Podcast appearances and mentions of Jill Lepore

Today we complete our trio of episodes in collaboration with iCivics, where we explore why people of myriad groups are having a tough time, civics-wise. In this episode, we tell you how to eradicate your cynicism and make a difference. First, we share Jill Lepore's presentation on conventions; how we used to interact with our many constitutions. And then, we talk with Eitan Hersh. Eitan is the author of Politics Is for Power: How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real Change. He tells us what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to engaging in politics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've asked some of our favorite historians for their number one moment from these 250 years of the United States' History. For this episode, we're honored to welcome Jill Lepore back to the show.How do the life and letters of Jane Franklin, beloved sister of THE Benjamin Franklin, reflect the nature and constitution of America?You can read more about this in Jill's book THESE TRUTHS: A History of the United States, the Jubilee Edition of which is out now.Jill is a Professor of American History at Harvard University and a staff writer at The New Yorker.Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Freddy Chick.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  All music from Epidemic Sounds.American History Hit is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“History repeats itself,” the saying goes. Or, as another saying goes, “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” There’s also “History doesn’t repeat itself but it often rhymes.” Together these sayings suggest the value of history in our culture and our belief that it can help us understand the present. This hour, we’re talking about history and our current political moment. This episode is the second featuring a live event with Pulitzer Prize-winning historians Jon Meacham and Jill Lepore. If you missed the first episode, don't worry— this discussion will stand on its own. The event was the final discussion of The Connecticut Forum’s 34th season. GUESTS: Jill Lepore: the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author. Her books include These Truths: A History of the United States and We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Jon Meacham: Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University. His bestselling books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and the Pulitzer prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America's a funny place. It's not a country with a fixed geographic or religious identity. We don't have a common story of divine creation. "What we have," writes Ben Rhodes in his new book, ⁠All We Say⁠, "are words." The words of the founding documents, yes — but also "the words of speeches spoken by Americans who call us to be that better version of ourselves." Ben has spent more time with great American speeches than just about anyone. For eight years, he was a speechwriter in the Obama White House, crafting some of the defining oratory of the era. His new book is a 250-year tour through 15 speeches that built the country, challenged it, and raised its sights. He tells us how FDR changed the course of WWII from behind the lectern, how MLK ad-libbed one of the most famous lines in American history, and what Obama's 2008 speech about race can teach today's politicians about storytelling. And he makes the case that America needs great oratory now more than it has in a long time.

E. Jean Carroll, the woman who won two civil suits against Donald Trump to the tune of $88+ million, is now the target of a Justice Department investigation for perjury. The DOJ probe is viewed by many as yet another example of the president seeking retribution from his perceived enemies and critics. But in his new book “Crisis of the Common Good,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy argues that Trump is not the root cause of America's troubles, but the product of a much deeper crisis. He joins Christiane from Chicago.  Also on today's show: former Costa Rica VP Rebeca Grynspan, now Secretary-General of UNCTAD; historian Jill Lepore on her new book "We the People"    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“As long as democracy is a collective endeavour of all the people who belong to it, in some sense it can never be finished — because we are constantly bequeathing to the next generation the opportunity and the freedom to have these conversations over and over again.” — Alexandra Natapoff It's less than six weeks until America's 250th birthday. The official America 250 store is selling T-shirts while Harvard Law School is doing something slightly less commercial. 62 HLS professors have written 1,000-word essays, assembled into a single volume to be published on July 4. Entitled America Unfinished: Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Law and Governance, it's co-edited by Alexandra Natapoff, a Harvard Law professor who spent years as a federal public defender in Baltimore. The title, of course, is borrowed from the Gettysburg Address, where Lincoln charged the living with completing “the unfinished work” of those who died in the Civil War. So is America unfinished or is it just getting started? For Natapoff and other Harvard Law School professors like this year's Pulitzer Prize-winning Jill Lepore, the answer is suitably complex. Yes and no and maybe. Everything all at once. The essays focus on 250 years of both justice and injustice in America. Perhaps the only thing all authors agree on is the central role of capitalism in the history of the United States. Follow the money, Natapoff suggests. Those dollars will transport the reader to the heart of the American story. That said, America Unfinished will certainly cost you less than a three-year Harvard Law degree. And if you wait six months, the book will be available at no cost online. So follow the money. It will take you to some unexpectedly free places. Five Takeaways •       The Gettysburg Address as the Title's Source: The book does not merely allude to Lincoln's famous speech — it reproduces it at the front, so readers can go back to the original. In the Address, Lincoln charged the living with completing “the unfinished work” of those who died at Gettysburg — the work of building a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Natapoff and Charles chose this frame because it captures both the challenge and the hope: democracy is unfinished in the sense that it demands active work from every generation. It is not a gift that has been fully delivered. It is a task being handed on. •       America and Democracy Are Not the Same Thing: Andrew's challenge — you use the words interchangeably — earns a concession. Natapoff's work in criminal justice has led her to argue repeatedly that the American criminal system fails many tests of democracy: it is exclusive, inegalitarian, overly coercive, inconsistent with democratic principles. So ‘America' and ‘democracy' are not synonyms in the book. Many of the 62 essays disagree about the state of various pieces of governance. The book's inquiry is whether it is fair to call any particular piece of American legal governance a democracy — which both editors consider a compliment, and not a certainty. •       A Federal Public Defender in Baltimore: The Biography Behind the Scholarship: Before she became a law professor, Natapoff was a federal public defender in Baltimore's federal courts. Her job was to be adverse to the federal government all day every day, defending some of the most vulnerable and dispossessed people in the city against the massive resources and power of the federal apparatus. Those years shaped everything: her subsequent twenty years of scholarship on criminal courts, plea bargaining, misdemeanors, and race and inequality; her book Punishment Without Crime; and her contribution to America Unfinished. In her reading, the experience of her clients — people facing off against the federal government — is now more widely shared than it used to be. •       It's the Money, Not the Lawyers: Dan Wang's recent book Breakneck contrasts China, run by engineers, and America, run by lawyers. Natapoff's counter, via the book's economic governance essays: it's much more complicated than that. Six very different scholars who disagree about almost everything converge on a perhaps surprising answer: it's the money. Financial interests, corporate interests, the ownership class — in one way or another, they've been running America. The lawyers helped. They were part of the management scheme. But they weren't making the decisions. If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. •       Molly Brady's Essay: Property Law and the Destruction of Community: Asked to pick her favourite essay without starting a fight with 61 colleagues, Natapoff flags the very last one: Professor Maureen “Molly” Brady on property law. Brady argues that property law has permitted suburban sprawl and the destruction of physical community — the kind of infrastructure that makes analog life (libraries, neighbours, public space) possible — while being profligate in its support for social media and the dispersed, thinner version of community. She exhorts us to remember how law has contributed positively to communities we are proud of, and to stand up for that vision. For Natapoff, it captures both the critical nature of this moment and why lawyering still holds out some important promise. About the Guest Alexandra Natapoff is the Lee S. Kreindler Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, a 2016 Guggenheim Fellow, and a graduate of Yale University and Stanford Law School. She began her legal career as a federal public defender in Baltimore. She is the author of Punishment Without Crime: How Our Massive Misdemeanor System Traps the Innocent and Makes America More Unequal (Basic Books) and Snitching: Criminal Informants and the Erosion of American Justice (NYU Press). She is co-editor, with Guy-Uriel Charles, of America Unfinished: Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Law and Governance (MIT Press, July 4, 2026). References: •       America Unfinished: Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Law and Governance, co-edited by Alexandra Natapoff and Guy-Uriel Charles (MIT Press, July 4, 2026). Open access from January 2027. •       Alexandra Natapoff, Punishment Without Crime: How Our Massive Misdemeanor System Traps the Innocent and Makes America More Unequal (Basic Books, 2018). •       Dan Wang, Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future — referenced in the interview as the “America run by lawyers” contrast. •       Lincoln's Gettysburg Address (1863) — reproduced at the front of the book; the source of the title. About Keen On America Nobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,900 episodes since ...

