Former Now & Then co-host Joanne Freeman joins Preet Bharara on Stay Tuned with Preet. They discuss Biden’s decision not to seek reelection, how Democrats have embraced Vice President Kamala Harris, what to expect in the November election, & more. Listen to the full episode: https://cafe.com/stay-tuned/joanne-freeman-elections-kamala-harris-biden-trump-violence-democracy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather Cox Richardson, host of Now & Then, joins Stay Tuned with Preet to discuss her new book, “Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America.” They talk about the origins of the terms “liberal” and “conservative,” a 1937 anti-FDR manifesto that presaged today’s GOP, and the ways in which the nation might move beyond the chaos of the Trump years.  Head to the Stay Tuned feed to listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne respond to the presidential candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy and the hype surrounding the No Labels political organization by looking at two past third-party bids that changed the nation: the 1844 presidential candidacy of James G. Birney’s anti-slavery Liberty Party and the 1912 campaign of Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Party.  How can third party candidacies reflect the values of the nation? How can they backfire? And how should Americans balance their interest in presidential purity with the strategic considerations of living in a democracy?  What are Heather and Joanne’s personal feelings about Third Party bids? They share more of their thoughts in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. For a limited time, you can get 40% off the initial annual membership price with discount code JUSTICE. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-third-party-problem/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Voting Rights: The Big Picture,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman talk about the history of voter suppression with Carol Anderson, professor of African American Studies at Emory University and author of One Person No Vote: How Voter Suppression Is Destroying Our Democracy and The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America. The trio discuss the concept of the “consent of the governed” during the founding period, the emergence of Jim Crow laws after the Civil War, and the evolution of voting suppression efforts in the modern era. How have politicians justified restrictive voting policies? How do these policies damage American democracy? And what strategies might protect the franchise today? This episode was recorded before a live audience on Zoom and Facebook on October 21st, 2021.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to: www.cafe.com/history.   For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/voting-rights-the-big-picture-ft-carol-anderson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “The Rise of Bully Politics,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman revisit the 1980 presidential election between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. They reflect on how the rancorous contest signaled a rise in partisan aggression and dominance politics in American life. They also tie the type of bullying that emerged in full force in 1980 back to the 1850s and the violence that preceded the Civil War. How did Reagan’s extreme comments during the campaign hearken back to this earlier age of bluster and polarization? How did Reagan’s tone signal a change in the Republican Party and its tactics? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history RSVP for the Now & Then Live Taping with Emory African American Studies Professor Carol Anderson on this Thursday, October 21st at 6:30PM ET: cafe.com/live   For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-rise-of-bully-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Speakers of the House: Velvet Gloves and Iron Fists,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman revisit significant Speakers of the House and the development of the role in American politics. They reflect on legendary Speakers Henry Clay, Thomas Brackett Reed, and Tip O’Neill. In the process, they examine how Speakers leverage their influence over the legislative process and the culture of congress. How did the Speakership become such a crucial role in Washington? How do Speakers balance control with collaboration? And how can iconic Speakers from the past help to contextualize Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s current efforts to pass the Democrats’ budget reconciliation package?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history RSVP for the Now & Then Live Taping with Emory African American Studies Professor Carol Anderson on Thursday, October 21st at 6:30PM ET: cafe.com/live For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/speakers-of-the-house-velvet-gloves-and-iron-fists Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Split Party Politics,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss cycles of in-fighting, tension and collapse in American political parties. They begin with the Federalists and their ill-fated Hartford Convention, explain the reconstitution of both the Democrats and Republicans during the early 1880s, and talk through the current political battles and demographic shifts affecting the Republican Party. Why do political parties collapse? How does partisan dysfunction change the legislative process? And can the past show us how the current splits in the GOP will end? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  Listen to new episodes of Up Against the Mob, Elie Honig’s six-part series about his experiences prosecuting the mafia: cafe.com/up-against-the-mob   For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/split-party-politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Government Debt Roulette,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the dynamics of the current political battle over raising the debt ceiling. Then, they offer an overview of debt in American history, from Alexander Hamilton’s belief in using debt to build the country, to how President Lincoln offset Civil War debt, to the politicization of the debt ceiling by Republicans over the last 30 years. What can debt accomplish? What can debt damage? And how have American views on debt and credit shifted over time?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  Listen to new episodes of Up Against the Mob, Elie Honig’s six-part series about his experiences prosecuting the mafia: cafe.com/up-against-the-mob For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/government-debt-roulette Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “New York, New York,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the 20th anniversary of September 11th, 2001 attacks and the larger role of New York over the course of American history. How did the Dutch help lend the Big Apple its economic and cultural identity? Why isn’t New York the U.S. capital? How did newspapers transform NYC’s political power? Why are there so many apocalyptic movies set in New York? And what has made the city such a resilient and powerful locus for innovation and community?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history   Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.    For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/new-york-new-york Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Abortion: Whose Choice?” Heather and Joanne discuss Texas’ Senate Bill 8, one of several controversial new “heartbeat” laws that limit access to abortion. They also talk about the history of abortion from the colonial period to the present: the surprising availability of abortion until the mid-19th century, the physician-led campaign to ban abortion, and the GOP’s decision in the early 1970s to embrace the “pro-life” movement. Who gets to decide the future of reproductive rights? What role has politics played in the anti-abortion movement? And how can the constitutional right to abortion be preserved during these uncertain times?   Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/abortion-whose-choice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Climate Control,” Heather and Joanne discuss the climate crisis and moments of political conflict over the environment throughout American history. They talk about the impact of climate on colonists, the 19th-century origins of the National Park Service, the causes and effects of the Dust Bowl, and the post-World War II emergence of the environmental movement — from Rachel Carson, to nuclear fall-out fears, to the formation of the Environmental Protection Agency. What solutions might these past controversies offer the United States today? Can we reach political consensus on addressing climate change? And who is ultimately responsible for protecting the earth?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history  Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.   For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/climate-control Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Attacking and Defending Voting Rights,” Heather and Joanne discuss the history of American voting rights and the antecedents to the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2021. They look at New Jersey’s surprising history of female voting, the violence of the Know-Nothing Party, and the long congressional struggle to secure full suffrage for all Americans. Who has worked to deny the vote to marginalized populations? Which laws have been most effective in bolstering enfranchisement? And what still needs to be accomplished?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/attacking-and-defending-voting-rights Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Afghanistan & American Styles of War,” Heather and Joanne discuss the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the history of how America creates narratives around wars. They look at the divergent framings of the War of 1812, the Spanish-American War, and World War II. How does a democratic society based on consent utilize force? Which wars receive widespread approval? And how do concepts of national interest affect collective identity and the quest for consensus?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/afghanistan-american-styles-of-war Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne compare the national response to the implosion of the Titan submersible to two high-profile historical sea calamities: the 1813 ocean vanishing of Theodosia Burr and the 1872 Mary Celeste “ghost ship” drama.  How do Americans react to tragedies on the high seas? What can these mysterious and painful incidents tell us about our national anxieties and values?  How have Heather and Joanne processed sea dangers in their own lives? They share their experience in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. For a limited time, you can get 40% off the initial annual membership price with discount code JUSTICE. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-titan-the-sea-and-what-we-see/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Treason(ish),” Heather and Joanne discuss the competing political narratives over accountability and punishment for the January 6th insurrection. They look back at past moments of conflict and examine the disparate ways in which former combatants integrated into American society: the Loyalists after the Revolutionary War, the Confederates after the Civil War, and a group of Nazi scientists who joined the American quest to reach the moon.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/treasonish Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this special episode of Now & Then, “A Backstage Peek,” listeners can hear Heather and Joanne’s conversations that are usually part of the CAFE Insider membership. “Backstage” is a special weekly bonus portion of the podcast where the hosts offer personal reflections on their historical scholarship and behind-the-scenes anecdotes of how each Now & Then episode comes together.  In the first installment, released in conjunction with last week’s episode, “Projecting America at the Olympics,” Heather and Joanne explain how Disneyland, like the Olympics, shapes American identity. In the second installment, released alongside the July 6th episode, “Creating Federal Holidays, July 4th to Juneteenth,” Heather and Joanne reflect on their memories of the 1976 Bicentennial and tell stories of flirtatious historical impersonators.  