POLITICS

Why the NFL Can't Play on Friday and Saturday (and Other Times Congress Interfered with Football)

This season, the NFL added a weekly Thursday night game, which puts professional football on TV three nights a week. Later on, after the bulk of the college football season is over, Saturday will also be in the mix—but for now, the league has to stay away

8 People Who Played Presidential Candidates in Mock Debates

You’ve probably heard that Barack Obama recruited Massachusetts senator and ketchup-magnate-by-marriage John Kerry to play Mitt Romney in mock debates. But Obama certainly isn’t the first president to fine-tune his skills through pseudo smackdowns. In fac

7 Politicians Who Appeared on Game Shows

As we’ve been seeing lately, everything politicians have done since birth ends up being in the news—especially during election time. Game show appearances are no exception, so check out these seven politico contestants. Some did surprisingly well; others

Westsylvania is just one state that never made the cut.

12 Proposed U.S. States That Didn't Make the Cut

The road to 50 states was littered with wannabes who couldn't wait to declare themselves—but never quite got to full statehood.

9 More 2012 Presidential Candidates

The third party presidential candidates we told you about a couple of weeks ago were only the top of the list of those running for president in 2012. There are plenty more, but as you go down the list, information becomes harder to find. Here are a few th

Adams vs. Jefferson: The Birth of Negative Campaigning in the U.S.

Back in 1776, the dynamic duo had nothing but love and respect for one another. But by 1800, everything had changed.

7 Teenagers Who Were Elected Mayor

You might have to be 35 to run for president, but you can become mayor of a town much, much sooner. Qualifications for the job vary depending on the size of the city and its need, but some ambitious teenagers have stepped up in recent decades and, thanks

15 Third-Party Presidential Candidates

You don't have to read mental_floss to know that President Obama is running for re-election on the Democratic ticket and that Mitt Romney is opposing him on the Republican ticket. However, you might not know about these other political parties and their 2

Schlock the Vote: 22 Ridiculous Convention-Themed Items

This week in Tampa, those attending the 2012 Republican National Convention will exchange far more than plans for adjusting the tax code and adjective-laden riffs relating to the hairstyles of Romney and Ryan. By bringing together an abundance of joyous,

After Elections in Delaware, Politicians Literally Bury Hatchets

The festival started sometime in the late 1700s (it's unclear exactly when) for citizens to gather to learn the outcome of state and national elections. Now it's just an opportunity to hold a festival in the city of Georgetown, complete with a carriage pa

11 Nineteenth-Century VP Candidates Who Vaguely Resemble Famous Actors

In the unlikely event someone wants to make a blockbuster movie about James Polk's vice president or the running mate of the guy who lost to Franklin Pierce, we have the perfect actors. 1. John Breckinridge and Matthew

8 of Adlai Stevenson's Awful 1952 TV Campaign Ads

Are you sick of attack ads, Super PAC ads, and even ads in color? Then let's turn to a cornier, gentler time -- the election of 1952, when the original "Egghead" Adlai Stevenson ran against Eisenhower, running a series of remarkably unremarkable TV ads.

The Most Amusing Images from the SOPA Strike

On January 18th, websites across the internet went on strike to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and the related Protect IP Act (PIPA). Some sites were completely blocked; others added censorship graphics to their banners, and some posted about t

11 Lesser-Known 2012 Presidential Candidates

If you haven't fallen in love with any of this year's candidates, don't worry. Obama, Romney, Paul and company aren't your only options. There are hundreds of people running for president. We've rounded up eleven of them. 1. Vermin Supreme wears a boot o

The Oregon County That's Not in the U.N.

The United States is a charter member of the United Nations, but that doesn't mean the entire U.S. is represented.

This time, it was Aaron Burr who did not throw away his shot.

9 Facts About the Alexander Hamilton-Aaron Burr Duel

The duel between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr is perhaps the most famous duel in United States history.

10 Quirky Things Politicians Do

We elect our Senators and Representatives with the expectation that they'll bring our interests to the legislative process and work to bettering the country. But the truth is, they're not always the most normal people themselves. Here are 10 of the quirki

The actual star-spangled banner is displayed at the National Museum of American History.

10 Things You Need to Know About 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

In 1814, Francis Scott Key saw the tattered remains of the American flag still blowing in the breeze after Fort McHenry had been bombarded by the British all night. The rest, as you probably know, is history.

Ready, Aim, Fire: Scenes From Early American Dueling

Callin' out around the world: are you ready for a brand new beat? Summer's here and the time is right for duelin' in the

You may not recognize his name, but Chase left an indelible mark on American politics.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Salmon Chase

Salmon P. Chase may not be history's most familiar name, but he made quite a mark on American politics.

Mario Cuomo (seated with Hilary Clinton) declined President Bill Clinton's offer for Supreme Court candidacy.

Almost (Really) Famous: 9 Former Supreme Court Candidates

These candidates were almost appointed to the highest court in the land.

9 Shameless Abuses of Diplomatic Immunity

Diplomatic immunity may be intended to keep diplomats from running afoul of local authorities while serving abroad, but some workers take it as a license to act like jerks.

Washington's Shaky Search for a Second Chief Justice

The media is abuzz with speculation about who will get the call from President Obama to fill the seat of retiring Supreme Court Justice David Souter. If everything goes smoothly for the chosen judge, he or she will be quickly confirmed by the Senate and

How Ex-Vice Presidents Make Ends Meet

Here's a look at what former vice presidents have done after leaving office.

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