The Fly

Latest Episodes:

Rob Flaherty, Deputy Campaign Manager, Joe Biden 2024, "You Don't get a Trophy for Cutting the Margins" Oct 16, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back to the Fly for our third episode of Season 18! Rob Flaherty is a Georgetown University Fall 2025 Fellow who is a leading political strategist. He previously served as Former Assistant to President Joe Biden, as well as his Director of Digital Strategy. When President Biden exited the presidential race in 2024, Flaherty took over as Deputy Campaign Manager for Harris for President in her historic 107 day battle for the White House. Flaherty is a 2013 graduate of Ithaca College, whose career in politics was sparked after watching West Wing and from there, joined local campaigns in New York. As a young professional, Flaherty also worked on Terry McAuliffe’s campaign for governor of Virginia. Later, Flaherty moved to the national stage where he became Presidential Candidate Beto O’Rourke’s Digital Director in 2020, Creative Director at Priorities USA, and Deputy Director of Digital Communications for Hillary for America. Flaherty runs a fellow’s discussion group currently titled "The Politics of Attention: Media, Campaigns, and Our Broken Information Environment.” Flaherty sat down with the Fly to discuss these topics and more, ranging from how he started in politics, his work in the White House and on the campaign trail, digital media strategy wins and losses, and how the traditional media and press has evolved, as well as its implications for the political landscape in the United States. This is a must-listen episode with many fun tid-bits and insights into the White House and digital media!

Jamaal Bowman, Former U.S. Representative, "Imagine a Better World" Oct 08, 2025

Show notes

There is a big buzz in that air for Episode 2 of Season 18! Jamaal Bowman, former middle school principal turned US Representative for New York’s 16th Congressional District joined us for a special episode on activism. Before entering politics, Bowman founded Cornerstone Academy for Social Action, a middle school focused on a restorative justice approach for their students. In the 2020 Democratic primary, Bowman's defeat of 16-term incumbent, Eliot Engel, showed the strength of grassroot campaigning. Once in Washington, Bowman quickly became an influential progressive figure for his viewpoints on education, racial equity, and US foreign policy in Israel. Known for his authenticity and dedication to his community, Bowman was a key player in policies surrounding education and labor reform. In 2024, Bowman lost to pro-Israel candiate George Latimer in what was recorded as the most expensive House of Representives primary in US history. Since then, Bowman has launched the Built to Win PAC, and has used his platform to advocate for systemic change in education and human rights policy. Join us to hear a down-to-earth perspective on current political issues of education, the Israel-Gaza conflict, and labor reform. This is a must-listen episode for those interested in activism or a career in politics!

Trace Gallagher, Fox News @ Night Anchor, "When You Have Credibility, It's Everything" Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back, Flies! For the first episode of Season 18, we met with a special guest: FOX News original Trace Gallagher! Gallagher has been a member of FOX News since its creation in 1996. Gallagher is an anchor and Chief Breaking News Correspondent for “FOX News @ Night,” where approximately 1.5 million households watch his reporting each night. He is truly an international expert, having reported on everything from the Israel-Hamas war to the second inauguration of President Trump. Tune into this episode to hear Gallagher’s insider scoop on White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Democratic heavyweight Gavin Newsom, and the key to success in broadcast journalism. Special thanks to Fly Team member Sarah for this great interview!

Don Graves, Former Dep. Sec. of Commerce, "We Have the Most Effective Government in the World" May 08, 2025

Show notes

Welcome back flies!! It’s the end of another great semester here at Georgetown which means it’s the season finale of The Fly! What a better way to end the season than with GU Politics Fellow Don Graves! Graves served as the 19th Deputy Secretary of Commerce under the Biden-Harris Administration from May 2021 to January 2025. He previously served as Counselor to President Biden during the 2020 campaign and held senior roles in the Obama-Biden Administration, including Executive Director of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he oversaw programs like the CDFI Fund and the Small Business Lending Fund. Austin and Chloe spoke with Graves about the future of the federal workforce, the value of the private and public sectors, and Graves’ political experience in both Detroit and Puerto Rico. Graves also spoke on his experience drafting major policy like the CHIPS Act, and the importance of government accountability and results. This is a must-see season finale, so tune in! We’ve had so many great guests this season, and cannot thank everyone enough for coming onto the podcast this semester. See you all in the fall and have a great summer!!

Heather Nauert, Former State Department Spokesperson: "Newscasters Are At Their Best in a Crisis" May 04, 2025

Show notes

Hi Flies! Welcome back to a brand new episode! It’s finals season here at Georgetown, but that doesn’t mean we can’t give you a great new episode! This week, Abigail and Julian sat down with Heather Nauert, a Spring 2025 GU Politics Fellow. Nauert is a journalist and former spokesperson for the State Department. She began her career as a broadcast journalist, working for major outlets such as ABC News and Fox News, where she served as a correspondent and co-host of the morning show Fox & Friends. In 2017, she transitioned to public service, joining the U.S. Department of State as its Spokesperson under President Donald Trump. Join us for a fascinating conversation about Nauert’s transition from journalism to government, the impact of foreign correspondence, and changes in the Trump administration’s foreign policy in the second administration. Julian and Abby also discussed the impact of 9/11, her experience visiting North Korea, and so much more! This is a must-see episode, so make sure to take a listen!

