Axelbank Reports History and Today

#57: Ken Ellingwood - "First to Fall"

September 07, 2021 04:00 - 58 minutes - 40.5 MB

We are back! Enjoy our first episode of the Fall as we talk with longtime journalist Ken Ellingwood about his new book, "First to Fall: Elijah Lovejoy and the Fight for a Free Press in the Age of Slavery." Lovejoy was an ardent abolitionist who used his mighty pen to demand an end to America's "original sin." Elllingwood's biography brings Lovejoy scholarship into the modern era with a vivid description of how Lovejoy, an up-and-coming newspaper publisher in the 1830s, battled terrorists wh...

An Announcement - We’ll Be Back!

July 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 minute - 1.36 MB

Hello folks - Just letting you know that our show is taking a hiatus until Labor Day. It's for the best possible reason: my family has been blessed with a new baby. I am trying to spend as much time with my wife and daughter as we adjust to our new lives, so our next episode won't go live until September 7th. We already have several tapings scheduled and new books on the way. So hang tight, we will see you soon. Please be safe and healthy. ***Also, for you Patreon subscribers, please know...

#56: Edward Achorn - "The Summer of Beer and Whiskey"

July 06, 2021 04:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MB

What's better than having a beer at a ballpark on a beautiful Sunday afternoon? Check out this episode with Pulitzer Prize Finalist Edward Achorn, as he explains the life of Chris von Der Ahe, the baseball owner who made that feeling possible. Achorn's book, "The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America's Game," explains how the summer of 1883 became the pivotal one in baseball history. Beforehand, he says baseball...

#55: Kate Masur - "Until Justice Be Done"

June 29, 2021 04:00 - 53 minutes - 37 MB

We are all familiar with images of the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s: fire hoses, the Edmund Pettus Bridge, of Martin Luther King exclaiming, "I have a dream." Ultimately, that Civil Rights Movement led to advances like the order to desegregate schools, the Civil Rights Act, and the Voting Rights Act. But that was not the first time Black Americans demanded equality. Dr. Kate Masur's book, "Until Justice Be Done: America's First Civil Rights Movement, From the Revolution to Reconstruc...

#54: Thomas Dyja: "New York, New York, New York"

June 22, 2021 04:00 - 54 minutes - 37.4 MB

New York is so nice, they named it twice. So why did Thomas Dyja give the title of his forty-year history of the Big Apple THREE “New Yorks? “ On this episode, he takes us on a journey through the last forty years of NYC's triumphs, troubles, discord and devastation. Starting in the fires of the late 1970s, he explains how Ed Koch's "I love New York" became a mantra the city eventually lived up to. He explores how both racial discord and dropping crime under David Dinkins fueled Rudy Giul...

#53: Heather Cox Richardson - "Letters From an American"

June 15, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 43.6 MB

On this episode, we talk with Dr. Heather Cox Richardson, the author of the wildly popular "Letters from an American: A Newsletter About the History Behind Today's Politics," which is seen by over a million people every night. We not only discuss history, but why it is important to be historically literate as we try to understand what has become a firehose of news. She explains how she writes her daily "Letters" and why the project has gone on for much longer than she first predicted. Dr. Ri...

#52: Michael Burlingame - "An American Marriage"

June 08, 2021 04:00 - 59 minutes - 41 MB

Presidential marriages are subjects of intense fascination. How do they impact political history? Government policy? Is a scandal brewing? When it comes to Abraham Lincoln to Mary Todd, Dr. Michael Burlingame - one of America's most prolific Lincoln scholars - argues their marriage is ripe for answers to all three questions. Listen as we discuss his new book, "An American Marriage: The Untold Story of Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd," and how their relationship changed both people, as well a...

#51: Serena Zabin - "The Boston Massacre"

June 01, 2021 04:00 - 53 minutes - 36.7 MB

On this episode, we talk with Dr. Serena Zabin about her groundbreaking book, "The Boston Massacre: A Family History." She explains why we have misunderstood the landmark event in America's founding as a battle between two sides. Rather, she argues, the Boston Massacre was an intimate moment among members of a community. Revolutionary-era Boston was a place where intermingling was unavoidable and where colonists, British soldiers and the enslaved were swept into a tide of events that led to ...

