pplpod Episode 51 tracks John Tyler’s unlikely ascent—from Virginia lawyer and states’ rights stalwart to the first vice president to assume the presidency after a death in office. We trace the 1840 Whig ticket triumph, Harrison’s sudden passing, and Tyler’s hard constitutional stance that he was President—not acting—setting a precedent that would shape the office forever. Inside the storm: bank-bill vetoes, a cabinet walkout, expulsion from the Whig Party, and a bruising fight over federal power, tariffs, and internal improvements. Abroad, we cover the Webster–Ashburton Treaty’s border diplomacy and the endgame push that brought Texas into the union via joint resolution. We close on the contradictions—limited-government creed vs. executive will—and the final chapter: a former U.S. president aligning with secession in 1861. Process, principle, and a presidency defined by saying no.

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