Freak Out and Carry On
41 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★ - 185 ratingsFreak Out and Carry On, WBUR's politics and history podcast, addresses the urgent issues of our time through the lens of history. Hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and journalist Ron Suskind and noted Boston College historian Heather Cox Richardson, the podcast examines the national political landscape and dives into the historical context. New episodes available every Thursday.
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Episodes
Freak Out And Carry On Presents: Endless Thread's "The Scream"
November 18, 2021 16:20 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBWe thought Freak Out And Carry On listeners might be interested in what's new at the iLab. That's why we're dropping a special episode of our podcast Endless Thread into the feed this week. This is an episode of Endless Thread's new season all about memes and the untold stories behind them. In "The Scream," we tell the story behind the scream heard 'round the world when Donald Trump was inaugurated in 2017. If you typed “inauguration” into your web browser anytime between 2017 and 2020, you ...
Freak Out And Carry On Presents: Anything For Selena
October 29, 2020 18:35 - 5 minutes - 4.61 MBListen to the trailer for "Anything For Selena," a new podcast from WBUR and Futuro Studios coming in January 2021. Subscribe now so you don't miss it! About The Show: On March 31, 1995, nine-year-old Maria Garcia came home to find her mother glued to the TV, tears rolling down her rosy cheeks. The phone kept ringing. Relatives in Mexico and the States wanted to know if Maria’s family was watching, too. American networks and Mexican programming aired the same top story. Selena Quintanilla,...
The Final Episode
February 15, 2018 22:31 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBRon and Heather wrap up Freak Out and Carry On, reviewing the year that was. Thanks to all our listeners!
The Rule Of Law
February 08, 2018 22:11 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBBenjamin Wittes, from Lawfare, and Jonathan Rauch, from The Atlantic discuss their article "Boycott the Republican Party", the repercussions of the Nunes memo, and their faith in the Mueller investigation.
'A Doozy' Of A State Of A Union
February 01, 2018 20:49 - 26 minutes - 24 MBHow does Trump's speech compare to those of Nixon, Reagan, Clinton and Bush? When did presidents begin inviting guests whose story they include in their speech?
A New Progressive Era
January 25, 2018 22:03 - 25 minutes - 23.2 MBThe passion of the woman's march, the origins of the new populism on the left, Teddy Roosevelt's political transformation in 1884.
Who Should Be Let Into America?
January 19, 2018 00:39 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBThis week on Freak Out And Carry On, Ron Suskind and Heather Cox Richardson talk with Tom Gjelten, of NPR. They discuss President Trump's ideas about immigration, and how they fit into the long debate over which people are allowed to come to America.
The Reality Show In The White House
January 11, 2018 19:37 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBRon Suskind and Heather Cox Richardson talk with Julian Zelizer, Professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. They discuss the debate around President Trump's mental fitness, the history of the 25th amendment, and whether or not Oprah should run for president in 2020.
President Trump, Steve Bannon And The Legacy Of 1968
January 04, 2018 23:50 - 34 minutes - 31.6 MBA look at the public feud between Steve Bannon and President Trump, the political forecast for the new year and possible parallels between 2018 and 1968.
Trump's First Year, In Review
December 21, 2017 23:01 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBAmy Siskind details the most important norms broken by President Trump in 2017, from attacking the media to befriending dictators.
Doug Jones And The "Crackup Of The Trump Voter Coalition"
December 14, 2017 22:15 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBCarol Anderson, author of "White Rage", and Jack Hitt, host of the podcast "Uncivil", join the show to discuss the upset in the Alabama senate race.
Will The Republican Tax Plan Contribute To Inequality?
December 07, 2017 23:21 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBThe tax bill is "going to give a lot of money to people who already have a lot of money" says Jim Tankersley.
The Latest On The Russia Investigation, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
November 30, 2017 21:03 - 27 minutes - 25.4 MBBrian Klaas join the show to discuss the possible cooperation of Michael Flynn. They also look at the ongoing leadership crisis at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and compare it to the leadership crisis at the Department of War under President Andrew Johnson.
From Nixon To Turkeys, A Look At Pardons
November 21, 2017 22:02 - 23 minutes - 21.4 MBRon and Heather talk with Andrew Rudalevige, Professor of Government at Bowdoin College. They discuss presidential pardons throughout history and examine whether President Trump could pardon himself.
All The President's Judges
November 16, 2017 22:43 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBRon and Heather talk with Alicia Bannon, senior counsel at the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice about President Trump's controversial judicial nominees, the history of the Federalist Society and suggest reforms to the American courts system.
Politics And Trump In The Age Of #MeToo
November 09, 2017 17:49 - 26 minutes - 24.4 MBRon and Heather talk with Ellen Fitzpatrick, history professor at the University of New Hampshire about recent sexual harassment allegations against men in the media, Hollywood and politics.
Mueller Strikes
November 02, 2017 16:44 - 32 minutes - 29.4 MBRon and Heather talk with Michael Isikoff, chief investigative correspondent for Yahoo News. They discuss the indictments of Paul Manafort, the guilty plea of George Papadopoulos, and comparisons to Richard Nixon and James Buchanan.
Is Our Electoral Process Broken?
October 26, 2017 20:39 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBRecorded in front of a live audience, Ron and Heather talk with Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig. They discuss reforming the electoral college, the gerrymandering case in front of the Supreme Court, and how to get money out of politics.
From Thomas Jefferson To Mike Pence — The Power Of The Vice President
October 19, 2017 21:55 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBRon and Heather talk with Barbara Perry, director of Presidential Studies at the University of Virginia's Miller Center. They discuss the new profile of Vice President Mike Pence in The New Yorker and look at the power -- or lack thereof -- of vice presidents, from Thomas Jefferson to Dick Cheney.
What Happens After Trump?
October 12, 2017 20:38 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBRon and Heather talk with Norm Ornstein, on his new book "One Nation After Trump" They discuss what lasting effects the Trump presidency will have on the government, Senator Bob Corker's criticism of the president, and the similarities between former Louisiana governor and congressman Huey Long and Donald Trump.
Trump Faces Dual Tragedies In Las Vegas And Puerto Rico
October 06, 2017 01:22 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBThis week, Ron and Heather respond to the mass shooting in Las Vegas and the ongoing crisis in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria. They're joined by historian Douglas Brinkley. They discuss the 1900 Galveston hurricane, President Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina and the history of the NRA.
Free Speech And The Politics Of Football
September 28, 2017 21:15 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBRon and Heather are joined by Slate staff writer Isaac Chotiner. They respond to President Donald Trump's attacks on football players who kneel during the national anthem. Plus, they look at the debate around free speech, on football fields and college campuses, the racial dynamic surrounding Trump's comments and the long history of the military's involvement with football.
Trump's 'Choose Your Own Adventure' United Nations Speech
September 21, 2017 22:44 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBThis week, Ron and Heather analyze President Trump's first speech at the United Nations. With Susan Glasser from Politico. They look at the long history of internationalism versus isolationism in the United States, from the League of Nations to the United Nations.
Hillary Clinton And The Misogyny Question
September 14, 2017 21:38 - 29 minutes - 27.2 MBRon and Heather discuss Hillary Clinton's new memoir, the impact of non-college educated white women voters, and the legacy of the first female U.S. cabinet member, Frances Perkins.
The Trump Approach To North Korea's Nuclear Threat
September 07, 2017 23:08 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBRon and Heather discuss North Korea's nuclear tests with Sheila Smith, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations.
The History Of Nepotism In The White House
August 31, 2017 20:50 - 29 minutes - 27.3 MBRon and Heather talk with Annie Karni, POLITICO's White House Reporter, and Matthew Dallek, Professor at George Washington University, about the roles of Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and the history of nepotism and the presidency.
President Trump And The White Working Class
August 24, 2017 21:38 - 32 minutes - 30.1 MBRon and Heather talk with Carol Anderson and examine the greater implications of President Trump's rhetoric and policies around race.
Charlottesville, President Trump And Confederate History
August 18, 2017 00:11 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBRon and Heather respond to the violence in Charlottesville during a white nationalists rally and President Trump's statements. They speak with Randall Kennedy, law professor at Harvard University, and Tony Horwitz, author of "Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War".
The Democrats Search For A Message
August 10, 2017 20:38 - 30 minutes - 27.5 MBRon and Heather examine the Democratic Party in disarray: out of power in the White House and Congress and looking for a message to attract voters. They speak with Jonathan Chait, political writer for New York Magazine, about the Democrats' new economic plan, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's liberal legacy and President Bill Clinton's "Sister Souljah moment."
Are We Seeing A Break Between The Republican Party And President Trump?
August 04, 2017 00:03 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBRon and Heather speak with Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) about his new book "Conscience of a Conservative: A Rejection of Destructive Politics and a Return to Principle," the legacy of Barry Goldwater and why he thinks Vice President Mike Pence would make a good president.
From Anthony Scaramucci To Orville Babcock: Why Presidential Advisers Matter
July 27, 2017 22:39 - 28 minutes - 26.1 MBRon and Heather speak with Olivier Knox, Chief Washington Correspondent for Yahoo! News. They look at presidential advisers, past and present, and how they have influenced politics and policy.
President Trump And His 'Radically Different' Foreign Policy
July 20, 2017 22:57 - 27 minutes - 24.8 MBRon and Heather speak with Susan Glasser, Politico's chief international affairs columnist. They look at President Trump on the world's stage, from his flip flop on the Iran nuclear deal to the absence of a Trump doctrine.
Donald Trump Jr.'s Emails And The Collusion Question
July 13, 2017 22:19 - 22 minutes - 20.3 MBGuest: Adam Liptak, legal correspondent for the New York Times. Ron and Heather respond to Donald Trump Jr.'s emails disclosures and push back on the suggestion that this might be treason. They also discuss the origins of the Logan Act in 1798.
President Trump's Tweets And 'The Bully Pulpit On Steroids'
July 07, 2017 00:39 - 27 minutes - 24.7 MBRon and Heather talk with Harvard's Nicco Mele and respond to President Trump's CNN and Mika Brzezinski tweets, discuss the media's role in the first 100 days of this administration and look at historical parallels, from the John Peter Zenger trial to Richard Nixon.
President Trump's Travel Ban And The History Of Anti-Immigrant Movements In The U.S.
June 30, 2017 01:24 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBRon and Heather speak with Morris Vogel about Trump's partially-reinstated travel ban and the history of xenophobia in America, from Japanese internment to laws against German-Americans during WWI.
Behind Closed Doors, A Health Bill Is Born
June 23, 2017 00:37 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBRon and Heather speak with Yahoo News’ Matt Bai about the Senate Republicans’ health care bill. They discuss the secrecy with which it was drafted, the history of the G.O.P.'s relationship to health care, and the bill's implications for Republicans in the 2018 mid-term elections.
Is The Attorney General The President's Lawyer Or America's Lawyer?
June 16, 2017 02:30 - 17 minutes - 15.9 MBRon and Heather talk to Dana Milbank, from the Washington Post, about Jeff Sessions' contentious Senate hearing and the historical tension that attorneys general, from Mitchell Palmer to Alberto Gonzalez, have faced. Do they serve the president or the American people?
Announcing Freak Out And Carry On, A New Politics And History Podcast
June 13, 2017 15:22 - 3 minutes - 3.4 MBFreak Out and Carry On from WBUR is a new politics and history podcast that addresses the urgent issues of our time through a historical lens. New episodes will be available every Thursday starting June 15.
Podcast Preview: President Trump's First 100 Days
June 09, 2017 17:48 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBWe want your feedback on a new political podcast in the works. Take a listen.
Podcast Preview: 'Loose Lips Sink Ships'
June 09, 2017 15:46 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBIn our new politics and history podcast, Ron Suskind and Heather Cox Richardson discuss the news of today and its historical parallels. This week: the Comey memo, President Trump's meeting with the Russians, and what we can learn from Benedict Arnold and Presidents Eisenhower and Clinton.
Podcast Preview: Was The Comey Firing Nixonian?
June 09, 2017 15:44 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBA new podcast compares and contrasts President Trump's firing of FBI director James Comey and President Nixon's infamous "Saturday Night Massacre."