party regulars.)
I can picture him as POTUS when WWI breaks out - and eastern Progressives who backed TR tended to be jingos.
I can picture him as POTUS when WWI breaks out - and eastern Progressives who backed TR tended to be jingos.
November 10, 2025 at 12:42 PM
he tried in 1906 to become Governor, then again in 1912, first as a Republican then as a Bull Mooser, and failed both times. (he was a bit too much of a radical for party regulars.)
I can picture him as POTUS when WWI breaks out - and eastern Progressives who backed TR tended to be jingos.
I can picture him as POTUS when WWI breaks out - and eastern Progressives who backed TR tended to be jingos.
he used the income from his books - and his wife's great wealth - to build Harlakenden House near Cornish, NH, a large mansion that he would later lease to Woodrow Wilson as a summer White House.
November 10, 2025 at 12:39 PM
he used the income from his books - and his wife's great wealth - to build Harlakenden House near Cornish, NH, a large mansion that he would later lease to Woodrow Wilson as a summer White House.
but seriously, an interesting life:
A Naval Academy graduate who resigned his commission after less than a year, a journalist who married money, he was one of the best-selling American novelists of the turn of the 20th century. (if you have never heard of his books, well, they haven't aged well.)
A Naval Academy graduate who resigned his commission after less than a year, a journalist who married money, he was one of the best-selling American novelists of the turn of the 20th century. (if you have never heard of his books, well, they haven't aged well.)
November 10, 2025 at 12:36 PM
but seriously, an interesting life:
A Naval Academy graduate who resigned his commission after less than a year, a journalist who married money, he was one of the best-selling American novelists of the turn of the 20th century. (if you have never heard of his books, well, they haven't aged well.)
A Naval Academy graduate who resigned his commission after less than a year, a journalist who married money, he was one of the best-selling American novelists of the turn of the 20th century. (if you have never heard of his books, well, they haven't aged well.)
This got an audible “oh my God” at the conference, which delighted me to no end
November 8, 2025 at 8:04 PM
This got an audible “oh my God” at the conference, which delighted me to no end
nothing is boring in front of a Tiffany screen
November 6, 2025 at 9:35 PM
nothing is boring in front of a Tiffany screen
"finally, New York may catch up."
November 5, 2025 at 12:39 AM
"finally, New York may catch up."
back in 2020, you had this meme going around - Bernie as the fancy taco, Elizabeth Warren as the school taco my MOM made me eat because she's a WOMAN, and Biden as the bad boring taco, and it made me wonder how many times Bernie Sanders has eaten a taco. probably less than you'd think!
November 3, 2025 at 9:56 PM
back in 2020, you had this meme going around - Bernie as the fancy taco, Elizabeth Warren as the school taco my MOM made me eat because she's a WOMAN, and Biden as the bad boring taco, and it made me wonder how many times Bernie Sanders has eaten a taco. probably less than you'd think!
if Britt _had_ won in 1987, he would surely have held that already deep blue seat about as long as he wanted it - and someone else would have become Speaker in the late 2000s. (certainly not Britt himself, who was many things but not really a party man.)
November 3, 2025 at 3:41 PM
if Britt _had_ won in 1987, he would surely have held that already deep blue seat about as long as he wanted it - and someone else would have become Speaker in the late 2000s. (certainly not Britt himself, who was many things but not really a party man.)
But the thing about holding a seat for a long time is that not everybody likes you! Harry Britt (1939-2020) was heir to another Dem bigwig - Harvey Milk. The former Methodist minister was one of the few DSA members who held elective office in America and was an outspoken supporter of gay rights.
November 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
But the thing about holding a seat for a long time is that not everybody likes you! Harry Britt (1939-2020) was heir to another Dem bigwig - Harvey Milk. The former Methodist minister was one of the few DSA members who held elective office in America and was an outspoken supporter of gay rights.
Unfortunately for the Burton family, Sala Burton died four years later of colorectal cancer, leading to yet another special election to fill the seat. Nancy Pelosi had made herself very popular with the local party and was the closest thing Sala Burton had to an heir in the Dem primary.
November 3, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Unfortunately for the Burton family, Sala Burton died four years later of colorectal cancer, leading to yet another special election to fill the seat. Nancy Pelosi had made herself very popular with the local party and was the closest thing Sala Burton had to an heir in the Dem primary.
In April of 1983, Phillip Burton, Democratic Congressman and friend of the Pelosi family, died at the age of 56. He was succeeded (in a special election) by his wife Sala Burton. (a high school in SF bears their joint names) upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...
November 3, 2025 at 3:31 PM
In April of 1983, Phillip Burton, Democratic Congressman and friend of the Pelosi family, died at the age of 56. He was succeeded (in a special election) by his wife Sala Burton. (a high school in SF bears their joint names) upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/co...
as you might expect for a Democratic member of Congress from San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi has never faced a serious challenge for her seat in Congress - except for the 1987 special election that put her in office in the first place.
November 3, 2025 at 3:29 PM
as you might expect for a Democratic member of Congress from San Francisco, Nancy Pelosi has never faced a serious challenge for her seat in Congress - except for the 1987 special election that put her in office in the first place.
the new guy is prepared
October 31, 2025 at 3:50 PM
the new guy is prepared
this later picture of him is a lot of fun - and has much the same zeitgeist. (by a guy I had never heard of before but who had an interesting life! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William... )
October 29, 2025 at 11:33 AM
this later picture of him is a lot of fun - and has much the same zeitgeist. (by a guy I had never heard of before but who had an interesting life! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William... )
Over the heat vent.
October 28, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Over the heat vent.
on this day in 1986, Americans briefly remembered a man they'd forgotten about for thirty years - Sherman Adams (1899-1986). Also known as the "Abominable No Man" and "The Great Stone Face", Adams had once been among the most powerful men in America as Eisenhower's enormously influential CoS.
October 27, 2025 at 12:13 PM
on this day in 1986, Americans briefly remembered a man they'd forgotten about for thirty years - Sherman Adams (1899-1986). Also known as the "Abominable No Man" and "The Great Stone Face", Adams had once been among the most powerful men in America as Eisenhower's enormously influential CoS.
Where is the feast
October 26, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Where is the feast
well - there's a history of protest at the site, so whatever the statue itself says, I think people will pick up on it. (the folks in this picture are LaRouchites (!?!) in the early '90s. ah, that takes me back.)
October 25, 2025 at 8:02 PM
well - there's a history of protest at the site, so whatever the statue itself says, I think people will pick up on it. (the folks in this picture are LaRouchites (!?!) in the early '90s. ah, that takes me back.)
Rev. Blanchard speaks for all of us.
October 25, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Rev. Blanchard speaks for all of us.
that would be Thomas Ewing - who like Fillmore was a Northerner willing to compromise on slavery (he defended America from attacks by the anti-slavery British by saying at least the US didn't have any Indian colonies, which was true but beside the point) - because
October 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
that would be Thomas Ewing - who like Fillmore was a Northerner willing to compromise on slavery (he defended America from attacks by the anti-slavery British by saying at least the US didn't have any Indian colonies, which was true but beside the point) - because