America’s Rising Sun Moment, Why You’re More Powerful Than You Think, And Memorable Moments of White House Holidays
Even the Founding Fathers had their doubts about the future of the country, but Benjamin Franklin chose to see its promise. We’ll explain how one chair gave him the answer he was searching for.
Plus, Sharon talks with philosopher Alex Madva, co-author of Somebody Should Do Something, about why so many of us feel powerless, but there’s more common ground in America than we think. So what can we do about it? He’ll tell us.
And the history of White House holiday traditions, from Adams to Eisenhower, complete with snow ball fights, Christmas trees with actual lit candles on them, and a terrifying Christmas Eve fire in the West Wing.
If you’d like to submit a question for Sharon to answer, head to ThePreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.
And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join the 350,000 people who still believe understanding is an act of hope.
Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon
Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks
Audio Producer: Craig Thompson
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
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The Most Chaotic Election in American History Was Saved by an Irish Immigrant, and a Conversation with Congressman James Clyburn
Meet the Irish immigrant who used fireplace tongs to fight a member of Congress, was thrown in jail for insulting a president, and ultimately changed the course of American history.
Plus, Sharon talks with powerful Democratic Congressman James Clyburn in a wide-ranging conversation that touches on the drama currently happening in the House, his life growing up as a Black child in the south, and why people of color need something other than equality. They discuss his new book, The First Eight, on the eight Black Congressmen who came before him and the gripping parallels between post-Civil War America and today. It’s an interview that’s equal parts history lesson, warning, and inspiration — and even touches on Clyburn’s personal relationship with one of Sharon’s favorite historical figures: Septima Clark.
If you’d like to submit a question, head to ThePreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.
And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join the 350,000 people who still believe understanding is an act of hope.
Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon
Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks
Audio Producer: Craig Thompson
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
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Presenting unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver
Welcome to unPAUSED, the podcast where bold, unfiltered conversations take place about what it really takes for women to thrive in the second half of life. Every week, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Certified Menopause Practitioner, and #1 New York Times best-selling author, tackles the conversations women actually need to hear. Dr. Haver sits down with a variety of medical experts, CEOs, and risk-takers to discuss everything that matters, from hormones and identity to financial power, relationships, and the tools needed to build the life you want. unPAUSED is about reclaiming your healthspan—not just the number of years you live, but the number of years you live well.
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
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How Hard Can It Be, Boys Do It? Plus, Fighting for Equal Rights After the Civil War, and Answers to Your Questions
It’s not something you’ll read about in most history books. Sharon tells the remarkable story of Florence Hall and her Women’s Land Army: the women who took over the farming jobs American men left behind when they went off to fight World War II. These women weren’t just fill-ins, in many cases, the farms they worked on were even more successful than when the men were doing the work.
Plus, Sharon is joined again by Akhil Reed Amar, one of the nation’s foremost constitutional scholars, to talk about his newest book, Born Equal, and the battle over who had the right to call themselves American citizens after the Civil War. If you’ve been wanting to learn more about birthright citizenship, this conversation is for you.
And Sharon answers your most pressing questions:
Will we all be getting $2,000 checks because of President Trump’s tariffs?
Could 50 year mortgages be coming?
Can Chuck Schumer be replaced as the Senate Minority Leader?
If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.
And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join the 350,000 people who still believe understanding is an act of hope.
Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon
Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks
Audio Producer: Craig Thompson
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
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A Stranger Saved My Husband’s Life, Why You Think the Way You Do, and Answers to Your Questions
A shocking phone call after a routine medical exam. Despite no symptoms, Sharon’s husband had advanced kidney disease and he would die without a transplant. She shares the deeply personal story of a stranger saving Chris’s life, and what it taught her about the selflessness of others. Plus, her fascinating conversation with Colin Woodard, author of Nations Apart, who goes back generations to explain why America is so polarized, and tells us what we can do about it.
And Sharon answers your most pressing questions:
Will the U.S. take military action in Nigeria because of Christian persecution?
How can the richest country in the world be so much in debt?
Can government officials use taxpayer-funded websites for partisan attacks?
If you’d like to submit a question, head to thepreamble.com/podcast – we’d love to hear from you there.
And be sure to read our weekly magazine at ThePreamble.com – it’s free! Join the 350,000 people who still believe understanding is an act of hope.
Credits:
Host and Executive Producer: Sharon McMahon
Supervising Producer: Melanie Buck Parks
Audio Producer: Craig Thompson
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 world feels complicated. The Preamble is where it starts to make sense. Hosted by Sharon McMahon — known for making sense of complex issues — she and her guests dive deep into the stories and ideas driving our future, bringing clarity and honesty to every headline. If you want real insight, bold conversation, and answers that matter, this podcast is your must-listen. Hit play, and join the movement that will shape history.
An Audacy Podcast.
New Zealand