Q&A

Jean Becker & Tom Collamore, "Don't Tell the President"

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0000

Jean Becker and Tom Collamore, former staffers to President George H.W. Bush, discuss the work done by advance teams for presidential events, including foreign trips, state visits, and campaign rallies. They share behind-the-scenes stories of success, near disaster, and failure, told by the professionals who prepared for these events over the past 60 years.

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Howard Mortman, "Extreme Mortman" Podcast Host

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0000

This year's White House Correspondents' Association dinner will take place on Saturday, April 25th, at the Washington Hilton. In preparation, we look back at memorable performances by presidents and comedians at the annual fundraiser going back to the Reagan administration. Joining us for the discussion is C-SPAN's Director of Communications Howard Mortman, who for years has been chronicling the happenings at WHCA dinners on his "Extreme Mortman" podcast.

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Carla Kaplan, "Troublemaker"

Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0000

Muckraking journalist Jessica Mitford and her 5 sisters – two of whom were intimate friends with Hitler – were global celebrities during the early and mid-20th century, known for their colorful personal lives and political differences. Born a British aristocrat like her sisters, Jessica Mitford rejected her upbringing at an early age, eventually moving to America, where she became a communist, civil rights activist, and bestselling author. Northeastern University literature professor Carla Kaplan, our guest this week, tells Jessica Mitford's story in her book, "Troublemaker."

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Jennifer Levasseur, Space History Curator

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0000

The Smithsonian Institution National Air & Space Museum's Jennifer Levasseur discusses the history of the 135-mission Space Shuttle program (1981-2011), its accomplishments, and two tragic failures that led to the deaths of 14 shuttle astronauts. Ms. Levasseur, the curator in charge of the Space Shuttle Discovery at the Air & Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center in Virginia, where this interview took place, also takes us on a tour of the shuttle orbiter.

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Lloyd Blankfein Discusses “Streetwise,” Wall Street Power, and the 2008 Financial Crisis

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0000

Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, author of the memoir "Streetwise," discusses his upbringing in public housing in Brooklyn, being educated at Harvard, and rising through the ranks of one of the world's largest investment banks. He also talks about the 2008 financial crisis, which happened during his tenure as CEO, and the power and influence of Goldman Sachs executives within the U.S. government going back decades.

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New York Times Photographer Doug Mills on Covering the White House

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0000

New York Times staff photographer Doug Mills has won 3 Pulitzer Prizes for his work covering the White House & Washington, Super Bowls, Olympics, and many other major events. He tells us that he's taken over one million photographs of President Trump alone. In our conversation, he talks about some of the events he's covered going back to the Reagan administration. He talks about being in the Oval Office and on Air Force One, photographing the Clinton/Gore campaign in 1992, accompanying President George W. Bush on September 11, 2001, and taking the photograph of the attempted assassination of President Trump in 2024, which won him his third Pulitzer Prize.

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Lee Bollinger, "University: A Reckoning"

Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0000

Former longtime Columbia University president Lee Bollinger discusses his book "University: A Reckoning," about the purpose and future of universities in the United States. He also talks about protests and free speech on college campuses and the targeting of Columbia, Harvard, and other institutions of higher learning by the Trump administration.

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Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA), "Young Man in a Hurry"

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0000

California governor Gavin Newsom (D) discusses his memoir, "Young Man in a Hurry," in which he chronicles moments in his life that influenced his political career. He was mayor of San Francisco from 2004 to 2011 and then served as lieutenant governor before becoming governor in 2019. Gov. Newsom also talks about his personal life, including living with dyslexia, and his relationship with billionaire Gordon Getty, a longtime political benefactor.

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Steve Israel Explores Espionage and Science in The Einstein Conspiracy

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 01:00:00 -0000

Former U.S. Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY) discusses his book, "The Einstein Conspiracy," a novel based on an actual plot by the Nazis to silence physicist Albert Einstein during the 1930s. Einstein, a prominent critic of Hitler, moved to the United States with his wife in 1933 and became a citizen in 1940. This interview was recorded at Theodore's Book in Oyster Bay, New York, an independent bookstore opened by Mr. Israel in 2021.

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Wil Haygood Explores Race, Conflict, and the Vietnam War in The War Within a War

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0000

Former Washington Post correspondent Wil Haygood, author of "The War Within a War," discusses the experience of Black American soldiers in Vietnam and the struggle for racial equality, happening at the same time, back home in the United States. He also talks about growing up in Columbus, Ohio, during this period, where, as a child, he witnessed this dichotomy firsthand.

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Stewart McLaurin on The People’s House Miscellany: Stories from the White House

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0000

White House Historical Association president Stewart McLaurin, author of "The People's House Miscellany," talks about the history of the White House and White House-related trivia. He also discusses the changes that presidents and first ladies have made to the White House's interior and exterior going back to President Thomas Jefferson.

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Teasel Muir-Harmony, History of the U.S. Space Program

Mon, 09 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0000

The Smithsonian Air and Space Museum's Teasel Muir-Harmony discusses the history of the U.S. space program, from the creation of NASA in 1958 through the Gemini early flights to Neil Armstrong taking his historic first steps on the lunar surface in July 1969. She also talks about the missions that followed and NASA's current efforts to return astronauts to the moon.

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Nicholas Boggs, "Baldwin: A Love Story"

Mon, 02 Feb 2026 01:00:00 -0000

Nicholas Boggs discusses the personal life and activism of American writer James Baldwin (1924-1987). Mr. Boggs, who spent over 20 years working on "James Baldwin: A Love Story," also talks about Baldwin's many books, his life outside the United States, and his involvement in the civil rights movement.

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ABC News Journalist Jonathan Karl on "Retribution"

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0000

ABC News chief Washington correspondent Jonathan Karl discusses his book, "Retribution," a behind-the-scenes look at Donald Trump's winning 2024 presidential campaign. Mr. Karl, who started covering Trump in the mid-1990s for the New York Post, also talks about his longtime relationship with the 47th president and the contrast between President Trump's public and private sides.

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Peniel Joseph, "Freedom Season"

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0000

University of Texas at Austin history professor Peniel Joseph, author of "Freedom Season," talks about the pivotal events of 1963 that impacted the Civil Rights Movement in America. That year, which marked the centenary of Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, also saw the assassinations of President Kennedy and Mississippi civil rights activist Medgar Evers, the publication of James Baldwin's bestseller "The Fire Next Time," and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, which killed 4 little girls.

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Gary Walters, "White House Memories 1970-2007"

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0000

Gary Walters has served seven U.S. presidents and their families at the White House from 1970-2007, first as a member of the Secret Service and later as an usher. He served as White House Chief Usher from 1986-2007, the longest in U.S. history. Mr. Walters shares stories from his time in the Executive Residence and discusses the role that he played in managing the day-to-day operations, presidential transitions, and major events at the White House.

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America250 Chair Rosie Rios on Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 01:00:00 -0000

America250 Commission Chair Rosie Rios talked about the events occurring over the next year to celebrate the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.

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Enes Kanter Freedom Discusses His Memoir and Global Human Rights Advocacy

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, chosen third in the NBA draft in 2011, is the author of "In the Name of Freedom." In his book, he talks about advocating for human rights as a professional athlete. The Turkish American basketball player has been critical of the NBA and Nike for doing business with China and has called out LeBron James for staying silent on China's human rights abuses. He has also testified in front of Congress about the authoritarian rule of Turkey's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

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Charles Murray, "Taking Religion Seriously"

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Political scientist Charles Murray discusses his decades-long evolution from "happy agnostic" to believing Christian. He also talks about the foundations of human morality, the Big Bang, the authorship of the Gospels, and the writings of C.S. Lewis.

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Charles Ferguson, "Presidential Seclusion"

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Former Camp David Historian and Presidential Chaplain Charles Ferguson, author of "Presidential Seclusion: The Power of Camp David," talks about the history of the U.S. presidential retreat and its recreational and diplomatic uses. Located in Catoctin Mountain Park in Maryland, roughly 60 miles outside of Washington, DC, the 180-acre facility, with a dozen cabins and a Naval base, has, since 1942, hosted presidents from FDR to Trump, their families, and numerous foreign dignitaries.

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Eugene Kranz, Former NASA Flight Director & Author

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Former NASA flight director Eugene "Gene" Kranz, author of "Tough and Competent," shares stories from his 34 years at NASA's Mission Control, beginning in 1960 with his work on Project Mercury, the first American human spaceflight program. He was later flight director for NASA's Gemini and Apollo programs, including the 1969 Apollo 11 mission that landed Americans on the moon and the 1970 Apollo 13 mission that almost ended in tragedy ("Houston, we've had a problem…" reported Commander Jim Lovell in route to the moon). Mr. Kranz, who turned 92 this year, also talks about his work on Skylab and the Space Shuttle Program, and weighs in on NASA's current plans to send humans back to the moon.

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Peter Navarro Reflects on Politics, Prison, and the Trump Presidency

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 01:00:00 -0000

White House trade adviser Peter Navarro went to prison in 2024 after being found guilty of two counts of criminal contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House January 6th Committee. In his book, "I Went to Prison So You Won’t Have To," Mr. Navarro describes the Justice Department's case against him, his arrest and trial, and what it was like for him prison.

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Enes Kanter Freedom Discusses His Memoir and Global Human Rights Advocacy

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0000

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Rep. James Clyburn on “The First Eight” and the Rise of Black Political Leadership

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) talks about eight Black representatives from South Carolina who served in Congress during the Reconstruction Era. The eight included Joseph Rainey, the first Black politician elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, and Robert Smalls, a Civil War hero who fled the Confederacy to fight for the Union Army. Both were former slaves. Rep. Clyburn became the ninth Black congressman from South Carolina nearly a century later.

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Stewart McLaurin on The People’s House Miscellany: Stories from the White House

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0000

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Boyce Upholt on The Great River: The Making and Unmaking of the Mississippi

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Journalist Boyce Upholt talks about the history and geography of the Mississippi River and human attempts to control it going back to the Founding Era. He discusses how government-built levees, dikes, and dams have transformed the landscape and ecosystem along the 2,340-mile-long Mississippi and the impact that commerce, floods, and pollution have had on the population along its banks.

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Media Mogul Barry Diller on His Life and Career in Television and Hollywood

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0000

In his memoir, "Who Knew," media mogul Barry Diller talks about his career in television and Hollywood, and about his personal life and longtime relationship with fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg. Mr. Diller has been an executive at ABC and head of Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox (where he created the Fox television network). While at ABC in the mid-1970s, Mr. Diller was responsible for creating the Movie of the Week and the television miniseries, including "Roots."

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Jill Dougherty — My Russia: War or Peace and a Life Covering the Kremlin

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Former CNN Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty discusses her life-long interest in Russia, which she first visited in 1969 as an exchange student. A fluent Russian speaker, she spent 10 years covering Russia for Voice of America and CNN. Besides serving as Moscow Bureau Chief, Jill Dougherty was White House correspondent during the H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations. While in Moscow, she covered the presidencies of Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, and Vladimir Putin.

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FEED DROP BOOKNOTES+: Richard J. Evans, "Hitler's People"

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Sir Richard J. Evans has been writing about Germany and Adolf Hitler for his entire professional life. He was knighted in Britain in 2012 for his service to scholarship. From 2003-2008, Professor Evans published a trilogy of the Third Reich with a total of over 2,500 pages. His latest book is titled "Hitler's People: The Faces of the Third Reich." In his preface, Sir Richard, a former professor at Cambridge University writes: "The individuals who stand at the center of this book range from the top to the bottom, from Hitler all the way down to the lowest of the Nazi party." There are 22 chapters.

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Christopher Scalia, "13 Novels Conservative Will Love (but Probably Haven't Read)"

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Critic and opinion writer Christopher Scalia, son of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, recommends 13 novels with conservative themes that, he says, aren’t widely known by conservatives. In his book "13 Novels Conservatives Will Love (but Probably Haven't Read," the former English professor discusses books by Walter Scott, George Eliot, P.D. James, Zora Neale Hurston, and others.

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Every Screen on the Planet: Emily Baker-White on the Future of Technology and Society

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Last week, President Trump announced that a deal had been reached between the U.S. government and China regarding the control of the widely popular social media platform, TikTok. In April 2024, Congress passed, and President Biden signed, a law that required TikTok's Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell TikTok within a year or face a ban in the United States. Forbes technology reporter Emily Baker-White, author of "Every Screen on the Planet," talks about the meteoric rise of TikTok, used by an estimated 150 million Americans, and the U.S. government's concerns over its influence and ownership.

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Peter Navarro Reflects on Politics, Prison, and the Trump Presidency

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Ann Butler, "Wife, Mother, Spy" - Women, Espionage, and the CIA

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Ann Butler was a CIA spy for 25+ years. She donned disguises, used false names, and learned how to evade surveillance. She did this clandestine work while simultaneously raising five children. As she says, "No one suspected a pregnant woman was a spy." Ann Butler talks about her work with the Agency, what it took to become an overseas operative in the mid-1980s, and some of the methods she used to extract information from targets.

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John Malone, "Born to Be Wired"

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Liberty Media chairman and cable TV pioneer John Malone, author of "Born to Be Wired," discusses his life and entrepreneurship. Mr. Malone's many business ventures include the Discovery Channel, QVC, SiriusXM, Formula One, and Ticketmaster. He also talks about competing with Ted Turner and Rupert Murdoch, the value of philanthropy, Republican leadership in Congress, and living life as a high-functioning autistic.

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Jason Riley, "The Affirmative Action Myth"

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Riley, author of "The Affirmative Action Myth," argues that the racial preference policies of the 1960s and 70s have had an overall negative impact on the success of Black Americans. He says that Black incomes, homeownership, and educational attainment were all on an upward trajectory prior to these policies being implemented.

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Syndicated Columnist George Will on His Life & Career

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Author and writer George Will, whose nationally syndicated column has been running since 1974, discusses his life and career in the opinion business. Mr. Will talks about the impact of his work on U.S. politics over the past 50 years, conservatism in the age of Donald Trump, his love of baseball, and other topics.

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Jane McManus, "The Fast Track"

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Sports journalist and academic Jane McManus, author of "The Fast Track," discusses the rise in popularity of women's sports since the early 1970s and the challenges female athletes have faced since then, including unequal pay and lack of media coverage. Prof. McManus talks about the experiences of Billie Jean King, Venus and Serena Williams, Caitlin Clark, Riley Gaines, and other female competitors.

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Lee Hawkins, "I Am Nobody's Slave"

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Journalist and musician Lee Hawkins, author of "I Am Nobody's Slave," talks about the impact that slavery and Jim Crow have had on his family through multiple generations. Mr. Hawkins examines the relationship between the past violence experienced by family members, often at the hands of white people, and the way his parents raised and severely discipline.

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Nicole Kobie, "The Long History of the Future"

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Technology reporter Nicole Kobie, author of "The Long History of the Future," talks about how technology evolves and discusses why many predicted technologies – including driverless and flying cars, smart cities, hyperloops, and autonomous robots – haven’t become a reality.

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Cornel West & Robert George, "Truth Matters"

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Progressive professor Cornel West and conservative professor Robert George talk about their decades-long friendship and teaching together at Princeton University. They also discuss their new book, "Truth Matters," a dialogue between the two on such topics as American history, great books, faith, and free speech.