In Elon Musk's “dark MAGA” there is no truth.—which for historian Jill Lepore creates a fear that everything might collapse because everything is so fragile and so fake, so untrustworthy -- and so -- unreal. For Lepore -- it is a fear created by the “Artificial State.”Back in January of this year – 2026 -- BCR hosts spoke with William Hartung about his political stand-up routine and his recent book “The Trillion Dollar War Machine: How Runaway Military Spending Drives America into Foreign Wars and Bankrupts Us at Hone.”It was a BCR episode in which jokes and world destruction did a cha cha.Hartung is an expert on the US military industrial complex at The Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. Recently, Bill emailed his Substack readers several articles on Silicon Valley's hard right tilt towards advanced militarism. He had been reading a copy of Jill Lepore's soon-to-be-released book – “The Rise and Fall of the Artificial State.” Bill's email was somewhat scary. It appears that Elon Musk and Peter Thiel and Palmer Luckey have embedded themselves into US government policy-making -- and profiting from dismantling our democracy. Their “firms are enabling genocide and aggression abroad and profiting from repression at home.”I replied to Bill's email and asked if he wanted to meet and talk about what he was finding – his response was immediate: “YES” – all caps with exclamation – “Let's do something, the sooner the better.”Alan Winsonbarcrawlradio@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At the start of May, Khalilah sat down for a conversation with historians Jill Lepore and Jon Meacham. The conversation was titled “Lessons from History,” and it came at a time when a lot was going on in U.S. politics. In just the past week there had been gunshots fired outside the ballroom where the White House Correspondents' Dinner was being held, a Supreme Court ruling that impacted the Voting Rights Act and developments that continued to shape the Iran war. It also came at a notable time for Jill Lepore: just three days after the conversation, she was announced as this year's winner of the Pulitzer Prize in History. Jon Meacham also won a Pulitzer Prize back in 2009. The event was the final discussion of The Connecticut Forum’s 34th season. We enjoyed hearing from these award-winning historians so much that we decided to extend the conversation to two episodes. If you like what you hear today, you can hear more next week. GUESTS: Jill Lepore: the David Woods Kemper ’41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker and bestselling author. Her books include These Truths: A History of the United States and We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Jon Meacham: Distinguished Visiting Professor at Vanderbilt University. His bestselling books include And There Was Light: Abraham Lincoln and the American Struggle and the Pulitzer prize-winning American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Disrupted is available as a podcast on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1876, Americans filled an iron safe with objects meant to tell their story — to be opened a century later. Roman Mars and historian Jill Lepore trace its long wait, from Reconstruction to Watergate, and the surprising, unsettling contents that emerged in 1976. What do the objects we choose to preserve — or forget — reveal about how we author our own history? Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The staff writer and historian Jill Lepore is an admirer of the Federal Writers' Project, and the man-on-the-street form of documentary it helped to pioneer. This type of journalism, she thinks, is integral to the democratic project. As part of a special episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour, Lepore collaborated with the audio-storytelling group Transom to create a new documentary on how Americans perceive their country on the eve of its two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary. Producers conducted interviews in Illinois, California, Louisiana, Vermont, and Utah, in gas stations, city parks, and malls, on street corners and dairy farms, asking people how they see themselves in the American story, how they feel about America at two hundred and fifty, and what they imagine the tricentennial of independence will be like.  The New Yorker Radio Hour's collaboration with Transom was produced by Sophie Crane. It was recorded by Eve Abrams, Scott Carrier, Erica Heilman, Yohance Lacour, and David Weinberg. Mixing and sound design by Josh Crane. Music by Jon Evans and Matthias Bossi at Stellwagen Symphonette. It was created as part of Transom's Listeners Project, an experiment in hyperlocal documentary storytelling.    New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives during intense disputes about American history, as the Trump Administration demands a more glorifying view of the nation's past at federally run historical sites and in federally funded projects. The staff writer Jill Lepore (who won the Pulitzer Prize in History this month for her book “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution”) guest-hosts a special episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour about this fraught moment, reflecting on the responsibility of academic historians to shape the public debate. She compares our moment with the bicentennial—which fell in the wake of the Vietnam War and the scandals of Richard Nixon's Presidency—in a conversation with the Yale historian Beverly Gage. Lepore looks at the nature of the country's war over history with Jelani Cobb, the dean of Columbia Journalism School and a staff writer at The New Yorker. They discuss the Donald Trump-approved “Freedom 250” projection on the Washington Monument, and talk about how Americans can meaningfully participate in the semiquincentennial. If “we're sitting around waiting for the occupant of the White House to tell us what American history means,” Lepore says, “you just kind of want to walk into traffic.” Further reading:  America at 250, a special issue of The New Yorker “Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?,” by Jill Lepore “Scandal, Protest, Goofiness, and Grandeur at the U.S. Bicentennial,” by Jill Lepore “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemorations,” by Jelani Cobb “This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History,” by Beverly Gage See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine's writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The two-hundred-and-fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence arrives during intense disputes about American history, as the Trump Administration demands a more glorifying view of the nation's past at federally run historical sites and in federally funded projects. The staff writer Jill Lepore (who won the Pulitzer Prize in History this month for her book “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution”) guest-hosts a special episode of The New Yorker Radio Hour about this fraught moment, reflecting on the responsibility of academic historians to shape the public debate. She compares our moment with the bicentennial—which fell in the wake of the Vietnam War and the scandals of Richard Nixon's Presidency—in a conversation with the Yale historian Beverly Gage. Lepore looks at the nature of the country's war over history with Jelani Cobb, the dean of Columbia Journalism School and a staff writer at The New Yorker. They discuss the Donald Trump-approved “Freedom 250” projection on the Washington Monument, and talk about how Americans can meaningfully participate in the semiquincentennial. If “we're sitting around waiting for the occupant of the White House to tell us what American history means,” Lepore says, “you just kind of want to walk into traffic.”  Further reading:  America at 250, a special issue of The New Yorker “Was the Declaration of Independence Better Before the Edits?,” by Jill Lepore “Scandal, Protest, Goofiness, and Grandeur at the U.S. Bicentennial,” by Jill Lepore “Two Hundred and Fifty Years of Complicated Commemorations,” by Jelani Cobb “This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History,” by Beverly Gage   New episodes of The New Yorker Radio Hour drop every Tuesday and Friday. Join host David Remnick as he discusses the latest in politics, news, and current events in conversation with political leaders, newsmakers, innovators, New Yorker staff writers, authors, actors, and musicians. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy. REMINDER: COME SEE KYE x MIKE DUNCAN LIVE IN NYC Given the string of recent episodes that, in various ways, grappled with religion we wanted to take a step back and offer a rather personal conversation about believing in God, or not, and what difference it might makes. The discussion begins by revisiting when we first met over a decade ago and talked a lot about faith, then ranges widely, including: atheism vs agnosticism, W.H. Auden, why we're not experiencing a religious revival in the United States (but could be soon), and more. Sources: Christopher Beha, Why I Am Not an Atheist (2026) Edward Mendelson, "The Secret Auden," New York Review of Books, March 20, 2014 David Martin, w/ a reply from Edward Mendelson, "Why Auden Married," New York Review of Books, April 24, 2014 Matthew Sitman, "Saving Calvin from Clichés: An Interview with Marilynne Robinson," Commonweal, Oct 5, 2017 Ryan Burge, "Religion Has Become A Luxury Good For The Middle Class, Married College Graduate With Children," Religion Unplugged, July 12, 2023 Daniel Cox, "The Illusion of America's Religious Revival," American Storylines, Nov 13, 2025 Walker Percy, Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book (1983) — The Message in the Bottle: How Queer Man Is, How Queer Language Is, and What One Has to Do with the Other (1975) The Living Thoughts of Kierkegaard, edited & with an introduction by W.H. Auden (1999) W.H. Auden, "In Praise of Limestone," in Nones (1951) "Jill Lepore on Nationalism, Populism, and the State of America," EconTalk, April 15, 2019

Jill Lepore is a Harvard professor and contributing writer to the New Yorker. Her books include The Secret History of Wonder Woman, New York Burning, These Truths: A History of the United States, and her latest, We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution – and instant New York Times bestseller.   This year is the semi-quincentennial of the United States of America and, as Lepore points out, also the anniversary of constitutionalism.  There's no better guide through American history than Jill Lepore, and it is a delight to spend an hour in civics class led by someone who readily references Mel Brooks and AI in a discussion about the Constitution. Lepore is interviewed by OPB's Geoff Norcross, host of All Things Considered. They discuss Lepore's Amendments Project, which catalogues all the amendments that have been proposed throughout history, and explore why it is so difficult to amend the Constitution and the story of how some of the amendments we do have (there are 27, including the 10 in the Bill of Rights) came to be. They talk about originalism and the pessimism of the framers, who believed that any man would be a tyrant if given power, and set up the checks and balances in our Constitution to give the legislature, the court, and the people – with the vote – the power to oust a tyrant.    A few notes to listeners just for clarity:   It's mentioned “what is Congress doing right now,” this was during the November 2025 government shut down.  Jill is not in the room with the audience; Jill was unable to join us in Portland due to a last-minute travel issue (related to the shut down, frankly), but very gamely came in on video while Geoff Norcross and the audience were in the theater.   Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. As a wide-ranging and prolific essayist, and winner of the PEN prize for the Art of the Essay, Lepore writes about American history, law, literature, and politics. She is the author of many award-winning books, including the international bestseller, These Truths: A History of the United States (2018). Her newest book is We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution, which was published this September.  As one of the local hosts of OPB's “All Things Considered,” Geoff Norcross shares local and regional stories to audiences of NPR's flagship newsmagazine. Previously, Geoff was the host of OPB's “Morning Edition” for 15 years. He was part of the team that built the program into one of the most listened-to presentations of “Morning Edition” in the country. 

Americans must fight a war on two fronts: against MAGA fascism and Democratic Party complacency. Wajahat Ali of the Left Hook on Substack and author of Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American joins Gaslit Nation to discuss how to actually build back better this time.  Donald Trump is America's karma of white supremacy, greed, and misogyny. But while the MAGA virus burns through our institutions, another danger is the "Big Club" in Washington, D.C. where Republicans and Democrats share the same donors, the same golf clubs, and the same refusal to tax the rich.  The DNC thinks they can waltz into power by not being Trump, but voters want a fighter and they want accountability. We are watching a righteous rage build across the globe, from the resistance in Ukraine and Hungary to vigilante violence here at home. When an Amazon worker drops dead and colleagues are told to work around the body, the status quo makes revolution by any means inevitable.  Ukrainians are fighting a war on two fronts: homegrown corruption and Kremlin fascism. We must see ourselves in the same fight. If the Democrats choose the James Carville "possum strategy" and refuse to face reality, they are simply clearing the deck for a more competent autocrat in 2032.  EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION: Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state, availableon Patreon.  The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult, availableon Patreon.  Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon.  Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon.  Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, availableon Patreon.  Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, availableon Patreon.  Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, availableon Patreon.  As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world.  Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit Show Notes: Amazon Accused of Hiding Worker's Death for a Week, Making Employees Keep Working as Corpse Lay on Floor https://futurism.com/future-society/amazon-accused-hiding-death-week Worker who allegedly set fire to California warehouse compares self to Luigi Mangione https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/10/california-warehouse-arson-luigi-mangione Newsom Vows to Stop Proposed Billionaire Tax in California https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/newsom-billionaire-tax-california.html Christiane Amanpour and Jill Lepore on CNN: Civil War Confederate President Wasn't Tried, Why It Matters In Trump Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVOIab3ek8  The Black Death by Thomas Asbridge review – a medieval horror story https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/apr/08/the-black-death-a-global-history-thomas-asbridge-review-pandemic-history-covid Why Does "DoorDash Grandma" Keep Showing Up with MAGA Members? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2026/04/14/has-doordash-grandma-appeared-with-other-gop-leaders-what-to-know/89602972007/ Aaron Rupar: "A woman named Lonna Drewes at a news conference just now accused Eric Swalwell of drugging her drink and sexually assaulting her. Here's part of her statement." https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mjhtlsrn5i2z David Dayen: "Several important nuggets in here: • Swalwell was rebuilding Newsom's inner circle; he was the establishment hope • One lobbyist: "Were we willing to delude ourselves or not ask questions that should have been asked? 1000%" • His campaign started sending cease-and-desists last year" https://bsky.app/profile/ddayen.bsky.social/post/3mjfu4px42c25 Lesley Abravanel: "In a major shift, Cook Political Report has now moved 4 Senate seats toward the Democrats (NC,GA, OH, NE). That's on top of 5 House races that Cook Political moved leftward just last week, all partly due to Trump's  unpopular war in Iran that sent gas prices skyrocketing." https://bsky.app/profile/lesleyabravanel.bsky.social/post/3mjflo3zkdc2t

Drösser, Christoph www.deutschlandfunk.de, Andruck - Das Magazin für Politische Literatur

