Entertainment
These Podcasts Will Help You Make Sense Of This Historic Election
Even though we have a winner, there's still a lot to unpack.
Every four years, the whole world watches as United States citizens vote for the country's next president. Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, but the process has been one of the most contentious in recent memory, with some outlets questioning whether a peaceful transfer of power — one of the cornerstones of the American experiment — will come to pass. As allusions to Florida in 2000 and the George W. Bush vs. Al Gore election as a whole continue to crop up, you'd be forgiven for feeling a little unmoored by the current political discussion.
Thankfully, the internet has made it possible for us to share information widely. If you're still unclear on why Biden losing Ohio is a big deal, or why it's uncommon for a sitting president to lose their re-election campaign, don't worry. The seven podcasts below will bring you up to speed, even if you have no idea what a "hanging chad" is. Read on for the best podcasts to turn you into a political expert.
1The Brown Girls Guide to Politics
Created and hosted by A’shanti F. Gholar, The Brown Girls Guide to Politics makes a space for women of color to explore politics and find their place within this overwhelmingly white and male sphere. Guests include Stacey Abrams, Ruth Buffalo, and Ayanna Pressley.
2Civics 101
Brought to you by New Hampshire Public Radio, Civics 101 is a biweekly podcast tackling everything you wanted to know about politics but were afraid to ask. If you're just now wading into the U.S. political discussion, or feel left out of debates when you hear jargon you don't understand, this is the podcast for you.
3FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast
Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast is perfect for the datahounds out there. Hosted by Silver and Galen Druke and running between 20 and 30 minutes per episode on average, this podcast concerns itself with timely, digestible lessons and discussions about the current state of U.S. politics.
4In the Thick
Hosted by journalists Maria Hinojosa and Julio Ricardo Varela, In the Thick bills itself as "a podcast about politics, race, and culture from a POC perspective." Recent episodes include a discussion on the future of Roe v. Wade, an interview with Representative-elect Jamaal Bowman (D-NY-16), and an examination of "the Latino vote."
6Pod Save America
Hosted by four former Obama staffers — Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor — Pod Save America is a weekly podcast that clarifies the often muddy waters of the American news landscape. If you often find yourself utterly confused by conflicting headlines, tune in here to get the facts.
7Stay Tuned with Preet
From former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara comes this podcast in which Bharara discusses current issues in U.S. politics with a variety of guests. Among the figures Stay Tuned has recently hosted are restaurateur David Chang, NYU law professor Melissa Murray, and chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov.