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Presidential Legacies

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0000

David Kramer (G.W. Bush Institute), Stephanie Streett (Clinton Foundation), Alice Yates (George & Barbara Bush Foundation), and Mark Updegrove (LBJ Foundation) talk about preserving the legacies of U.S. presidents and the work their privately funded organizations do to achieve this, including through the Presidential Leadership Scholars program, which launched in 2015. They also talk about the relationship between their foundations and the government funded presidential library system, which is overseen by the National Archives.

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Dr. Robert Malone, "PsyWar"

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Dr. Robert Malone, recently appointed to the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, talks about his book "PsyWar," in which he argues that the U.S. government uses psychological warfare against Americans to control them. He also talks about how his career as a virologist and immunologist took a turn after he criticized the government's response to the COVID pandemic.

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Rosie Rios, America250 Commission Chair

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0000

July 4, 2026, marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. In 2016, Congress established the America250 Commission to plan events to celebrate the semiquincetennial. America250 Commission Chair Rosie Rios joins us to talk about several of these events which will occur over the next year, including the U.S. Army's 250th anniversary parade that took place on June 14, 2025, and other initiatives that the public can participate in leading up to the anniversary. She also talks about serving as the 43rd Treasurer of the United States (2009-2016).

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Jonathan Turley, "The Indispensable Right"

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0000

George Washington University Law School professor Jonathan Turley discusses the history of free speech in America and the people who advanced it. He argues that the right to free speech, enshrined in the First Amendment, is a basic human right that protects all the others. Prof. Turley also talks about current attempts by government, universities, and the private sector to limit free speech in the United States.

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Peniel Joseph, "Freedom Season"

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Mark Whitaker, "The Afterlife of Malcolm X"

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Former Newsweek editor and managing editor of CNN Worldwide, Mark Whitaker, discusses the life and legacy of the Black nationalist leader Malcolm X, who was assassinated in 1965. Mr. Whitaker, author of "The Afterlife of Malcolm X," talks about Malcolm X's split with the Nation of Islam, his relationship with Martin Luther King Jr. and Muhammad Ali, and his posthumous impact on Barack Obama, Clarence Thomas, and others.

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Medea Benjamin, CODEPINK Co-Founder

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Medea Benjamin, co-founder of the pro-peace, feminist grassroots organization CODEPINK, talks about her life as an activist and CODEPINK's current campaigns focusing on Gaza, Ukraine, Iran, and Latin America. She also talks about the nonviolent, disruptive actions taken by CODEPINK at congressional hearings and elsewhere to bring attention to their causes.

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Jason Riley, "The Affirmative Action Myth"

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Rick Steves, "On the Hippie Trail"

Mon, 26 May 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Travel writer Rick Steves talks about his 1978 journey along the "Hippie Trail" and the 60,000-word journal he kept of the trip which he recently published as a book. During the 3,000-mile trek, the then 23-year-old Steves and a friend visited Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. He talks about the people he met along the way, the challenges of travelling in foreign countries in the 1970s, and the lifelong impact the trip had on him.

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Christopher Cox, "Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn"

Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Former U.S. Congressman Christopher Cox (R-CA), author of "Woodrow Wilson: The Light Withdrawn," takes a critical look at the 28th President of the United States and his attitudes towards racial equality and women's suffrage. Mr. Cox also talks about Wilson's intellectual development and his tenure as president of Princeton University.

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John Kasich, "Heaven Help Us"

Mon, 12 May 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Former Ohio governor John Kasich (R) talks about the good work done by religious institutions and people of faith in the United States. In his book "Heaven Help Us," Mr. Kasich profiles over a dozen religious Americans involved in combating homelessness, hunger, human trafficking, and other issues.

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Kathleen deLaski, "Who Needs College Anymore?"

Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Education Design Lab founder Kathleen deLaski, author of "Who Needs College Anymore?," questions if the U.S. higher education system, with its skyrocketing costs and declining enrollment, is currently suited to meet the needs of future generations of students. She talks about alternatives to the 4-year college degree, including educational bootcamps, skills-based learning, and apprenticeships.

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Jane McManus, "The Fast Track"

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Nicole Kobie, "The Long History of the Future"

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Rick Steves, "On the Hippie Trail"

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Lee Hawkins, "I Am Nobody's Slave"

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Syndicated Columnist George Will on His Life & Career

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

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Loretta Ross, "Calling In"

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Activist and professor Loretta Ross, author of "Calling In," discusses the excesses of cancel culture and the need for a more inclusive way to hold people accountable in the age of social media. Prof. Ross, who was sexually abused as a child, also talks about her past work with convicted rapists and white supremacists.

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Meryl Gordon, "The Woman Who Knew Everyone"

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

New York University journalism professor Meryl Gordon, author of "The Woman Who Knew Everyone," talks about the life of socialite and Democratic fundraiser Perle Mesta. Mesta, dubbed the "hostess with the mostest," was close to three U.S. presidents during the mid-20th century, and was known for throwing parties that brought political elites together. She served as U.S. envoy to Luxembourg following WWII, was an early activist for the Equal Rights Amendment, and was the subject of the Broadway musical and later movie, "Call Me Madam."

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Rep. James Comer (R-KY), "All the President's Money"

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0000

House Oversight Committee chairman Rep. James Comer (R-KY), author of "All the President's Money," talks about his committee's 15-month investigation into the business practices of then President Joe Biden and members of President Biden's family, including his brother James and son Hunter. Rep. Comer argues that the Bidens have benefitted financially from corrupt financial dealings involving Ukraine, China, and other countries.

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Tara Roberts, "Written in the Waters"

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 01:00:00 -0000

National Geographic explorer Tara Roberts travels the world documenting underwater wrecks of some of the 12,000 slave ships that operated during the Atlantic slave trade. In her memoir, "Written in the Waters," Roberts talks about the training and preparation required to undertake the diving missions and the work done by the nonprofit organization that she dives with, Diving with a Purpose, which is primarily composed of African American divers.

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Louis Ferrante, "Borgata: Clash of Titans" PART 2

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Former mafia associate Louis Ferrante talks about "Borgata: Clash of Titans," volume two of his history of the American mafia that covers the years 1960-1985. In part two of this two-part interview, Mr. Ferrante further details what he says was the mafia's involvement in the assassination of President Kennedy and discusses Robert Kennedy's battle with mobster Carlos Marcello, boss of the New Orleans Mafia from the late 1940s to the early 1980s.

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Louis Ferrante, "Borgata: Clash of Titans" PART 1

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Former mafia associate Louis Ferrante talks about "Borgata: Clash of Titans," volume two of his history of the American mafia that covers the years 1960-1985. In part one of a two-part interview, he gives a history of the mafia in America, discusses Attorney General Robert Kennedy's war against organized crime and the involvement that he says the mafia had in the 1960 election and 1963 assassination of President John Kennedy. Mr. Ferrante also shares stories about his time as a heist expert for the Gambino crime family, which led to his imprisonment in 1994.

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Reginald Dwayne Betts on Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail"

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Reginald Dwayne Betts originally read Martin Luther King Jr.'s 1963 "Letter from Birmingham Jail" – King's defense of the use of nonviolent civil disobedience in the fight for civil rights – while in solitary confinement in prison. Mr. Betts, who served over 8 years for a carjacking he committed when he was 16, went on to become an award-winning poet and graduate of Yale Law School. He has written the Afterword for a new commemorative edition of Dr. King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail." Mr. Betts talks about the book and the work done by Freedom Reads, an organization he founded that builds libraries in prisons.

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Judge Frederic Block, "A Second Chance"

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 01:00:00 -0000

U.S. District Court judge Frederic Block (Eastern District of New York) talks about the application of the 2018 First Step Act, under which federal prisoners who have served decades in prison can petition the court for reductions in their sentences. The bi-partisan act, signed into law by President Trump during his first term, was created to address the excesses in federal sentencing during the 1980s and 90s, reduce the size of the federal prison population, and promote rehabilitation. In his book, "A Second Chance," Judge Block discusses the outcomes for 6 defendants – including mafia hitmen, a child pornographer, and a rogue policeman – who petitioned him for their release.

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Nigel Hamilton, "Lincoln vs. Davis" PART 2

Sun, 26 Jan 2025 09:00:00 -0000

Military historian and presidential biographer Nigel Hamilton talks about the military face-off between two American presidents – Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis – during the Civil War. He discusses the early months of the war, the decision to move the Confederate capitol to Virginia, Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, and more. This is part two of a two-part interview with Mr. Hamilton about his book "Lincoln vs. Davis."

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Nigel Hamilton, "Lincoln vs. Davis" PART 1

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Military historian and presidential biographer Nigel Hamilton talks about the military face-off between two American presidents – Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis – during the Civil War. He discusses the background of both men, their rise to the presidencies of the Union and the Confederacy, respectively, and the events that led up to attack on Fort Sumter by Confederate forces on April 12, 1861, not long after both men were inaugurated. This is part one of a two-part interview with Mr. Hamilton about his book "Lincoln vs. Davis."

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Sharon McMahon, "The Small and the Mighty"

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Former high school government teacher and host of the "Here's Where It Gets Interesting" podcast, Sharon McMahon, author of "The Small and the Mighty," profiles lesser-known Americans who have changed the course of American history. During the interview, Ms. McMahon talks about the contributions of retail pioneers Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck, former slave and philanthropist Clara Brown, Japanese American politician Norman Mineta, Founding Father Gouverneur Morris, and others.

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Stuart Eizenstat, "The Art of Diplomacy"

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 01:00:00 -0000

Stuart Eizenstat, former Domestic Policy Adviser to President Carter and U.S. Ambassador to the European Union under President Clinton, talks about his political career and his new book, "The Art Of Diplomacy," in which he discusses the work done to achieve agreements like the Camp David Accords, the Kyoto Protocols, and the Iran nuclear agreement. Mr. Eizenstat also talks about growing up in the South during the Civil Rights Era and how that experience changed him.

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Speaker Don Scott (D), Virginia House of Delegates

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0000

"For every young kid that makes a mistake, they can look at Don Scott and say, 'I'll never give up. I can still be what I want to be in America.'" That was former Republican governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia speaking about our guest this week, the state's newly elected Democratic speaker of the House of Delegates. Don Scott talks about the hurdles he overcame, including spending almost eight years in prison, to become Virginia's first Black speaker in 405 years.

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Christina Swarns, Innocence Project Executive Director

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Since its founding in 1992, the Innocence Project has been responsible for getting hundreds of wrongfully convicted people in the United States out of prison. Attorney and Innocence Project executive director Christina Swarns joins us to talk about the history of the organization, the root causes of wrongful convictions, and some of the clients the Innocence Project has successfully represented over the years, including the two men convicted of killing of Malcolm X in 1965.

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Larry Silverstein, "The Rising"

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0000

New York City real estate developer Larry Silverstein, author of "The Rising," shares stories about the rebuilding of the World Trade Center complex following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Mr. Silverstein - who acquired a 99-year lease on the World Trade Center just weeks before the attacks - talks about his memories from that day and discusses the business, political, and engineering challenges he faced during his 20-year rebuilding effort.

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Malcolm Gladwell, "Revenge of the Tipping Point"

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Twenty-five years ago, author Malcolm Gladwell published "The Tipping Point," about how ideas and behavior spread in a society to create positive change. The book was an international bestseller, having since sold over 2 million copies in the U.S. alone. In his follow-up, "Revenge of the Tipping Point," Mr. Gladwell looks at the downside of social epidemics, including the rise of opioid abuse and Medicare fraud.

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Jochen "Jack" Wurfl, "My Two Lives"

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 09:00:00 -0000

Half Jewish and a member of the Hitler Youth who saw Adolf Hitler in person, Jochen "Jack" Wurfl, author of "My Two Lives," talks about surviving in Nazi Germany and his later life and success in the United States. To hide their identities after the Nazis took over in 1933, Mr. Wurfl and his brother were baptized Catholic and later joined the Hitler Youth. His Catholic father, deemed a political enemy by the state, was sent to a concentration camp in Austria, while his Jewish mother was arrested by the Gestapo and sent to Auschwitz, where she perished.

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Peggy Noonan, "A Certain Idea of America"

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Peggy Noonan, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Wall Street Journal and former speechwriter for President Reagan, discusses her book "A Certain Idea of America," a collection of her columns from over the past quarter century. She also talks about her time working in the White House and her career in radio after graduating from college.

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Maureen Callahan, "Ask Not"

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Investigative journalist Maureen Callahan talks about the physical and psychological abuse, and worse, that she says was experienced by women and girls connected to the Kennedy family going back to Joe Kennedy, Sr. In her book, "Ask Not," Callahan tells the stories of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Kathleen "Kick" Kennedy, Martha Moxley, Mary Richardson Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, and others.

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Stuart Eizenstat, "The Art of Diplomacy"

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0000

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Christina Swarns, Innocence Project Executive Director

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 01:00:00 -0000

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Pamela Toler, "The Dragon from Chicago"

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Historian Pamela Toler talks about the life and career of journalist Sigrid Schultz, Berlin bureau chief for the Chicago Tribune from 1925-1941. Schultz provided first-hand accounts of the rise of Adolf Hitler in Germany and was one of the earliest reporters to warn Americans about the dangers of Nazism.

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John Mackey, "The Whole Story" & Steven Pinker, "Rationality"

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0000

This week on Q&A, Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey and Harvard University psychology professor Steven Pinker discuss their books. John Mackey, author of "The Whole Story," talks about the rise of Whole Foods, the organic foods grocery store chain, and his political and intellectual development. Professor Steven Pinker talks about the role that rationality plays in a functioning society and the growth of irrationality in the United States. These interviews were recorded in Las Vegas at FreedomFest, an annual libertarian conference.

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Heath Hardage Lee, "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon"

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Historian Heath Hardage Lee, author of "The Mysterious Mrs. Nixon," talks about the life and times of the former First Lady (1969-74). She says that Pat Nixon, who was voted "Most Admired Woman in the World" in 1972, was largely mis-portrayed by the press, who characterized her as being elusive and "plastic."

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Francis Collins, "The Road to Wisdom"

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Former National Institutes of Health director Dr. Francis Collins, author of "The Road to Wisdom," talks about the milestones in his career, including his work on the Human Genome Project and the COVID-19 vaccine. He also talks about his Christian faith, the importance of engaging with those we disagree with, and the current distrust of science and government in the United States.

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Michael & Robert Meeropol, Sons of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg on the Rosenberg Spy Case

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed in 1953 after being convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage for the Soviet Union. Their sons Michael and Robert Meeropol, nee Rosenberg, were 10 and 6 at the time. They are our guests this week. The sons talk about their parents' executions, their lives before and after, the anti-communist climate in the U.S. during the 1950s, the government's case against the Rosenbergs, and their efforts to clear their mother Ethel's record posthumously.

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James Allen, Jr., "Not My Chair"

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0000

James Allen, Jr., murdered Tony Sylvester in Las Vegas during a 1980 home burglary, a crime for which he was found guilty and sentenced to death. Mr. Allen, who was a teenager at the time, spent 26 years in prison, including almost 4 years on death row, before being paroled by the state of Nevada in 2008. Since being released, he has spent his time mentoring at-risk youth and working with the Nevada Coalition Against the Death Penalty. He co-wrote a book about his life titled "Not My Chair: Journey from Death Row to Freedom."

