#355 Money in American Politics w/ Jeff Clements
The Road to Now
Worried about money in American politics? We are too, and Jeff Clements is offering up a solution. Jeff is CEO of , a non-partisan organization dedicated to passing the to the Constitution, which would differentiate between people and corporations, and allow states to pass their own campaign finance laws. In this episode, he breaks down the history of campaign finance laws, key moments, such as the Citizens United Case, that have brought us to where we are now, and the steps his team have already taken to help add another amendment to the US Constitution. If you want to sign the...
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#354 In Pursuit w/Anita McBride & Colleen Shogan
The Road to Now
is one of the foremost experts on the legacy of American first ladies. served as the 11thArchivist of the United States. Together, they’re bringing forward a new project called In Pursuit, which offers up a series of essays on Presidents and First Ladies by some of today’s most accomplished historians and political leaders. In this episode, Anita and Colleen join Ben and Bob for a discussion about how the project came together, the exciting (and surprising) list of authors and subjects they’ve assembled, and why the format they envision holds a lot of promise for public...
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How John Adams Defined the Presidency w/ Lindsay Chervinsky
The Road to Now
John Adams’ single term as President has long been cast as a low point in his political career, but Lindsay Chervinsky sees it differently. “George Washington created the Presidency,” she writes in her new book Making the Presidency, “but John Adams defined it.” In this episode, Lindsay joins us to share why she sees Adams as a crucial figure in transforming an office that had been established for, and created by, George Washington, into a position with the customs and practices that could be passed down through generations. Along the way, Lindsay explains why she thinks...
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Americana w/ Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
The Road to Now
What is Americana music? Is it a genre? A community? A refuge? Twenty four years after the founding of the and thirteen years since the first Grammy was awarded for Best Americana Album, defining “Americana” remains tricky. In our experience, the most common answer has been “you know it when you hear it.” However you define it, however, there is one thing everyone agrees on: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell are Americana legends. In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience in Nashville, TN, Emmylou and Rodney discuss their musical careers, how they became...
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#353 The American Revolution w/ Sarah Botstein & David Schmidt
The Road to Now
A decade after Ken Burns decided it was time to take on the American Revolution, the film is finished and premieres on your local PBS station on Sunday, November 16! In this episode, we talk with and , who directed the six-part series alongside Burns, to find out more about the stories and process that they used to construct this remarkable look at one of history’s most fascinating and consequential events. and make sure to tune in for the premiere on Sunday, November 16! This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#352 Wakara's America w/ Max Perry Mueller
The Road to Now
Wakara was a Ute leader whose power stretched across western North America long before the US claimed the land on which he lived. In this episode, Max Perry Mueller joins us to discuss his new book, , and how a story of the west that excludes Native peoples leaves us with an incomplete and often dishonest account of US history. Dr. Max Perry Mueller is Associate Professor in the . You can find out more about Max and his work at his website, This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.
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#351 A History of the American Bookstore w/ Evan Friss
The Road to Now
America’s bookstores have always been about more than just books, but the role they play in American society has changed over the years. In this episode, Evan Friss joins us for a conversation about his New York Times Bestseller, (Viking, 2023), and the unique place that bookstores – and those who operate them – have held in American society from the colonial era to our own. Dr. Evan Friss is Professor of History at and the author of multiple books, including ). You can find out more about his work A special thanks to our friend, Dane Honeycutt, for recommending that we invite Evan on...
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#350 The Pursuit of Liberty w/ Jeffrey Rosen
The Road to Now
National Constitution Center President & CEO returns to the show to discuss his new book , and the ways that the contrasting visions of the founders live on in our political debates today. Make sure to check out the for links to the Interactive Constitution and the many excellent resources they offer for free. If you enjoyed this episode, you can hear more from Jeffery Rosen in and . This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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#349 Teaching History Roundtable
The Road to Now
Teaching history to a middle schooler is a very different task than teaching a university student, but those doing the teaching have a lot in common (and could probably learn a lot from each other). In this episode, recorded as part of a live event sponsored by the , Ben is joined by his MTSU colleague (and friend of the show) Andy Polk, 6th grade teacher Rupa Charles, and high school teacher Brandon Eldridge, for a conversation about what it’s like to teach history in 2025, the highs and lows of the profession, and what we wish those in our communities knew about the work we do to...
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#348 Chasing an Al Qaeda Killer w/ Jake Tapper
The Road to Now
The War on Terror that followed the 9/11 attacks took place on battlefields across the globe, but it also took place in our legal system. In this episode, CNN’s joins us to discuss his new book, , and how dedicated public servants saved countless lives by bringing a terrorist to justice. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
info_outlineIt’s our sesquicentennial episode, so Bob and Ben thought it was time to catch up and talk about all the great things that have been happening in the last few months. The conversation covers The Avett Brothers’ new album, the books they’ve been reading, and the questions about history that have kept them going. They also talk about the upcoming RTN live recordings and the plans they’ve laid out for the shows (hope to see you there)!
We really appreciate everyone who has listened and showed us the love that has gotten RTN all the way to episode 150. Thank you for joining us on the road!
The Road to Now is part of the Osiris Podcast Network. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher.