Hello and welcome to this day in esoteric political history from Radiotopia.

My name is Jody Avergan.

Welcome to our election Sunday edition. This day is August 9th and on this day in

1848 the Free Soil Party nominated former President Martin Van Buren for its

presidential ticket so Van Buren for its presidential ticket.

So Van Buren had been president, obviously he had founded the Democratic Party,

but now he was on a third party ticket.

The Free Soil Party's main purpose ostensibly was opposing the expansion of slavery into the Western

Territories acquired after the war with Mexico.

The party did not last long, but it had a big influence, the velvet underground of late 19th century political parties here to discuss the

free sale party Martin Van Buren and lots more is as always Nicole Hammer of Columbia

hello Nicki hi jody I guess we got to start with your first comment at the top of our prep doc is where we're going to start,

which is you want to talk about Martin Van Vuren's mutton chops?

I do.

I think that they're probably the most important fact about him they were glorious they stood out you know by the end there like

several inches from his face and yeah not not length but also just like there's some real topography going on there.

Yeah, like volume, I think is really important here.

And you should know, interesting fact, he was only five foot six, so you can imagine like this kind of glorious cloud of hair

that encapsulated his head was a real form of presence

for someone who was quite a small man.

Five foot six though was like, you know, he could be a basketball center back in

1848 at 5 foot 6.

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