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Peter Osnos, "LBJ and McNamara"

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Author and publisher Peter Osnos talks about "LBJ and McNamara," a book-length Substack serial and soon to be book about President Johnson and Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara's handling of the Vietnam War. Mr. Osnos, Saigon correspondent for the Washington Post during the war, also talks about publishing Robert McNamara's memoir "In Retrospect" and the meetings he had with McNamara in preparation for that book, which Mr. Osnos recorded.

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Steven Ford on Gerald Ford's Presidency

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Fifty years ago, on August 8, 1974, President Nixon, who was under threat of impeachment, announced that he would resign from office. The following day, Vice President Gerald Ford was sworn in as the 38th president of the United States. Gerald and Betty Ford's son, Steven Ford, provides a behind-the-scenes look at that tumultuous period in American history and President Ford's term in office, including his decision to pardon Richard Nixon on September 8, 1974.

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Patrick Kennedy, "Profiles in Mental Health Courage"

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Former congressman Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) talks about Americans who have struggled with mental illness and the stigma and silence that he says still surrounds it. He shares the stories of the people profiled in his book, "Profiles in Mental Health Courage," including himself and members of his own family.

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Virginia Ali & Bernard Demczuk, "Breaking Barriers with Chili"

Sun, 25 Aug 2024 08:00:00 -0000

We sat down with Ben's Chili Bowl owner Virginia Ali and Ben's Chili Bowl official historian Bernard Demczuk to talk about the history of the Washington, DC, landmark. Opened in 1958 by Ben and Virginia Ali, Ben's Chili Bowl has been a hangout for civil rights activists, politicians, and celebrities for over 65 years. Recently, Bernard Demczuk published a book about Mrs. Ali and Ben's titled "Breaking Barriers with Chili."

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George Takei, "My Lost Freedom"

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Author and actor George Takei talks about growing up in internment camps in the U.S. during World War II, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Mr. Takei and his family were four of the 120,000 Japanese Americans to be forcibly removed from their homes and relocated to military-run camps during the war on the orders of President Franklin Roosevelt. Mr. Takei has recently published a children's book about his experiences titled "My Lost Freedom."

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World War II Veterans Steven Ellis & Rolf Slen

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0000

We sat down with two World War II veterans – former U.S. Navy gunnery officer Steven Ellis and former U.S. Army Air Force B-24 navigator Rolf Slen – to talk about their experiences during the war. Mr. Ellis, age 99, and Mr. Slen, age 100, both served in the Pacific Theater. Of the 16.4 million Americans who served in uniform in World War II, 119,550 were still alive as of 2023.

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Steven Conn, "The Lies of the Land"

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0000

In "The Lies of the Land," Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) history professor Steven Conn argues that the reality of rural America today is vastly different from the way it is often portrayed by politicians and the media. He says rural Americans have not been left behind or been overlooked and are just as connected to the forces of American modernity – militarization, industrialization, corporatization, and suburbanization – as people living in the rest of the country.

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Tammy Bruce, "Fear Itself"

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Columnist and Fox News contributor Tammy Bruce, author of "Fear Itself," argues that progressive Democrats have weaponized fear to increase government control over American citizens. She also argues that the mainstream media helps stoke fear through its biased coverage of topics like COVID-19, climate change, and racism.

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J.D. Vance, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis"

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Prior to becoming Donald Trump's VP pick or a U.S. Senator representing Ohio, J.D. Vance was a bestselling author. Over 1.6. million copies of his book "Hillbilly Elegy," a memoir about growing up in a poor, white family that has its roots in Appalachia, have sold to date. After the VP announcement, the book once again shot to the top of the Amazon bestsellers list. This week on Q&A, our 2016 interview with Mr. Vance about his book. He talks about his childhood, his family, his military service in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps, his education at Ohio State and Yale Law School, and more.

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Riley Gaines, "Swimming Against the Current"

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0000

In 2022, collegiate swimmer Riley Gaines tied for 5th place in the 200m freestyle final at the NCAA Women's Championships. The swimmer she tied with was transgender athlete Lia Thomas. Since then, Riley Gaines has become an outspoken critic of transgender women competing in women's sports and has even testified on the issue before Congress. In this week's Q&A, she talks about her swimming career, her stance on transgender athletes, and the backlash she has received after going public with her views, topics she covers in her new book "Swimming Against the Current."

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David Charter, "Royal Audience"

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0000

The Times of London U.S. editor David Charter, author of "Royal Audience," discusses the special relationship that Queen Elizabeth II had with the United States and U.S. presidents over her 70-year reign as Britain's Head of State. Queen Elizabeth, who became queen in 1952 and passed away in 2022, had met and had varying degrees of personal relationships with 13 of the 14 U.S. presidents during her reign going back to Harry Truman.

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Frank Bruni, "The Age of Grievance"

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0000

New York Times opinion columnist Frank Bruni, author of "The Age of Grievance," argues that we are living in a cultural and political era defined by victimhood and perceived injustice. He discusses the causes of this development and offers ways to move past it.

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Virginia Ali & Bernard Demczuk, "Breaking Barriers with Chili"

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0000

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Christina Swarns, Innocence Project Executive Director

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0000

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George Takei, "My Lost Freedom"

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0000

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World War II Veterans Steve Ellis & Rolf Slen

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0000

We sat down with two World War II veterans – former U.S. Navy gunnery officer Steve Ellis and former U.S. Army Air Force B-24 navigator Rolf Slen – to talk about their experiences during the war. Mr. Ellis, age 99, and Mr. Slen, age 100, both served in the Pacific Theater. Of the 16.4 million Americans who served in uniform in World War II, 119,550 were still alive as of 2023.

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Betty Koed, "Scenes"

Mon, 27 May 2024 00:00:00 -0000

This Memorial Day weekend, retired U.S. Senate Historian Betty Koed shares stories from her book "Scenes: People, Places and Events That Shaped the United States Senate." It's a collection of brief chronicles of Senate history that she presented to Senators during their Tuesday caucus lunches between 2009 and 2023. Some of the stories told include the influence and power of Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson, the story of the first female senator, and when Mark Twain worked as a Senate staffer.

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Freeman Hrabowski, "The Resilient University"

Mon, 20 May 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Author and president emeritus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Freeman Hrabowski talks about the role of college presidents, the handling of campus protests over the war in Gaza, and political involvement in higher education. His new book "The Resilient University" looks at how UMBC dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial unrest that followed the killing of George Floyd by police in the summer of 2020. Freeman Hrabowski served as president of UMBC from 1992-2022.

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Ilyon Woo, "Master Slave Husband Wife"

Mon, 13 May 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Ilyon Woo, our guest this week, was recently awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Biography for her book "Master Slave Husband Wife." The book recounts the harrowing journey of self-emancipation made by married slaves William and Ellen Craft in 1848. Disguised as a wealthy disabled white man with his servant, the Crafts left Georgia, avoiding slave traders, law enforcement, and even friends to gain their freedom. This program originally aired in February 2023.

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Patrick Kennedy, "Profiles in Mental Health Courage"

Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0000

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Jochen "Jack" Wurfl, "My Two Lives"

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0000

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Zachary Treitz & Christian Hansen, "American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders"

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Filmmakers Zachary Treitz and Christian Hansen discuss their 4-part Netflix docuseries "American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders," about the events surrounding the death of freelance journalist Danny Casolaro (cas-uh-LARE-oh) in 1991. At the time of his death, officially ruled a suicide, Mr. Casolaro was working on a story about a series of crimes – including drug running, money laundering, and murder – that he argued were connected to a cabal of ex-government officials associated with the Reagan administration and the CIA. He referred to this group as "the Octopus."

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Steven Conn, "The Lies of the Land"

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0000

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David Charter, "Royal Audience"

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0000

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Dr. Uché Blackstock, "Legacy"

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Our guest this week is Dr. Uché Blackstock. She and her twin sister, Oni, are graduates of Harvard Medical School, as was their mother, Dr. Dale Gloria Blackstock. In fact, they were the first Black mother-daughter graduates of Harvard Medical School. Dr Blackstock's book, "Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons With Racism in Medicine," looks at some of the issues she sees facing Black doctors and patients today.

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Carlos Lozada, "The Washington Book"

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Pulitzer Prize-winning book critic and New York Times columnist Carlos Lozada, author of "The Washington Book," talks about the insights he gleaned from reading the memoirs, political biographies, and official reports written by politicians and government officials in Washington, DC.

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Rob Henderson, "Troubled"

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Columnist Rob Henderson talks about growing up as a troubled child in the U.S. foster care system, the hurdles he overcame to become successful, and what he learned about class divisions in America as a result. By age 8, after 5 years in the system, Mr. Henderson had lived in 9 different foster homes and attended 6 different schools. He eventually went on to join the military and obtain higher degrees in psychology from Yale and Cambridge universities.

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Scott Eyman, "Charlie Chaplin vs. America"

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Hollywood biographer Scott Eyman discusses his book "Charlie Chaplin vs. America," about the silent film star's fallout with the U.S. government during the Red Scare. Once a beloved actor and filmmaker, Charlie Chaplin became a target of right-wing politicians and the FBI after World War II because of his liberal political views and sexual interests. He was exiled from the U.S. in 1952 and didn't return until 1972.

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Katie Rogers, "American Woman"

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 01:00:00 -0000

New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers discusses her book "American Woman," about the modern evolution of First Ladies of the United States. She talks about the impact and contributions of First Ladies of both parties going back to Hillary Clinton and their changing roles in the 21st century.

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Patti Davis, "Dear Mom and Dad"

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Patti Davis discusses her book "Dear Mom and Dad," a memoir written as a letter to her late parents, Ronald and Nancy Reagan. She talks about being in the spotlight after her father entered politics in the 1960s, her complicated relationship with her mother, her views on the Reagan administration's handling of illegal drugs and the AIDS epidemic, and more.

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Speaker Don Scott (D), Virginia House of Delegates

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0000

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Charles Scribner III, "Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing"

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Charles Scribner III, author of "Scribners: Five Generations in Publishing," talks about his family's history at the famous publishing house that was founded by his great-great-grandfather in 1846. He also shares stories about some of the authors published by Scribner over the decades, including Edith Wharton, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, and Winston Churchill.

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Sebastian Thrun, AI Pioneer & Tech Entrepreneur

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Tech entrepreneur Sebastian Thrun talks about his work in Silicon Valley and the future of artificial intelligence. Thrun, formerly a vice president at Google, is the founder or co-founder of Google X (R&D), Waymo (self-driving cars), Google Brain (AI), Kitty Hawk (flying vehicles), and Udacity (online learning).

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Betty Koed, "Scenes"

Mon, 29 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0000

ALL NEW EPISODE!!!

Retired U.S. Senate Historian Betty Koed shares stories from her book "Scenes: People, Places and Events That Shaped the United States Senate." It's a collection of brief chronicles of Senate history that she presented to Senators during their Tuesday caucus lunches between 2009 and 2023.

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FEED DROP: Martin Baron, "Collision of Power"

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0000

We are unveiling a brand new Q&A podcast in two weeks, with a new host and all new guests but with the same goal of allowing you to hear from intriguing people who are shaping today's events. But this week, here’s an episode from our After Words podcast from October 2023 with Martin Baron, former executive editor of the Washington Post, on his book Collision of Power. He's interviewed by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik.

Q&A debuts with new episodes on January 28th, 2024.

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Cassandra Good, "First Family"

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Historian Cassandra Good talks about the lives and complicated legacies of George Washington's heirs. George and Martha Washington never had children together, but they raised Martha's children, and later grandchildren, as their own. Together they made up America's first "first family." This program originally aired in June 2023.

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Craig Fehrman, "Author in Chief"

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 01:00:00 -0000

Journalist and historian Craig Fehrman analyzes American presidents through the lens of the books they've written. This program originally aired in February of 2020.

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BONUS EPISODE: Conversation w/ Q&A host Peter Slen

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0000

This week a conversation with the new host of Q&A, Peter Slen. We discuss the mission of the program, what to expect, and the best parts of hosting a one-hour conversation with interesting individuals.

All new episodes of Q&A begin on January 28th, 2024.

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Kate Bowler, "Everything Happens for a Reason"

Mon, 25 Dec 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Prosperity gospel scholar, Kate Bowler, discusses her memoir, "Everything Happens for a Reason," in which she reflects on being diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and the age of 35. This program originally aired in February of 2018.

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Susannah Cahalan, "The Great Pretender"

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Journalist Susannah Cahalan discusses her book "The Great Pretender," about a 1973 experiment, led by Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan, that was conducted to test the legitimacy of psychiatric hospitals in America. For the experiment, Prof. Rosenhan and seven other healthy individuals checked themselves into mental asylums claiming that they were experiencing hallucinations. Once inside, they acted normally and told doctors that the hallucinations had subsided, but they weren't allowed to leave until they admitted to having a mental illness and agreeing to take antipsychotic drugs to treat their conditions. Susannah Cahalan talks about the experiment and the impact that the resulting study – "On Being Sane in Insane Places" – had on the psychiatric profession. This program originally aired in November of 2019.

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Daryl Davis, Musician & Author

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Musician and author, Daryl Davis, who, for over 30 years, has befriended members of the Ku Klux Klan to try to understand their hatred and to convince them that they are wrong. He is the author of "Klan-destine Relationships" and was featured in the documentary "Accidental Courtesy." This program originally aired in November of 2017.

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Erik Larson, "In the Garden of Beasts"

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Erik Larson talked about the life of William E. Dodd, who became America's first ambassador to Adolf Hitler's Germany in Berlin during 1933.

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Jesse Holland, "The Invisibles: The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House"

Mon, 27 Nov 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Jesse Holland talked about his book, The Invisibles: The Untold Story of African American Slaves in the White House.

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Gerald Blaine and Clint Hill, "The Kennedy Detail: JFK’s Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence.”

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Gerald Blaine and Clint Hill, two former Secret Service agents, spoke about the day that President Kennedy was assassinated. They also talked about the assassination’s conspiracy theories and their lives after retirement from the Secret Service.. Gerald Blaine is author of the new book, “The Kennedy Detail: JFK’s Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence.” Clint Hill wrote the prologue for the book as well as cooperating in interviews for the book’s content.

Gerald Blaine worked for the Secret Service from 1959 to 1964. Blaine worked for several businesses after his time as an agent. Clint Hill was in the U.S. Army for three years before working for the Secret Service from 1958 to 1975. Mr. Hill was the Secret Service agent who jumped onto the trunk of the motorcade seconds after Kennedy was shot. Both men are currently retired.

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Rosemary Stevens, "A Time of Scandal: Charles R. Forbes, Warren G. Harding, and the Making of the Veterans Bureau"

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Rosemary Stevens talked about her book, A Time of Scandal: Charles R. Forbes, Warren G. Harding, and the Making of the Veterans Bureau.

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Randy Barnett and Evan Bernick, "The Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment"

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Professors Randy Barnett and Evan Bernick talked about their book, The Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment. They argued that the 14th Amendment, which gave the federal judiciary and Congress new powers over the states, has been misinterpreted by conservative and liberal judges alike since its adoption in 1868.

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Tom Cronin, "Imagining a Great Republic"

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Professor Tom Cronin talked about his book, Imagining a Great Republic, a survey of American novels that have helped tell the story of the American political experiment.

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Elizabeth Papez on Chief Justices of the Supreme Court

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Elizabeth Papez talked about the influence of Chief Justice John Roberts and other high-profile chief justices on the direction of the Supreme Court as well as American life. Ms. Papez is a litigator and partner in the firm of Gibson Dunn who previously clerked for Associate Justice Clarence Thomas and served as deputy assistant attorney general during the George W. Bush administration.

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Amy Zegart, "Spies, Lies, and Algorithms"

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Author Amy Zegart tracked the history of American espionage from George Washington’s Revolutionary War spies to today’s digital world. Drawing on hundreds of interviews with intelligence officials, she gave an inside look into the world of spies and spy-craft. The Hoover Institution at Stanford University in California hosted this event.

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Michael Green, "The Speaker of the House: A Study of Leadership"

Mon, 09 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Kevin McCarthy earned a place in the history books this week as the first Speaker of the House to be voted out of office. Just 9 months into his term, Speaker McCarthy was challenged by a "motion to vacate" offered by Florida Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz. McCarthy lost by 6 votes; with all Democrats voting against him.

Kevin McCarthy, a California republican, was the 55th Speaker of the House. Second in line to the presidency, the Speaker is the political and parliamentary leader of the House of Representatives, and the de facto leader of the Majority. As Republicans mull their choice for a new Speaker, we look back to a Q&A episode from February of 2018 on the historical power and influence of the House Speaker of. Our guest is Michael Green, author of The Speaker of the House: A study of Leadership. You'll learn about the role of the Speaker and the tenures of Henry Clay, Joe Cannon, Newt Gingrich and Nancy Pelosi.

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Randall Eliason, On Senator Bob Menendez's First Political Corruption Trial

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0000

In a dip into the Q&A archives, an interview from 2017 with former federal prosecutor and George Washington University Law School professor Randall Eliason. He talked about the 2017 trial of Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and other prominent political corruption cases including Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, Sen Ted Stevens and Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell.

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FEED DROP: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton & John Jay "The Federalist Papers"

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Colleen Sheehan, Arizona State University Professor, discusses the early life and times of the Federalist's three authors. She explains how their lives challenged their writing and thinking. Plus, their lasting legacy today.

In September 1787, the newly drafted Constitution of the United States was sent to the states for ratification. Responding to initial public criticism of the document, Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay - under the collective pseudonym "Publius" - wrote a series of 85 essays to promote the ratification of the Constitution. The essays were first published in several New York newspapers and were later combined into a book titled The Federalist. Today, the original essays are commonly referred to as The Federalist Papers.

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Cliff Sloan, "The Court at War"

Sun, 17 Sep 2023 08:00:00 -0000

Georgetown University law professor Cliff Sloan, author of "The Court at War," talks about the civil rights and civil liberties cases taken up by the U.S. Supreme Court during World War Two and the influence that FDR had on the justices, the vast majority of whom he appointed.

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Richard Striner, "Ike in Love and War"

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Historian Richard Striner talks about his book "Ike in Love and War," about the personal life and career of Dwight D. Eisenhower, covering everything from his upbringing and military service to his two-terms as president of the United States. Mr. Striner also talks about the three women Eisenhower fell in love with over his lifetime: Gladys Harding, Mamie Doud (later Mamie Eisenhower), and Kay Summersby, a Brit who served as Eisenhower's driver during World War Two.

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Richard Norton Smith, "An Ordinary Man"

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Presidential historian and author Richard Norton Smith discusses his biography of President Gerald Ford titled "An Ordinary Man." He talks about Ford's personal life, anti-establishment politics, and post-presidential years. He also talks about the efforts made by President Ford to heal the country following the Watergate scandal and his controversial decision to pardon Richard Nixon.

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Jean Twenge, "Generations"

Mon, 28 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0000

San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge discusses her book "Generations," about the differences between the six generations – The Silents, Baby Boomers, Gen. X, Millennials, Gen. Y and "The Polars" – currently living in the United States. She argues that technological advances shape generations more than anything else and talks about the impact this will have on the country in the future.

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Shahan Mufti on the 1977 Siege of Washington, D.C.

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Our guest is Shahan Mufti's, who's new book, American Caliph, recounts an event that's been lost to history-- the March 9th, 1977 Hanafi Muslim siege in Washington, D.C. That day, three buildings in Washington, D.C. were seized by 12 Hanafi Movement gunmen and were held for two days.

The group took 149 hostages, killed a young radio reporter named Maurice Williams, and shot then-councilman and future Washington D.C. mayor Marion Barry. Mr. Mufti describes the background of the group's leader, Hamas Abdul Khaalis, the blood feud between him and the Nation of Islam, a movie about the prophet Muhammed that fueled the hostage-taking, and the tense negotiations that ultimately ended the siege.

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James Rosen, "Scalia"

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0000

By advancing his judicial philosophies of "originalism" and "textualism," Antonin Scalia became one of the 20th century's most influential justices. This week, James Rosen talks about Book One of his two-part biography of Antonin Scalia, titled "Scalia: Rise to Greatness, 1936-1986," Rosen who is Newsmax's Chief White House Correspondent examines Justice Scalia's life prior to the Supreme Court. We talk about Nino Scalia's early years, the importance of his Catholic faith, his first years as a corporate lawyer, his teaching career at the University of Chicago and UVA, his time in government during the Nixon and Ford administrations, and his appointment to the U.S. Court of Appeals.

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Ilyon Woo on the Self-Emancipation of William and Ellen Craft in 1848

Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0000

In this episode, you'll meet Ilyon Woo, author of a new bestseller-- "Master Slave, Husband Wife." She recounts the harrowing journey of self-emancipation made by two enslaved Georgians--William and Ellen Craft -- in 1848. Disguised as a wealthy disabled white man traveling with his enslaved servant, the Crafts left Georgia via public conveyances, avoiding slave traders, law enforcement, and curious fellow passengers in their successful effort to gain freedom. Becoming popular speakers on the lecture circuit, they found themselves hunted by slavecatchers after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law in 1850.

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Rachel Louise Martin, "A Most Tolerant Little Town"

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0000

A year before Arkansas' Little Rock Central High School was desegregated, 12 Black students in Clinton, Tennessee, enrolled, by court mandate, in Clinton High School's 1956 Fall semester. Historian Rachel Louise Martin, author of "A Most Tolerant Little Town," talks about the experiences of the students who desegregated the first school in the south following Brown v. Board of Education and the violent reaction by the extremist White Citizens Council and others in town who championed a segregated America.

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Felix Salmon, "The Phoenix Economy"

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Axios chief financial correspondent Felix Salmon, author of "The Phoenix Economy," talks about the long-term social and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. He argues that while the pandemic was devastating, many of the outcomes that have resulted from it have been surprisingly positive.

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Joshua Zeitz, "Lincoln's God"

Mon, 17 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Historian and Politico contributing writer Joshua Zeitz, author of "Lincoln's God," talks about the impact of faith on America's 16th president. Zeitz contends that as a young man, Abraham Lincoln was skeptical of organized religion but later, as president, came to embrace the power of evangelical Protestantism, both personally and politically.

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Tania Branigan, "Red Memory"

Mon, 10 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Guardian newspaper editorial writer and former China correspondent Tania Branigan, author of "Red Memory," talks about China's Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), during which millions of Chinese were killed and tens of millions were persecuted by the Chinese government for being enemies of the state. In the book, Ms. Branigan profiles several people who were targeted during this period and discusses the lasting impact of the Cultural Revolution in China today.

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Mark Clague, "O Say Can You Hear?"

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 00:00:00 -0000

This July 4th weekend, University of Michigan musicology and American culture professor Mark Clague discusses his book, "O Say Can You Hear?," about the history and cultural impact of the Star-Spangled Banner. He talks about how the 1814 poem written by Francis Scott Key became the U.S. national anthem, its widespread use today at sporting events, and renditions of the song performed by Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Roseanne Barr, and others.

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Cassandra Good, "First Family"

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0000

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Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. on the Murder of Emmett Till and the Search for Justice

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Emmett Till's cousin Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr., who accompanied Till on his trip to Mississippi in 1955, talked about the fateful events leading up to Till's murder by two white men and his efforts to get justice for his late cousin.

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Henry Grabar, "Paved Paradise"

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Slate magazine staff writer Henry Grabar, author of "Paved Paradise," talks about the evolution of parking in the United States and the consequences of that development today. He argues that the decades-long importance given to parking has negatively impacted housing costs and development, city traffic, the environment, and more.

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Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), "Lost and Broken"

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), author of "Lost and Broken," talks about his decades-long struggle living with chronic pain and anxiety and discusses his efforts to find the right treatment. He also talks about the U.S. healthcare system and its ability to meet the needs of Americans with physical and mental health issues.

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Daniel Weiss, "In That Time"

Mon, 29 May 2023 00:00:00 -0000

This Memorial Day weekend on Q&A, Daniel Weiss, president & CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and author of "In That Time," talks about the life of poet and musician Michael O'Donnell, who went missing in action during the Vietnam War after the helicopter he was piloting was shot down over Cambodia.

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Ashlee Vance, "When the Heavens Went on Sale"

Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Bloomberg Businessweek feature writer Ashlee Vance discusses his book "When the Heavens Went on Sale," about the private companies launching small satellites into Earth's lower orbit for commercial and noncommercial use. In the last three years alone, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has gone from 2,500 to 8,000. Mr. Vance estimates that these companies will put up tens of thousands more over the next decade. He discusses the positives and negatives of this new effort to dominate space.

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Cal Thomas, "A Watchman in the Night"

Mon, 15 May 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Longtime syndicated columnist and author Cal Thomas discusses his book "A Watchman in the Night," a look back at his over 50 year career in journalism and the political and cultural events he covered over that time. He also talks about his assessments of Presidents Reagan through Biden.

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Jean Twenge, "Generations"

Mon, 08 May 2023 00:00:00 -0000

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Richard Norton Smith, "An Ordinary Man"

Mon, 01 May 2023 00:00:00 -0000

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Rebecca Roberts, "Untold Power"

Mon, 24 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0000

The one thing most anyone knows about First Lady Edith Wilson is that she conspired to cover for Woodrow Wilson after he suffered a debilitating stroke in 1919. There's much more to this complex woman's story, says this week's guest, Rebecca Boggs Roberts. She's the author of a new Edith Wilson biography titled "Untold Power." She describes Edith Bolling's rise from rural Virginia with only two years of formal education to the heights of power in Washington in a time of change for women and the nation.

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David Bonior & Father Peter Daly on Aiding Ukrainian War Refugees

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0000

For two weeks in March 2023, former U.S. representatives David Bonior (D-MI) and Jim McDermott (D-WA), along with retired Catholic priest Peter Daly, went to Poland and Ukraine to meet with Ukrainians who have fled their homes since Russia's invasion in February 2022. Rep. Bonior and Father Daly joined us to talk about their trip and share stories about the people and refugee organizations they visited along the way.

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Joan Biskupic, "Nine Black Robes"

Mon, 10 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Supreme Court reporter Joan Biskupic, author of "Nine Black Robes," talks about the Supreme Court during and after the Trump administration. She argues that President Trump's three appointments to the Court accelerated its rightward shift, leading to the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. She also provides a look at the behind-the-scenes dealmaking that the justices engage in when deciding cases.

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Neil King, Walking to New York City

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0000

In April of 2021, former Wall Street Journal reporter and Washington, DC, resident Neil King joined us to recount tales of his nearly 300 mile trek from the nation's capital to New York City, a journey he chronicled on Twitter. Now, two years later, he has published a book about his walk titled "American Ramble: A Walk of Memory and Renewal." This week, as his book is published, we're re-airing our 2021 conversation with Mr. King to hear some of his stories of the historic sites he visited and the people he met along the way.

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Jeff Hobbs, "Children of the State"

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Bestselling author and journalist Jeff Hobbs discusses his book "Children of the State," which looks at the workings of the juvenile justice system in the United States. Mr. Hobbs focuses on three juvenile programs – in San Francisco; Wilmington, Delaware; and New York City – that handle minors at different stages of the juvenile justice process.

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Elizabeth Cobbs, "Fearless Women"

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Texas A&M American history professor Elizabeth Cobbs, author of "Fearless Women," talks about the history of feminism and feminists in the United States from the American Revolution to today. She profiles well-known and not-so-well-known women who have made an impact on American history and culture.

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James Rosen, "Scalia"

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0000

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Alvin Hall, "Driving the Green Book"

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 01:00:00 -0000

From 1936 to 1967, during the Jim Crow Era, many African Americans travelers relied on the "Green Book," an annual guide listing African American-friendly hotels, restaurants, gas stations and other businesses, to keep them safe. TV and radio broadcaster Alvin Hall, author of "Driving the Green Book," talks about his visits to a dozen sites mentioned in the guide to learn more about its history and lasting impact.

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Matthew Connelly, "The Declassification Engine"

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Columbia University history professor Matthew Connelly, author of "The Declassification Engine," talks about the increase in U.S. government secrecy from World War Two to today. He argues that many classified documents are never made public because they expose government criminality and incompetence and that overclassification in an effort to keep the country safe is doing more harm that good.

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Alex Prud'homme, "Dinner with the President"

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Journalist Alex Prud'homme, author of "Dinner with the President," talks about how food and the culinary tastes of U.S. presidents have impacted American culture and history. He also discusses how breaking bread with allies and adversaries, both in private and public, furthered presidential agendas going back to George Washington.

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Ilyon Woo on the Self-Emancipation of William and Ellen Craft in 1848

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 01:00:00 -0000

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Tracy Kidder, "Rough Sleepers"

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tracy Kidder, author of "Rough Sleepers," talks about Harvard educated doctor Jim O'Connell and his work with the homeless population of Boston over the past 40 years. Tracy Kidder followed Dr. O'Connell and his colleagues from the Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program for five years to get an understanding of their work and an insight into the homelessness crisis in America.

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Philip K. Howard, "Not Accountable"

Sun, 29 Jan 2023 20:00:00 -0000

In his new book "Not Accountable," attorney and bestselling author Philip K. Howard critiques public employee unions and their impact in the United States. He argues that organizations like the American Federation of Teachers, the Fraternal Order of Police and others representing millions of government workers have usurped decision-making power from elected officials and are arguably unconstitutional.

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Jim Popkin, "Code Name Blue Wren"

Mon, 23 Jan 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Ten days after 9/11, Defense Intelligence Agency analyst Ana Montes was arrested by the FBI on espionage charges. For almost 17 years, since the mid-1980s, Ms. Montes had been passing along classified information to the government of Cuba, a crime for which she was sentenced to 25 years in prison. She was released in early January 2023 after serving 20 years. Investigative journalist Jim Popkin, author of "Code Name Blue Wren," talks about the life and career of Ana Montes and the damage caused by her treachery.

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Author Rev. Wheeler Parker Jr. on the Murder of Emmett Till and the Search for Justice

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 01:00:00 -0000

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Joel Richard Paul, "Indivisible"

Mon, 09 Jan 2023 01:00:00 -0000

This week we're joined by University of California law professor Joel Richard Paul for a conversation about his latest book: Indivisible: Daniel Webster and the birth of American Nationalism. Webster was the best know orator in antebellum America, and his speeches were widely shared, inspiring many Americans, including Abraham Lincoln, to see the country as one nation bound together by the U.S. Constitution rather than a collection of individual states with unique interests.

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John Agresto, "The Death of Learning"

Mon, 02 Jan 2023 01:00:00 -0000

Former college president and longtime educator John Agresto discusses his newest book "The Death of Learning: How American education has failed our Students and What to Do about it." Dr. Agresto is a passionate champion of liberal arts education at both the high school and college level. He makes the case that political correctness and an emphasis on skills-based degrees has devalued the liberal arts. He asks how we can build contemporary liberal arts programs that educate students and benefit our society.

This program originally aired in October 2022.

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Javier Zamora on Migrating from El Salvador to the United States as a Nine-Year-Old

Mon, 26 Dec 2022 01:00:00 -0000

This week, writer Javier Zamora describes the treacherous, three-thousand-mile journey he made from El Salvador to the United States when he was just nine years old. Led by coyotes, he and a group of strangers made three perilous attempts to cross into the US. Javier's parents, who had earlier migrated to California to escape the violence at home, had no idea for weeks if their only child was still alive. In his debut poetry collection, Unaccompanied, and now in his bestselling memoir Solito, Javier Zamora explains that his goal is to personalize the immigration story.

This program originally aired on October 2nd, 2022.

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Shahan Mufti on the 1977 Siege of Washington, D.C.

Mon, 19 Dec 2022 01:00:00 -0000

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Rick Wartzman "Still Broke"

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 01:00:00 -0000

This week, a conversation with Rick Wartzman, about his new book, "Still Broke: Walmart's Remarkable Transformation and the Limits of Socially Conscious Capitalism." Given unparalleled access to Walmart executives for this book, Wartzman traces the history of the Bentonville, Arkansas retail giant and its recent efforts to transform itself. Wartzman uses this study of Walmart's relationship with its workers to raise larger questions about the nation's millions of minimum-wage workers

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Glory Liu "Adam Smith's America"

Mon, 05 Dec 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Adam Smith, the author of the 1776 book, Wealth of Nations, is called the father of economics. He's often cited as a champion of free markets, an interpretation widely advanced by Nobel prize winning economist Milton Friedman in the 20th century.

Harvard University lecturer Glory Liu says Smith's work is more nuanced. This week, we talk about her research on Smith as detailed in her new book, "Adam Smith's America"." She argues that while the 18th-century Scottish philosopher is widely known in the U.S. for his association with free markets, he was also a social philosopher concerned with worker rights and economic inequality.

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Chris Arnade, "Dignity"

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Former Wall Street trader turned photojournalist Chris Arnade discusses his book "Dignity," in which he documents the plight of those living on the margins of society in America. He talks about his photos and shares stories about some of the people he befriended during his travels. This program originally aired in October 2019.

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Douglas Brinkley "Silent Spring Revolution"

Mon, 21 Nov 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Historian Douglas Brinkley, author of "Silent Spring Revolution," discusses American biologist Rachel Carson's work on environmental pollution and the impact her 1962 book "Silent Spring" had on the conservationist movement in the United States during the following decade. He also talks about the leadership of Presidents Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon on environmental issues and the landmark legislation dealing with conservation that was passed during the 1960s and early 1970s.

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John Farrell "Ted Kennedy: A Life"

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Former Boston Globe reporter and biographer John Farrell, author of "Ted Kennedy: A Life," discusses the life and political career of the late Democratic senator from Massachusetts. He talks about the Kennedy political dynasty and the tragedies surrounding Ted Kennedy's life, including the killing of his brothers and the 1969 car accident at Chappaquiddick that resulted in the drowning of 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne.

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Elliott Morris, "Strength in Numbers"

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Data journalist Elliott Morris, a U.S. correspondent for The Economist, discusses the history of public opinion polling in the United States going back to the 19th century and the development and use of polling since then. He also talks about the accuracy of polls today and the often criticized predictions made by forecasters during the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

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Amy Gajda, "Seek and Hide"

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Amy Gajda, professor of law at Tulane University in New Orleans and author of “Seek and Hide,” discusses the historic struggle in the United States between an individual’s right to privacy and the public’s right to know newsworthy information.

This conversation was originally published on May 15h, 2022.

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William Doyle on the Life and Legislative Achievements of U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah

Mon, 24 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Writer and filmmaker William Doyle joins us to talk about his new book "Titan of the Senate." It tells the story of the longest-serving Republican Senator, Orrin Hatch of Utah. Sen. Hatch served from 1977-2019 and passed away at the age of 88 in April of 2022. Mr. Doyle argues that Senator Hatch's legislative achievements earn him the nod as the greatest U.S. Senator in modern times. Senator Hatch authored nearly 800 bills, including bipartisan efforts on HIV/AIDS, generic drugs, civil rights, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. He often teamed up with his political opposite, the late Massachusetts Senator Ted Kennedy.

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Margaret Burnham, "By Hands Now Known"

Mon, 17 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0000

In 2007 Civil Rights Legal Scholar Margaret Burnham launched Northeastern University's Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project to document the largely unknown Black victims of racial violence in the South between the 1930s and the 1950s and the Jim Crow legal system that supported it. In her new book, "By Hands Now Known" Professor Burnham describes the systemic support for Jim Crow relates to a few of the more than one thousand murders during this period in which the perpetrators were never brought to justice.

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John Agresto, "The Death of Learning"

Mon, 10 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0000

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Javier Zamora on Migrating from El Salvador to the United States as a Nine-Year-Old

Mon, 03 Oct 2022 00:00:00 -0000

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Alan Maimon, "Twilight in Hazard"

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0000

The Appalachian Region of Eastern Kentucky has been ravaged by coal mine closings, opioid overdoses, floods, and public corruption. In this episode, Alan Maimon, a former reporter for the Lousiville Courier-Journal, talks about his book "Twilight in Hazard" which explores the impacts on the city of Hazard, Kentucky. He also talks about "Hillbilly Elegy," J.D. Vance's bestselling book about Appalachia, and Donald Trump's popularity in the region.

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Hal Brands, "Danger Zone"

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Hal Brands, professor of global affairs at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and co-author of "Danger Zone," argues that the superpower competition between the U.S. and China will reach its most dangerous point during this decade. He talks about the strategy that the Chinese government is pursuing to achieve global dominance and what the U.S. and other global powers are doing, or should be doing, to curb China's influence.

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Douglas Frantz & Catherine Collins, "Salmon Wars"

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Investigative reporters Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins, co-authors of "Salmon Wars," take a critical look at the commercial salmon farming industry, which now provides 90 percent of the salmon consumed by North Americans. They argue that these large-scale salmon hatcheries threaten the environment and produce fish that are unhealthy for humans to eat.

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C-SPAN in the Classroom Trailer: Season 2

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 22:00:00 -0000

Hey all you teachers and all you parents, and all you professors and all you students: Season #2 of the C-SPAN in the Classroom podcast drops this fall!

Whether you're mowing the yard, on a peaceful weekend drive, or just relaxing on the couch with your favorite blanket, make sure to tune in to the first episode of Season #2 of C-SPAN in the Classroom on September 10th, available at c-span.org, on the free C-SPAN Now app, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Make sure to like, subscribe, and share, and visit us at www.c-span.org/classroom.

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The Weekly Podcast: At The Movies With Boris Johnson

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 -0000

With Q&A on a short break, we're sampling a few of C-SPAN's other podcasts...this week an episode of "The Weekly" podcast. C-SPAN says farewell to colorful British Prime Minster Boris Johnson by joining him at the movies. The American movies. We remember how he mixed policy and politics with references to American cinema classics such as The Terminator, The Godfather, Star Wars, Scarface, and many more Hollywood offerings -- not least of which, the Muppet Movie.

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Booknotes + Beverley Eddy, "Ritchie Boy Secrets"

Mon, 29 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0000

With Q&A on a short break, we're sampling a few of C-SPAN's other podcasts...this week Booknotes+...According to Beverley Driver Eddy, little has been written about Camp Ritchie, Maryland. Dickinson College retired professor Eddy says in her book "Ritchie Boy Secrets" that on June 19, 1942, the U.S. Army opened a secret military intelligence training center. Over the next four years, it produced some 20,000 graduates, intelligence and language specialists, for service in World War Two. Some of the famous names of men who were Ritchie Boys include J.D. Salinger, former senators John Chafee and Frank Church, David Rockefeller, and Reverend William Sloan Coffin.

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Presidential Recordings: All Politics Are Local: The Pentagon Papers & Conversations with Members of Congress

Mon, 22 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0000

With Q&A on a short break, we're sampling a few of C-SPAN's other podcasts...this week...you'll hear an episode of Presidential Recordings.

In this episode, we hear calls between the POTUS members of Congress. Topics include the publication of The Pentagon Papers, and The War in Vietnam.

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After Words: Kellyanne Conway, "Here's the Deal"

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0000

With Q&A on a short break, we're sampling a few of C-SPAN's other podcasts...this week, political consultant Kellyanne Conway was the first woman to manage a winning presidential campaign. She shared insights into the 2016 campaign and her time in the Trump administration and offered her thoughts on the media and the political climate in America. She was interviewed by former Democratic Party interim chair and author Donna Brazile.

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After Words: Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA), "A Way Out of No Way"

Mon, 08 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0000

With Q&A on a short break, we're sampling a few of C-SPAN's other podcasts...this week, Senator Raphael Warnock (D-GA) talks about his life, faith and journey in politics. He was interviewed by Congressman James Clyburn (D-SC), Democratic Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Kathy Kleiman, "Proving Ground"

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Kathy Kleiman, an expert on internet governance at American University College of Law and the author of "Proving Ground," talks about the six American women who programmed the ENIAC, the world's first general-purpose electronic computer. The ENIAC (Electric Numerical Integrator and Computer), which weighed over 30 tons and took up 1,800 square feet, was a top-secret project designed by the U.S. Army during World War II to calculate artillery trajectories. The six women who programmed the ENIAC to carry out these calculations did so without a manual, relying solely on their study of the blueprints and wiring diagrams of the computer.

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Michael Smith & Jonathan Franklin, "Cabin Fever"

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Journalists Michael Smith and Jonathan Franklin talk about the COVID-19 outbreak on Holland America's cruise ship Zaandam in March 2020 while sailing around South America. Prevented from docking anywhere, the 1,200 mostly elderly passengers from the U.S., Europe and South America, along with 600 crew members, were stranded at sea as the virus spread on the ship. Michael Smith and Jonathan Franklin discuss what happened aboard the Zaandam during those days, the actions taken by Holland America after learning about the outbreak, and the eventual safe harbor given to the Zaandam in South Florida.

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Elliott Morris, "Strength in Numbers"

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0000

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Lindsey Fitzharris, "The Facemaker"

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris, author of "The Facemaker," talks about the life and career of Dr. Harold Gillies, a New Zealand plastic surgeon who reconstructed the faces of thousands of injured soldiers during and after World War One. The techniques developed by Dr. Gillies, many of which are still used today, revolutionized the field of reconstructive surgery.

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Presidential Recordings: Ep. 1 Bad Moon Rising - Watergate Calls from April 1973 Part 1

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Season Two begins with a sampling of calls about Watergate between President Richard Nixon and his administration from April 1973 while the investigation intensified. Conversations include John Ehrlichman, Assistant Attorney General Henry Peterson, FBI Director L. Patrick Gray, Henry Kissinger, and White House Counsel John Dean.

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Presidential Recordings Trailer: Season 2 President Richard Nixon

Fri, 01 Jul 2022 04:00:00 -0000

At least 6 U.S. Presidents recorded conversations while in office. Hear those conversations on this C-SPAN podcast. Season 2 focuses on President Richard Nixon's secretly-recorded private telephone conversations. Through eight episodes, hear Richard Nixon talk with key aides about Watergate strategy, potential Supreme Court Nominees, and hear his reaction to the leaked publication of the Pentagon Papers.

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Mark Clague, "O Say Can You Hear?"

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0000

University of Michigan musicology and American culture professor Mark Clague discusses his book, "O Say Can You Hear?," about the history and cultural impact of the Star-Spangled Banner, written by Francis Scott Key in 1814. He talks about how it became the U.S. national anthem, its widespread use today at sporting events, and renditions of the song performed by Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Roseanne Barr, and others.

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Author John Bainbridge, Jr., on the Weapons That Transformed America and the Men Who Invented Them

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Former Baltimore Sun reporter John Bainbridge, Jr., author of “Gun Barons,” talks about the inventors who started Colt, Smith & Wesson, Winchester, and Remington, and the role their firearms played in U.S. westward expansion and the Civil War.

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Janna Levin on Black Holes/Sagittarius A* & Jessica Whiteside on the Mars Perseverance Rover

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0000

This week we look at two space-related stories in the news recently: the release of an image of Sagittarius A star, a supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, and the progress made by NASA's Perseverance Rover in its search for life on Mars. We are joined by two guests, Barnard College astrophysicist and author Janna Levin and University of Southampton geochemistry professor Jessica Whiteside.

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Phil Klay, "Uncertain Ground"

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Iraq War veteran and National Book Award winning-author Phil Klay discusses his book of essays, titled "Uncertain Ground," about the impact of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq on American society and the chasm between the less than one percent of citizens who serve in the military and the rest of the nation. He also talks about the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the mass shootings in Buffalo and Uvalde, and other topics.

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Booknotes+ Mark Vonnegut, "The Heart of Caring"

Mon, 30 May 2022 00:00:00 -0000

We're taking a break for Memorial Day, and thought we'd use this opportunity to share an episode of our Booknotes+ podcast, where you'll meet Dr. Mark Vonnegut, who reflects on 40 years as a pediatrician in his book, "The Heart of Caring."

In the dedication of his book, "The Heart of Caring," Dr. Mark Vonnegut tells his patients, teachers, and parents everywhere, "Thank you for letting me have such a good time when I go to work." Dr. Vonnegut is a pediatrician who graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1979. This was after he had been diagnosed, at age 25, with severe schizophrenia. He's had four psychotic breakdowns in his life, but has managed to successfully practice pediatrics for close to forty years. Mark Vonnegut, in his newest book, writes about patients, parents, insurance companies, and his late father, the novelist Kurt Vonnegut.

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Louisa Lim, "Indelible City"

Mon, 23 May 2022 00:00:00 -0000

In 1997, sovereignty over Hong Kong was passed from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China. Large demonstrations opposing China's authority began in the early 2000s in the port city, culminating with the 2019 protests and subsequent crackdowns by the Chinese government that made headlines around the world. Louisa Lim, author of "Indelible City," who grew up in Hong Kong and covered Hong Kong and China as a reporter for the BBC and NPR, talks about the history of British rule in Hong Kong and the relationship between Hong Kong and China since the 1997 handover.

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Amy Gajda, "Seek and Hide"

Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 -0000

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Darlene Superville, "Jill"

Mon, 09 May 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Darlene Superville, White House reporter for the Associated Press and co-author of "Jill," talks about the life and career of First Lady Jill Biden. Ms. Superville discusses Jill Biden's involvement in Joe Biden's political career, her role as a teacher, and the causes – including working with military families – that she took up in the Obama and Biden administrations.

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David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States

Mon, 02 May 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Archivist of the United States David Ferriero is retiring this spring after nearly 13 years in office. Appointed by President Barack Obama and confirmed in 2009, he is the 10th archivist to oversee the National Archives as well as the nation's now 15 presidential libraries. During his tenure, Mr. Ferriero presided over a digital transformation of how archival material is collected and preserved. And it was under his leadership that the Archives debuted "Remembering Vietnam," its first-ever exhibit on that divisive conflict. Mr. Ferriero, a veteran of that war, served as a U.S. Navy hospital corpsman. He talks about his accomplishments and challenges at the Archives and the work that remains for his successor.