#50: Zachary Schrag - "The Fires of Philadelphia"

May 25, 2021 04:00 - 52 minutes - 36 MB

Philadelphia is where America made its sacred pledge that "all men are created equal." Though there are many ways that pledge has not been fulfilled, one of the most striking came in Philadelphia, seventy years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. Dr. Zachary Schrag's book, "The Fires of Philadelphia: Citizen-Soldiers, Nativists, and the 1844 Riots Over the Soul of the Nation" explains how the city containing Independence Hall became a hotbed of ethnic violence. Nativists did ev...

#49: Vincent DiGirolamo - "Crying the News"

May 18, 2021 04:00 - 46 minutes - 32.3 MB

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!! Baruch professor Dr. Vincent DiGirolamo is here to talk about his fascinating book, "Crying the News: A History of America's Newsboys." He explains how they became an integral part of American life, journalism and of the history of labor. The boys had to be industrious and competitive, eager but wary of those hoping to abuse them. They slept in newspaper offices, battled for turf and even blazed a trail for those hoping to make more money for their hard work...

#48: Paul Kendrick - "Nine Days"

May 11, 2021 04:00 - 59 minutes - 41.1 MB

Martin Luther King Jr. was sitting in jail, and the presidential campaigns of John Kennedy and Richard Nixon had no idea what - if anything - to do about it. Paul and Stephen Kendrick's new book, "Nine Days: The Race to Save Martin Luther King Jr's Life and Win the 1960 Election," explains how that moment became a watershed. Black voters in southern states had voted Republican, and Richard Nixon boasted of the better connection with some of the most prominent African Americans in the country...

#47: Glenn Stout - "Tiger Girl and the Candy Kid"

May 04, 2021 04:00 - 45 minutes - 31.3 MB

They were "Bonnie and Clyde" before Bonnie and Clyde was a thing. We talk with prolific author Glenn Stout about his new book, "Tiger Girl and the Candy Kid: America's Original Gangster Couple. Richard and Margaret Whittemore came of age as jazz was taking over America, and they set themselves on taking diamonds. Stout explains how pop culture of the Roaring 20s created the Whittmore's organized crime ring, and how the young lovers then became part of that very culture. His beautiful and fa...

#46: Annette Gordon-Reed - "On Juneteenth"

April 27, 2021 06:00 - 47 minutes - 32.9 MB

For this week's episode, we are delighted to welcome one of America's most important scholars, Annette Gordon-Reed. Her Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "The Hemingses of Monticello," explores the lives of Sally Hemings, Thomas Jefferson, and how their secret union defines America. We spoke with the professor about her new book, "On Juneteenth," which is a reflection on her upbringing in Texas and how the sacred holiday was first celebrated in Galveston. From the moment on June 19th, 1865, when...

#45: Dov Waxman - "Trouble in the Tribe"

April 20, 2021 05:00 - 51 minutes - 35.6 MB

In his book, "Trouble in the Tribe: The American Jewish Conflict Over Israel," Dr. Dov Waxman explains how criticizing Israel is no longer the third rail of being an American Jew. At one time, criticizing Israel was off limits, seen as essential to preserving the nation that was seen as a refuge for a group of people who were perennially under siege. Today, there is no conflict that divides American Jews more than Israel itself, and perhaps no bigger foreign policy debate in the United State...

#44: Megan Kate Nelson - "The Three Cornered War"

April 13, 2021 04:00 - 58 minutes - 40.3 MB

Learn about the Civil War from a whole new perspective. Dr. Megan Kate Nelson explains why you can't fully understand America's pivotal moment without grasping the role the West played in both the Union and Confederate sides. Her book, "The Three Cornered War: The Union, the Confederacy and Native Peoples in the Fight for the West," explores how the West became critical not only in the strategy of the war, but in the imagination of Washington and Richmond. She describes how Native peoples, M...

#43: Jamal Greene - "How Rights Went Wrong"

April 06, 2021 05:00 - 54 minutes - 37.5 MB

We talk with Jamal Greene about his book, "How Rights Went Wrong: Why Our Obsession with Rights is Tearing America Apart." He explains how courts have allowed disputes over rights to become zero-sum games that make future compromise impossible. Because of poorly-reasoned court decisions, where the content of the dispute is ignored in favor of literal readings of law, Professor Greene argues fights over abortion, education, homosexuality and guns have left each side to consider the other unwo...

