When John F. Kennedy entered national politics, Eleanor Roosevelt was already one of the most influential women in American history - a former First Lady, diplomat, activist, and moral conscience of the Democratic Party.

Their relationship began with skepticism, tension, and even open criticism. She questioned his commitment to civil rights, doubted his independence from his father, and worried he lacked the moral seriousness required of a president.

Kennedy, in turn, saw her as a towering figure of the old Democratic coalition whose approval he needed but whose expectations were difficult to meet. And yet, over time, these two very different leaders - separated by generation, temperament, and political style - became allies.

So in this episode, we explore how that transformation happened, what it meant for the Democratic Party, and why their partnership still matters, as I ask… how did JFK and Eleanor Roosevent become allies?

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Special Guests:

Barbara Perry, one of America’s leading scholars of the presidency and political leadership. She has written extensively on the Roosevelts, the Kennedys, and the evolution of Democratic politics.

Her new book, Reconcilable Differences, offers the most detailed account yet of the unlikely alliance between Eleanor Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.

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Highlights:

02:10 - Reconcilable Differences

05:50 - The Joe Kennedy Legacy

10:01 - Eleanor's Influence

16:50 - A Historic Meeting

26:26 - A Mutual Admiration

32:03 - Employing Eleanor Roosevelt

36:55 - JFK's Political Agenda

41:04 - Eleanor's Impact on Civil Rights Reform

45:02 - Shaping the Future of the Democratic Party

49:56 - Coalition Building in a Fractured Political Landscape

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Reading List:

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Contact us: [email protected]

Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community

Brands & advertisers: [email protected]

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Credits:

Producer - Liam Heffernan

Host - Liam Heffernan

Editor - Liam Heffernan

In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.

Today, 10 Great American Novels You Should Read, in no particular order. For each book, we’ll explore what it’s about, why it matters, and what makes it such a defining piece of American literature.

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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This week, as a senior staffer at Anthropic - the owner of Chat GPT - sparks fears that robots could wipe out the human race, we discuss the advancement of AI and why every country except the USA appears to want to do something about it.

Plus, the Kennedy Centre shuts its doors for two years for renovation work, and the Supreme Court has rejected President Trump's proposed restrictions on mail-in ballots, including the creation of a national voter list.

And, Mitch McConnell rises from the alleged dead and returns to the Senate after three months.

To discuss this, I am joined by SCOTUS and US Constitution expert Emma Long from the University of East Anglia, and tech expert Will Guyatt.

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02:23 - SCOTUS strike down Trump's mail-in vote changes

12:39 - The Kennedy Centre closes

19:42 - Is AI about to take over the world?

42:04 - The AI and the US Constitution

59:18 - Mitch McConnell Rises!

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News Sources:

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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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William Taft is one of the most unusual figures in American presidential history - a man who never really wanted to be president, but who nonetheless shaped the office in ways that still matter today.

He was a jurist at heart, a reluctant politician, a colonial administrator, and a president whose leadership style defied the expectations of the Progressive Era. His life took him from Cincinnati to the Philippines, from the White House to the Supreme Court, and from political frustration to personal fulfilment.

Today, we explore Taft’s early years, his rise through law and public service, his complex presidency, his role in America’s imperial project, his surprising influence on sport and presidential culture, and the legacy he left behind, as I’m asking… who is former President William Howard Taft?

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Special Guests:

Adam Burns, Head of Politics at Brighton College. Adam’s research focuses on Taft’s involvement in the Philippines and American empire, and on Taft’s leadership as a template for how presidents engage with sport.

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Reading List:

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Highlights:

02:26 - The Right State at the Right Time

06:34 - Law and Politics

12:45 - The Phillipines... and Back Again

19:50 - Teddy's Choice

24:44 - The Beginning of the End

31:17 - A Fractured GOP

33:38 - Taft and Sport

42:41 - A Doomed Re-Election Bid

48:12 - Chief Justice Taft

53:45 - What We Get Wrong About Taft

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Contact us: [email protected]

Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community

Brands & advertisers: [email protected]

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Credits:

Producer - Liam Heffernan

Host - Liam Heffernan

Editor - Liam Heffernan

In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.

Today: the events of 9/11 - what happened that morning, the immediate aftermath, and the consequences that shaped the United States and the world in the 25 years since.

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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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This week, as Germany's far right AfD party win crucial state elections, we discuss Trump's celebration and how the MAGA blueprint is being used around the world to normalise extremism in politics.

Plus, Trump has created his own map of the world, and it's not great news for Greenland and Iceland.

