

The Preamble
Sharon McMahon
The world feels complicated. The Preamble is where it starts to make sense. Hosted by Sharon McMahon — known for making sense of complex issues — she and her guests dive deep into the stories and ideas driving our future, bringing clarity and honesty to every headline. If you want real insight, bold conversation, and answers that matter, this podcast is your must-listen. Hit play, and join the movement that will shape history.
An Audacy Podcast.
An Audacy Podcast.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 5, 2022 • 32min
First Lady of the Month, Anna Harrison
Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, we’re going to talk about another First Lady who follows the pattern: married to the president, but never lived in the White House. This time, it was our first lady’s husband - the newly elected President William Henry Harrison - who died a month into his presidency, giving her no reason to leave her Ohio home and travel to Washington D.C. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dec 2, 2022 • 31min
Petticoats and Kitchen Cabinets: A Capital City Shake-Up
On this episode of Here's Where It Gets Interesting, we discuss someone whose defiance of social and moral convention irrevocably shaped the nation’s political stage during the Antebellum years. In the 1800s, the role of Victorian women–especially the wealthy wives of prominent political figures–was to serve as protectors of our nation’s values. Those values centered around the home and church: wives were dutiful, modest, faithful, and charitable. But there are always rule-breakers, aren’t there? Today, we talk about the Petticoat Affair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 30, 2022 • 26min
Cookies, Corsets, and a Legacy of Learning from Hannah Van Buren
Today on Here's Where It Gets Interesting, we’ll continue to talk about some key players of the Jacksonian Era - and, before we get to this infamous scandal in Washington that I’ve been teasing you about, we need to learn about another one of our first ladies who never made it to the White House. Our next President’s wife actually passed away almost two decades before she would have been First Lady. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 28, 2022 • 31min
Andrew Jackson and the Cheese That Pleased a Nation
Today on Here's Where It Gets Interesting, we're going to dive in and take a look at some of the actions and eccentricities of the Andrew Jackson presidency. You may think we’ve talked about all of Andrew Jackson’s quirks by now, but NO! We haven’t even scratched the surface. So join us today, and we’ll talk about cheese, the National Debt, and the time Jackson had to climb out a back window of the White House. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 25, 2022 • 28min
The Catastrophic Marriage Scandal of Rachel Jackson
On this episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, we’re going to talk about a First Lady who never got the opportunity to step foot inside the White House. However, her life had an undeniably major impact on her husband’s two-term presidency. I know we love to hate him, but during this episode, we’re going to discuss the lifelong–and at times scandalous–love and devotion between President Andrew Jackson and his wife, Rachel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 23, 2022 • 28min
The Thanksgiving Episode: From Early Advent to Cranberry Crisis
Happy Thanksgiving, friends! On today’s episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, we take a look at some of the more unusual November holiday White House happenings–from Coolidge’s Thanksgiving Raccoon to Mamie Eisenhower’s hand in the Great Cranberry Crisis of 1959. And if you’re sitting down to share a meal with family and friends this week, don’t forget to give a nod to the woman who made it all possible: Sarah Josepha Hale. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 21, 2022 • 35min
The Networking Strategy of Louisa Adams
On this episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, we return to the White House to talk about one of a much-requested topic: our nation’s First Ladies. By the time today’s First Lady entered the White House, the era of the Founding Fathers had come to an end and the country’s economy was prospering. But politics was another story and becoming more divisive by the day. Join us as we talk about the first non-American born First Lady who accompanied her husband to the White House after a hard-won election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

6 snips
Nov 18, 2022 • 44min
How the Future Shapes Our National History with Heather Cox Richardson
On today’s episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon interviews one of our most-requested guests. Listeners regularly write in and ask to hear a conversation between Sharon and political history expert Heather Cox Richardson. That day is today! Heather Cox Richardson shares how she believes the way we use language shapes how we see our political views, allies, and enemies. Together, Sharon and Heather also touch on the ways that our future may change our past. Tune in to understand what they mean. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 16, 2022 • 32min
Live Life in Crescendo with Cynthia Covey Haller
On this episode of Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, Sharon speaks with author Cynthia Covey Haller. Cynthia shares the mantra that her late father, Steven R. