You Might Be Right

Are Americans as divided as we think we are? To kick off Season Five, Rachel Kleinfeld, Rachel Kleinfeld, an international relations scholar and senior fellow in the Democracy, Conflict and Governance program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss what the research says about the roots and repercussions of polarization in American politics.

Two years and over 200,000 downloads later, "You Might Be Righ"t has inspired listeners nationwide. To mark this milestone, we invited our most avid listeners to ask Governors Bredesen and Haslam questions about the podcast, their time in office, and current hot topics. 

Nearly a year after the first You Might Be Right episode on AI, Michael Kratsios, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to revisit this rapidly evolving topic. They discuss recent AI developments, its societal impact, and America's role in global tech leadership. 

Frank Fahrenkopf, co-chairman of the Commission on Presidential Debates, joins Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss the history of televised presidential debates, his reaction to two major party campaigns agreeing to debates this year without the Commission’s involvement, and the future of these essential civic events. 

Two Governors from adjacent states and opposing parties, Utah’s Spencer Cox (R) and Colorado’s Jared Polis (D), join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to share their “Disagree Better” initiative. They affirm the need to "disagree without hating each other" and explore practical ways to disagree better in everyday life. 

Historian Allen Guelzo of Princeton University and political scientist Daniel Ziblatt of Harvard join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to delve into our presidential election process, its history, and arguments for (and against) reform.

Natalie Allison, national political reporter for Politico, and Dan Balz, Chief Correspondent for The Washington Post, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to examine the evolving role of traditional media in a modern presidential campaign. 

Dan DiSalvo, a political scientist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and Bill Galston, a senior fellow at Brookings and Wall Street Journal columnist, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to discuss our two-party system and if a third-party candidate for president can be successful.

Galen Druke, host and producer of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast and Jonah Goldberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Dispatch and host of The Remnant podcast, join Governors Bredesen and Haslam to explore the modern presidential primary system – how it evolved, how it works, how it has changed politics, and if it ultimately reflects the will of the people.

To kick off Season Four, former Tennessee Governors Phil Bredesen and Bill Haslam reveal why they chose to be part of their respective political parties and how they are squaring their own values with America’s evolving political landscape. Their conversation was moderated by Marianne Wanamaker, Dean of the Baker School. Season Four of "You Might Be Right" will focus on election-related topics, including partisan primaries, the two-party system and the role of third parties, and the electoral college vs. popular vote.