The Fly

In the final episode of The Fly's Post-Election Analysis Special, Andrea Smith brings together a diverse set of voices to unpack the results of this year’s election. With a deep dive into what led to the GOP's red wave, Andrea first sits down with Rick Wiley, a seasoned Republican strategist who shares insights on the winning message that propelled the party to victory, especially after the turbulent years following January 6th and the Roe v. Wade decision.

Next, Andrea converses with Reed Howard and former CNN reporter Sarah Mucha about the Democrats' communication strategy—and where they faltered, particularly in key battleground states. The conversation delves into the challenges facing Democrats and what went wrong on the ground.

Finally, Andrea speaks with Liam Richichi, president of Michigan State College Democrats, to gain a crucial Gen Z perspective on the election’s outcomes in a critical swing state. His reflections on voter engagement offer a sharp critique of the Democratic Party's direction and its relationship with younger voters.

As the holiday season approaches, this episode reflects on the pivotal lessons from this election and what it means for the future of American politics. Tune in for this thought-provoking episode and a special look at how the political landscape may shift moving forward.

Today we are buzzing back in with GU politics fellow Ashley Gunn! Gunn has not only served as a special assistant to the president, the senior director of cabinet affairs for Donald Trump’s administration, but she had worked the behind the scenes of every republican convention since 1991. Tune in to this episode to hear more about Ashley’s take on the people behind our government, the experience of being a woman in politics, and the importance of balancing family and career.

We are incredibly honored to bring to you a very special, 2-part episode. Today, all across the country, Americans are voting in one of the most consequential and unique elections in American history. From the near assassination of Former President Donald Trump to President Biden passing the baton to Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Black and South Asian Woman to lead a major party, we wanted to capture everything that has led up to today and what we can expect to see tonight. We spoke with Symone Sanders Townsend, the host of Symone on MSNBC and former Chief Spokesperson for Vice President Harris about her experience working campaigns and her takes on how both campaigns have operated.

This week, history will be made, and America will change forever. How will America change? We will only know until all the votes are counted. Thank you for being here for this historic episode, and without further ado, we present our Election Day Special!

In part one of our election special, Senior Fly Andrea Smith sits down with former CNN embed Sarah Mucha and Reed Howard, Chief Public Affairs Officer for The Future Caucus. Together, they dive into the fascinating world of swing state voters, focusing on groups like Nikki Haley supporters in Pennsylvania and Gen Zers in Michigan. You’ll get an insider’s perspective on how different this presidential election cycle is compared to the last two, and learn how well (or not) each candidate is running their campaign. If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the planning and strategy of a campaign, this is your chance to hear all the behind-the-scenes details from those who have been in the thick of it!

NEW week, NEW episode! 🪰This week, we sat down with the acclaimed American free speech activist Mary Beth Tinker!

Tinker is renowned in classrooms and courtrooms alike for her role in the 1969 Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines, which solidified students’ right to free speech. In this exciting new episode, she walks us through her experience with civil rights activism, her take on current events like the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and her advice for a new generation of activists. Be sure to BUZZ IN for a discussion you and your AP GOV teacher won’t want to miss!

Welcome back to The Fly! There’s no better way to kick off Season 16 than with Rick Wiley, a seasoned GOP political strategist and Spring 2024 GU Politics Fellow. Rick has worked behind the scenes of some of the most high-profile political campaigns in the U.S., most notably as the National Political Director for Ambassador Nikki Haley's presidential campaign.

In this episode, Rick dives deep into the strategic mind of a political campaign, offering a front-row seat to the highs and lows of navigating today’s intense political landscape. Join us as Rick shares his personal stories from the campaign trail, his thoughts on early voting and vote-by-mail, and his thoughts on the future of effective political messaging.

Welcome back to the Fly! There is no better way to end the season than with Dr. Fauci. As leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years, he has been on the frontline of nearly every major disease since the 1980s. His research and dedication have helped save tens of millions of lives. As Dr. Fauci has been widely covered, he gets candid in this episode about many of his life and professional experiences, from personal relationships with presidents—he has advised seven of them—to his actions during the AIDS/HIV epidemic and his close relationship with LGBTQ+ activists to the long nights leading up to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Fauci becomes personable and opens up about his lovely relationship with his wife and gives us college students much-needed and very sentimental advice. This is truly an episode you don’t want to miss! If you want to hear what is on his personal gym playlist or the secret to a long, happy, and loving relationship, tune in now! Have a great summer!

Welcome back, flies! We have a very special episode this week, because we have not one but two guests!! First, we sat down with Waleed Shahid, a Senior Democratic Strategist and former Spokesperson for Justice Democrats, about the future of the Democratic party, including "The Squad." Next, we sat down with Allegra Kirkland, the politics director for Teen Vogue. Kirkland shared her thoughts on the impact of the pandemic, the key to voter turnout, and the stakes for 2024. This is a special-edition, must-listen episode that you don't want to miss!

This week flies sat down with the PBS NewsHour White House Correspondent and CNN Analyst Laura Barrón-López.

Laura is a rising star in journalism who knew she wanted to be a journalist since she was 12. She began in local journalism in California early in her college career and, after graduation, moved to DC after receiving an opportunity to be a reporter for E&E News. Since then, she has worked for PBS, Politico, CNN, The Hill, The Huffington Post, and The Washington Examiner.

Journalism is the key to protecting our democracy. Tune in as we talk about what it’s like covering the President of the United States. Hear Laura’s insights about the state of democracy and journalism following the 2020 Election and January 6th and how that will impact how journalists cover the 2024 race.

This is an episode you do not want to miss!

Buzz buzz… sit down with fellow flies Kenneth and Sarah to listen to an engaging conversation with Pentagon Correspondent and the Washington Post’s National Security writer Dan Lamothe. In this episode, Dan discusses how he made his foray into the world of journalism, starting with local reporting and moving toward covering the U.S. military, its people, and its operations. For over 15 years, Dan has covered the Armed Forces, consistently traveling to Afghanistan and shadowing senior U.S. defense officials at home and abroad. Tune in to hear more about Dan’s experience with reporting about war and how it has shaped his writing today.