Live at the National Constitution Center

We’re changing our name! to Live at the National Constitution Center. New name, same podcast bringing you live constitutional conversations held here at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, and across America. Check out these highlights from last season, and stay tuned for new episodes coming soon!Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.This trailer was engineered and produced by Jackie McDermott with production by Tanaya Tauber and Lana Ulrich and additional editing by Greg Scheckler.

Americans sometimes find themselves at the center of some of the biggest moments in constitutional history. John Tinker, one of the students who brought the lawsuit in the landmark student speech case Tinker v. Des Moines; Karen Korematsu, daughter of Fred Korematsu, petitioner in the Japanese internment case Korematsu v. United States; and Cheryl Brown Henderson, daughter of Reverend Oliver Brown, the petitioner in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, share what that’s like. They describe their families’ experiences bringing these landmark cases, how the outcome affected their lives, and how those cases shaped the Constitution and the country.February 24 was the anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 1969 decision in Tinker v. Des Moines.This program was recorded here at the National Constitution Center on Constitution Day 2017. We were lucky to have lots of students here at the Center and in the audience that day, so you’ll hear their questions for our panelists!Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

This time of year back in 1916, Senate confirmation hearings were beginning for Louis D. Brandeis. After a lengthy confirmation process, Brandeis was confirmed as the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice, and went on to write landmark opinions on free speech, privacy, and more. In this 2016 program, National Constitution Center President Jeffrey Rosen and Brandeis scholars Philippa Strum and Melvin Urofsky explain why Brandeis’ forward-thinking wisdom still matters today. They celebrated the launch of Jeff’s book Louis D. Brandeis: American Prophet – part of the Jewish Lives biography series. Jeff recently discussed the book on the Jewish Lives podcast, and you can listen to that interview here.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

February 12th is President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, so we’re sharing a program that dives into one of the most pivotal periods of his political life. Sidney Blumenthal discusses his book Wrestling with his Angel: The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln 1849-1856 – the years when Lincoln emerged from political defeat and began to build his career on the national stage – in conversation with National Constitution Center Scholar-in-Residence Michael Gerhardt. Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

 The Iowa Caucus kicked off the 2020 presidential primaries this week, so we’re sharing a primer on the history and influence of presidential campaigns. Communications scholar Geoffrey Cowan and historian David Greenberg explain how our primary system originated in the midst of Teddy Roosevelt’s quest for a third term, how campaigning and “spin” has evolved since then, and more in this program from 2016.  NCC President Jeffrey Rosen moderates. Jeff’s mic cuts out briefly around 15 minutes in (sorry!) but it just lasts a few minutes so please stick with us!  Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org. 

This Thursday is President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's birthday, so we’re sharing a program that explores how FDR and other presidents have dealt with America’s biggest constitutional crises. Historians and presidential biographers Annette Gordon-Reed, Sidney Blumenthal, and Sean Wilentz joined NCC President Jeffrey Rosen for this program held at Congress Hall, the first meeting place of the U.S. Congress, in Philadelphia in 2017. Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Rep. John Lewis’ childhood aspiration was to be a preacher, and he practiced sermons in front of the chickens on his family farm in rural Alabama. Little did he know that he would soon lead the “freedom rides” fighting segregation in the south, give a keynote address at the March on Washington at age 23, and become a 17-term congressman. Rep. Lewis shares inspiring stories from that journey in this 2013 address delivered on Constitution Day here at the National Constitution Center, which we’re sharing in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Rep. Lewis discussed his graphic novel March: Book One which spans his youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and the battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins. He was joined by his co-author Andrew Aydin and NCC President Jeffrey Rosen.Questions or comments? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

With the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump approaching, we’re sharing a past program featuring Joshua Matz – co-author (with Laurence Tribe) of To End a Presidency: The Power of Impeachment, counsel for the House Judiciary Committee, and an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law Center. Matz explains his belief that the creation of the impeachment power was a “gamble” taken by the Framers who hoped to impeach rogue presidents, and impeachment is not a “white knight” that can save our democracy. He shares insights from his book including scenarios in which he thinks impeachment must be used, as well as times when impeachment can harm the country more than help it, and gives informative historic examples of both situations. He sat down with NCC President Jeffrey Rosen just after the release of his book in 2018. Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

In light of the recent U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian military leader Qasem Soleimani – we’re sharing this program from fall 2017 on war powers and the Constitution. John Yoo of Berkeley Law, Deborah Pearlstein of Cardozo Law, and Ben Wittes, Editor-in-Chief of Lawfare, discuss the president’s ability to order unilateral airstrikes, the definition of “imminent threats”, and other topics that lend context to the current controversy. NCC President Jeffrey Rosen moderates.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.

Two leading Fourth Amendment scholars join NCC President Jeffrey Rosen to trace the history and interpretation of the Fourth Amendment from the founding to today. They explain some Fourth Amendment basics like: What is a warrant? What are subpoenas? When and why can they be issued? They also dive into key Supreme Court opinions that interpreted the Fourth Amendment, and give their takes on whether the Court’s Fourth Amendment doctrine has kept up with the digital age.This program was presented in partnership with the Federal Judicial Center.Questions or comments about the podcast? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org.