Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders have packed stadiums as they make their case for the 2016 Republican and Democratic presidential nominations. Many pundits have labeled them 21st century “populists,” but invoking the “voice of the people” is a tradition as old as the country itself. In this episode, the Guys trace populism’s influence on American politics—from mob justice in Revolutionary Boston to the original presidential outsider, Andrew Jackson. BackStory will explore how farmers built a mass movement around monetary reform in the late 19th century and how the Trumps of their day capitalized on a tradition of riling up the masses. How have populist movements inspired, and sometimes alarmed, the electorate? And how does populism affect our politics today?
The Wall Street Journal's Jeffrey Sparshott tells us what to watch in the September jobs report, which is due out Friday morning, as well as puts the rest of the latest employment data into perspective.
6 Min
Oct 6, 2016
Drew and Marchman talk about the NBA playoffs, rigging lotteries, Letterman, and more.
58 Min
May 20, 2015
Audio dramatist Mac Rogers discusses the resurgence of radio theater in the U.S. and his own work on the podcast drama, LifeAfter.
22 Min
Dec 23, 2016