Politics and Polls

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#230: How Nebraska Became a Republican Stronghold (Ross Benes) Apr 29, 2021

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After the election of Donald Trump, rural America — which made up a good portion of Trump's base — quickly became a focal point. Authors like J.D. Vance and others wrote about their struggling hometowns in the hopes of understanding the Trump appeal. And despite his 2020 election loss, Trump's foothold remains strong in many of these pastoral pockets.

A native Nebraskan, author Ross Benes joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang in today's episode to discuss what made the Cornhusker State drift right in the 2016 election. Benes is the author of "Rural Rebellion: How Nebraska Became a Republican Stronghold," published by the University Press of Kansas. A journalist and research analyst, he has written for Esquire, The Wall Street Journal, Rolling Stone, and more.

#229: Can Immigrants Still Chase the American Dream? (Sarah Coleman) Apr 22, 2021

Show notes

Given today's anti-immigrant, nativist sentiments, is the American Dream even still possible for immigrants to the U.S.? For decades, the politics behind immigration control have undermined the idea of citizenship for all, making this a hard question to answer.

In a new book, historian Sarah Coleman reveals the roots behind today's immigration policies. She shows how immigration politics was not just about building or tearing down walls, but about employer sanctions, access to schools, welfare, and the role of local authorities in implementing policies. She discusses this and more in this episode with Julian Zelizer, her mentor when she was a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton, and Sam Wang.

Coleman is assistant professor of history at Texas State University. Her book, "The Walls Within: The Politics of Immigration in Modern America," was published by the Princeton University Press.

#228: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency (Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes) Apr 15, 2021

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President Joe Biden is approaching his 100th day in office, yet his ultimate win against incumbent Donald Trump was never a foregone conclusion. In their new book, "Lucky: How Joe Biden Barely Won the Presidency," political reporters Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes recount Biden's perilous journey to the White House — from initial primary losses to the now-infamous first presidential debate. Allen is a senior national political reporter with NBC News Digital, and Parnes is a senior correspondent for The Hill. The pair also are the authors of the New York Times bestseller "Shattered," which debriefed readers on Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign.

*This episode first debuted as virtual book talk hosted by Princeton SPIA.

#227: 40 Acres, a Mule, and an Early Civil Rights Champion (Bruce Levine) Apr 08, 2021

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An often-forgotten champion for racial justice in America is Thaddeaus Stevens, a 19th century statesman. He was a leader of the young Republican Party's radical wing, fighting for anti-slavery and anti-racist policies long before others endorsed them. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he saw the Civil War as a second American revolution — an opportunity to remake the country into a true multiracial democracy. In this episode, Sam Wang takes a deep dive into the life of Stevens with historian Bruce Levine, a professor emeritus of history at the University of Illinois and the bestselling author of four books on the Civil War era. They also discuss "Special Field Order 15," which later became known by the wartime phrase "40 acres and a mule," in which some freed Black families were given 40 acres of tillable land.

#226: Racism at its Roots (Don Lemon) Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

As America's only Black prime-time anchor, Don Lemon's monologues on racism, antiracism, and the nation's systemic flaws speak for his millions of fans. In this episode, Lemon speaks candidly with Julian Zelizer about his new book, "This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism," which currently sits at number on The New York Times Best Sellers list. In an urgent, deeply personal, riveting plea, Lemon shows us all how deep our problems lie, and what we can do to begin to fix them. This podcast originally aired as a virtual book talk on March 29 co-sponsored by the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs and Labyrinth Books.

#225: Conspiracies in American Politics (Michael Butter and Nancy Rosenblum) Mar 25, 2021

Show notes

Conspiracy theories are embedded in American history, though today they circulate at speeds we haven't seen before. Qanon, or Q, is a modern-day example of the power of conspiracies in American political discourse. Loyalty to Q is a common theme among those involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol.

Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang work to disentangle the web of conspiracy theories and their effects in this episode with two experts: Michael Butter and Nancy Rosenblum.

Butter is author of "The Nature of Conspiracy Theories" and is professor of American literature and cultural history at the University of Tübingen. Rosenblum is author of "A Lot of People Are Saying: The New Conspiracism and the Assault on Democracy" and is the Harvard University Senator Joseph Clark Professor of Ethics in Politics and Government emerita.

#224: American Rescue Plan, Vaccines & the Filibuster Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

Within the first 100 days of Joe Biden's presidency, he's already signed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package as the vaccine roll-out is accelerating. Meanwhile, the Democrats wrestle with advancing their priorities in the Senate, as Republicans continue to filibuster. There's even talk of eliminating the filibuster, which could obstruct the Biden agenda. Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang unpack it all in this week's episode.

#223: John Marshall's Full Legacy (Robert Strauss) Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

John Marshall may be one of the most influential founders to never become President. As an early chief justice, he was a principal founder of the U.S. system of constitutional law. But more than that, his story is entwined with the entire founding of America.

In this episode, Sam Wang discusses Marshall's legacy with historian and author Robert Strauss. The pair go into great detail on the American issues Marshall helped to shape, which is the subject of a new book by Strauss titled "John Marshall: The Final Founder."

#222: How Ted Kennedy Championed Modern Liberalism (Neal Gabler) Mar 04, 2021

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The story of liberalism isn't often told, especially as the conservative era has taken root. Yet, there was a key figure in the formation of modern-day liberalism who is indeed worthy of attention: the late Sen. Edward "Ted" Kennedy.

Historian and writer Neal Gabler joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang in this week's episode to discuss the early part of Ted Kennedy's career. Gabler is the author of "Catching the Wind," the first installment of a two-part volume on Ted Kennedy's achievements, which include sponsoring nearly 700 bills that eventually became laws.

Gabler is the author of several books, and his essays and articles have appeared in The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Esquire, Playboy, Newsweek, and Vogue, and more. He is currently a professor for the MFA program at Stonybrook Southampton.

#221: Is the Senate a Threat to Democracy? (Adam Jentleson) Feb 25, 2021

Show notes

Nearly every major decision governing the country bears the stamp of the U.S. Senate. Yet, the current makeup of the Senate — which is predominantly white, conservative males — does not necessarily represent the majority of Americans. Some even argue that the U.S. Senate has become one of the greatest threats to democracy. Senate insider Adam Jentleson joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang in this episode of Politics & Polls, which originally aired as a live virtual event Feb. 22 and was hosted by Labyrinth Books. Jentleson, public affairs director at Democracy Forward and former deputy chief of staff to Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), is author of "Kill Switch," which shows how the Senate has been transformed over the decades by a minority of white conservatives.

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