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The Oath and The Office: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang
The Oath and the Office is a weekly politics podcast unpacking presidential power, the U.S. Constitution, and the rule of law—with serious constitutional analysis and biting comedy. Brown University political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to tackle the week’s biggest stories and what they mean for American democracy—from the Supreme Court and elections to free speech and abuses of presidential power. Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks it? Corey and John pull no punches, exposing threats to democracy, demanding accountability, and talking with the people fighting back. Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, this is the civics lesson you can’t afford to miss.
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- Yesterday51 min
Democrats Win Congress in Historic Midterms. Can They Rein In Trump?
Democrats have won the House and Senate. What will it take to turn that victory into lasting checks on presidential power? Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang examine the laws and reforms needed to hold presidents accountable, including reviving the independent counsel, protecting civil servants from political retaliation, and curbing abuse of the pardon power.But first, Corey and John break down the ballot battles in California, the fight over election certification in Alaska, and the Justice Department’s demands on states. They also examine the Houston indictment and accountability for ICE and federal law enforcement, asking whether judges can still provide an effective check on presidential power.Support our sponsor today at https://FFRF.us/office01:12 – Intro: The Tide Is Turning03:20 – SCOTUS Won’t Let Trump Set Aside 20,000 Ballots13:44 – The Two Dan Sullivans22:30 – Five States Were Pressured to Remove Ballots27:14 – An ICE Agent Indictment in Texas41:00 – What Do We Need From Our New Congress
- 1 weeks ago1h 16m
Could Facebook Have Stopped January 6? With Frances Haugen
Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, the subject and hero of the new film The Social Reckoning, joins Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang for an in-depth conversation about Facebook’s responsibility for January 6. How did its systems help fuel the attack? Could the company have prevented it? And how did that day shape her decision to blow the whistle? Corey also shares his reaction to the film and a story about Hillary Clinton at Brown University that raises questions about political belonging and why she lost to Trump.Before that, Corey and John discuss the misogyny of Vivek Ramaswamy and Donald Trump, and whether Obama’s “Cheesecake Factory” mockery offers an effective response to a politics where extremism has become mainstream. They also examine the Trump administration’s California election crackdown, including arrests over alleged voting-related offenses and an effort to block the counting of ballots from roughly 20,000 voters whose citizenship it disputes.
- 2 weeks ago52 min
Report the News, Risk Deportation? Stanford Students Take On Trump
Can writing an article put you at risk of deportation? The Stanford Daily editor George Porteous joins Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang to explain how deportation fears are silencing student journalists—and why his newspaper took the Trump administration to court. After a major district-court victory, the administration is appealing. At stake: freedom of the press and the First Amendment rights of noncitizens.Plus: Mahmoud Khalil’s deportation fight, harassment of Rep. Ilhan Omar, the revolving door in the Trump administration, the golf-course controversy involving Judge Reyes, and the battle over Russian sanctions.
- 3 weeks ago1h 9m
Impeach Trump? Rep. Al Green Makes the Case
Congress has the power to impeach Trump. Will it use it?John Fugelsang and Corey Brettschneider discuss the attack on Ilhan Omar, calls to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Elon Musk’s DOGE assault on USAID and Congress’s constitutional powers. Why should accountability stop with the president’s subordinates?Then Congressman Al Green joins the show to make his case for impeaching Trump. From Nixon to Trump, we examine Congress’s responsibility to confront presidential abuses—and the danger of treating any president as above the law.Support our sponsor today at https://FFRF.us/office
- 4 weeks ago1h 14m
Jack Smith Fights Back—and Why the Midterms Matter (with Rep. Ted Lieu)
Jack Smith turns the tables on his congressional questioners and doubles down on why he indicted Donald Trump. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang break down the fiery hearing, the threats of prosecution against Smith, and what this battle over accountability reveals about the upcoming midterms. Plus: Can Democrats win in red states, and what would taking back Congress actually accomplish?Then, Congressman Ted Lieu joins Corey to discuss his proposed AI “kill switch” legislation, the dangers of unchecked artificial intelligence, and federal efforts to stop the sale of presidential pardons.
- Oct 1, 202647 min
Deported to Torture? The Supreme Court Greenlights Trump
What if the government sends you to a country you've never known—where you fear persecution or torture—and you never get a real chance to challenge it?The Supreme Court has allowed Trump's third-country deportations to continue while the case is pending. Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang examine the human stakes, and what it means when the government acts first and the courts decide later.Also this week: taxpayer-funded ads pushing Trump's political message, the fight over a federal voter database, and the White House's ongoing restrictions on the press.Learn more about our sponsor, Americans United for Separation of Church and State: https://www.au.org/tenc/00:51 – Third-Party Removals17:06 – Donald Trump’s Taxpayer-Funded Campaign Ads31:41 – SCOTUS is Letting States Use the SAVE Databases
- Sep 24, 20261h 11m
Trump’s White House Press Ban & Religious Coercion (with Mickey Dollens)
Can a president shut out reporters because he doesn’t like their coverage? Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang take on Donald Trump’s sudden ban on CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. They explore the constitutional stakes of revoking press credentials, why press freedom protects the public as well as journalists, and whether federal courts will hold the line against a president determined to punish his critics.Then, Oklahoma state representative and Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) official Mickey Dollens joins the conversation to examine the spreading threat of religious coercion and Christian nationalism, from coaches pressuring student athletes to pray to government sponsorship of prayer in statehouses. When does an invitation to participate become pressure to conform? And what happens to freedom of conscience when those in power expect you to share their faith?Two fights over the First Amendment, connected by one critical question: Can those in authority force the rest of us to fall in line?
- Sep 22, 202633 min
Bonus Episode: Is Bipartisanship Still Possible? With Governors Bill Haslam and Phil Bredesen
One Republican. One Democrat. Two former governors asking whether Americans can still find common ground.In this special bonus episode of The Oath and the Office, Corey Brettschneider welcomes former Tennessee governors Bill Haslam and Phil Bredesen, hosts of You Might Be Right, for a conversation about political division, democratic principles, and the possibilities and limits of bipartisan cooperation.What brought these two governors together? What can Americans accomplish across party lines? And where should compromise end when fundamental principles are at stake? We explore what it means to listen to political opponents, reconsider your own assumptions, and stand firm when democracy demands it.
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About The Oath and The Office
The Oath and the Office is a weekly politics podcast unpacking presidential power, the U.S. Constitution, and the rule of law—with serious constitutional analysis and biting comedy. Brown University political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to tackle the week’s biggest stories and what they mean for American democracy—from the Supreme Court and elections to free speech and abuses of presidential power. Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks it? Corey and John pull no punches, exposing threats to democracy, demanding accountability, and talking with the people fighting back. Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, this is the civics lesson you can’t afford to miss.
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