Quentin Fulks, Principal Deputy Campaign Manager, Biden/Harris & Harris/Walz, "The Landscape is Changing" Apr 15, 2025

Show notes

Have you heard the buzz? We’re back with a brand new episode! This week, Chloe and Sarah sat down with one of the foremost American campaign managers and political strategists, Quentin Fulks! Quentin has played an instrumental role in the Democratic Party. He served as Principal Deputy Campaign manager for both the Biden/Harris and Harris/Walz 2024 presidential campaigns. He also led the successful 2022 reelection campaign of Georgia Senator Raphael Warnock, and helped flip Illinois from red to blue as Deputy Campaign Manager for Governor JB Pritzker in 2018. Tune in to hear Quentin’s reflections on the Harris/Walz presidential campaign and the Democratic Party’s next steps, and his advice for aspiring political operatives!

Tony Fabrizio, Chief Pollster, Donald Trump for President: 'Nothing Works Better Than a Candidate's Own Words' Mar 31, 2025

Show notes

Hello flies!! Welcome back to a brand new episode!! It’s cherry blossom season in D.C, and time for another great episode with an all-star guest!! This week, Kenneth and Julian sat down with Tony Fabrizio, a Spring 2025 GU Politics Fellow! Fabrizio was the Chief Pollster for Donald Trump for President in 2024, 2020, and 2016. He has helped elect Presidents and Prime Ministers on five continents. The flies discussed messaging for the 2024 campaign, the changing media landscape, and the most effective ads against the Harris campaign. This is a must- see episode so make sure to take a listen!! 🪰🪰🪰🌸🌸

Cecilia Kang, NYT Technology Correspondent: 'Color, Color Color! Show, Don't Tell.' Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

Happy St. Patrick’s Day flies! Buzzing in with a brand new episode, just as lucky as a pot of gold ☘️Join Abigail and Chloe as they sit down with Cecilia Kang, an award-winning Technology Correspondent at The New York Times, with unique expertise in the intersection of technology and public policy. She has broken news that led to regulatory investigations into Apple, Google, and Amazon, and interviewed top executives such as Tim Cook, Sheryl Sandberg, and Reed Hastings. Cecilia has over 20 years of experience in journalism, covering U.S. and international technology, economics, and business news. Curious to know what America’s best defense against AI could be? Tune in to hear Kang’s approach to translating complex technology issues for broad audiences, as well as the global race to dominate artificial intelligence. 🪰🎤

Meg Kinnard, AP National Politics Reporter: 'When We Cover Politics, We Leave Ourselves at the Door' Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

Hello flies! Welcome back to a brand new season of The Fly! We are so excited to kick start this season with a very special guest, Meg Kinnard! Meg is a national politics reporter with a 20 year career at The Associated Press. She anchored the first-ever general election livestream coverage for the AP, and was also the first AP reporter to appear on the AP’s TikTok account. Austin and Sarah sat down with Meg for a dynamic conversation about her time at The AP, the importance of nonpartisan political news, and the future of podcasting. Meg has covered Congress, campaign advertising, the 2024 GOP presidential primary, and so much more. She is also a Georgetown alum, where she was famously a member of the GU College Democrats AND the GU College Republicans. This is a must-see episode, so everyone take a listen!!! Also, stay tuned for many more exciting episodes this upcoming season!

Sen. Laphonza Butler: "The union taught me advocacy" Dec 03, 2024

Show notes

Welcome back flies! This week we are buzzing back in with a special edition episode featuring California’s outgoing senator Laphonza Butler! Reporting from the Hart Building of the Senate Office, sit down with Will and Sarah as they dive into Butler’s expansive political journey- growing up in Mississippi, graduating from the HBCU Jackson University, and moving from Baltimore to California. Butler begins with her passion for the labor movement, motivated by ideals of the Civil Rights Movement and inspired by her own mother to fight for worker’s rights. Rebuilding the trust of California’s laborers, Butler eventually became President of the California SEIU State Council in 2013. With organization at the root of Butler’s success, she discusses her transition to working for Emily’s List, one of the nation’s largest political action committees dedicated to electing Democratic women candidates to office. Working in both the labor movement and political consulting, Butler discusses her approach to balancing grassroots perspectives with strategic national and state goals. Lastly, Butler offers some key insights into her experience working as a California Senator, offering strategic advice for Representative Adam Schiff as he prepares to fill her seat. Tune in to listen!

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