This is the eighth episode of our ongoing series breaking down the U.S. Constitution. This month, Roman and Elizabeth discuss Article V, which lays out the process to amend the Constitution. Then, Jill Lepore lays out her thesis that the Constitution is truly meant to be amended, explains why Article V amendments have become functionally impossible, and tells some fascinating stories about the people who have championed amendments. The 99% Invisible Breakdown of the Constitution Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of 99% Invisible ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The time has come for a new apostle in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Clark G. Gilbert; time for your podcast hosts to rise to the occasion with another Apostolic Profile episode. He escaped the religious persecution Mormons often suffer growing up in Scottsdale, AZ, to go to BYU. Then off to Harvard for business, to acquire more useful skills for his forthcoming career in the Church Education System (CES). Before CES, however, Gilbert was responsible for trimming all the fat at Deseret News, which amounted to firing 40% of the workforce and shifting it to an unabashedly apologetic mission statement defending the church. Once appointed to CES, Gilbert instituted a series of Orwellian surveillance systems at BYU to punish thought crime; Ernest Wilkinson would be proud and Jeffrey Holland finally has a man to fire some muskets. Now Gilbert joins as the youngest apostle, securing his future position as prophet circa 2050s-70s. This "disruptive innovator" has a lot of new ideas to keep the church as extremist-conservative as is legally permissible heading into the 22nd century. This call to the Apostleship by Dallin Oaks ensures Oaks' legacy remains long after he's become a shepherd of worms. Patrons get a bonus segment comparing Gilbert's interviews at Deseret News and SL Tribune immediately after his ordination, which tangentially serves as a case study for the deterioration of journalism at Deseret Media, due to Gilbert himself. After that, it's our next installment of Oaks' book, Pure in Heart, where he discusses the importance of mindset and intentionality when rendering service, especially for the church. We end with happy news about a potential future cure for Type 1 Diabetes.    Show Notes:  Clark Gilbert https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clark_G._Gilbert Gilbert's likely tenure as future prophet https://www.reddit.com/r/mormon/comments/1r8c74x/on_his_first_day_in_the_q15_clark_g_gilbert/ Official press release https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/clark-gilbert-called-quorum-of-the-twelve-apostles Gilbert Op-ed for ChurchNewsroom https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/how-education-family-and-testimony-are-fundamental-in-the-life-of-elder-clark-g-gilbert The Parable of the Slope https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2021/10/16gilbert?lang=eng Disruptive Technologies: Catching the Wave https://hbr.org/1995/01/disruptive-technologies-catching-the-wave The Disruption Machine by Jill Lepore https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/23/the-disruption-machine Gilbert's profile on BYU Law and Wheatley Institute with law-focused talks https://www.religiousfreedomlibrary.org/authors/clark-g-gilbert Gilbert: Stewardship of Our First Freedom https://www.religiousfreedomlibrary.org/documents/the-stewardship-of-our-first-freedom#note-30 Gilbert: The Courage of Our Convictions https://www.religiousfreedomlibrary.org/documents/the-courage-of-our-convictions-how-religious-expression-goes-beyond-religious-liberty Gilbert: Dare to be Different https://www.deseret.com/2022/9/14/23319209/elder-clark-gilbert-religious-universities-should-dare-to-be-different/ American Disestablishment: The Conclusion by Miles Smith https://davenantinstitute.org/american-disestablishment-the-conclusion/ Disestablishmentarianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disestablishmentarianism Governance and the Religion Question: Voluntaryism, Disestablishment, and America's Church-State Proposition by Carl H. Esbeck https://scholarship.law.missouri.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1156&context=facpubs Becket Foundation "Religious Liberty" SCOTUS victories https://becketfund.org/cases/?fwp_case_court=us-supreme-court&fwp_case_status=past Hosanna-Tabor https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/565/171/ Trinity Lutheran https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/582/15-577/ Our Lady of Guadalupe https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/591/19-267/ Carson v. Makin https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/596/20-1088/ How SCOTUS is Dismantling the Separation of Church and State https://www.americanprogress.org/article/how-the-supreme-court-is-dismantling-the-separation-of-church-and-state/ American Council of Education https://www.influencewatch.org/non-profit/american-council-on-education/ Becoming BYU https://aims.byu.edu/becoming-byu LDS Education Boss Touts BYU's Commitment to Religious Freedom by Peggy Fletcher Stack https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/24/byu-will-never-back-away-its/ Spiritual Crackdown at BYU? By RadioWest https://radiowest.kuer.org/podcast/radiowest/2025-01-16/a-spiritual-crackdown-at-brigham-young-university BYU New Employment Policy https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2022/03/10/new-employment-policy/ BYU employment questionnaire https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/ecclesiastical-leader-questions-new-ces-hires Fine Print: The Deseret News Spins its Circulation Numbers by Rachel Piper https://www.cityweekly.net/news/fine-print-the-deseret-news-spins-its-circulation-numbers-2207487 Dallin Oaks and Clark Gilbert: Stand Fast with Love in Proclaiming Truth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6IXLufuAAQ Gilbert Deseret News interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORUY06HPmfM Gilbert SL Trib interview https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FPwhJhBJ-A Ben Park video on Gilbert https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTXXNeydptg Gordon Monson: Clark Gilbert has been called as an LDS apostle. Now, we'll see if he's chosen. https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2026/02/13/maybe-clark-gilbert-will-be/  Gordon Monson: LDS Church education boss should put down the hammer at BYU and pick up an olive branch: https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/06/byu-there-is-too-much-fear-too/  Dark days: New rules have BYU professors running scared https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/01/05/byu-blue-why-these-are-dark-days/    Sword of Laman: Pure In Heart, by Dallin H. Oaks  The Mansion, by Henry Van Dyke: https://americanliterature.com/author/henry-van-dyke/short-story/the-mansion    Happy News:  A bold new plan could finally cure Type 1 diabetes: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260302030648.htm    Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything by Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen   Other appearances: Chris Shelton interviewed us in the beginning of a series on Mormonism on his Speaking of Cults series. Our most recent discussion was on The Unpaid Army of God: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=de543-d9tME  He has had MANY different fascinating people on so go take a look!  Here is the whole playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpGuS7GcsgA&list=PLGrPM1Pg2h72ADIuv8eYmzrJ-ppLOlw_g   Email: glassboxpodcast@gmail.com  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/GlassBoxPod  Patreon page for documentary: https://www.patreon.com/SeerStonedProductions BlueSky: @glassboxpodcast.bsky.social  Other BlueSky: @bryceblankenagel.bsky.social and @shannongrover.bsky.social  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glassboxpodcast/  Merch store: https://www.redbubble.com/people/exmoapparel/shop Or find the merch store by clicking on "Store" here: https://glassboxpodcast.com/index.html One time Paypal donation: bryceblankenagel@gmail.com  Venmo: @Shannon-Grover-10 We

In preparation for the U.S. Semiquincentennial this summer, we're featuring two key texts in American history. First, Professor Nora Slonimsky joins NPR's Sarah McCammon to discuss the legacy and reach of Thomas Paine's Common Sense – including how we might see Paine as an influencer-like figure. Then, Jill Lepore's We the People is a new history of the U.S. Constitution. In today's episode, she speaks with NPR's Steve Inskeep about historical attempts to reinterpret our law long after the Constitution was first drafted.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

John welcomes Harvard legal eminence Laurence Tribe back to the show to discuss the constitutional dimensions of the chaos in Minneapolis, the fragile state of the rule of law in the Trump 2.0 era, and whether the Supreme Court will salvage or sacrifice what remains of its public legitimacy with its rulings on a handful of key cases in the months ahead. Tribe also discusses his new essay in the New York Review of Books critiquing his colleague Jill Lepore's recently published history of the U.S. Constitution. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. Constitution likely would not have been ratified in 1788 without Article 5, which allowed for amendment. Many of the original founders championed the idea that the document would need to change as the country changed. As historian Jill Lepore points out in her newest book most of the 27 amendments to the constitution have happened just after times of war or conflict, and after 33 years without an amendment, we may be headed that way again. OPB’s Geoff Norcross speaks to Lepore in front of an audience at the 2025 Portland Book Festival about “We the People: A history of the U.S. Constitution.”