#42: Jonathan Cohn - "The Ten Year War: Obamacare"

March 30, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 41.8 MB

Obamacare was THE political war of the last generation. Huffington Post reporter and longtime health care journalist Jonathan Cohn explains why that war happened and how it tore our nation apart. His new book, "The Ten Year War: Obamacare and the Unfinished Crusade for Universal Coverage," explains how then-President Obama decided to go for it, and how the opposition to it coalesced. But was it centered on dislike of the law, or dislike for the driving force behind it? Barack Obama wound up ...

#41: David Head - "A Crisis of Peace"

March 23, 2021 05:00 - 56 minutes - 38.5 MB

We talk with Dr. David Head about his book, "A Crisis of Peace: George Washington, the Newburgh Conspiracy, and the Fate of the American Revolution." Much like today, Revolutionary America was awash in conspiracy theories. As the War came to an end, fears of a coup rose as soldiers upset over their lack of pay seemed to be on the verge of taking drastic action. Head describes how Washington's masterful political skills calmed tensions and helped avoid a disastrous rift between the rank-and-f...

#40: Julia Cooke - "Come Fly the World"

March 16, 2021 04:00 - 48 minutes - 33.6 MB

Come on an adventure! We talk with author Julia Cooke about her book, "Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am." She describes the lives of stewardesses - to use the vernacular of the day - as they embark on a career that gave them limitless opportunity to see the world. But they also endure endless sexism and are well aware that their opportunities will be limited to the role they signed on for. They become symbolic of the airline itself as they take part in the sexual ...

#39: Eric Rauchway - "Winter War"

March 09, 2021 06:00 - 1 hour - 42.5 MB

We speak with Dr. Eric Rauchway about his book, "Winter War: Hoover, Roosevelt and the First Clash Over the New Deal." American history is filled with turning points: Obama to Trump, Clinton to Bush, Carter to Reagan, Eisenhower to Kennedy. But Rauchway argues few compare to the transition from Hoover to FDR. In 1932, America was embroiled in the Great Depression and watching the rise of fascism abroad. After Hoover became a Lame Duck, Rauchway argues the outgoing president did his best to f...

#38: Cathryn Prince - "Queen of the Mountaineers"

March 02, 2021 05:00 - 42 minutes - 29.3 MB

In this episode, we talk with Cathryn Prince, the author of, "Queen of the Mountaineers: The Trailblazing Life of Fanny Bullock Workman." Workman was a record-setting mountain-climber who set records as well as she advocated for women's rights. She became famous for her rivalry with a fellow female climber, and for advocating for the right to vote. Prince explains how the feminist spent her life learning to climb mountains in less-than-ideal situations... and outfits! Born in the late 1850s...

#37: Kyle Riismandel - "Neighborhood of Fear"

February 23, 2021 05:00 - 46 minutes - 32 MB

We speak with Dr. Kyle Riismandel about his book, "Neighborhood of Fear: The Suburban Crisis in American Culture, 1975-2001." Suburbia is billed as the safe, quiet place to raise a family. But the New Jersey Institute of Technology profess argues that during the 70s and 80s, they became rife with social disfunction. Fear was the dominant factor as relatively wealthy neighborhoods wielded political power to try to maintain safety residents had been seeking. As fear of kidnappings, shootings,...

#36: Wendy Lower - "The Ravine"

February 16, 2021 05:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MB

We speak with Dr. Wendy Lower about her new book, "The Ravine: A Family, a Photograph, a Holocaust Massacre Revealed." She explains how she found the rare photograph of a Jewish family in the act of being killed during the Holocaust, and how she tried to track down everyone and everything captured in the scene. Most don't realize that while photo documentation of what happened in the Holocaust is extensive - especially upon liberation of the death camps - there are very few photos of the awf...

#35: William Sturkey - "Hattiesburg"

February 09, 2021 06:00 - 49 minutes - 33.9 MB

We talk with Dr. William Sturkey about his incredible study, "Hattiesburg: An American City in Black and White." His book explores how the history of Hattiesburg, MS, is critical to understanding America's history of racism and white supremacy. He also explains how conflict and reconciliation in Hattiesburg foreshadowed today's battle for racial justice. Hattiesburg was founded as Reconstruction is failing, and becomes a place where whites and Blacks collide in the push and pull over the rig...

#34: Jennifer Armstrong - "Seinfeldia"

February 02, 2021 05:00 - 55 minutes - 38.2 MB

We promise this won't be a podcast about nothing! Join us, as we talk with Jennifer Armstrong, the author of the New York Times Bestseller, "Seinfeldia: How a Show About Nothing Changed Everything." Jennifer explains how Jerry Seinfeld created "Seinfeld," and how the brilliant Larry David created a world inside of a world inside of a world! She explains why "Seinfeldia" is actually a place, a place where we can explore the "gaps in society," as Seinfeld once put it. How much do you tip a ch...

#33: Richard Bell - "Stolen"

January 26, 2021 06:00 - 48 minutes - 33.2 MB

We talk with Richard Bell about his prizewinning book, "Stolen: Five Free Boys Kidnapped Into Slavery and Their Astonishing Odyssey Home." It explains how five boys in Philadelphia were abducted by slave smugglers and taken to the Deep South, away from their families, and forced into slavery. Bell writes not only about their horrific journey, but about how they were the lucky few who ever made it back to freedom. Their families and their community never stopped thinking about and fighting fo...

#32: Kate Andersen Brower - "The Residence"

January 19, 2021 06:00 - 45 minutes - 31.6 MB

As America watches the inauguration of the 46th president, we talk with presidential historian Kate Anderson Brower about her book, "The Residence: Inside the Private World of The White House." After Donald Trump vacates the White House, but before the Bidens arrive, an incredible symphony will be going on in the West Wing. Members of the permanent White House staff will be removing the Trumps' belongings and installing the Bidens' personal effects. Everything from the Oval Office to the pre...

#31: Edward Achorn - "Every Drop of Blood"

January 12, 2021 05:00 - 52 minutes - 35.9 MB

We talk with Pulitzer Prize finalist Edward Achorn about his book, "Every Drop of Blood: The Momentous Second Inauguration of Abraham Lincoln." He explains how Lincoln sought to bind the nation's wounds after the bloodiest years in its history. Lincoln's unique ability to understand both politics and public sentiment allowed him to write and deliver one of the greatest speeches in American history. Not only did Lincoln use beautiful language, but he made it clear that the war had been fought...

#30: Matthew Algeo - "The President is a Sick Man

January 05, 2021 05:00 - 43 minutes - 30.2 MB

We talk with noted author Matthew Algeo about his book, "The President is a Sick Man: Wherein the Supposedly Virtuous Grover Cleveland Survives A Secret Surgery At Sea and Villifies The Courageous Newspaperman Who Dared Expose the Truth." In what has to be considered one of the biggest scandals in presidential history, Grover Cleveland and a batch of physicians stole away from the White House and boarded a yacht, where the president then endured a surgery to remove cancer from the roof of hi...

#29: Harold Holzer - "The Presidents vs. The Press"

December 29, 2020 05:00 - 59 minutes - 40.7 MB

One of America's most formidable historians, Harold Holzer, discusses his newest book, "The Presidents vs. The Press: The Endless Battle Between the White House and the Media, from the Founding Fathers to Fake News." He explains how presidents from Washington to Trump have not only been disappointed in the coverage they get, but in how they tried to squash stories they didn't like. He explains how even America's greatest presidents went out of their way to discredit and even suppress fair co...

#28: A'Lelia Bundles - "On Her Own Ground"

December 22, 2020 05:00 - 42 minutes - 29.4 MB

We talk with A'Lelia Bundles, the author of, "On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam CJ Walker." Her biography of her own great-great grandmother explains how Madam CJ Walker became the first female self-made millionaire in the United States. Battling both racism and sexism, Walker became a giant of American business through her perseverance and ingenuity. Bundles explains how Walker, a daughter of slaves, became a genius of marketing, while also protesting across the country for soc...

#27: Neal Gabler - "Catching the Wind"

December 15, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 46.6 MB

We talk with Neal Gabler about his book, "Catching the Wind: Edward Kennedy and the Liberal Hour, 1932-1975." Neal explains how Ted Kennedy's beginnings were different from his famed brothers, partly because their personalities were different, but also because they grew up during different times altogether. He explains how one of the most effective and longest-serving senators of all time started in politics, but also how the politics of the moment shaped him. In this first of two volumes, G...

