Plausibly Live - The Dave Bowman Show Podcast

Dave Bowman
  • 4.8 (13)
  • News
  • Semiweekly

Plausibly Live is where history, politics, culture, and the day’s absurdities collide. Veteran submariner, historian, and longtime radio host Dave Bowman brings sharp analysis, dry humor, and an independent perspective to the stories everyone is discussing, along with a few they ought to be. No slogans, no party-line talking points, and no manufactured outrage. Just thoughtful conversation, historical context, and the occasional rabbit hole.

  1. 4h ago

    DDH - Deal With the Devil

    In 1876, America celebrated its centennial and then plunged into one of the most bitterly disputed presidential elections in its history. Samuel Tilden won the popular vote, Rutherford B. Hayes ultimately secured the presidency, and the struggle over twenty electoral votes exposed a nation still divided by the Civil War. Dave Bowman joins Bill Mick to examine the violence, voter intimidation, competing electoral returns, and political maneuvering behind the Hayes–Tilden contest. From the Hamburg Massacre to the electoral commission’s partisan decisions, the story reaches far beyond the question of who would occupy the White House. At the heart of the episode is Dave’s argument that the settlement surrounding the election amounted to a Faustian bargain. As Reconstruction ended and federal protection of Black citizens’ rights receded, the consequences extended across generations. Through the lens of history and literature, Dave and Bill consider the enduring cost of placing partisan victory above constitutional principles. #DaveDoesHistory #ElectionOf1876 #AmericanHistory #Reconstruction #BillMick For more of Dave on the 1876 election, check out his series, "1876" https://thedavebowmanshow.com/2022/01/10/1876-the-series/

    DDH - Deal With the Devil

  2. 1d ago

    On the Eve of Destruction

    Dave Bowman opens the show from his Silverdale studio with little optimism about tomorrow’s elections. He argues that the real problem runs deeper than expected Republican losses: the erosion of shared American principles. Where parties once differed mainly on how to reach the same goals of individual liberty, honest government, and fiscal responsibility, he now sees one side as actively destructive to those ends—and the other as unwilling or unable to defend them. The episode examines concrete examples. In California, heavily favored Democrat Xavier Becerra is treated as the de facto next governor while floating ideas like a mileage tax under the banner of “everything is on the table,” even as the state campaigns on affordability and continues to struggle with high-speed rail. In Wyoming, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Bextel’s moon-landing conspiracy claims go largely unchallenged by her own side or much of the local media. Bowman also highlights the tension around AI policy, noting Democrats’ vocal warnings about artificial intelligence as an existential threat while Democratic organizations accepted a large donation from Anthropic. A Michigan Democrat who lost a primary and later endorsed the Republican faces party condemnation rather than engagement with her concerns. Bowman is equally critical of Republicans, arguing they were elected to advance specific principles and have largely failed to do so, leaving voters with little more than team loyalty. He rejects the idea that electoral outcomes validate ideas and insists that liberty, self-determination, and critical scrutiny of claims—regardless of the letter after a candidate’s name—remain the standards worth defending. The show closes with a reminder that personal relationships and clear thinking matter more than any single election result.

  3. 4d ago

    The First Duty...

    Star Trek has been part of Dave Bowman’s life since childhood. Remembering Walter Koenig and Patrick Stewart brings him back to the characters, stories, and lessons that stayed with him through Navy service, fatherhood, and decades of watching the Enterprise explore the unknown. A conversation with his son Ben opens a personal reflection on Chekov, Captain Kirk, and Jean-Luc Picard, from the humor of “The Trouble with Tribbles” to the historical warnings woven into the original series. Dave also remembers submarine leaders whose example inspired the same respect Patrick Stewart brought to the captain’s chair. Then, The Next Generation episode “The First Duty” supplies the central question: what happens when loyalty to a team, political party, or personal ambition takes precedence over telling the truth? Dave applies Picard’s lesson to public leadership, voters’ responsibilities, and the Navy’s warning about longer deployments, drawing on his own experience to consider the consequences for sailors and their families. A personal episode about growing older with Star Trek and the responsibility that comes with having the conn. #StarTrek #PatrickStewart #WalterKoenig #Leadership #Navy #PlausiblyLive

  4. 5d ago

    Alaska Goes Full Eddie Murphy

    Did somebody mistake an Eddie Murphy comedy for a campaign manual? Dave Bowman opens with The Distinguished Gentleman and Alaska’s two Dan Sullivans, examining an alleged election spoiler scheme, Trump’s demands for prosecution, and a similar namesake stunt in Washington state. Deliberately confusing voters deserves scrutiny regardless of which party tries it. Then, baseball’s looming labor showdown has Dave questioning the arguments for a salary cap. With Milwaukee and Tampa Bay reaching the World Series, how convincing is the claim that smaller-market teams cannot compete? A lifelong baseball fan weighs competitive balance, ownership priorities, and the possibility of a lockout disrupting the 2027 season. Finally, a tragic report about a woman who relied on ChatGPT for medication decisions prompts a personal admission: Dave has also sought AI guidance about an injury. His costly experience raises questions about leading prompts, reassuring answers, and the limits of a chatbot’s medical judgment. Politics, baseball, and some hard-earned skepticism on Plausibly Live: The Dave Bowman Show. #AlaskaSenateRace #MLBLockout #ChatGPT #TheDaveBowmanShow #PlausiblyLive