The Vermont National Guard usually takes orders from the state. But at the end of 2025, President Trump deployed the Vermont guard to the Caribbean — and Gov. Scott said he had no control over the president's orders.It gave this question from a listener newfound relevance: “Who controls the deployment of the Vermont National Guard if orders from the federal government and the state are in conflict?”You can find the web version of this story here. For more about the Vermont guard, check out this 2010 VPR series, which covered some of the 1,500 Vermonters who were deployed to Afghanistan.This episode was reported and produced by Sabine Poux and Josh Crane. Editing and additional production from Burgess Brown. Our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.Special thanks to Michael Bosworth, Jill Lepore, Mikaela Lefrak, Jon Ehrens, Alicia Freese, April McCullum, Peter Hirschfeld, Peter Teachout, Steve Zind and Zoe McDonald.As always, our journalism is better when you're a part of it: Ask a question about Vermont Sign up for the BLS newsletter Say hi onInstagram and Reddit @bravestatevt Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org Make a gift to support people-powered journalism Tell your friends about the show! Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Listen to the rest of this premium episode by subscribing at patreon.com/knowyourenemy.As the end of the year approaches, we wanted to look back at another year of trying to understand the American right—what we got wrong, what we got right, and what to expect in 2026. The conversation begins with the cracks showing in Trump's coalition, his plummeting approval ratings, and the possibility that Charlie Kirk really was helping hold the marriage of MAGA and the GOP together, then consider if we should have seen this coming (or not) and what it might say about our understanding of Trump, Vance, Kirk, Musk, and others we've considered on KYE in 2025.Sources:Christopher Flavelle, "How Biden Ignored Warnings and Lost Americans' Faith in Immigration," New York Times, Dec 7, 2025Bilal Baydoun, "What Musk's DOGE Really Cut: Trust, Safety, and Democracy," Roosevelt Institute, May 29, 2025Jake Tapper & Alex Thompson, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again (2025)"Jill Lepore on Nationalism, Populism, and the State of America," EconTalk, April 15, 2019Ryan Burge, "Religion Has Become A Luxury Good For The Middle Class, Married College Graduate With Children," ReligionUnplugged, July 12, 2023Matt Dinan, "Permission Structures: How AI-skeptic Professors Can Still Help Students Write Papers," Prefaces, Dec 10, 2025

“Gratitude is contagious. It's something that becomes more powerful as you express it. It reminds me of how fortunate I've been — and through that privilege I feel I owe to do what I can for others.”John Pepper, P&G's former Chairman and CEO, needs no introduction. John has played many roles in business, community, service, and the lives of countless people. He returns to our podcast to discuss his new book, "100 Books That Shaped My Life: Reflections on a Lifetime of Reading, " which might just be the perfect gift this holiday season, for yourself or for anyone in your life who loves a good read."100 Books That Shaped My Life" is no mere book list — it is a life story told through the books that walked alongside John: as a husband, father, leader, citizen, and as someone thinking deeply about what matters most in the time we're given. These are the books that shaped John's understanding of history, democracy, gratitude, and hope — especially in the most recent chapters of his life.Moving from Values, to Biographies, Philosophy, U.S. and Global History, Memoirs, Novels, and Personal Essays, 100 Books That Shaped My Life mirrors something true about John himself: a leader shaped not by one discipline, but by a lifelong curiosity across every discipline. In our conversation, John reflects on how a lifetime of reading helped him better live a lifetime — deepening his understanding of friendship, love, loss, courage, service, and the quiet beauty of everyday life.John's literary influences range from novelists like John Steinbeck, Oliver Sacks, Wallace Stegner, Marilynne Robinson, George Orwell, and Tolstoy, to memoirists such as Frederick Douglass, Katharine Graham, James Reston, and Michelle Obama, to historians and biographers including David Blight, Jon Meacham, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jill Lepore, and so many others. Woven through all of it is a deeply human narrative — his love for his late wife, Francie; his reflections on aging, family, and purpose; the leaders who shaped him; the lessons hard-won; and the quiet moments that stayed with him.As Bob Iger put it, “Whether you're an executive or simply someone who loves reading and learning, you will find great value and wisdom in this book.” And we couldn't agree more. For anyone who enjoys learning from lived experience, this conversation — and this book — make a wonderful companion. It might even inspire you to reflect on everything you've read and learned along the way. Be sure to check out John Pepper's "100 Books That Shaped My Life" wherever you get your favorite books.bookshop.org/p/books/100-books-that-shaped-my-life-reflections-on-a-lifetime-of-reading/23a8c953e3dfd1e5amazon.com/gp/product/B0FXQPHQPK

Is any historical decision in America truly settled? This week, historian, Harvard law professor, and The New Yorker staff writer, Jill Lepore, joins Preet Bharara to discuss the intersection between history and the law, how often laws should evolve, and why Lepore thinks the Constitution should be easier to amend. Then, Preet answers your questions on whether President Trump accidentally pardoned the January 6th pipe bomber, and what the recent grand jury decision means for the case against NY AG Letitia James. In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Lepore chat about her reporting on the No Kings movement, whether rallies can still make a difference, and the lines she draws as a journalist in a political moment. Join the CAFE Insider community to stay informed without hysteria, fear-mongering, or rage-baiting. Head to cafe.com/insider to sign up. Thank you for supporting our work. Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront. Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.  You can now watch this episode! Head to CAFE's Youtube channel and subscribe. Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail. Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her latest book is We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution.  In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk and Jill Lepore discuss why historians have neglected the story of America, how to fix the toxicity in higher education, and whether we need more constitutional amendments. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following ⁠this link on your phone⁠. Email: leonora.barclay@persuasion.community Podcast production by Jack Shields and Leonora Barclay. Connect with us! ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple⁠ | ⁠Google⁠ X: ⁠@Yascha_Mounk⁠ & ⁠@JoinPersuasion⁠ YouTube: ⁠Yascha Mounk⁠, ⁠Persuasion⁠ LinkedIn: ⁠Persuasion Community Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Author Events Series presents Jill Lepore  | We the People : A History of the U.S. Constitution Meelya Gordon Memorial Lecture Standby seating will be available in the overflow room for guests who wish to wait for an opportunity to be seated in the main auditorium, if space permits. These standby seats will be available on a first come, first served basis. Auditorium seats are not guaranteed. In Conversation with Kate Shaw Published on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding-the anniversary, too, of the first state constitutions-We the People offers a wholly new history of the Constitution. ''One of the Constitution's founding purposes was to prevent change,'' Lepore writes. ''Another was to allow for change without violence.'' Relying on the extraordinary database she has assembled at the Amendments Project, Lepore recounts centuries of attempts, mostly by ordinary Americans, to realize the promise of the Constitution. Yet nearly all those efforts have failed. Although nearly twelve thousand amendments have been introduced in Congress since 1789, and thousands more have been proposed outside its doors, only twenty-seven have ever been ratified. More troubling, the Constitution has not been meaningfully amended since 1971. Without recourse to amendment, she argues, the risk of political violence rises. So does the risk of constitutional change by presidential or judicial fiat. Challenging both the Supreme Court's monopoly on constitutional interpretation and the flawed theory of ''originalism,'' Lepore contends in this ''gripping and unfamiliar story of our own past'' that the philosophy of amendment is foundational to American constitutionalism. The framers never intended for the Constitution to be preserved, like a butterfly, under glass, Lepore argues, but expected that future generations would be forever tinkering with it, hoping to mend America by amending its Constitution through an orderly deliberative and democratic process. Lepore's remarkable history seeks, too, to rekindle a sense of constitutional possibility. Congressman Jamie Raskin writes that Lepore ''has thrown us a lifeline, a way of seeing the Constitution neither as an authoritarian straitjacket nor a foolproof magic amulet but as the arena of fierce, logical, passionate, and often deadly struggle for a more perfect union.'' At a time when the Constitution's vulnerability is all too evident, and the risk of political violence all too real, We the People, with its shimmering prose and pioneering research, hints at the prospects for a better constitutional future, an amended America. Jill Lepore is the David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and professor of law at Harvard Law School. She is also a staff writer at The New Yorker. Her many books include the international bestseller These Truths: A History of the United States. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Because you love Author Events, please make a donation when you register for this event to ensure that this series continues to inspire Philadelphians. Books will be available for purchase at the library on event night! All tickets are non-refundable. (recorded 9/24/2025)

Brothers J and Eric discuss the 2016 mystery thriller "The Girl on the Train," which is much better than it needs to be and has a great cast including Justin Theroux, distant relative to journalist Louis Theroux. Housekeeping begins at 42:00 during which they two books: John Fugelsang's "Separation of Church and Hate: A Sane Person's Guide to Taking Back the Bible from Fundamentalists, Fascists, and Flock-Fleecing Frauds," and Jill Lepore's "We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution." File length 54:08 File Size 38.9 MB Theme by Jul Big Green via SongFinch Subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts Listen to us on Stitcher Like us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Send your comments to show@notinacreepyway.com Visit the show website at Not In A Creepy Way

Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S., Jill Lepore, professor of American History at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker, and the author of several books, including We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution (Liveright, 2025), digs into the history of the country's founding document and what it means for the country that it so difficult, but still possible, to change.A. J. Jacobs, host of the "Hello Puzzlers" podcast, essayist, and the author of The Year of Living Biblically, The Know-It-All, It's All Relative and his latest, The Year of Living Constitutionally: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning (Crown, 2024), reports back on how AI is already woven into daily life with another take on being a "human guinea pig," going 48 hours without using AI.Bill McKibben, environmental activist, founder of Third Act and author of many books, most recently: Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization (W. W. Norton & Company, 2025), discusses his new book and reflects on his life's work, both as a climate activist and journalist.Olga Khazan, staff writer at The Atlantic and the author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change (S&S/Simon Element, 2025), talks about her new book and what she found on her year-long quest to become a "better" person.These interviews were lightly edited for time and clarity; the original web versions are available here:Jill Lepore on the American Constitution (Sep 16, 2025)A.J. Jacobs Tries Life Without AI (Nov 3, 2025)A Lifetime of Work on Climate Change (Sep 25, 2025)Can We Change Our Personalities? (Mar 12, 2025)   

The U.S. Constitution likely would not have been ratified in 1788 without Article 5, which allowed for amendment. Many of the original founders championed the idea that the document would need to change as the country changed. As historian Jill Lepore points out in her newest book most of the 27 amendments to the constitution have happened just after times of war or conflict, and after 33 years without an amendment, we may be headed that way again. OPB’s Geoff Norcross speaks to Lepore in front of an audience at the 2025 Portland Book Festival about “We the People: A history of the U.S. Constitution.”  

Host Jo Reed and AudioFile's Laura Rossi highlight three recent Earphones Award-winning audiobooks. AudioFile awards Earphones to exceptional audio experiences—it's our version of a starred review, specifically for the audiobook. Laura and Jo discuss: THE SLIP a story about a missing teenage boy, by Lucas Schaefer, read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Renata Friedman; WE THE PEOPLE: A History of the U.S. Constitution by Jill Lepore, read by the author; and LIVING IS DYING: How to Prepare for Death, Dying, and Beyond, by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, read by Michael Imperioli. They share why these audiobooks won Earphones, and why they are well worth your listening time.  Read our reviews of the audiobooks at our website:  THE SLIP: Published by Simon & Schuster Audio WE THE PEOPLE: Published by Recorded Books LIVING IS DYING: Published by Shambhala Publications Discover thousands of audiobook reviews and more at AudioFile's website    Support for AudioFile's Behind the Mic comes from HarperCollins Focus,, and HarperCollins Christian Publishing, publishers of some of your favorite audiobooks and authors, including Reba McEntire, Bob Goff, Kathie Lee Gifford, Max Lucado, Lysa TerKeurst, and so many more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thank you once again for all your wonderful questions. Grateful for your support!

Why is it so hard to change the U.S. Constitution? Harvard historian Jill Lepore says the Constitution was intended to be amended but that we've all but abandoned the practice. That's had profound consequences, leaving us with vestigial antidemocratic provisions like the Electoral College, a malapportioned Senate and life tenure for Supreme Court justices. We talk to Lepore about why amendments are so rare and whether the Constitution can survive without them. Her new book is “We the People.” We also hear from Southern California congressman Pete Aguilar about President Trump's threats to cut “democrat” programs as the government shutdown continues, and how his caucus is responding. Guests: Jill Lepore, professor of American history, Harvard University; staff writer, The New Yorker - her new book is "We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution" Pete Aguilar, democratic representative for the 33rd Congressional District of California; chair of the U.S. House Democratic Caucus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With increased polarization and ongoing budgetary disputes, the U.S. government does not seem to be acting in the way that the American forefathers intended. Host Ravi Agrawal brings on historian Jill Lepore to share more. Lepore is a professor at Harvard University and the author of We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution. Plus, One Thing from Ravi on the U.S. government shutdown. Rishi Iyengar: How a U.S. Government Shutdown Could Impact Washington's Foreign Policy John Haltiwanger: Why America's ‘Unusual' Democracy Leads to Shutdown Andrew O'Donohue: The U.S. Judicial Crisis Is Uniquely Dangerous Stan Veuger: Americans Need to Acknowledge Their Unwritten Constitution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

'A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.'The Second Amendment, included in the Bill of Rights, was ratified in 1791. It went largely unquestioned until the mid 20th century but is now one of the most contentious questions in US politics.So what did the writers of the Second Amendment set out to protect? How has it been interpreted? And why has it become so controversial so many years later?Jill Lepore joins Don once again for this episode. Jill is a staff writer for the New Yorker, David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and author of multiple books. The most recent is 'We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution'.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Tim Arstall. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.American History Hit is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two hundred fifty years after the nation's founding, Harvard professor of history and law Jill Lepore comes to Commonwealth Club World Affairs to delve into the foundational document of the country, the Constitution. It's one of the oldest constitutions in the world, but it has also been criticized for being one of the hardest to change. Lepore explores the history of the Constitution and its pertinence to our current troubled era in her new book We the People. She notes that nearly 12,000 amendments were introduced in Congress since 1789, but only 27 have been ratified. “One of the Constitution's founding purposes was to prevent change,” she says. “Another was to allow for change without violence.” The last time the U.S. Constitution was amended was in 1971, despite continuing attempts to do so from left and right. Lepore says that without the flexibility to amend the Constitution, there is a higher risk of political violence and of presidential or judicial fiat. She argues that the framers of the Constitution never intended for it to be perfectly preserved under glass like a butterfly collection; instead, they knew that future generations would change it through an orderly, democratic, and deliberative process. How has the Constitution performed in carrying out those tasks? Join us for a discussion with Jill Lepore about how change can make the Constitution and our country stronger. Audio excerpt from We the People: A History of the Constitution by Jill Lepore, narrated by the author, is provided courtesy of Recorded Books, copyright 2025. The full recording is available wherever audiobooks are sold. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Originalism is often countered by the idea that the Constitution is a living, breathing document meant to be interpreted and changed along with the times. Jill Lepore is a historian at Harvard University and author of the new book, “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution.” Geoff Bennett sat down with Lepore for our series, On Democracy. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy

In the latest conversation in the Talking San Diego series, Harry sits down with Harvard historian and New Yorker writer Jill Lepore in front of a live San Diego audience to discuss Lepore's important new book, “We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution.” The book contains revelations about the importance to the Framers of the Amendment process, which Lepore argues has become a dead letter since the failure of the proposed Equal RIghts Amendment.  In its stead various generations of Americans have looked to either political events or, more recently, the U.S. Supreme Court, to announce fundamental changes in our charter document, with significant consequences for the democracy  In her book, as in her conversation with Harry, Lepore challenges the Supreme Court's dominant doctrine of originalism; and she rallies Americans to be able to become more personally involved in repairing fundamental problems with the Constitution. The book was released for purchase Tuesday, September 16. This event was made possible by the generous support of the Prebys Foundation, which made it possible for local high school teachers and students to attend free of charge; by KPBS who have their own deep dive series on the American founding coming out in November in the form of a new Ken Burns series; and by Warwicks, our bookselling partners.  You can read more about Jill's book in the Atlantic and the New York Times.   Talk to you later Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking ahead to the 250th anniversary of the U.S., Jill Lepore, professor of American history at Harvard University, staff writer at The New Yorker, and the author of several books, including We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution (Liveright, 2025), digs into the history of the country's founding document and what it means for the country that it is so difficult, but still possible, to change.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comJill is a writer and scholar. She's a professor of American history at Harvard, a professor of law at Harvard Law, and a staff writer at The New Yorker. She's also the host of the podcast “X-Man: The Elon Musk Origin Story.” Her many books include These Truths: A History of the United States (which I reviewed for the NYT in 2017) and her new one, We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution — out in a few days; pre-order now.For two clips of our convo — on FDR's efforts to bypass the Constitution, and the worst amendment we've had — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: raised by public school teachers near Worcester; dad a WWII vet; her struggles with Catholicism as a teen (and my fundamentalism then); joining ROTC; the origins of the Constitution; the Enlightenment; Locke; Montesquieu; the lame Articles of Confederation; the 1776 declaration; Paine's Common Sense; Madison; Jefferson; Hamilton; Adams; New England town meetings; state constitutional conventions; little known conventions by women and blacks; the big convention in Philly and its secrecy; the slave trade; the Three-Fifths Clause; amendment provisions; worries over mob rule; the Electoral College; jury duty; property requirements for voting; the Jacksonian Era; Tocqueville; the Civil War; Woodrow Wilson; the direct election of senators; James Montgomery Beck (“Mr Constitution”); FDR's court-packing plan; Eleanor's activism; Prohibition and its repeal; the Warren Court; Scalia; executive orders under Trump; and gauging the intent of the Founders.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: John Ellis on Trump's mental health, Michael Wolff on Epstein, Karen Hao on artificial intelligence, Katie Herzog on drinking your way sober, Michel Paradis on Eisenhower, Charles Murray on religion, David Ignatius on the Trump effect globally, and Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

