Episode 961: Bob Crawford on John Quincy Adams

Episode 961: Bob Crawford on John Quincy Adams

From Newt's World by Gingrich 360

March 29, 2026 · 47 min

About this episode

Newt Gingrich interviews Bob Crawford about the life and legacy of John Quincy Adams, exploring his political career and personal history.

Newt talks with Bob Crawford, Grammy-nominated bassist for The Avett Brothers, and author of, “America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick.” They discuss the life and legacy of John Quincy Adams, emphasizing his role as a statesman whose career spanned diplomacy, the presidency, and 17 years in Congress after leaving the White House. They highlight his upbringing in the extraordinary Adams family, including the intellectual influence of his mother Abigail Adams and his early witness to the Battle of Bunker Hill. They discuss his achievements as a leading diplomat and Secretary of State, his controversial one-term presidency marked by the “corrupt bargain” election of 1824 and fierce populist opposition from Andrew Jackson, and his later transformation into a congressional maverick who defied his party and the pro-slavery bloc. They also discuss his Supreme Court victory in the Amistad case, where he secured freedom for enslaved Africans by appealing to due process and the principles of the Declaration of Independence, a moment portrayed as his personal and public redemption. His lifelong habit of keeping a massive…

People in this episode

Host: Newt

Guest: Bob Crawford

Topics covered

  • American history
  • politics
  • diplomacy
  • presidency
  • Congress

Keywords

  • John Quincy Adams
  • Abigail Adams
  • Battle of Bunker Hill
  • corrupt bargain
  • Amistad case
  • diary
  • political maverick
  • Secretary of State
  • Congress
  • populist opposition

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Grammy, America’s Founding Son: John Quincy Adams, from President to Political Maverick, the Declaration of Independence

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