  5. 6d ago

    We the People... Pending Court Approval

    What does government by the people mean when voters approve an initiative and the fight immediately moves to court? On this episode of Plausibly Live: The Dave Bowman Show, Dave examines Washington’s battles over natural gas policy, taxes, girls’ sports, and the possibility of public power in Kitsap County. He explains why election coverage finally drove him to turn off the morning news, while arguing that frustration with the system makes voting more necessary. The scrutiny extends to President Trump’s remarks about higher fuel prices and who actually benefits when Americans pay more at the pump. Drawing on a German journalist’s reflections after World War II, Dave considers the responsibility citizens carry when their own preferred leaders say things that deserve a challenge. From Olympia to Washington, D.C., this episode asks how much authority we surrender when party loyalty takes the place of independent judgment.

  6. Oct 27

    DDH | Trenton

    By Christmas 1776, George Washington’s army was running out of men and time. Months of defeat had driven the Americans across New Jersey, enlistments were about to expire, and Washington feared the Revolution was nearing its end. His response was an attack that depended on crossing an ice-choked river in a winter storm. In this episode of Dave Does History, Dave Bowman follows Washington’s crossing of the Delaware and the Battle of Trenton, tracing how an exhausted army carried out an offensive after its timetable collapsed and two supporting crossings failed. Along the way, discover why Henry Knox’s artillery and John Glover’s boat crews mattered so much, how future president James Monroe nearly lost his life, and where the familiar story of drunken Hessians departs from the evidence. Beyond the famous painting lies a consequential military gamble, undertaken by people who had no way of knowing whether American independence would survive. Join Dave to explore what happened on December 26, 1776, and why that morning’s victory gave a faltering Revolution another chance. #DaveDoesHistory #AmericanRevolution #GeorgeWashington #BattleOfTrenton #RevolutionaryWar #AmericanHistory #HistoryPodcast

    DDH | Trenton

  7. Oct 26

    Once Upon a Time (There Was Deanna)

    Doctors warned that Bowman’s newborn sister might not survive. Deanna lived for 49 years, becoming a Special Olympian, an enthusiastic storyteller, and a beloved presence whose friendships reached far beyond her family. On this deeply personal episode of Plausibly Live, The Dave Bowman Show, Dave remembers his sister and reflects on Down syndrome, disability, faith, and the worth of every human life. The story begins in Denver in October 1973, where a ten-year-old’s world revolved around the Broncos, fourth grade, and beating a hated youth football rival. While Watergate and the Yom Kippur War dominated the headlines, a telephone call brought news that would change the Bowman family forever. Drawing on Jewish teachings about the soul and the responsibility to help repair the world, Dave considers what makes a life meaningful and why a medical diagnosis cannot measure a person’s potential. A contemporary controversy over a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis gives that reflection particular urgency, but Deanna’s story remains at its heart. “Once upon a time, there was Deanna.” Listen to discover the life behind those words and the memories her family carries forward. #PlausiblyLive #TheDaveBowmanShow #DownSyndrome #DisabilityAwareness #FamilyStories #SpecialOlympics

    Once Upon a Time (There Was Deanna)

  8. Oct 23

    Not to My Knowledge: Mummies, Money & Missing Common Sense

    Ilhan Omar says “Not to my knowledge,” a Scottish museum needs a mummy’s consent, and somebody in Los Angeles thought feeding a coyote was a good idea. Dave Bowman has questions, coffee, and very little patience for the explanations. On this episode of Plausibly Live – The Dave Bowman Show, Dave takes a skeptical look at Omar’s interview, disputed marriage allegations, financial disclosure questions, and fundraising appeal. Does mentioning an older Toyota Camry answer questions about your finances? Dave would like to call the car as a character witness. Meanwhile, Glasgow’s Kelvingrove museum provides an unexpected lesson in posthumous paperwork, and a Los Angeles toddler’s encounter with a coyote brings the discussion back to the consequences of adult judgment. The reported sledgehammer attack on an Iwo Jima statue in Quantico closes the episode with a veteran and historian’s reflection on memorials, historical stewardship, and what gets lost when connections to the past are damaged. Plus: the original satirical song “Not to My Knowledge,” thoughts on AI music, and memories of Navy security duty under Marine supervision. Listen for the satire, stay for the argument about accountability, and follow Plausibly Live for more independent political commentary with Dave Bowman. This episode includes opinion and satire concerning disputed allegations. Omar denies wrongdoing. #PlausiblyLive #DaveBowman #IlhanOmar #PoliticalCommentary #PoliticalSatire

    Not to My Knowledge: Mummies, Money & Missing Common Sense
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4.8
out of 5
13 Ratings

About

Plausibly Live is where history, politics, culture, and the day’s absurdities collide. Veteran submariner, historian, and longtime radio host Dave Bowman brings sharp analysis, dry humor, and an independent perspective to the stories everyone is discussing, along with a few they ought to be. No slogans, no party-line talking points, and no manufactured outrage. Just thoughtful conversation, historical context, and the occasional rabbit hole.

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