Friends & Fellow Citizens

Exactly four years ago, Jen Daulby was on the House floor and evacuated with Members of Congress as rioters amassed and wreaked havoc on our nation's Capitol.   Just a few hundred feet away, Sherman was in the Cannon House Office Building and was twice evacuated by U.S. Capitol Police due to a bomb threat and reports of intruders. The real heroes that day were and always will be the brave pol...

While James Smith did not have nearly the same name recognition as many of his contemporaries, learn how his simple story may reflect a lot about how the signers are remembered and forgotten today. Sherman also shares thoughts and a quick historical excerpt in the spirit of the winter holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Friends & Fellow Citizens looks forward to welcoming anoth...

President Ronald Reagan was known as 'The Great Communicator' who made countless positive relationships with others across the political spectrum. But who has had the opportunity of a lifetime to personally serve him? Peggy Grande, Executive Assistant to President Ronald Reagan 1989-1999 (post-presidency period), shares deeper insight about Reagan and his unique personality, character, v...

As America was facing the crossroads on the political and moral debates of slavery, one former MA congressman warned of the ideologies and behavior that undermined the American experiment. Learn how Josiah Quincy III, a longtime Jefferson opponent who even attempted to impeach our third president, spoke about the dangers of usurpation, cunning, and arrogance that plagued politics then and plague o...

Hear a statement from Sherman and Friends & Fellow Citizens the day after the 2024 presidential election. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute! JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 member...

How should we evaluate our Presidents and presidential candidates? In Part II, we continue our conversation with Dr. George C. Edwards III about the Bush School and Presidential Library, the Electoral College, and criteria people should use for evaluating candidate and presidential performance. Finally, hear why Presidents are prisoners of their premises and a preview of some of his many books abo...

Teddy Roosevelt once coined the term 'bully pulpit' to describe an ideal speaking platform for one's agenda. But this begs many questions. The public can hear the President, but does the public actually listen? Is the Electoral College a democratic system for choosing our national leader? Does civility matter for Presidents?    Released on the day before Election Day 2024, this conv...

George Clymer was one of the staunchest supporters of independence who favored more drastic measures than many in the PA delegation. But what makes him a pragmatic signer? Learn how he helped supply the Continental Army when rough conditions and scare resources could have completely jeopardized the patriot cause. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list!...

Imagine the ability to solemnly see the Earth and the universe from high above the sky and contributing to the ever-important infrastructure that informs us about outer space.    A lifelong Aggie, Col. (Ret.) Michael E. Fossum was a former NASA astronaut who logged nearly 200 days in space, worked over 48 hours of extravehicular activity, and embarked on key missions to the International Space Sta...

One hundred years before this year's 2024 U.S. presidential election, a different type of populism and progressivism swept the nation during the 1924 national elections. Learn how Wisconsinite U.S. Senator Robert La Follette (popularly known as "Fighting Bob") tapped into the two-party dissatisfaction of the American people and introduced a novel politics that brought very different...

The box office successes of the Barbie and Oppenheimer movies in 2023 may not have been just a coincidence. The Wausau Daily Herald earlier this year named a Wisconsinite woman as 'the real-life 'Barbenheimer.' Grace Stanke, a nuclear engineer and nuclear energy advocate who served as Miss America 2023, is a leader in sparking a new chain reaction. She unleashes her passion for nucl...

While John Morton does not have the same recognition as other famous signers (like the one before him, Ben Franklin), he may have contributed to one of Pennsylvania's nicknames. Hear how Morton seized his "Keystone moment" when so much was on the line for the PA delegation and the Second Continental Congress.    Also, a major announcement for our Patreon members! Support the show Vi...

NEW Patreon update! Full versions of all interview episodes will soon be available to every paid member! More details next month! How can we better prepare young people to best transition into public service careers? Whether you are interested in applying for internships, already an applicant, curious about how young people are getting involved, and/or know someone who is looking to start a career...

Today (July 13, 2024) is a tragic day in American history. A former president and current major presidential candidate Donald Trump was tragically shot at a Trump rally near Butler, PA earlier this afternoon. Luckily by the grace of God, he is expected to be all right. But sadly, one rally attendee lost his life. We are better than this. Please continue to pray for our nation. There is no place fo...

Oscar Underwood, a Democrat U.S. Senator from Alabama 1915-1927, gained so much political capital during the Wilson administration and was considered a potential candidate for POTUS or VP. But his stance against the most powerful white supremacist group forced him to make his party go on record whether the party platform supports or opposes radicalism and extremism. While his effort was not succes...

For many, James Madison is known as the Father of the Constitution. But how did he become that Founding Father who shaped American institutions and politics far beyond his time?  Dr. Lynn Uzzell, a Madison scholar and Associate Professor of Political Science at Bethel University, shares the real lessons and experiences that taught the Founder himself about the realities of government and human bei...

Arguably the most famous American scientist, diplomat, postmaster, and so much more, Benjamin Franklin embodied America as an experiment. What distinguished him as a signer of the Declaration of Independence which he helped edit? ICYMI, take a listen to Ep. 122 feat. Valerie Durham: https://ffc.buzzsprout.com/1255184/12791628-122-a-gathering-of-free-minds-for-festive-fun-at-freedomfest Support the...

Revolutions are tumultuous episodes of history when the past and the present battle to fundamentally shape the future. How did the 'lawyers' revolution' and the American legal and political systems define and redefine the meanings and context of our laws? Dr. Williamjames Hoffer, Professor of History at Seton Hall University, tells the story of the Caning of Charles Sumner, the Ples...

Nowadays, American conservative political leaders have foreign policy platforms that call for greater toughness against China. But they are not the first generation of conservatism that wanted stronger U.S. foreign policy and security in the wake of Communist China. Learn more about two formerly prominent but now forgotten Members of Congress, CA Sen. William Knowland and MN Rep. Walter Judd, who...

Too often, Americans understandably anticipate modern technology but voice frustration over potholes. So what are some of the issues that are preventing the U.S. from having decent roads and technological advancements in our infrastructure? Kirbie Ferrell, a Texas A&M Bush School graduate and Policy Analyst at The Eno Center for Transportation, gives a snapshot of where we are on our infrastru...

John Adams called him "a greater and better Man that Dr. Franklin..." So who was this pioneer of medicine, education, and science? Learn how Dr. Benjamin Rush, Franklin's protégé, laid the foundation for modern mental health care and became an avid advocate for causes such as abolitionism, public education, and health care for the poor. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitu...

Around 4am on February 24, 2022, Russia launched a tragic attack against Ukraine that began the first major European conflict since World War II. The causes and effects of the invasion have disrupted the state of U.S. national security and global world order. Dr. Kateryna Shynkaruk, an experienced diplomat and academic who is a Senior Lecturer at Texas A&M's Bush School DC, first discusse...

While the XYZ Affair was not about deciphering secret codes, one could decipher some of the contentious eras of polarization and partisanship in American politics. Learn how this diplomatic episode between the Adams administration and French envoys divided the young nation, led to the buildup of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and almost led to a major conflict in the 1790s. Learn more about MA si...

Since the tragic Hamas terrorist attack against Israel on October 7, 2023 resulting in more than 1100 deaths, Jews worldwide have encountered an unprecedented wave of antisemitism. Trent Spoolstra, Associate Regional Director for the Midwest office at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and fellow Bush School alumnus with Sherman, recounted his personal thoughts, experiences, and emotions after learn...

When people think of money, they may think of Ben Franklin. But a different Founding Father from Pennsylvania supplied a lot of money that funded the American patriot cause. Learn how Robert Morris's rise and fall in American politics reflected the contentious nature of political life in the early years of the federal republic. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up f...