American Seances

American Seances

American Seances brings the greatest, deadest historical figures back for one more conversaion Through podcasts, blog posts, and illustrations, American Seances uses the past to understand the present--equal parts scholarship, storytelling, and satire.

  1. Aug 14

    Lindsay Clancy (thread 15), Episode 6: When Justice Faces Mercy: Clarence Darrow on the Lindsay Clancy Case

    This episode brings Clarence Darrow into the heartbreaking Lindsay Clancy story and forces us to sit with the messy, uncomfortable questions everyone avoids: do we punish, treat, or something in between? Darrow doesn’t give easy answers, but he pushes us to think about why we want someone to suffer and what justice should actually do. It’s a short, heavy listen that doesn’t try to fix the past, but asks what we do next with the person who remains. If you want a thoughtful, human look at crime, responsibility, and mercy, this one will stay with you.

  2. Aug 14

    Lindsay Clancy (thread 15), Episode 5: When Madness Keeps Its Wits: Isaac Ray and the Clancy Case

    This episode pulls Isaac Ray into the Lindsay Clancy trial to remind us that mental illness doesn’t always look like the movies—people can plan, reason, and still be profoundly disordered. Let’s walk through partial insanity, irresistible impulse, and why the law’s tidy rules often fail to capture what’s happening inside a mind. It’s complicated, uncomfortable, and worth thinking about together.

  3. Aug 14

    Lindsay Clancy (thread 15), Episode 4: No Camera Inside the Mind: The Lindsay Clancy Trial’s Impossible Question

    This episode explores the one thing the Lindsay Clancy trial can’t directly show: what was happening inside her head. We bring William James into the conversation to unpack how consciousness can be fragmented, deceptive, and frighteningly private. It’s a tough listen, but we talk through why behavior, medical notes, and internet searches can point in different directions — and why the law still has to make a decision about someone’s inner world. Stick around if you want a thoughtful, human look at a case that refuses easy answers.

  4. Aug 14

    The Reflecting Pool (thread 16), Episode 5: Nixon's Warning: Don't Turn a Peeling Pool into Watergate

    If Nixon could whisper from the afterlife, he'd tell the White House one thing: stop digging. A paint peel isn't worth turning into a full-blown scandal. This episode walks through how tiny missteps become huge crises when you keep trying to defend them, and why sometimes the smartest move is to let it go.

  5. Aug 14

    The Reflecting Pool (thread 16), Episode 4: Spiro Agnew Would Love This: The Canoeist Conspiracy

    Crazy how a botched renovation turns into a full-on political circus — Spiro Agnew would be grinning. This episode walks through the reflecting pool fiasco, the blue paint peeling, the dropped charges, and how a single canoeist becomes the perfect distraction. It’s a sharp, witty take on how blame gets shifted, evidence gets sidelined, and spectacle wins the day — like swapping sealant for slogans. If you like history, scandal, and the art of diversion, this one’s for you.

  6. Aug 14

    The Reflecting Pool (thread 16), Episode 3: The Buck Stops Here: Truman vs. the Reflecting Pool Fiasco

    Quick take: imagine Harry Truman barging into today’s reflecting pool mess and cutting through all the excuses with a Missouri-sized glare. It’s a sharp, funny reminder that real leadership means owning mistakes, asking for the receipts, and fixing what you broke — not blaming a canoeist.

  7. Aug 12

    The Reflecting Pool (thread 16), Episode 2: Silent Cal and the Blue Pool: A Lesson in Restraint

    Picture Calvin Coolidge at the Lincoln Memorial, hands in pockets, quietly cutting through the chaos around a rushed pool repaint — no theatrics, just commonsense: sometimes a bad renovation is just a bad renovation. Walk with me through a wry, intimate take on restraint, responsibility, and why admitting a simple mistake can feel oddly refreshing in today’s politics.

  8. Aug 12

    The Reflecting Pool (thread 16), Episode 1: Abe vs. the Blue Pond: A Presidential Reflection

    Come sit with me for a minute — we’re starting a new series that channels history into the wildest current events (this episode: the reflecting pool debacle). Imagine Abe Lincoln, briefed on peeling paint and a canoeist suspect, doing what he always did best: reflecting, asking for facts, and reminding us that holding power means owning responsibility. It’s funny, a little sad, and very human — the kind of story where public theater meets mundane screw-ups. If you like smart, quietly sharp takes on today’s chaos, Lincoln’s voice makes the mess feel strangely…instructive.

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About

American Seances brings the greatest, deadest historical figures back for one more conversaion Through podcasts, blog posts, and illustrations, American Seances uses the past to understand the present--equal parts scholarship, storytelling, and satire.

Information

  • Creator
    American Seances
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    208
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    American Seances