Join CAFE Insider to get full access to “Backstage” and the full slate of Insider content. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to cafe.com/history Join us next Tuesday for an all-new episode, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/a-backstage-peek Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Projecting America at the Olympics,” Heather and Joanne frame the current Tokyo Olympics alongside historical examples of American cultural diplomacy. They trace efforts to appeal to France in the Revolutionary Period, the rise of World’s Fairs, and the controversies that accompanied Jesse Owens’ 1936 Olympics dominance in Berlin and the 1968 Black Power salute by medalists Tommie Smith and John Carlos. What do these earlier negotiations say about American self-definition, particularly given the contemporary Olympics controversy over Simone Biles’ decision to withdraw from portions of the gymnastics competition? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/projecting-america-at-the-olympics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “The Human Toll of Infrastructure,” Heather and Joanne discuss the historical precedents for President Biden’s infrastructure proposals. What role did river infrastructure play in spurring the Constitutional Convention? What was the revolutionary impact of the Transcontinental Railroad and President Eisenhower’s championing of the Interstate highway system? What were the consequences of the Nixon administration’s veto of national childcare legislation? And turning to today, how does the congressional wrangling over Biden’s plans reflect a long-standing debate over the role that the government should play in how Americans connect to one another?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-human-toll-of-infrastructure Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Culture Wars,” Heather and Joanne discuss moments of dramatic cultural change in American history: pre-Civil War abolitionism, early 20th-century individualism, to our current reckoning over police brutality and history education. How do our pop cultural artifacts, from Uncle Tom’s Cabin, to P.T. Barnum’s problematic attractions, to Gone with the Wind, show the ways American self-identity and priorities have evolved over time? This episode was recorded before a live audience on Facebook on July 15, 2021.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/culture-wars Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Judging the Supreme Court,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the recently-concluded Supreme Court term, and they place the Roberts Court in the context of other consequential Supreme Courts throughout American history, from the Marshall Court of the early 19th century, to the Taney Court and its infamous Dred Scott decision of 1857, to the progressive Warren Court of the mid 20th century, and finally to the modern era.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Thank you for listening! Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then. To RSVP to Thursday's live taping, head to cafe.com/live. For references & supplemental materials, head to: https://cafe.com/now-and-then/judging-the-supreme-court/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Creating Federal Holidays, July 4th to Juneteenth,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the recent debate over making Juneteenth a Federal holiday. Then, Heather and Joanne look at the earlier debates that accompanied the creations of July 4th, Columbus Day, and Election Day, with a focus on the economic, moral, and political considerations that went into the formations of these iconic American celebrations.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Thank you for listening! Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/creating-federal-holidays-july-4th-to-juneteenth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode of Now & Then, “Corrupting the Commonwealth,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss recent reporting that the Trump Department of Justice subpoenaed the metadata of journalists and members of Congress. Heather and Joanne then look at three past reckonings over accusations of presidential corruption: Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson’s back-and-forth over the First Bank of the United States, the break in the 1870s Republican Party over President Grant’s enforcement of voting rights in the South, and President Nixon’s justifications for his notorious “black bag” operations. In the process, Heather and Joanne zero in on the morphing roles of the public and Congress in defining executive overreach and self-dealing.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Thank you for listening! Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/corrupting-the-commonwealth Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the fourth episode of Now & Then, “QAnon, Cults, and Cutlery,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the recent FBI assessment of QAnon as a violent domestic terrorism threat. They also reflect on the historical relationship between cults and the government, from the Salem Witch Trials, to the utopian Oneida Community, to the tragic saga of Jonestown.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Thank you for listening! Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/qanon-cults-and-cutlery Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the third episode of Now & Then, “Battling Over Critical Race Theory,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the current debate over Critical Race Theory and the development of American historical scholarship, from Parson Weems’s fables, to George Washington Williams’ pioneering histories of Black America, to Reagan-era controversies over “Western Civilization” courses, to the influential work of Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to .cafe.com/history Thank you for listening! Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/battling-over-critical-race-theory Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Haaland v. Brackeen Supreme Court decision, which upholds the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act. They put the case into context with past struggles by indigenous communities to define their place in the American story, from Tenskwatawa’s 1800s quest for representation, to the consequences of the 1887 Dawes Act, to the 1960s origins of the American Indian Movement.  How is the challenge of teaching indigenous history different from teaching other historical topics? Heather and Joanne share their experience in a special “Backstage” segment of the podcast. Become a member of CAFE Insider for $1 for the first month and get access to Backstage episodes and other exclusive content. Head to cafe.com/history to learn more and join. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-nation-and-indigenous-nations-sovereignty-struggle/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the second episode of Now & Then, “Investigating Democracy,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the history of congressional commissions, following the Senate Republican filibuster of the proposed commission to investigate the January 6th insurrection. Heather and Joanne look back on investigations of the 1856 caning of Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner, the 1871 Ku Klux Klan hearings, and the 1954 back-and-forth between Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Army. In the process, they explore the partisanship and lasting cultural impact of these commissions and what that says about the utility of a January 6th Commission.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Thank you for listening! Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/investigating-democracy/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this first episode of Now & Then, “Entangling Alliances,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the emerging Biden Doctrine and the relationship between foreign and domestic policy throughout American history. Heather and Joanne focus on the French Revolution, Teddy Roosevelt’s progressive turn, and the cultural legacies of the Vietnam War as three moments from “then” that can particularly inform this transitional moment for America’s role in the world.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. And for a limited time, use the code HISTORY for 50% off the annual membership price. Head to www.cafe.com/history Thank you for listening! Join us each Tuesday for new episodes of Now & Then, and keep an eye out for live events with Heather and Joanne and the rest of the CAFE Team.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/now-then-episode-1-entangling-alliances/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now & Then is a new podcast from CAFE hosted by historians Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman. Each Tuesday, they will break down the week in news and look back at historical parallels to help us understand our present. Along the way, they’ll introduce us to history’s influential and often-forgotten characters. New episodes drop every Tuesday starting June 1st. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can personal lawyers help and hurt embattled presidents?  Heather and Joanne use the current chaos engulfing former President Trump’s legal team to explore the blurry roles of private presidential attorneys in American history. They explore conservative Unionist lawyer Reverdy Johnson’s effective role in helping President Lincoln to find legal rationale for escalations in the Civil War. And they compare Johnson’s role to the not-so-effective counsel of Nixon’s lawyer-fundraiser Herb Kalmbach.  How did the popular culture surrounding the Watergate scandal affect Heather and Joanne? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Uncover history's impact on today's issues and get sharp insights into news at the intersection of law and politics with the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Sign up for free here: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/presidential-lawyer-problems/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can past struggles over American water access tell us about national power and politics?  Heather and Joanne place state and federal government responses to the Southwest’s current megadrought in the tangled history of water management, from Aaron Burr’s duplicitous scheme to give New York clean water, to William Mulholland’s Los Angeles “water wars,” to the proliferation of New Deal dams.  What were Heather and Joanne’s different experiences of water in the 1970s? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/theres-something-in-the-water/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What can the contested and often-mythological history of Texas show us about America today?  Heather and Joanne use the current impeachment drama surrounding Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as a window into the dramatic and ever-shifting legacies of the Alamo and the Texas oil boom.  What have been Heather and Joanne's personal experiences of Texas? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/texas-tall-tales-ken-paxtonand-us/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Stories of remarkable heroism by women in Ukraine have captured the imagination of the world over the past 15 months. How have women warriors shaped conversations over gender, violence, and heroism over the course of United States history?  In this Memorial Day-inspired encore presentation of a March 2022 episode, Heather and Joanne discuss the Revolutionary War figures Molly Pitcher and Deborah Sampson, Harriet Tubman’s Civil War spying raids, and Ukrainian sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko’s 1942 tour of the U.S.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/encore-women-warriors-ukraine-and-beyond/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the concluding episode of a two-part series, Heather and Joanne discuss alternative approaches to medicine throughout American history, and place them in the context of today’s non-traditional remedies, like psychedelic therapy and wellness brands. They talk through the 19th century diet movements of Sylvester Graham and John Kellogg, the popularity of cross-cultural practices like acupuncture, yoga, and Reiki, and the 1960s rise of psychedelic drugs.  What are Heather and Joanne’s own experiences with alternative medicine? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-wellness-continuum-alternative-medicine/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the first episode of a two-part series, Heather and Joanne look at how the traditional American medical establishment has conceived of mental health over our national history. What can these designations say about the pandemic-associated mental health crises we currently face? How have powerful Americans defined “normalcy” and “abnormalcy” at various points? They explore the pioneering and controversial Philadelphia physician Benjamin Rush, the rise and fall of the “neurasthenia” diagnosis, and the 1950s emergence of antidepressants. How can we be in touch with our own mental health? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/the-american-wellness-continuum-traditional-medicine/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is the role of the Vice President in American political history? What is the road ahead for VP Kamala Harris? Heather and Joanne break down the evolving role of the VP, from John Adams’s frustrated tenure, to Chester A. Arthur’s transition from corruption to reform, to Walter Mondale’s close partnership with President Jimmy Carter.  Have Heather and Joanne ever felt like Vice Presidents? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Uncover history's impact on today's issues and get sharp insights into news at the intersection of law and politics with the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Sign up for free here: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/veep-the-real-story/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this finale episode of Now & Then, Heather and Joanne are joined by the show’s production team to discuss behind-the-scenes reflections and favorite memories from the series. Editorial Producers David Kurlander and Sam Ozer-Staton, Executive Producer Tamara Sepper, and Audio Producer Matthew Billy celebrate history, democracy, and friendship with the historians.  For references & supplemental materials, head to: https://cafe.com/now-and-then/then-and-now/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can humor be used as a political weapon? Heather and Joanne discuss the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner and the power of American comedy. They explore Seba Smith and his iconic Jack Downing character, Alice Duer Miller’s poetic suffragist satire, and Dick Gregory’s truth-telling on issues of race and class.  What do comedians and historians have in common? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Uncover history's impact on today's issues and get sharp insights into news at the intersection of law and politics with the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Sign up for free here: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/not-a-joke-humor-as-politics/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne discuss the contentious issue of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’s financial ties to billionaire and conservative activist Harlan Crow. They also look at three earlier conflict-of-interest controversies involving Supreme Court justices: Samuel Chase’s 1804 impeachment over his pronounced Federalist leanings, Stephen J. Field’s 1880s relationships with railroad magnates, and Abe Fortas’ 1969 resignation following the revelation of his acceptance of consulting fees from a felonious financier.  Is it ethical for professors to accept gifts from their students? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Uncover history's impact on today's issues and get sharp insights into news at the intersection of law and politics with the weekly CAFE Brief newsletter. Sign up for free here: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/supreme-court-scandals-a-story-of-justice/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne discuss the political climate surrounding the dramatic expulsion and reinstatement of Tennessee legislators Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. They also place the controversy within the history of state legislative expulsions, from the White Supremacist 1875 Mississippi Plan, to the 1920 attacks on New York State Socialist politicians, to the failed 1986 GOP quest to oust anti-war activist Tom Hayden from the California State Assembly.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. This week, they discuss their emotional responses to the Tennessee legislative expulsions. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/expulsions-and-ousters-the-threat-in-tennessee/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden has formally declared that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich is being wrongfully detained in Russia. Heather and Joanne reflect on Gershkovich’s plight and look at three other political detainments in American history: the 1776 arrest by the British of Continental Army Major General Charles Lee, the 1861 Confederate capture of New York Congressman Alfred Ely, and the 1974 abduction by the Symbionese Liberation Army of California heiress Patty Hearst.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. This week, they discuss their memories of hostage-taking and bomb scares in the early 1970s. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/hostages-as-messages/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Biden recently met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reaffirming the U.S.-Canada relationship and announcing the countries’ joint efforts at tackling a range of issues, from immigration to climate change. Heather and Joanne use the meeting as a springboard to discuss the ups and downs of America’s relationship with its Northern neighbor, from Revolutionary War attempts by colonists to draft Canada into the War, to Secretary of State William Henry Seward’s 1860s quest to annex British Columbia, to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau’s meteoric rise.