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Matthew Continetti, "The Right"

Mon, 25 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Author & journalist Matthew Continetti talks about the history of the American right-wing since the early 20th century. He says that a populist strain challenged mainstream conservatism several times over that period, ultimately triumphing with the election of Donald Trump in 2016. Mr. Continetti is also a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and founding editor at the Washington Free Beacon.

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Mary Sarotte, "Not One Inch"

Mon, 18 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0000

During discussions over the reunification of Germany in 1990, U.S. Secretary of State James Baker told Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev that NATO would not expand eastward. "Not one inch," Baker assured Gorbachev. In the lead-up to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Vladimir Putin used those words to suggest that the U.S. and NATO were not interested in peace and could not be trusted. Mary Sarotte, professor of history at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and author of "Not One Inch," talks about the 1990 comment and the impact that NATO expansion since then has had on U.S.-Russia relations.

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Kostya Kennedy, "True: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson"

Mon, 11 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0000

April 15th, 2022, marks the 75th anniversary of the day that Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball. Since 2004, April 15th has been known in the baseball world as "Jackie Robinson Day," in honor of the Brooklyn Dodgers player. We talked with Kostya Kennedy, former senior writer for Sports Illustrated, about Jackie Robinson's life and career. In his new book "True," Mr. Kennedy writes about four significant years in Robinson's life: 1946, when he started in the minor leagues; 1949, when he was named National League MVP; 1956, his final year playing baseball; and 1972, the year of his untimely death.

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Michael Meyer, "Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet"

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:00:00 -0000

In his will, Benjamin Franklin left 1000 pounds sterling each to the cities of Boston and Philadelphia. The money was to be loaned out, in small increments and at low-interest rates, to tradesmen who wanted to start their own businesses. Franklin estimated that even with a small rate of return, the trust fund would grow over the years and both cities would end up with large windfalls by the end of the twentieth century. University of Pittsburgh professor Michael Meyer, author of "Benjamin Franklin's Last Bet," discusses Franklin's micro-lending scheme and assesses its legacy.

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Benjamin Barton, "The Credentialed Court"

Mon, 28 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0000

If Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is confirmed by the Senate, we will have the most diverse Supreme Court in U.S. history. University of Tennessee law professor Benjamin Barton, author of "The Credentialed Court," argues that while this is true on the surface, a closer look suggests that there is a "radical similarity" among the justices – especially when considering their educational and career paths after graduating high school. He has spent the past 12 years studying the backgrounds of Supreme Court justices throughout history and says that the justices today come from more elite circles and have much narrower experiences than their predecessors did, leading to a kind of group-think that is often overlooked when examining the court.

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Andrew Rice, "The Year That Broke America"

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0000

The title of the book "The Year That Broke America" refers to the year 2000, when an immigration crisis captured the headlines, Donald Trump ran for president, and Al Qaeda operatives arrived in the U.S. to learn to fly. Author Andrew Rice, a contributing editor at New York magazine, discusses the events of that year, which started with the fear of a global computer meltdown and ended with a fight over one of the closest presidential elections in U.S. history.

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Renee Knake Jefferson, “Shortlisted”

Mon, 14 Mar 2022 00:00:00 -0000

Law professor Renee Knake Jefferson, co-author of “Shortlisted” discusses the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court and talks about some of the women who were considered for the court in the past, but were passed over.

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Dana Rubin, Speaking While Female Speech Bank

Mon, 07 Mar 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Speechwriter and consultant Dana Rubin discusses her Speaking While Female Speech Bank, an online archive of speeches made by women throughout history that she says have been unjustly overlooked or forgotten. She talks about the archive and speeches by Queen Elizabeth II, Barbara Jordan, Phyllis Schlafly and others.

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V. P. Franklin, "The Young Crusaders"

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Hundreds of thousands of children and teenagers were active participants in the Civil Rights Movement. They took part in boycotts, strikes, marches, and demonstrations and faced many of the same risks as their adult counterparts. Professor of history emeritus V. P. Franklin, author of "The Young Crusaders," joins us to talk about the stories of these sometimes overlooked contributors to social justice in the United States.

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Ryan Walters, "The Jazz Age President"

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0000

On almost all presidential rankings lists, you will find Warren Harding's name at or near the bottom. On C-SPAN's 2021 survey of presidential historians, he was 37 out of 44. Historian Ryan Walters argues that while Harding had his faults, his accomplishments – including bringing the country back to normalcy after WWI and setting out an economic plan that led to the Roaring Twenties – are often overlooked when assessing his presidency. In his book "The Jazz Age President," Mr. Walters lays out his case for why President Harding should rank higher.

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Erin Thompson, "Smashing Statues"

Mon, 14 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Since the summer of 2020, roughly 214 public monuments have been taken down across the United States, either through official processes or by force. Erin Thompson, professor of art crime at the City University of New York and the author of "Smashing Statues," talks about the history of American monuments, the motivations for putting them up, and the current debates over which ones should be taken down.

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Amy Zegart, "Spies, Lies, and Algorithms"

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Hoover Institution senior fellow Amy Zegart talked about the espionage threats facing the United States from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea and assessed whether our intelligence agencies are prepared to deal with them.

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Ben Raines, "The Last Slave Ship"

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0000

The last slave ship carrying captives from Africa to America arrived in Alabama in 1860, more than fifty years after the transatlantic slave trade was outlawed in the United States. The 110 slaves aboard the ship were brought to U.S. shores as the result of a bet made by a wealthy Alabama slaveholder who bragged that he could circumvent the prohibition. To cover his tracks he burned and scuttled the ship, named Clotilda, in a swamp just north of Mobile, where it remained until it was discovered by reporter Ben Raines in 2019. Mr. Raines tells the story of Clotilda and its descendants in his book "The Last Slave Ship."

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Robert Sutton, "Nazis on the Potomac"

Mon, 24 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Robert Sutton, the former Chief Historian of the National Park Service, tells the story of a secret military intelligence facility near Washington, DC, where 3,000 high-value Nazis were interrogated by U.S. servicemen during World War Two.

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NASA's DART Mission & James Webb Space Telescope

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0000

2022 is a big year for space science. NASA has two major missions underway. The first – DART (Double Asteroid Redirection Test) – will test the agency's ability to defend Earth against asteroids. The second – the James Webb Space Telescope (the successor to Hubble) – will be used to study the origins of the universe and search for possible life in the universe beyond Earth. We talked about these missions with Nancy Chabot, Planetary Chief Scientist at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory and Coordination Lead on the DART mission, and Meredith MacGregor, assistant professor of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder.

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Jorge Contreras, "The Genome Defense"

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Can human genes be patented and owned? That's the question behind Jorge Contreras' book "The Genome Defense." The author and professor of law at the University of Utah tells the story of the 2013 Supreme Court case Association for Molecular Pathology v. Myriad Genetics. The longshot case, brought by the ACLU, challenged the right to patent human genes, a practice that had been used by biotech companies for decades.

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Presidential Recordings Ep. 2 - Creation of the Warren Commission

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 01:00:00 -0000

Calls between President Lyndon Johnson & members of Congress & the administration on the establishment of The Warren Commission which would look into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. This program begins with background information from Max Holland author of "The Kennedy Assassination Tapes: The White House Conversations of Lyndon Johnson Regarding the Assassination, the Warren Commission & the Aftermath"

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Presidential Recordings Ep. 1 - What are The LBJ Tapes? with Marc Selverstone of The Miller Center at the University of Virginia

Mon, 27 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Marc Selverstone, Chair of the Presidential Recordings Program at the Miller Center of the University of Virginia explains the background of the LBJ tapes.

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Joshua Prager, "The Family Roe"

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Joshua Prager talks about the complicated life and times of Norma McCorvey - aka “Jane Roe” - and the 1971 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court case over the right to have an abortion that bears her name.

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Jim Byron, President & CEO of the Nixon Foundation

Mon, 13 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Jim Byron started working at the Nixon Foundation in 2007 as a marketing intern. He was 14-years-old. This past November, at age 28, he was appointed president and CEO of the foundation. Mr. Byron joined us to talk about the Nixon Foundation and its role in operating the Nixon Library & Museum site in Yorba Linda, California. He also talks about his goals for the foundation, including getting more young people interested in the life and career of President Nixon.

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J.B. MacKinnon, "The Day the World Stops Shopping"

Mon, 06 Dec 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Journalist J.B. MacKinnon discussed what would happen to the economy and the environment if the world cut consumption by twenty-five percent. He argued that we are currently using up the world's resources at a rate that is unsustainable and questioned what it would take to get people - especially consumer-driven Americans - to buy fewer things.

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About Books: Former Rep. Steve Israel D-NY on Opening a New Bookstore

Mon, 29 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0000

A conversation with Former Representative Steve Israel (D-NY) who opened a book store in Oyster Bay, New York. Plus, a look at current non-fiction books featured on C-SPAN's BookTV for the week of November 28, 2021.

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Mayukh Sen, "Taste Makers"

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Mayukh Sen, a James Beard Award-winning writer and adjunct professor of food journalism at New York University, discusses his book "Taste Makers," in which he profiles seven immigrant women who transformed American cuisine during the second half of the 20th century. Two of the women profiled are Elena Zelayeta a blind chef and bestselling cookbook author from Mexico, and Chao Yang Buwei, who was a physician in China before becoming an influential writer on Chinese cooking in the United States.

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Randy Barnett & Evan Bernick, "The Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment

Mon, 15 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0000

The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which states that "No state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws," is one of the most adjudicated amendments. The 1868 adoption of it has led to numerous Supreme Court cases and interpretations. Professors Randy Barnett (Georgetown University Law Center) and Evan Bernick (Northern Illinois University College of Law) argue in their book "The Original Meaning of the 14th Amendment" that the amendment, which gave the federal judiciary and Congress new powers over the states, has been misinterpreted by conservative and liberal judges alike.

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Beth Levison & Jerry Risius, "Storm Lake"

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Filmmakers Beth Levison and Jerry Risius discuss their documentary “Storm Lake,” about the Storm Lake Times, a small-town family-run newspaper in Iowa, and its efforts to stay afloat amidst shrinking ad revenues and the coronavirus pandemic.

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Howard Husock, "The Poor Side of Town"

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Howard Husock, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of "The Poor Side of Town," takes a critical look at the more than 100-year effort by the federal government, private developers, and others to create low-cost housing in the United States.

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LaDoris Cordell, "Her Honor"

Mon, 25 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Retired California superior court judge LaDoris Cordell, author of "Her Honor," takes a critical look at our legal system and offers suggestions on how to improve it. She talks about the importance of judicial independence, mandatory minimum sentencing, racial bias in jury selections, police reform, and more.

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David Wessel, "Only the Rich Can Play"

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Opportunity Zones were created under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Trump in December 2017. Originally the brainchild of Napster co-founder Sean Parker and supported by both Republicans and Democrats, the idea was to attract investment to poor communities across the U.S. by offering tax breaks for investors. Brookings Institution senior fellow and former Wall Street Journal economics editor and columnist David Wessel author of "Only the Rich Can Play," talks about the creation of Opportunity Zones and discusses the impact they have had.

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Martin Dugard "Taking Paris"

Mon, 11 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Paris was overtaken by the Nazis on June 14, 1940, and brutally occupied for more than four years. Thousands of Parisians died as a result. Martin Dugard, co-author with Bill O'Reilly of the bestselling "Killing" series and author of the new book "Taking Paris," talks about Paris during the time of the German occupation and the liberation of the city by the U.S. and French forces in August 1944.

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Peter Canellos, "The Great Dissenter"

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Peter Canellos, Politico editor-at-large and the author of The Great Dissenter, talked about the life, career, and legacy of Supreme Court Justice John Marshall Harlan of Kentucky.

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Lawrence Wright "The Plague Year"

Mon, 27 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Lawrence Wright, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of "The Looming Tower" and New Yorker staff writer, discusses his latest book "The Plague Year: America in the Time of COVID." He talks about the origins of COVID-19, the response to the outbreak by the Chinese government, and the handling of the pandemic by the Trump administration and CDC.

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Jason Riley, "Maverick"

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Wall Street Journal columnist and Manhattan Institute senior fellow Jason Riley talks about the life and influence of economist Thomas Sowell ("SOUL"), now 91, whose writings on economics, race, culture, education and politics have inspired conservatives and libertarians for a half-century. Mr. Riley is the author of the biography "Maverick" and is also the host of a documentary on Mr. Sowell that came out in January 2021.

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Jessica DuLong, "Saved at the Seawall"

Mon, 13 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Jessica DuLong, the former chief engineer on NYC fireboat John J. Harvey, talks about the rescue of nearly 500,000 people, by boat, off the island of Manhattan following the 9/11 attacks. It was the largest maritime evacuation in history.

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January 6th: Views from the House Reps. Markwayne Mullin, Jason Crow and Tom Malinowski

Mon, 06 Sep 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Three House lawmakers - Reps. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Jason Crow (D-CO), and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) - recount their first-hand experiences on January 6, when a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

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Lectures in History: Guerilla Warfare in the Civil War

Mon, 30 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Brown University professor Megan Kate Nelson teaches a class about guerilla warfare, which is largely characterized by its tactics, including ambushes and surprise raids on unsuspecting troops and towns. She talks about the guerrilla soldiers fighting on both the Union and Confederate sides during the Civil War. These small bands of men on horseback were nimble and difficult to capture, especially Confederate guerrillas who often did not wear uniforms and blended back into the population after an attack.

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After Words w/ Alex Marlow, "Breaking the News: Exposing the Establishment Media's Hidden Deals and Secret Corruption"

Mon, 23 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Breitbart editor-in-chief Alex Marlow argues that the mainstream media has destroyed its credibility. He's interviewed by Reason Magazine editor at large Matt Welch.

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Booknotes+ w/ Harlow Giles Unger: "Thomas Paine, Forgotten Hero of the American Revolution"

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Historian Harlow Unger chats with Brian Lamb about the work and legacy of Thomas Paine. Mr. Paine's political writings inspired American revolutionaries, but his later writings on religion made him a pariah. Harlow Unger's book, "Thomas Paine and the Clarion Call for American Independence," is the latest of 27 he has written, including many on the Founding Fathers.

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Booknotes+ w/ Eleanor Herman: "Sex with Presidents"

Mon, 09 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Historian Eleanor Herman joins Brian Lamb to talk about her book, "Sex with Presidents," about sex scandals involving U.S. presidents going back to the early years of the Republic. Eleanor Herman is the author of many other books, including "Sex with the Queen" and "Sex with Kings."

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Gary Ginsberg, "First Friends"

Mon, 02 Aug 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Former Clinton administration aide Gary Ginsberg, author of "First Friends," talked about the personal confidants of U.S. presidents and the influence they wielded. He talks about banker and businessman Bebe Rebozo, who Richard Nixon knew for 44 years, and civil rights leader Vernon Jordan, one of Bill Clinton's closest advisers for much of his political career, among others.

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Michelle Singletary, "What to Do with Your Money When Crisis Hits"

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Washington Post syndicated finance columnist Michelle Singletary discusses how people should react financially during an economic downturn. She also talks about her love of budgets, her hatred of debt, and the future of the U.S. economy.

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Jessica DuLong, "Saved at the Seawall"

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0000

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Don Ritchie, Senate Historian Emeritus

Mon, 12 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Donald Ritchie, historian emeritus of the U.S. Senate, talks about the influence of Drew Pearson’s muckraking “Washington Merry-Go-Round” columns, which derailed many political careers in Washington and drew the ire of every president from FDR to Nixon.

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Craig Fehrman, "Author in Chief"

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Journalist and historian Craig Fehrman analyzes American presidents through the lens of the books they've written.

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Edward Slingerland, Author, "Drunk"

Mon, 28 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Why do people like to get intoxicated? Edward Slingerland, professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia, tries to answer the question in his latest book, "Drunk," which looks at the evolutionary purpose of intoxication and the role that drinking has played throughout history.

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John Tamny, Author, "When Politicians Panicked"

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Were government-mandated lockdowns in the U.S. necessary to stop the pandemic? John Tamny, director of the Center for Economic Freedom at FreedomWorks, says they weren’t and argues they have done more harm than good.

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Annette Gordon-Reed, Author, "On Juneteenth"

Mon, 14 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Harvard professor Annette Gordon-Reed talks about the history and legacy of Juneteenth - June 19th - the day in 1865 that enslaved African Americans in Texas were informed of their emancipation.

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Peter Osnos, Author, "An Especially Good View: Watching History Happen"

Mon, 07 Jun 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Peter Osnos, a longtime reporter, editor, and publisher and the author of An Especially Good View: Watching History Happen, talked about his family’s escape from Poland in 1939, working for I.F. Stone, covering the Vietnam War and publishing books by former Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr. Osnos was vice president and senior editor at Random House from 1984-1996 and publisher and CEO at PublicAffairs, which he founded, from 1997-2005.

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Rick Beyer, Author, "The Ghost Army of World War II"

Mon, 31 May 2021 00:00:00 -0000

During World War II, the U.S. Army created a "Ghost Army" that used inflatable rubber tanks, sound effects, fake radio transmissions, and performance art to fool the Germans into miscalculating the strength and location of American troops. Its mission remained classified until 1996. Filmmaker and author Rick Beyer ("BY"-er) talks about the 1,100 men who served with the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops – aka the Ghost Army – during the war. Mr. Beyer has directed a documentary and co-written a book about the unit.

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Greg Francis, Author, "Just Harvest"

Mon, 24 May 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Attorney Greg Francis discusses his book “Just Harvest,” about a class-action discrimination lawsuit brought by black farmers against the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1997, resulting in a billion dollar settlement two years later.

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Neil King, Walking to New York City

Mon, 17 May 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Former Wall Street Journal reporter and Washington, DC, resident Neil King talks about his nearly 300-mile walking trip to New York City this past April to connect with American history.

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Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, Mysteries of the Universe

Mon, 10 May 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein talks about subatomic particles, the mysteries of the universe, and the journey she took to become one of less than one hundred black American women to receive a PhD in physics.

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Lawrence Roberts, Author of "Mayday 1971"

Mon, 03 May 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Investigative journalist Lawrence Roberts talks about the “Spring Offensive” of 1971, during which tens of thousands of anti-Vietnam War protesters, including Vietnam War veterans, came to Washington, DC, in an effort to shut down the federal government.

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Susan Page, Author, "Madame Speaker"

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0000

USA Today Washington bureau chief Susan Page, author of "Madam Speaker," talks about the life and political career of Democratic congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who became the first female Speaker of the House in 2007 and is currently serving her second term in the position.

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Karen Tumulty, Author, "The Triumph of Nancy Reagan"

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Washington Post political columnist Karen Tumulty discusses her biography of former First Lady Nancy Reagan. She talks about the role Mrs. Reagan played as political adviser to Ronald Reagan and as a mother.

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Julia Sweig, Author, "Lady Bird Johnson: Hiding in Plain Sight"

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Julia Sweig, senior research fellow at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas-Austin, talks about the influence Lady Bird Johnson had on Lyndon Johnson’s decision-making, both before and during his presidency. www.oracle.com/goto/cspan.

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Frederick Hess & Pedro Noguera, "A Search for Common Ground"

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Frederick Hess, director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, and Pedro Noguera, dean of the school of education at USC, debated education policy and talked about the importance of having civil discussions over political disputes, especially when principled differences of opinion are involved.

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Elizabeth Becker, Author, "You Don't Belong Here"

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Journalist Elizabeth Becker tells the story of three women - Australian correspondent Kate Webb, French photographer Catherine Leroy, and American intellectual Frances FitzGerald - who reported on the Vietnam War.

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The History Chicks

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0000

Kansas City-based Susan Vollenweider and Beckett Graham, co-hosts of The History Chicks podcast, talk about the origins of the now 10-year-old podcast, its growing popularity over the years, and some of the women they've covered on their fortnightly look into U.S. history, including Queen Lili'uokalani of Hawaii and inventor Lydia Pinkham.

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George Weigel, Author, "Not Forgotten"

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 00:00:00 -0000

George Weigel, a Catholic theologian, author and distinguished senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, talks about some of the people he profiles in Not Forgotten, his new book of elegies and reminiscences.

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Jayme Lemke, Senior Fellow, Mercatus Center's Hayek Program

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Jayme Lemke, senior fellow with George Mason University’s Mercatus Center’s F. A. Hayek Program, talks about the social and economic disruption caused by the COVID pandemic and the response by the U.S. government.

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Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Author, "She Came to Slay"

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Erica Armstrong Dunbar, professor of history at Rutgers University, talks about her book, "She Came to Slay," about the life and exploits of Underground Railroad conductor and Union Army spy, Harriet Tubman.

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Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, University of Texas

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 01:00:00 -0000

University of Texas history professor Peniel Joseph talks about the activism and converging ideologies of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr., and the importance of their thinking on the fight for civil rights in America.

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Vice President Kamala Harris's Mother and History of Indian Americans

Mon, 15 Feb 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Journalist Rikha Sharma Rani discusses her profile of Vice President Kamala Harris’s late mother, Shyamala, who came to the United States from India in 1958, and Prof. Devesh Kapur talks about the larger story of Indian immigration to the United States.

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Aruna Viswanatha, WSJ Reporter, & Max Abrahms, Northeastern University political science professor

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Wall Street Journal reporter Aruna Viswanatha talks about the federal investigation into the January 6th attack on the Capitol and Northeastern University political science professor Max Abrahms discusses whether the government needs new authority to properly deal with domestic extremists.

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Lawrence Roberts, Author of "Mayday 1971"

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 01:00:00 -0000

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Elena Conis, Author of "Vaccine Nation"

Mon, 25 Jan 2021 01:00:00 -0000

University of California at Berkeley historian of medicine Elena Conis talks about the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950s.

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Presidential Inaugural Addresses

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Sarada Peri, senior speechwriter for President Barack Obama, and John McConnell, senior speechwriter for President George W. Bush, join us to talk about presidential inaugural addresses, from JFK to the upcoming inaugural address of President-elect Joe Biden.

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Helen Andrews, Author, "Boomers"

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 01:00:00 -0000

Helen Andrews, senior editor at The American Conservative magazine, takes a critical look at the Baby Boomer Generation and argues that they have left subsequent generations, especially Millennials, worse off.

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Nic Novicki, Founder and Director, Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 01:00:00 -0000

Actor Nic Novicki, founder and director of the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, talks about the 2020 entries and the winning films in three categories: best awareness campaign, best editor, and best film.

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Jake Wood, Author of "Once a Warrior"

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 01:00:00 -0000

Jake Wood talks about serving with the U.S. Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan and with Team Rubicon, the disaster response organization that he co-founded with a fellow Marine in 2010. Seventy percent of the over 100,000 U.S. volunteers that serve with Team Rubicon are military veterans.

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New Members of Congress

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 01:00:00 -0000

This week on Q&A we talk with the youngest women in the freshmen class of 117th Congress, Republican Kat Cammack of Florida and Democrat Sara Jacobs of California. They discuss their backgrounds and what they hope to accomplish in office.

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Susan Schulten and Eric Rauchway, Historians on contentious presidential transitions

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 01:00:00 -0000

Historians Susan Schulten and Eric Rauchway talk about two of the most contentious presidential transitions in U.S. history - in 1861, between James Buchanan and Abraham Lincoln, and in 1933, between Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt.

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Elaine Weiss, Author "The Woman's Hour"

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0000

Journalist and author Elaine Weiss discussed her book, "The Woman's Hour," about the lead-up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 18, 1920, that granted women the right to vote.

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James Taing, Documentary Filmmaker

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0000

Filmmaker James Taing discusses his documentary “Ghost Mountain,” about the 1979 massacre of Cambodian survivors of Pol Pot’s Killing Fields by Thai soldiers along the Thailand-Cambodia border.

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Sarah Brayne, Author "Predict and Surveil"

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0000

University of Texas at Austin sociology professor Sarah Brayne talks about the use of big data and new surveillance technologies by law enforcement, and discusses where this kind of policing may be headed.

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David Savage, Los Angeles Times, 20th Anniversary of Bush v. Gore SCOTUS Case

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0000

David Savage, Los Angeles Times, 20th Anniversary of Bush v. Gore SCOTUS Case

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Matthew Weil and Laura Hautala on Election Security

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 01:00:00 -0000

The Bipartisan Policy Center’s Matthew Weil and CNET’s Laura Hautala talk about mail-in ballots, election security, and the evolution of voting machines since the 1960s.

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Kathleen Belew and Jillian Melchior on Proud Boys and Antifa

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0000

The University of Chicago’s Kathleen Belew and the Wall Street Journal’s Jillian Kay Melchior talk about the Proud Boys and Antifa, right and left-wing groups, respectively, that have used violent tactics to further their goals.

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Nic Novicki, Founder and Director, Easterseals Disability Film Challenge

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0000

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Isabel Wilkerson, Author, 'Caste: The Origin of our Discontent'

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Author and 2020 Kirkus Book Prize finalist Isabel Wilkerson argues that the United States has a hidden caste system that has played a role throughout its history and produced the racial divisions and injustices we see today.

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Ilya Shapiro, Senior Fellow, Cato Institute

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 00:00:00 -0000

The Cato Institute’s Ilya Shapiro talks about the history of U.S. Supreme Court nominations and the confirmation battles that sometimes accompany them.

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Eric Jay Dolin, Author, "A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred-Year History of America's Hurricanes"

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Author and 2020 Kirkus Book Prize finalist Eric Jay Dolin talks about the destruction caused by hurricanes throughout U.S. history and the science and technology being applied to deal with them today.

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Harold Holzer, Author and Historian, Part Two

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Author and historian Harold Holzer examines the relationship, often hostile, between the media and U.S. presidents going back to George Washington.

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Richard Horton, Editor-in-Chief, The Lancet

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of the UK-based medical journal The Lancet, talks about the COVID-19 outbreak and the response to it by governments around the world.

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Pamela Constable, Former Bureau Chief of Afghanistan and Pakistan, The Washington Post

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Pamela Constable recently completed a lengthy tour as the Washington Post's Afghanistan/Pakistan bureau chief. She talks about her work, the people she's met, the issues she's covered, and conditions today.

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Harold Holzer, Author and Historian

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Author and historian Harold Holzer examines the relationship, often hostile, between the media and U.S. presidents going back to George Washington. During part one of our two-part interview with Mr. Holzer, he talks about presidents prior to FDR.

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Katherine Gehl, Founder, Institute for Political Innovation

Mon, 24 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Katherine Gehl, founder of the Institute for Political Innovation, argues that our current political system is leading to voter disenchantment and an unhealthy level of partisanship, and suggests ways to improve it.

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Elaine Weiss, Author "The Woman's Hour"

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0000

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Reihan Salam, President, Manhattan Institute

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Manhattan Institute president Reihan Salam discussed whether the COVID-19 pandemic and current civil unrest in the country will lead to people moving out of large U.S. cities, as was seen after the 1960s.

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Chris Wallace, Author of "Countdown 1945" and Fox News Host

Mon, 03 Aug 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Fox News anchor Chris Wallace discusses his book, “Countdown 1945,” about the creation of the atomic bomb and President Truman’s thinking during the months leading up to its use on Hiroshima, Japan, on August 6th, 1945.

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Representative John Lewis (D-Georgia)

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Representative John Lewis (D-Georgia) discussed his life and involvement in the civil rights movement, including the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, during which he was severely beaten by state troopers.

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John Burtka, Executive Director and Acting Editor, The American Conservative

Mon, 20 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0000

John Burtka, executive director and acting editor of The American Conservative, talks about the special edition of the magazine which examines where American conservatism came from and where it is going in the age of Donald Trump.

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Erin Geiger Smith, Voting in America

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Journalist Erin Geiger Smith talks about the history of voting in the United States and some of the issues surrounding voting today, including low voter turnout, voter suppression, and the reliability of voting by mail.

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Siddhartha Mukherjee, U.S. Response to Covid-19

Mon, 06 Jul 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Physician and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Siddhartha Mukherjee talks about the U.S. response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the medical science that is being used to combat it.

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Elena Conis, "Vaccine Nation"

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0000

University of California at Berkeley historian of medicine Elena Conis talks about the development of the polio vaccine in the 1950s.

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Peniel Joseph, Professor of History, University of Texas

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0000

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Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s “Morning Edition”

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Steve Inskeep, host of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” discussed his book, Imperfect Union, which chronicles John and Jessie Fremont and their exploration of the American West in the 19th century.

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Peggy Wallace Kennedy, "The Broken Road: George Wallace and a Daughter’s Journey to Reconciliation"

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 00:00:00 -0000

Peggy Wallace Kennedy talked about her segregationist father’s controversial career as the former four-term Alabama governor and presidential candidate, and his later political conversion after almost being assassinated in 1972. She also talked about her friendship with Representative John Lewis (D-GA).

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Malcom Gladwell, "Talking to Strangers"

Sun, 31 May 2020 16:26:39 -0000

Malcolm Gladwell discussed his new book, Talking to Strangers, about how people make judgments, often inaccurately, about strangers.

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Jeff Guinn, "The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s Ten-Year Road Trip"

Sun, 24 May 2020 15:29:44 -0000

Historian Jeff Guinn talked about his book The Vagabonds: The Story of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison’s Ten-Year Road Trip, on the highly-publicized summer road trips taken by Henry Ford and Thomas Edison between 1914-1925.

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Susannah Cahalan, Journalist, "The Great Pretender"

Sun, 17 May 2020 16:13:40 -0000

Journalist Susannah Cahalan talked about her book, The Great Pretender: The Undercover Mission That Changed Our Understanding of Madness, about a 1973 experiment, led by Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan, conducted to test the legitimacy of psychiatric hospitals in America.

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Craig Fehrman, Journalist, "Author in Chief"

Sun, 10 May 2020 16:16:27 -0000

Journalist and historian Craig Fehrman analyzes American presidents through the lens of the books they’ve written.

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Lual Mayen, South Sudanese Refugee

Sun, 03 May 2020 16:48:04 -0000

Lual Mayen recounted his journey from life as a South Sudanese refugee to a Washington, D.C.-based video game developer and CEO of his company Junub Games. He was gaining acclaim for his work on peace and conflict resolution by bringing the refugee experience to a wider audience through his video game “Salaam,” which means “peace” in Arabic.

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Chris Arnade, Photojournalist

Sun, 26 Apr 2020 16:30:00 -0000

Former Wall Street trader turned photojournalist Chris Arnade discussed his book "Dignity," in which he documents the plight of those living on the margins of society in America. He talked about his photos and shared stories about some of the people he befriended during his travels.

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James Wallner, Historian and Professor at American University

Sun, 19 Apr 2020 04:00:00 -0000

Former U.S. Senate aide James Wallner, who currently researches and writes about Congress at the R Street Institute, joins us to talk about the role and power of Senate Majority Leaders throughout history.

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Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Sun, 05 Apr 2020 05:00:00 -0000

We profile Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases since 1984 and a prominent member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

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Amity Shlaes, Author and Economic Historian on U.S. Response to Crises

Sun, 29 Mar 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation chair, author and economic historian Amity Shlaes joins us to talk about the history of U.S. government responses to economic crises, including the Great Depression, the 2008 global recession, and the coronavirus.

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Christian McMillen, Author of "Pandemics: A Very Short Introduction"

Sun, 22 Mar 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Christian McMillen talks about the history of pandemics. He is the author of “Pandemics: A Very Short Introduction” and is a University of Virginia associate dean for social sciences.

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Steve Inskeep, Author of "Imperfect Union"

Sun, 15 Mar 2020 05:00:00 -0000

NPR “Morning Edition” host Steve Inskeep discusses his book, “Imperfect Union,” which chronicles John and Jessie Fremont and their exploration of the American West in the 19th century.

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Peggy Wallace Kennedy, Author of "The Broken Road: George Wallace and a Daughter's Journey to Reconciliation"

Sun, 08 Mar 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Peggy Wallace Kennedy, daughter of former 4-term Alabama governor and presidential candidate segregationist George Wallace, talks about her father’s controversial career and his later political conversion after almost being assassinated in 1972.

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Carl Cannon, Washington Bureau Chief of RealClearPolitics on Super Tuesday

Sun, 01 Mar 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Carl Cannon, Washington Bureau Chief of RealClearPolitics, discusses the history of Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses.

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Notable Speakers of the House with Matthew Green

Sun, 23 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Matthew Green looks back over history & into our own time to talk about notable Speakers - including Henry Clay, Joe Cannon, Newt Gingrich, and current Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He is a Catholic University political science professor.

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Craig Fehrman, "Author in Chief"

Sun, 16 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Journalist and historian Craig Fehrman analyzes American presidents through the lens of the books they've written.

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Q&A with Lual Mayen

Sun, 09 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Lual Mayen recounts his journey from life as a South Sudanese refugee to a Washington, D.C.-based video game developer and CEO of his company Junub Games.

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Kathryn Sullivan, "Handprints on Hubble"

Sun, 02 Feb 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Kathryn Sullivan, the first American woman to walk in space, talks about being part of NASA's first class of female astronauts and her participation in the launch and maintenance of the Hubble Space Telescope.

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Iowa Caucuses History

Sun, 26 Jan 2020 05:00:00 -0000

David Yepsen talks about the history of the "First-in-the-Nation" Iowa caucuses, which are held this year on February 3, 2020. Mr. Yepsen was the chief political writer for the Des Moines Register, where he covered politics for 34 years.

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History of the New Hampshire Primary

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Former [New Hampshire Union Leader] Publisher and now Editor-at-Large Joseph McQuaid talks about his state's presidential primary history. This year's primary is February 11, 2020.

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History of Impeachment in the Senate

Sun, 12 Jan 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Historian emeritus of the U.S. Senate, Donald Ritchie, talks about the process and history of Senate impeachment trials, including those of Presidents Andrew Johnson, Richard Nixon, Bill Clinton, and Donald Trump.

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Daniel Weiss, "In That Time"

Sun, 05 Jan 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Daniel Weiss, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, talks about the life of poet Michael O'Donnell, who went missing in action during the Vietnam War after the helicopter he was piloting was shot down over Cambodia.

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Dr. Azra Raza, "The First Cell"

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Dr. Azra Raza, professor of medicine and director of the MDS Center at Columbia University, takes a critical look at the way we have treated cancer in the United States since the early 1970s and discusses how patient care can be improved.

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Holly Jackson, "American Radicals"

Sun, 08 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

University of Massachusetts professor Holly Jackson discusses her book, [American Radicals], about the people, inspired by the Founding Fathers, who worked to spread freedom and equality in the United States during the 19th Century.

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Presidential Press Coverage

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 05:00:00 -0000

The Newseum's Patty Rhule talks about how the press has covered American presidents over the course of our history. She is vice president of the museum's content and exhibit development.

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Presidential Nominating Process

Sun, 24 Nov 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Lara Brown of George Washington University discusses how the current presidential nominating system developed. She is the political management school director at George Washington University & author of "Jockeying for the American Presidency."

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A Reporter's View of Afghanistan, Pakistan & Iraq

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Pamela Constable recently completed a lengthy tour as the [Washington Post]'s Afghanistan/Pakistan bureau chief. She talks about her work, the people she's met, the issues she's covered, and conditions today.

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Susannah Cahalan, "The Great Pretender"

Sun, 10 Nov 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Journalist Susannah Cahalan discusses her book, [The Great Pretender], about a 1973 experiment led by Stanford psychologist David Rosenhan that was conducted to test the legitimacy of psychiatric hospitals in America.

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Supreme Court Chief Justices

Sun, 03 Nov 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Elizabeth Papez - a litigator and partner in the firm of Gibson Dunn, and former U.S. Deputy Assistant Attorney General who clerked for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas -- discusses several high profile U.S. Supreme Court chief justices.

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Chris Arnade, "Dignity"

Sun, 27 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Former Wall Street trader turned photojournalist Chris Arnade discusses his book, [Dignity], in which he documents the plight of those living on the margins of society in America.

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Alan Kraut

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

American University Distinguished Professor of History Alan Kraut looks back at our politics and policies over the past two plus centuries to see how they transformed the laws designed to manage immigration.

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Jeff Guinn, "The Vagabonds"

Wed, 09 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Historian Jeff Guinn writes about the highly publicized summer road trips taken by Henry Ford and Thomas Edison between 1914-1925 in his book, [The Vagabonds].

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History of Tariffs

Sun, 06 Oct 2019 04:00:00 -0000

The Smithsonian Institution's Peter Liebhold discusses the history of tariffs in managing the U.S. economy. He is a work and industry curator at the National Museum of American History.

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James Banner, "Presidential Misconduct"

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Historian James Banner discusses his book, "Presidential Misconduct: From George Washington to Today"

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Heritage Foundation President Kay Coles James

Sun, 22 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Kay Coles James about her life, career in government and politics, and her work as president of the Heritage Foundation think tank in Washington, D.C.

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Malcolm Gladwell, "Talking to Strangers"

Sun, 15 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Bestselling author Malcolm Gladwell discusses about his new book, [Talking to Strangers], about how we make judgments, often inaccurately, about people we don't know.

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Margaret O'Mara, "The Code"

Sun, 08 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0000

University of Washington history professor Margaret O'Mara discusses her book, [The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America], about the rise of Silicon Valley and the role that the federal government played in its evolution.

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Q&A

Wed, 28 Aug 2019 04:00:00 -0000

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David McCullough

Sun, 19 May 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Historian David McCullough discusses his latest book, [The Pioneers: The Heroic Story of the Settlers Who Brought the American Ideal West].

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David Maraniss

Sun, 12 May 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Journalist and author David Maraniss discusses his book, [A Good American Family: The Red Scare and My Father].

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Harold Holzer and Amity Shlaes

Mon, 06 May 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Harold Holzer and Amity Shlaes talk about C-SPAN's latest book, [The Presidents: Noted Historians Rank America's Best - and Worst - Chief Executives].

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David Brooks

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

New York Times columnist David Brooks discusses his book "The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life."

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Q&A with Senate Youth Program

Sun, 21 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

High school students from the U.S. Senate Youth Program talk about their week in Washington and what they've learned from the experience.

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Susan Page

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

USA Today Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page discusses her book, [The Matriarch: Barbara Bush and the Making of an American Dynasty].

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Doug Brinkley

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Historian Douglas Brinkley talks about his book, "American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race."

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Joan Buskupic

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Supreme Court reporter Joan Biskupic discusses her biography of Chief Justice John Roberts.

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Robert Caro

Sun, 24 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Author and LBJ biographer Robert Caro discusses his book, [Working: Researching, Interviewing, Writing].

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Matthew Hoh

Sun, 17 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0000

Iraq War veteran and former State Department official Matthew Hoh talks about his article, "Time for Peace in Afghanistan and an End to the Lies."

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Amy Greenberg

Sun, 10 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Penn State history professor Amy Greenberg discusses her book [Lady First: The World of First Lady Sarah Polk].

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Eileen Rivers

Sun, 03 Mar 2019 05:00:00 -0000

U.S. Army veteran Eileen Rivers talks about her book "Beyond the Call: Three Women on the Front Lines in Afghanistan."

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Elizabeth Samet

Sun, 24 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0000

West Point English professor Elizabeth Samet discusses her annotated edition of Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs.

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Monica Norton

Sun, 17 Feb 2019 05:00:00 -0000

Monica Norton, Washington Post deputy local editor, talks about James Baldwin's "If Beale Street Could Talk" and the impact the book had on her as a teenager.

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Jackie Speier

Sun, 18 Nov 2018 05:00:00 -0000

Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) talks about her memoir, [Undaunted: Surviving Jonestown, Summoning Courage, and Fighting Back].

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Joanne Freeman

Sun, 07 Oct 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Yale University historian Joanne Freeman discusses her book, "The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War."

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Jeffrey Engel

Sun, 30 Sep 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Southern Methodist University's Jeffrey Engel discusses his book, [When the World Seemed New: George H. W. Bush and the End of the Cold War].

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Grace Kennan Warnecke

Sun, 22 Jul 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Grace Kennan Warnecke, daughter of American diplomat George Kennan, discusses her memoir, [Daughter of the Cold War]."

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Amy Wax

Sun, 24 Jun 2018 04:00:00 -0000

University of Pennsylvania Law School professor Amy Wax talked about the limits of free expression on college campuses in the United States.

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Michio Kaku

Sun, 08 Apr 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Theoretical physicist Michio Kaku talks about his book, [The Future of Humanity: Terraforming Mars, Interstellar Travel, Immortality, and Our Destiny Beyond Earth].

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Amy Chua

Sun, 25 Mar 2018 04:00:00 -0000

Yale University Law School professor Amy Chua discusses her book, [Political Tribes], about the role that group identity plays in shaping domestic and foreign affairs.

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Kate Bowler

Sun, 25 Feb 2018 05:00:00 -0000

Prosperity gospel scholar, Kate Bowler, discusses her memoir, [Everything Happens for a Reason], in which she reflects on being diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer at the age of 35.

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Doug Mills

Sun, 11 Feb 2018 05:00:00 -0000

New York Times staff photographer Doug Mills talks about some of the photos he took during the 2016 presidential race and discusses what it's like to cover President Trump.

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Caitriona Perry

Sun, 28 Jan 2018 05:00:00 -0000

Caitriona Perry, former Washington correspondent for RTE, Ireland's public service broadcaster, talks about her book, [In America], which chronicles her encounters with Trump supporters during the 2016 presidential election season.

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Daryl Davis

Sun, 19 Nov 2017 05:00:00 -0000

Musician and author Daryl Davis talks about his efforts over the past 30 years to befriend members of the Ku Klux Klan to try to understand their hatred and to convince them that they are wrong.

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Allison Stanger

Sun, 29 Oct 2017 04:00:00 -0000

Allison Stanger, professor of international politics and economics at Middlebury College in Vermont, talks about students' reaction to the appearance of author Charles Murray on Campus last March. Both were attacked by students following the event.

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Manal Al-Sharif

Sun, 16 Jul 2017 04:00:00 -0000

Saudi Arabian women's rights activist Manal Al-Sharif talks about her book, [Daring to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening].

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Pat Buchanan

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 04:00:00 -0000

Columnist and political commentator Pat Buchanan, who served as a speechwriter and senior adviser to President Nixon, discusses his book, [Nixon's White House Wars].

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Q&A with Mark Cheathem

Sun, 14 May 2017 04:00:00 -0000

Cumberland University history professor Mark Cheathem discusses his book, [Andrew Jackson, Southerner], and talks about the comparisons made between President Jackson and President Trump.

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Q&A with Heather McGhee

Sun, 05 Feb 2017 05:00:00 -0000

Heather McGhee, president of Demos, talks about an August 2016 appearance on Washington Journal and how a call from a white man in North Carolina, who said he was prejudiced, started a conversation about race in America and evolved into a friendship.

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Q&A with Benjamin Ginsberg

Sun, 22 Jan 2017 05:00:00 -0000

Johns Hopkins University political science professor Benjamin Ginsberg discusses his book, [What Washington Gets Wrong: The Unelected Officials Who Actually Run the Government and Their Misconceptions about the American People].

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Q&A with Robert Strauss

Sun, 18 Dec 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Robert Strauss discusses his book, [Worst. President. Ever.: James Buchanan, the POTUS Rating Game, and the Legacy of the Least of the Lesser Presidents].

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Q&A with Candice Millard

Sun, 06 Nov 2016 04:00:00 -0000

Historian Candice Millard discusses her book, [Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, a Daring Escape, and the Making of Winston Churchill].

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Q&A with Corey Pegues

Sun, 17 Jul 2016 04:00:00 -0000

Former New York Police Department Deputy Inspector Corey Pegues discusses his book, [Once a Cop: The Street, the Law, Two Worlds, One Man], about his experiences in law enforcement.

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Q&A with Michael Ramirez

Sun, 03 Jan 2016 05:00:00 -0000

Editorial cartoonist and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Ramirez talks about his career and his book, [Give Me Liberty or Give Me Obamacare].

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Q&A with Edmund Morris

Sun, 10 Aug 2014 04:00:00 -0000

Author Edmund Morris discusses his most recent book [This Living Hand: and Other Essays], his upcoming book on Thomas Edison, his career as a biographer of presidents and other notable figures, and how he approaches his craft as a writer.

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Q&A with Robert Dallek

Sun, 02 Feb 2014 05:00:00 -0000

Author Robert Dallek talks about his recently released historical narrative, "Camelot's Court: Inside the Kennedy White House." Dallek describes his book as taking an inside look at the brain trust surrounding President Kennedy's administration.

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Q&A with Amity Shlaes

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:00:00 -0000

Bloomberg correspondent and author Amity Shlaes talks about her biography of President Calvin Coolidge, [Coolidge], in which she traces the life of the president from his early days through his presidency and ultimate return to New England.

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Q&A with John Paul Stevens

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 04:00:00 -0000

Former Justice John Paul Stevens discusses his memoir detailing the workings of the Supreme Court, including his personal views of and interactions with the five most recent chief justices.

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Q&A with John Doar

Sun, 25 Jan 2009 05:00:00 -0000

John Doar, former assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations, talked about his involvement in several major civil rights events during the 1960s. In 1962, he worked to gain the entry of James Meredith into the then-segregated University of Mississippi. In 1963, he confronted and calmed protesters in Jackson, Mississippi, after the assassination of Medgar Evers. He also prosecuted and convicted many individuals on federal civil rights violations including those accused of killing three Mississippi civil rights workers, which was later depicted in movie [Mississippi Burning]. In 1974, he became chief counsel for the House Judiciary Committee's investigation of Watergate and helped to prepare articles of impeachment against President Nixon.

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Q&A with William Seale

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 05:00:00 -0000

In this 2008 interview from C-SPAN's Q&A series, the late historian and author William Seale discusses the history of the White House and its residents.

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