#26: Catherine Grace Katz - "The Daughters of Yalta"

December 08, 2020 05:00 - 50 minutes - 34.8 MB

We talk with counterintelligence expert Catherine Grace Katz about her book, "The Daughters of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War." She explains how what some call, "The Most Important Meeting of All Time," featured not just Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin, but also the daughters of FDR, Churchill and Averell Harriman. They brought them to Crimea not for sightseeing, but for their expertise and companionship. Katz explains how the...

#25: Jonathan Alter - "His Very Best"

December 01, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 46.5 MB

We talk with prominent historian and political commentator Jonathan Alter about his new biography of Jimmy Carter, "His Very Best." Alter explains why it's time to reassess Carter's presidency, in that it's political difficulties should not mar its long-term policy gains. From the 1978 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty, to the environment, to human rights to normalizing relations with China, Alter argues that the caricature of Carter as a failure is too simple. Alter also describes how the 39th pres...

#24: Erika Lee - "America for Americans"

November 24, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 47.6 MB

We talk with Dr. Erika Lee about her book, "America for Americans: A History of Xenophobia in the United States." Some say America is a place for anyone and everyone. We learn in elementary school that America was started by people seeking a new life, where they could have religious freedom, that it is a place that accepts, "poor, huddled masses." But at the same time, there is talk of border security, of legal immigrants, of undocumented immigrants, of which countries we should accept immi...

#23: David Maraniss - "Barack Obama: The Story"

November 16, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 42.8 MB

This episode is the perfect companion to Barack Obama's new autobiography, "A Promised Land." We talk with one of America's greatest writers, David Maraniss, about his stunning biography of Barack Obama. "The Story," explores not only Obama's early years, but his background that makes him the quintessential American. Maraniss argues that Obama's upbringing left him yearning for stability and for an answer to the question: Who am I? His biography traces both sides of Obama's family. How d...

#22: Wayne Coffey - "They Said It Couldn't Be Done"

November 10, 2020 05:00 - 48 minutes - 33.3 MB

We talk with prolific sportswriter Wayne Coffey about his book, "They Said It Couldn't Be Done: The '69 Mets, New York City, and the Most Astounding Season in Baseball History." The longtime New York Daily News writer explains how the Mets shocked the world during a time of social upheaval and scientific discovery. The Mets went from worst-to-first just as the United States blasted off for the moon and found itself buried in the quagmire of Vietnam. Their hometown was going through tremendou...

#21: Matt Grossmann - Election Analysis

November 05, 2020 17:00 - 33 minutes - 23.3 MB

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Matt Grossmann, the author of, "Red State Blues: How the Conservative Revolution Stalled in the States." He is a political scientist and contributor to fivethirtyeight.com, so he is perfect to dissect the results of the presidential election and our increasingly fractured and contentious political landscape. What is causing our divisions? Why do things feel so hopeless? What are the impacts of our increased polarization and second-by-second media environment...

#20: Jeremi Suri - "The Impossible Presidency"

October 27, 2020 05:00 - 41 minutes - 28.6 MB

On the sixth and final episode in our series on the presidency, University of Texas professor Dr. Jeremi Suri discusses his book, "The Impossible Presidency: The Rise and Fall of America's Highest Office." He explains how the position was created, and how early occupants unwittingly set precedents that would lead to the job of president becoming too big to succeed. He explains how the slew of presidential responsibilities, from domestic and foreign policy, the economy, acting as the head of ...

#18: A.J. Baime - "Dewey Defeats Truman"

October 20, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 35 MB

Our fifth episode in our series on the presidency features A.J. Baime and his book, "Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America's Soul." Baime explains how President Truman revived his political fortunes with the most aggressive campaign in American history. He embarks on a "Whistlestop Tour" pledging to visit every county in the country. The "common man" president insists that victory is inevitable, even though the newspaper pundits considered him a goner. Baime desc...

#19: A.J. Baime - "Dewey Defeats Truman"

October 20, 2020 04:00 - 50 minutes - 35 MB

Our fifth episode in our series on the presidency features A.J. Baime and his book, "Dewey Defeats Truman: The 1948 Election and the Battle for America's Soul." Baime explains how President Truman revived his political fortunes with the most aggressive campaign in American history. He embarks on a "Whistlestop Tour" pledging to visit every county in the country. The "common man" president insists that victory is inevitable, even though the newspaper pundits considered him a goner. Baime desc...

#18: Special Episode - Ten Questions with Professor Buzzkill

October 15, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 48.8 MB

In this special episode, we speak with one of history's most prolific podcasters, "Professor Buzzkill." Without a doubt, he is among the most listened-to history podcasters on the World Wide Web. His show influences all of us who have taken to this medium to discuss history. We asked each other ten questions about our shows, history, podcasting technique and our favorite books. His show is available at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/professor-buzzkill/id980285277?mt=2 His website ...

SPECIAL EPISODE!! Ten Questions with Professor Buzzkill!!

October 15, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 48.8 MB

In this special episode, we speak with one of history's most prolific podcasters, "Professor Buzzkill." Without a doubt, he is among the most listened-to history podcasters on the World Wide Web. His show influences all of us who have taken to this medium to discuss history. We asked each other ten questions about our shows, history, podcasting technique and our favorite books. His show is available at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/professor-buzzkill/id980285277?mt=2 His website ...

#17: Lindsay Chervinsky - "The Cabinet"

October 13, 2020 06:00 - 46 minutes - 31.7 MB

Our fourth episode in our series on the presidency is with Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, the author of, "The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution." Her book explains how early political battles led George Washington to create the cabinet as a board of advisors representing each of the Federal departments. She argues that although the cabinet itself is not explicitly called for in the Constitution, that George Washington recognized how important it was to soothe d...

#16: Stephen Knott - "The Lost Soul of the American Presidency"

October 06, 2020 04:00 - 39 minutes - 27.2 MB

Our third episode in our series on the presidency is with Dr. Stephen Knott, the author of, "The Lost Soul of the American Presidency: The Decline Into Demagoguery and the Prospects for Renewal." His book explains how presidents have promised too much in an effort to "stir the passions" of the American people. He argues that lofty rhetoric, while great at helping candidates win votes, is seldom matched by actual accomplishment. Dr. Knott explains that demagogues lead to a "tyranny of the ma...

#15: Steven Levingston - "Barack and Joe"

September 29, 2020 06:00 - 41 minutes - 28.6 MB

Our series on the presidency begins with two biographical episodes of the major-party candidates. For our episode on Joe Biden, we interviewed Steven Levingston, the author of, "Barack and Joe." As opposed to analyzing every step of his political career, Levingston's book examined Biden through his relationship with the man who selected him to be vice president in 2008. Levingston explains how they go from being very different types of senators (one young and reserved, the other older and ...

#15: James Poniewozik - "Audience of One"

September 29, 2020 06:00 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MB

Our series on the presidency begins with two biographical episodes of the major-party candidates. For our episode on Donald Trump, we interviewed James Poniewozik, the author of, "Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television and the Fracturing of America." As opposed to criticizing or applauding his presidency (which you can find anywhere), Poniewozik discusses Donald Trump through the defining medium of his life: television. He describes how Trump honed his TV skills in creating what Poniew...

#14: Steven Levingston - "Barack and Joe"

September 29, 2020 06:00 - 41 minutes - 28.6 MB

Our series on the presidency begins with two biographical episodes of the major-party candidates. For our episode on Joe Biden, we interviewed Steven Levingston, the author of, "Barack and Joe." As opposed to analyzing every step of his political career, Levingston's book examined Biden through his relationship with the man who selected him to be vice president in 2008. Levingston explains how they go from being very different types of senators (one young and reserved, the other older and ...

#14: James Poniewozik - "Audience of One"

September 29, 2020 06:00 - 55 minutes - 38.5 MB

Our series on the presidency begins with two biographical episodes of the major-party candidates. For our episode on Donald Trump, we interviewed James Poniewozik, the author of, "Audience of One: Donald Trump, Television and the Fracturing of America." As opposed to criticizing or applauding his presidency (which you can find anywhere), Poniewozik discusses Donald Trump through the defining medium of his life: television. He describes how Trump honed his TV skills in creating what Poniew...

#13: Benjamin Railton - "Of Thee I Sing"

September 24, 2020 06:00 - 54 minutes - 37.2 MB

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Benjamin Railton about his book, "Of Thee I Sing: The Contested History of American Patriotism." We explore the roots of patriotism, how patriotism is weaponized politically and how we should react internally to forms of patriotism or protest that we may not agree with. Dr. Railton explains how patriotism has evolved and what key events have led to changes in how symbols are perceived. We also discuss the impact of Sept. 11th and how President Trump has atte...

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