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. This week, they discuss their early understandings of other nations. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/canada-and-the-one-way-mirror/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg remains in the spotlight amid a widely expected indictment by his office of former President Donald Trump. Heather and Joanne place DA Bragg’s unprecedented position in the history of New York County District Attorneys, from 1800s duellists to the patrician Robert Morgenthau. How have past DAs balanced the pursuit of justice against the pressure of partisan politics? Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/district-attorneys-where-the-rubber-meets-the-road/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank has sparked a larger conversation about the role of financial institutions in American life. Heather and Joanne reflect on the cultural and aesthetic history of banks, from the Greek Revival-influenced Second Bank of the United States, to the robberies of express trains in the late 1800s, to the emergence of ornate Art Deco banks during the high-flying 1920s.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/why-americans-hate-and-love-banks/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we are making Backstage, usually only available to members of CAFE Insider, available for all Now & Then listeners. Backstage is where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the ideas that formed the episode.  During the main Now & Then episode, Heather and Joanne discussed four pioneering women journalists. In Backstage, they reflect on the barriers they have faced as women historians.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to more installments of “Backstage,” and get access to all the exclusive content. Head to: cafe.com/history Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne discuss the increased visibility–and resultant online abuse–of women journalists in 2023, and reflect on four pioneering voices: Anne Royall, Martha Gellhorn, Ethel Payne, and Lisa Olson. What barriers have American women climbed over to have a voice in reporting the nation’s news?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/women-journalists-and-their-fight-to-be-heard/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Heather and Joanne discuss how the aftermath of the toxic train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio resembles past American debates over the handling of waste. They talk about New York City’s 19th century sanitation pigs, the rise of the “Garbage Ladies” in Progressive Era Chicago, and the long shadow of the 1978 Love Canal crisis.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to the first two episodes of “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/trash-and-pollution-who-pays/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do political debates help and hurt American democracy? Heather and Joanne reflect on the recent Republican primary debate and discuss the long legacy of the institution, from Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr’s proto-debates with voters during the contentious 1800 election, to the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates, to the iconic 1960 televised debates between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon.  Heather and Joanne discuss their own experiences participating in debates in the “Backstage” portion of the podcast. To get access to Backstage segments and other exclusive content, become a member at cafe.com/history. Now & Then is ending on September 13th. Leave us a voicemail with your favorite moment from the show at 669-247-7338 or write to us at letters@cafe.com. For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/looking-ahead-a-viewers-guide-to-presidential-debates/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

To honor the beginning of Women’s History Month, Heather and Joanne tell the stories of three women who changed the American legal tapestry: Martha Bradstreet and her fight against coverture, Josephine Goldmark and her quest for labor justice, and Rosa Parks and her battle to to find accountability for victims of rape and sexual assault.  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history Listen to the first episode of “Up Against The Mob: The Springfield Crew”: apple.co/3x4sgYj For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/women-change-makers-three-legal-battles/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the recent spate of UFO shootdowns by the U.S. Air Force, Heather and Joanne discuss America’s historical fascination with aerial mysteries, from John Winthrop and Increase Mather’s colonial reports of sightings, to the 1890s “Mystery Airship” craze, to the 1942 “Battle of Los Angeles," to the 1970s pop cultural UFO moment.  What can UFOs tell us about American hopes and fears?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/what-ufos-say-about-us/ Now & Then is presented by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network. Check out other CAFE podcasts:  Stay Tuned with Preet: apple.co/2BxXfiO Up Against The Mob: apple.co/3x4sgYj Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In light of the new Republican House majority’s denial of committee seats to Representatives Ilhan Omar, Eric Swalwell, and Adam Schiff, Heather and Joanne discuss the history and functioning of committees, from early debates over committee secrecy, to the role of the crucial 1890s role of the House Committee on Ways and Means, to the development of the Ethics and Intelligence Committees.  How can congressional committees help us to understand the politics and culture of Washington?  Join CAFE Insider to listen to “Backstage,” where Heather and Joanne chat each week about the anecdotes and ideas that formed the episode. Head to: cafe.com/history For more historical analysis of current events, sign up for the free weekly CAFE Brief newsletter, featuring Time Machine, a weekly article that dives into an historical event inspired by each episode of Now & Then: cafe.com/brief For references & supplemental materials, head to: cafe.com/now-and-then/congressional-committeesand-power/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices