Consider the Constitution

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https://virginiahumanities.org/
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https://yali.state.gov/
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https://www.montpelier.org/events/public-seminar-james-madison/
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Consider The Constitution: 2025 Year in Review

Season 2 · Episode 20

Sunday, December 14, 2025 • Duration 35:00

In this special year-end episode, Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey looks back at 19 conversations from 2025 with historians, lawyers, constitutional experts, and public servants.

The Power of Place: Historic Preservation at James Madison's Montpelier

Season 2 · Episode 19

Tuesday, November 11, 2025 • Duration 37:42

In this special episode commemorating the 25th anniversary of the co-stewardship partnership between the National Trust for Historic Preservation and The Montpelier Foundation, host Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey welcomes Tom Mayes, Chief Legal Officer of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Together, they explore how historic places like James Madison's Montpelier connect us to the origins of the Constitution and why preserving these spaces matters for democracy.

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The Philosophical Roots of American Democracy

Season 2 · Episode 10

Wednesday, May 14, 2025 • Duration 24:28

In this enlightening episode of Consider the Constitution, host Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey sits down with Dr. Dennis Rasmussen, professor of political science at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Their conversation explores the philosophical underpinnings that influenced the creation of the U.S. Constitution, particularly focusing on Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, David Hume, Adam Smith, and Montesquieu whose ideas shaped the framers' thinking.

Dr. Rasmussen, author of "Fears of a Setting Sun," provides fascinating insights into how the founders – particularly Madison – navigated between theory and practical application when designing America's system of government. The discussion reveals surprising details about Madison's disappointment with certain aspects of the Constitution, the founders' evolving opinions about their creation, and the remarkable durability of America's founding document despite its imperfections. This episode offers listeners a deeper understanding of the intellectual foundations of American constitutional governance and reflects on what lessons we might draw from the founders' experiences as we face today's political challenges.

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Constitutional Safeguards: How the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments Protect Your Rights

Season 2 · Episode 9

Wednesday, April 30, 2025 • Duration 21:53

In this episode of Consider the Constitution, host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey welcomes back Kendra Johnson, assistant Public Defender in Fairfax, Virginia, to explore the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments. Johnson explains how these amendments form the backbone of criminal procedure in America and protect citizens from government overreach.

The discussion begins with an overview of each amendment: the Fourth Amendment protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Fifth Amendment covering rights such as protection against self-incrimination and double jeopardy, and the Sixth Amendment ensuring the right to a speedy trial, impartial jury, and legal counsel. Johnson shares insights into the historical context of these amendments, explaining how the Framers developed these protections in response to abuses they had witnessed under British rule.

The conversation highlights landmark Supreme Court cases that have shaped these rights over time, including Katz v. United States, which established the "reasonable expectation of privacy" standard; Miranda v. Arizona, which created the famous "Miranda warnings"; and Gideon v. Wainwright, which guaranteed the right to an attorney even for those who cannot afford one.

The episode concludes with a discussion of emerging challenges to these constitutional protections in the digital age, including questions about surveillance technology, online trials, and artificial intelligence in the criminal justice system. Johnson emphasizes that these amendments are vital not just for those accused of crimes but for all citizens, as they establish boundaries on government power that protect everyone's liberty regardless of who holds political office.

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Debunking Political Myths with Dr. Casey Burgat

Season 2 · Episode 8

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 • Duration 28:55

Host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey welcomes Dr. Casey Burgat back to James Madison's Montpelier to discuss his new book, "We Hold These Truths: How to Spot the Myths That Are Holding America Back."

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Slavery, the Constitution, and the Road to Civil War

Season 2 · Episode 7

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 • Duration 32:18

In this compelling conversation with historian Dr. Joshua Rothman from the University of Alabama, we explore the complex relationship between slavery and the U.S. Constitution. Dr. Rothman reveals how the founding document's compromises—from the three-fifths clause to the fugitive slave provision—both protected and perpetuated human bondage while planting seeds for eventual conflict. We discuss how economic forces, technological innovations like the cotton gin, and territorial expansion transformed what founders might have seen as temporary accommodations into entrenched systems that ultimately led to Civil War. Dr. Rothman's insights illuminate the profound contradictions at the heart of American democracy: a nation founded on ideals of freedom while simultaneously codifying and expanding slavery. This episode offers essential context for understanding the constitutional crisis that erupted at Fort Sumter in April 1861.

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The Unwritten Role: First Ladies in American Democracy

Season 2 · Episode 6

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 • Duration 31:16

In this special episode of Consider the Constitution, Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey explores the evolving role of America's First Ladies with Anita McBride, former Assistant to President George W. Bush and Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush, and co-author of "Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women."

Though the Constitution never defines this role, First Ladies, from Martha Washington to today, have wielded significant influence in shaping policy, diplomacy, and national identity. McBride shares fascinating insights about how these women served as essential partners to presidents while carving out their own legacies - from Dolley Madison saving White House treasures during war to Lady Bird Johnson advocating for civil rights in the hostile South. Drawing from her extensive research for her book, McBride reveals how these remarkable women used their "automatic powerful platform" to advance the nation, even when they themselves lacked constitutional rights.

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Warriors for Constitutional Rights with Sharon McMahon

Season 2 · Episode 5

Wednesday, March 5, 2025 • Duration 29:07

In this compelling episode, host Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey sits down with Sharon McMahon, "America's Government Teacher" and New York Times bestselling author of "The Small and the Mighty," to explore the remarkable stories of overlooked women who shaped American democracy. From Rebecca Brown Mitchell, who helped secure women's suffrage in Idaho decades before the 19th Amendment, to fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin, whose courageous stand against bus segregation helped pave the way for the Montgomery Bus Boycott, McMahon brings to light the extraordinary contributions of ordinary Americans who changed history. The conversation delves into how these "small and mighty" individuals' persistent efforts for liberty and justice continue to impact our nation today, reminding us that everyone has the power to make meaningful change. Through these inspiring stories, McMahon and Crawford Lackey demonstrate how progress is born of struggle and why every person's contribution to democracy matters, even when the results aren't immediately visible.

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Executive Authority: Constitutional Leadership in the Modern Presidency

Season 2 · Episode 4

Wednesday, February 19, 2025 • Duration 36:40

What defines constitutional leadership in today's complex political landscape? Dr. Barbara Perry, co-director of the presidential oral history program at the Miller Center, examines how modern presidents navigate their constitutional authority while facing unprecedented challenges. Drawing from her extensive work conducting presidential oral histories, Perry illuminates the delicate balance between executive power and constitutional constraints, from the critical process of peaceful power transitions to the expansion of civil rights. Through compelling stories of presidents from both parties, she reveals how different leaders have interpreted their constitutional role, managed times of crisis, and shaped the office of the presidency. The conversation explores how the founders' vision for executive authority, first shaped by James Madison, continues to evolve as each president grapples with their constitutional obligations to preserve, protect, and defend American democracy.

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Presidential Pardon Power

Season 2 · Episode 3

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 • Duration 21:34

In this episode of Consider the Constitution, we explore the presidential pardon power with Professor Kim Wehle from the University of Baltimore Law School. The discussion covers the historical origins of pardons from British common law, its incorporation into the U.S. Constitution, and how this power has evolved through American history, through the recent pardons by both President Biden and President Trump in 2024-2025.

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Consider the Constitution – Details, episodes & analysis

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Consider the Constitution – Details, episodes & analysis

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