We The People Podcasts

The National Constitution Center presents a series of programs in support of its "Diana: A Celebration" exhibit, exploring the theme of aristocracy from the time of our nation’s founding to the present day. Daily Beast editor Tina Brown joins us for a conversation about Princess Diana and her dramatic impact in creating the rise of celebrity culture. Lady Diana Spencer, a member of one of England’s most distinguished families, entered the public stage at a moment when British media was entering a racier age. The paparazzi found a willing subject in the young aristocrat, and Diana proved to be gifted at manipulating the media and gaining power from publicity. This program is presented as part of the Knight Constitutional Conversations series, generously underwritten by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

Michael Sandel, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government Theory at Harvard University and member of the National Constitution Center’s Distinguished Scholars Advisory Panel, delivers a provocative lecture of moral and political philosophy based on his latest book, "Justice: What We Owe One Another as Citizens—and How We Can Think About It Together." In this program, Sandel raises philosophical questions and challenges our way of thinking on issues such as individual rights and the claims of community, equality and inequality, morality and the rule of law, considering familiar controversies in fresh and illuminating ways. Program recorded on 10/06/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

Michael Sandel, the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Professor of Government Theory at Harvard University and member of the National Constitution Center’s Distinguished Scholars Advisory Panel, delivers a provocative lecture of moral and political philosophy based on his latest book, "Justice: What We Owe One Another as Citizens—and How We Can Think About It Together." In this program, Sandel raises philosophical questions and challenges our way of thinking on issues such as individual rights and the claims of community, equality and inequality, morality and the rule of law, considering familiar controversies in fresh and illuminating ways. Program recorded on 10/06/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

The National Constitution Center presents New York Times columnist Gail Collins in a discussion about her book, When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women From 1960 to the Present. Collins traces the experience of American women from the 1960s, when wives needed to get their husbands’ permission to apply for a credit card, to recent events, including Hillary Clinton’s historic run for President and Sarah Palin's run for Vice President of the United States. Collins covers fashion, pop culture, economics, politics, work, and families to highlight the last fifty years of women’s history. Program recorded on 10/26/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

The National Constitution Center presents New York Times columnist Gail Collins in a discussion about her book, When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women From 1960 to the Present. Collins traces the experience of American women from the 1960s, when wives needed to get their husbands’ permission to apply for a credit card, to recent events, including Hillary Clinton’s historic run for President and Sarah Palin's run for Vice President of the United States. Collins covers fashion, pop culture, economics, politics, work, and families to highlight the last fifty years of women’s history. Program recorded on 10/26/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

The effort to reform the nation’s health care system is at the center of a serious and sometimes heated national debate. As Congress and the Obama administration struggle to agree on the nature of reform, the National Constitution Center hosts a moderated discussion on health care with former Senators Rick Santorum and Harris Wofford. Senators Santorum and Wofford bring years of experience in government, deep knowledge about health care reform, and share a desire for a civil conversation on this important subject. CNN Political Editor Mark Preston moderates. Program recorded on 11/09/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

The effort to reform the nation’s health care system is at the center of a serious and sometimes heated national debate. As Congress and the Obama administration struggle to agree on the nature of reform, the National Constitution Center hosts a moderated discussion on health care with former Senators Rick Santorum and Harris Wofford. Senators Santorum and Wofford bring years of experience in government, deep knowledge about health care reform, and share a desire for a civil conversation on this important subject. CNN Political Editor Mark Preston moderates. Program recorded on 11/09/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

In November, 2008 California voters approved the Proposition 8 ballot measure, amending their state Constitution to ban marriages between same-sex couples. With a potentially precedent-setting legal challenge to Prop 8 working its way through the federal court system, the National Constitution Center presents a timely program on the issue of same-sex marriage. A lawsuit filed on behalf of two gay couples wishing to marry has attracted national attention. David Boies, one of the leading lawyers in the case, is joined in a conversation by Keith Boykin, editor of The Daily Voice, Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage, and Glenn Stanton, Director for Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family. NPR's Margot Adler moderates. Program recorded on 10/20/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

In November, 2008 California voters approved the Proposition 8 ballot measure, amending their state Constitution to ban marriages between same-sex couples. With a potentially precedent-setting legal challenge to Prop 8 working its way through the federal court system, the National Constitution Center presents a timely program on the issue of same-sex marriage. A lawsuit filed on behalf of two gay couples wishing to marry has attracted national attention. David Boies, one of the leading lawyers in the case, is joined in a conversation by Keith Boykin, editor of The Daily Voice, Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage, and Glenn Stanton, Director for Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family. NPR's Margot Adler moderates. Program recorded on 10/20/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Taylor Branch discusses his account of President Bill Clinton’s confidential diary project conducted between 1993 and 2001. The Clinton Tapes provides a glimpse into the thought process and concerns of a sitting president and is based on 2,600 pages of material from the 78 sessions between the two men. Clinton shares spontaneous observations and personal details about events including war in Bosnia, health reform failure, anti-terrorist strikes, the 1996 re-election campaign, and Whitewater investigations culminating in his 1999 impeachment trial. Program recorded on 10/05/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Taylor Branch discusses his account of President Bill Clinton’s confidential diary project conducted between 1993 and 2001. The Clinton Tapes provides a glimpse into the thought process and concerns of a sitting president and is based on 2,600 pages of material from the 78 sessions between the two men. Clinton shares spontaneous observations and personal details about events including war in Bosnia, health reform failure, anti-terrorist strikes, the 1996 re-election campaign, and Whitewater investigations culminating in his 1999 impeachment trial. Program recorded on 10/05/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

Each new term of the Supreme Court brings fresh controversy to the Justices, and that pattern will be followed as the Justices return this fall from a summer recess. The Court that has reassembled is itself "new," joined by Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic Justice and the third woman to sit on the Court. The National Constitution Center presents a discussion of the changing Court and the major disputes awaiting the Court's attention with Paul D. Clement, partner at King & Spalding and the 43rd Solicitor General of the United States, John Payton, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund, and Lyle Denniston, veteran Supreme Court reporter with SCOTUSblog. Program recorded on 09/28/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

Each new term of the Supreme Court brings fresh controversy to the Justices, and that pattern will be followed as the Justices return this fall from a summer recess. The Court that has reassembled is itself "new," joined by Sonia Sotomayor, the first Hispanic Justice and the third woman to sit on the Court. The National Constitution Center presents a discussion of the changing Court and the major disputes awaiting the Court's attention with Paul D. Clement, partner at King & Spalding and the 43rd Solicitor General of the United States, John Payton, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund, and Lyle Denniston, veteran Supreme Court reporter with SCOTUSblog. Program recorded on 09/28/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

2009 is and continues to be the International Year of the Election. Elections in Iran in June and their aftermath caught the world’s attention, while in August, Afghanistan’s second presidential elections since the Taliban era has raised important questions about the democratic process in that country. In each case, elections have an influence on the political dynamics in their respective countries, as well as reflecting the progress of, and the prospects for, U.S. policy goals. What do the election results and the reaction to them say about domestic politics in these countries, and what kind of a partner can the U.S. expect to have in these countries over the next five years? The National Constitution Center and The University of Pennsylvania Law School welcome Visiting Scholar Barnett Rubin, Michael Singh, former senior director for the Middle East at the National Security Council, and moderator Trudy Rubin. Program recorded on 09/21/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org

2009 is and continues to be the International Year of the Election. Elections in Iran in June and their aftermath caught the world’s attention, while in August, Afghanistan’s second presidential elections since the Taliban era has raised important questions about the democratic process in that country. In each case, elections have an influence on the political dynamics in their respective countries, as well as reflecting the progress of, and the prospects for, U.S. policy goals. What do the election results and the reaction to them say about domestic politics in these countries, and what kind of a partner can the U.S. expect to have in these countries over the next five years? The National Constitution Center and The University of Pennsylvania Law School welcome Visiting Scholar Barnett Rubin, Michael Singh, former senior director for the Middle East at the National Security Council, and moderator Trudy Rubin. Program recorded on 09/21/09. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org