The Polish prime minister says his country is the closest it's been to open coflict since World War II, after NATO fighter jets were forced to take out Russian drones fired into its airspace. Nick Paton Walsh is following the story and shares his report.  Also on today's show: US Democratic Senator Elissa Slotkin; historiand/author Jill Lepore; NYT reporter Matthew Cole  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In her latest book, We the People, the historian, New Yorker staff writer, and Harvard University professor Jill Lepore turns her attention to the history of the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, she focuses on all the ways our government's foundational text has changed throughout its nearly 250 year history. Lepore calls Article V, which lays out the Constitution's amendment mechanism, by far its most “radical innovation.” But she says the Constitution has become unamendable in the modern era — it hasn't been meaningfully updated in more than a half-century, corroding our politics and government.  Kara and Jill break down why the Framers included a way to make changes to the Constitution, how we're still grappling with Article V's bad compromises, and why the now dominant judicial philosophy of originalism contradicts the Framers' intent. Lepore also digs into whether the Constitution can withstand PresidentTrump's constant attacks. Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswishe Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why has it been so long since the US Constitution was amended? The incredible Jill Lepore joins Don to explore how the Constitution was designed for amendment, and how this has been utilised through its history.Jill is a staff writer for the New Yorker, David Woods Kemper '41 Professor of American History at Harvard University and author of multiple books. The most recent is 'We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution'.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  You can take part in our listener survey here.All music from Epidemic Sounds.American History Hit is a History Hit podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There is a “stuckness” to American political life right now, which has become a seemingly inexorable centrifuge of polarization, victimization and power grabbing. The constitution is brandished as sword and shield, and also as though it is the word of God. Americans, it seems, have lost the ability to think creatively and expansively about the constitution, and our ability to amend it. On this week's Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick is in conversation with Jill Lepore, whose new book “We The People: A History of The U.S. The Constitution is a thorough and bold excavation of a central, but utterly neglected part of America's constitutional scheme: the amendment process. In her book, and in this interview, Lepore challenges Americans to rekindle their constitutional imaginations and really think about what the act of mending, repairing, or amending has meant through the nation's history, and could mean for a country on the brink.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a “stuckness” to American political life right now, which has become a seemingly inexorable centrifuge of polarization, victimization and power grabbing. The constitution is brandished as sword and shield, and also as though it is the word of God. Americans, it seems, have lost the ability to think creatively and expansively about the constitution, and our ability to amend it. On this week's Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick is in conversation with Jill Lepore, whose new book “We The People: A History of The U.S. The Constitution is a thorough and bold excavation of a central, but utterly neglected part of America's constitutional scheme: the amendment process. In her book, and in this interview, Lepore challenges Americans to rekindle their constitutional imaginations and really think about what the act of mending, repairing, or amending has meant through the nation's history, and could mean for a country on the brink.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a “stuckness” to American political life right now, which has become a seemingly inexorable centrifuge of polarization, victimization and power grabbing. The constitution is brandished as sword and shield, and also as though it is the word of God. Americans, it seems, have lost the ability to think creatively and expansively about the constitution, and our ability to amend it. On this week's Amicus, Dahlia Lithwick is in conversation with Jill Lepore, whose new book “We The People: A History of The U.S. The Constitution is a thorough and bold excavation of a central, but utterly neglected part of America's constitutional scheme: the amendment process. In her book, and in this interview, Lepore challenges Americans to rekindle their constitutional imaginations and really think about what the act of mending, repairing, or amending has meant through the nation's history, and could mean for a country on the brink.  Want more Amicus? Join Slate Plus to unlock weekly bonus episodes with exclusive legal analysis. Plus, you'll access ad-free listening across all your favorite Slate podcasts. You can subscribe directly from the Amicus show page on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/amicusplus to get access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comNiall is one of my oldest and dearest friends, stretching back to when we were both history majors and renegade rightists at Magdalen, Oxford. He is the Milbank Family Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution and a senior faculty fellow of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard. He's also the founder and managing director of Greenmantle LLC, an advisory firm. He's written 16 books, including Kissinger, 1923-1968: The Idealist and Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe (which we discussed on the pod in 2021), and he writes a column for The Free Press.For two clips of our convo — a historical view of Trump's authoritarianism, and the weakness of Putin toward Ukraine — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: attending Niall's 60th birthday party in Wales with an all-male choir; Covid; Cold War II; China's surprisingly potent tech surge; the race for semiconductors and AI; Taiwan; global fertility; Brexit; the explosion of migrants under Boris and Biden; the collapse of the Tories; Reform rising; Yes Minister; assimilation in the UK; grooming gangs; the failure of “crushing” sanctions on Russia; the war's shift toward drones; Putin embraced by Xi and Modi; Trump's charade in Alaska; debating Israel and Gaza; the strike on Iran; the Abraham Accords; the settlements; America becoming less free; Trump's “emergencies”; National Guard in DC; the groveling of the Cabinet; the growth of executive power over many presidents; Trump's pardons; Kissinger; tariffs and McKinley; the coming showdown with SCOTUS; Jack Goldsmith's stellar work; Mamdani; Stephen Miller's fascism; the unseriousness of Hegseth; the gerrymandering crisis; the late republic in Rome; Tom Holland's Rubicon; Niall's X spat with Vance; Harvard's race discrimination; Biden re-electing Trump; wokeness; and South Park saving the republic.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jill Lepore on the history of the Constitution, Karen Hao on artificial intelligence, Katie Herzog on drinking your way sober, Michel Paradis on Eisenhower, Charles Murray on religion, David Ignatius on the Trump effect globally, and Arthur Brooks on the science of happiness. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comScott is a war correspondent and author. His non-fiction books include Lawrence in Arabia, Fractured Lands, and The Quiet Americans, and his novels include Triage and Moonlight Hotel. He's also a contributing writer for the New York Times Magazine. His new book is King of Kings: The Iranian Revolution: A Story of Hubris, Delusion and Catastrophic Miscalculation.For two clips of our convo — on Jimmy Carter's debacle with the Shah, and the hero of the Iran hostage crisis — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: growing up in East Asia and traveling the world; his father the foreign service officer; their time in Iran not long before the revolution; Iran a “chew toy” between the British and Russian empires; the Shah's father's affinity for Nazi Germany; Mosaddegh's move to nationalize the oil; the 1953 coup; the police state under the Shah; having the world's 5th biggest military; the OPEC embargo; the rise of Khomeini and his exile; the missionary George Braswell and the mullahs; Carter's ambitious foreign policy; the US grossly overestimating the Shah; selling him arms; Kissinger; the cluelessness of the CIA; the prescience of Michael Metrinko; the Tabriz riots; students storming the US embassy; state murder under Khomeini dwarfing the Shah's; the bombing of Iran's nuke facilities; and Netanyahu playing into Hamas' hands.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: a fun chat with Johann Hari, Jill Lepore on the history of the Constitution, Karen Hao on artificial intelligence, and Katie Herzog on drinking your way sober. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comShannon is a civil rights attorney, most notably as the lead counsel for same-sex couples in the landmark marriage case in California. He's currently the legal director at the National Center for LGBTQ Rights, where he is leading several federal court challenges to the trans military ban and other new federal policies targeting transgender people.I've long tried to find an interlocutor on the new radical direction of trans activism and its hostile takeover of the gay rights movement. Shannon was the first to agree, and we got along great. In some areas, we strongly agree; in others, we strongly disagree; but we can talk and not hate each other. If we want to restore liberal democracy, this is the way.For two clips of our convo — on the new “conversion therapy,” and how trans activists need to adopt persuasion as a tactic — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: his “awesome” childhood in rural East Texas; hunting and fishing all the time; his Methodist church; his terrible adolescence with gender dysphoria; the evangelical teacher who mentored him; his unlikely path to practicing law; helping teens after conversion therapy; coming out as lesbian; becoming a trans man in his 30s; the “It Gets Better” project; gay Mormons; the ghetto approach of queer activism; the AIDS crisis; Virtually Normal; Bush and the Federal Marriage Amendment; Evan Wolfson; the California marriage case and Prop 8; Edie Windsor; when trans weddings were legal and gay ones weren't; “nonbinary” and “genderfluid”; affirmation-only vs. watchful waiting; the suicide canard; Chase Strangio; autism; detransitioners; Tavistock; the Cass Review; puberty blockers; the Dutch Protocol; Johanna Olson-Kennedy and her closed clinic; Marci Bowers and lost orgasm; Rachel Levine's politicization; fairness in sports; Sarah McBride; Shannon losing and regaining his religion; and moving back to his tiny hometown in Texas with his wife.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy (the first 102 are free in their entirety — subscribe to get everything else). Coming up: Scott Anderson on the Iranian Revolution, Jill Lepore on the history of the Constitution, Katie Herzog on drinking your way sober, and Johann Hari interviewing me. Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.

This week, with the military deployed to LA and readying to parade in DC, Jon is joined by Jill Lepore, Professor of History and Law at Harvard University, and Kevin M. Kruse, Professor of History at Princeton University. Together, they consider what history reveals about moments when presidential power tests democratic limits, and discuss ways that institutions might resist. Plus, hear new insights on the Trump vs Musk quarrel, as well as surprising parallels between Jurassic Park and Trump's first 100 days. This podcast episode is brought to you by: GROUND NEWS - Go to https://groundnews.com/stewart to see how any news story is being framed by news outlets around the world and across the political spectrum. Use the link to get 40% off unlimited access with the Vantage Subscription. Follow The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart on social media for more:  > YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@weeklyshowpodcast > Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weeklyshowpodcast> TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@weeklyshowpodcast  > X: https://x.com/weeklyshowpod   > BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/theweeklyshowpodcast.com Host/Executive Producer – Jon Stewart Executive Producer – James Dixon Executive Producer – Chris McShane Executive Producer – Caity Gray Lead Producer – Lauren Walker Producer – Brittany Mehmedovic  Video Editor & Engineer – Rob Vitolo Audio Editor & Engineer – Nicole Boyce Researcher & Associate Producer – Gillian Spear Music by Hansdle Hsu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices