Maney has been interviewed by NPR five times in the past few months, mostly on political topics, and the network is plying him for more ideas for future segments.

"What I really like about it is that you reach millions of people in one broadcast. Nothing I've ever written or likely will ever write will attract that kind of audience," said Maney, whose book, The Roosevelt Presence (University of California Press, 1998), enjoyed immense acclaim.

NPR's first interview with Maney focused on last year's GOP convention, specifically the history of the GOP party and its relationship with African-American voters. NPR came calling again after Election Day to get Maney's historical views on close elections. A few months later, Maney was talking with NPR about the history of inaugural addresses.

Because all of those segments went so well, NPR producers prodded Maney to come up with other topics on which he had expertise. That led to a special segment about the 14,000-plus songs written about FDR, the president with whom Maney is probably most familiar. After that, NPR had Maney on the air again, this time discussing the concept of a president's first 100 days in office, a benchmark that Maney considers obsolete.

What has this new-found fame meant?

"I've heard from people all over the country, including long lost friends like my high school English teacher in 1965," Maney said. "It's been good for me and good press for the University."

It's also been a lot of work: Maney spent hour upon hour of research for each of his 8-to-12-minute NPR segments. He'd better get used to it, though--NPR producers have all but promised they'll be calling on him again.