And Lonnie Bunch is the latest high profile figure to be forced out of post by the current administration, leaving the Smithsonian after 38 years.

To discuss this, I am joined by Alyssa Royse, gym owner, writer, caller-outer of BS, common sense advocate, and all round lovely person.

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JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community

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01:22 - Trump Admits to High Oil Prices

02:52 - Lonnie Bunch Leaves the Smithsonian

08:25 - Trump's Map of the World

14:59 - Trump and the AfD

46:11 - Oysters in New York

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News Sources:

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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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Disclaimer: there may be short blips of incoherent sound in this episode. Please bear with us.

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When Psycho premiered in 1960, audiences had never seen anything like it. Alfred Hitchcock - already one of the world’s most prolific directors - released a low‑budget, black‑and‑white thriller that shocked critics, electrified audiences, and permanently changed the rules of American cinema. The film’s infamous shower scene, its brutal narrative twists, and its psychological intensity helped redefine what horror could be.

But Psycho wasn’t just scary because of what was on screen. It was scary because of how Hitchcock marketed it, how it tapped into real‑world anxieties, and how it drew inspiration from the crimes of a real life monster, still fresh in the public imagination.

So today, on the anniversary of its theatrical release, we explore why Psycho gained immediate notoriety, how it executed and reinvented horror conventions, and why it remains one of the most frightening and influential films ever made, as I ask… why is Psycho so scary?

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Special Guests:

Stephen Rebello, whose book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho is the definitive account of how the film came to be.

Buy the book now: https://a.co/d/09caklxY

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Reading List:

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Highlights:

02:29 - Throwing Out the Rulebook

09:04 - A Master of Suspense

14:03 - A Blueprint for Horror Marketing

21:55 - 3 Melons = Untimely Death

29:04 - Ed Gein

39:13 - Psycho's Legacy

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Contact us: [email protected]

Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community

Brands & advertisers: [email protected]

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Credits:

Producer - Liam Heffernan

Host - Liam Heffernan

Editor - Liam Heffernan

In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.

Today: the tenth President of the United States, John Tyler - his unexpected rise to the presidency, his turbulent time in office, his key achievements and controversies, and his lasting legacy.

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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/

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This week, Donald Trump renames Lake Ontario to Lake America, and though nobody is going with it, Google and Apple have both updates their maps.

Trump received good news from the Supreme Court, who have allowed construction of his $400m ballroom to continue.

Meanwhile, the US are yoinking over 60 billion barrels of oil from Venezuela, and they should be gosh darn grateful about it.

And Amazon face a lawsuit from 22 states over allegedly inflating their ad rates and raking in tens of billions of dollars more than they should.

To discuss this, I am joined by Alyssa Royse, gym owner, writer, caller-outer of BS, common sense advocate, and all round lovely person.

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JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community

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01:18 - Lake Ontario or Lake America?

05:57 - SCOTUS Give Thumbs Up to Ballroom

15:04 - Naughty Amazon

27:13 - Venezuelan Oil

41:17 - Pizza Philanthrophy

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News Sources:

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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Mercury⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, in partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/

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The United Nations was born out of catastrophe - a world shattered by war, genocide, and the collapse of international order, and it was on this very day in 1945, that the US senate ratified the UN Charter. This new institution, in the wake of the Second World War, that promised collective security, human rights, and global cooperation.

For decades, the UN and the U.S. were intertwined: American leadership shaped peacekeeping, development, humanitarian action, and the rules of the post‑war world. But the relationship has never been simple. It has swung between idealism and frustration, partnership and tension, global ambition and domestic politics.

Today, as the UN faces new crises and the U.S. reconsiders its role, we look back at how this relationship began, how it evolved, and why it matters.

So in this episode, I’m asking… what is the United Nations?

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Special Guests:

Thomas G. Weiss, one of the world’s foremost experts on the United Nations, humanitarian intervention, and global governance.

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Reading List:

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Highlights:

02:06 - The Birth of the UN

07:43 - The Core Values

10:18 - America's Role in the UN

16:19 - The Cold War

22:48 - Keeping the Peace

31:06 - How Much Money Does America Give the UN?

37:20 - What Does the US Get from the UN?

42:44 - Running Down the Clock

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Contact us: [email protected]

Team SOTUS: ⁠⁠⁠https://sotus.beehiiv.com/⁠⁠⁠community

Brands & advertisers: [email protected]

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Credits:

Producer - Liam Heffernan

Host - Liam Heffernan

Editor - Liam Heffernan

In Partnership with the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠British Association for American Studies⁠

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices