Candidate Confessional - Defeated Politicians Tell All

Tom Perriello eked out one of the closest wins in the 2008 cycle. But rather than tack to the ideological middle once in office, he chose instead to back virtually all of Obama's big priorities and then defend them vigorously back home. What he discovered is that conviction politics works. But it can still be overwhelmed by obstructionism from the other side.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 1984, Jesse Jackson grew convinced that for black Americans to advance their political causes, they needed a black candidate for president. The problem was, no one wanted to do it. So he took on the task, running a historic campaign for the White House and doing it again four years later. Jackson faced death threats, pushback, and doubt from fellow activists. But he also inspired a generation of politicians, including a guy named Sanders and one named Obama.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Sandra Fluke was called a "slut" by Rush Limbaugh, simply for advocating for insurance coverage of contraception, she faced a choice: step back from the spotlight or fight back. She chose the latter, in the process launching a political career that saw her speak before the Democratic Party's convention in 2012. But when she tried to run for office herself two years later, she discovered that it was trickier than taking on a bombastic radio host.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jeb Bush's campaign for the White House ended far more disastrously than many people predicted. In the latest episode, Bush's communications director, Tim Miller, offers several reasons why. He also offers unique insights and reflections on Jeb's time on the trail: from the early gaffes to the debate showdowns with Donald Trump, to the missed opportunities.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Clay Aiken ran for Congress in 2014, most people assumed it was a vanity project: a former American Idol star trying to hack it in politics. But the campaign became defined by incredibly sensitive issues, from being a gay man in the south to an unexpected death on the trail. Aiken relives his run on this week's episode.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Jon Huntsman's presidential campaign never took off in 2012, despite being the candidate that President Obama feared most. Looking back, the former Utah Governor has several theories why, foremost among them that his Republican Party had grown too angry for a politician like him.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Karl Kassel was recruited to run for a state Senate seat in Alaska, he had no idea just how historic his race would be. Out of 10,000 votes cast, Kassel ended up losing by just four -- one of the closest losses in American electoral history. In the latest Candidate Confessional, he explained all the drama, emotion and, ultimately, heartache that comes with falling just short.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Martin O'Malley brought an impressive resume to his 2016 White House run: a young, former governor with progressive results. But it never seemed to stick. He was overwhelmed by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and overshadowed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). In his first major interview on the race, O'Malley dissects what went wrong and dishes out a bit of blame.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When Anthony Weiner resigned from Congress in 2011, his career in politics appeared over, crushed by a scandal in which he sent lurid tweets and texts. But less than two years later, Weiner surprised many by launching a run for mayor of New York City. It was a tumultuous ride. Weiner briefly led the polls before scandal struck yet again. In the latest Candidate Confessional, he relives the race, and all its emotional highs and lows.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For years Richard Carmona resisted pleas from both parties to run for office. He was a former U.S. Surgeon General under George W. Bush, a one-time police officer and public health administrator. His reputation was sterling and he didn't want to muck it up. When he finally decided to run -- for the U.S. Senate in Arizona as a Democrat in 2012 -- he quickly realized why he had declined all those prior overtures. Simply put: he hated his campaign.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rob Ford, the former mayor of Toronto, is known for many things: an outlandish personality, offensive language, and, of course, the times he was caught smoking crack. He is also a formidable politician who has managed to be elected to office despite these foibles. In the latest podcast, we talk to one of the candidates Ford defeated about just how hard it is to take down the infamous mayor.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) is one of the most dramatic and divisive political figures in modern U.S. history. And when he ran for president in 2012, he didn't disappoint. In the latest Candidate Confessional, Gingrich recounts all the stumbles and triumphs that he endured on the trail. And he shared some sage advice for this year's White House aspirants.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) got along well with the opposition throughout his career. He had good relations with Democrats and appeared on shows like Bill Maher and The Colbert Report. But when he ran for the Senate in 2014, he quickly realized that being mild-mannered -- and even remotely interested in bipartisanship -- was a serious liability.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

During his campaign for mayor of Toledo in 2009, Ben Konop delivered a speech that became Internet lore. Appearing on the street where his mom grew up, he was booed, mercilessly, by a man sitting on a nearby porch. The video went viral, viewed 850,000 times on YouTube and lampooned by South Park. In the latest episode, Konop details that excruciating moment and how he moved beyond it.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before he became an MSNBC personality; before he became chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele ran for the U.S. Senate in Maryland. One of the best known African-American Republicans in the country, he nearly won. But he was done in by a terrible cycle for his party (thanks, George W. Bush) and, he argues, some subtle and not-so-subtle racism on the trail.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tim Pawlenty had everything a Republican presidential candidate should have. He was a governor with a blue-collar conservative brand and the best operatives in the business. But his campaign for the White House in 2012 is remembered now for a poor showing in a straw poll, a major debate flub, and a swift exit. In this episode, he explains why everything went so wrong, so quickly.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Wendy Davis became an icon in 2013 when she stood on the floor of the Texas Senate for nearly 13 hours to beat back anti-abortion legislation. Although the legislation ultimately passed, the moment catapulted her to national stardom and paved the way for a run for governor. It didn't go as planned. Her campaign proved to be a brutal reality check for those who hoped to turn a deep red state, purple. She tells that story in vivid detail.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Mitt Romney's run for the White House in 2012 featured incredible highs (a boffo debate performance against Barack Obama) and excruciating lows (a widely-panned trip abroad). Behind it all was Stu Stevens, his senior strategist. In this episode, Stevens details those and other episodes as well as the pain Romney's high-profile defeat caused him.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Former Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) was one of most provocative conservative in Congress. She parlayed that reputation into a brief stint as a frontrunner for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination. It didn't last long. In this episode, she recounts how her campaign fell apart as well as some of the more unsavory moments of life on the trail.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the 2004 campaign, Howard Dean went from being a little known governor of Vermont to a leading Democratic presidential candidate, surging on his opposition to the Iraq war. And then, it all came crashing down, culminating in his infamous scream speech in Iowa. Twelve years later, Dean recounts in detail his rise and what precipitated his fall.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.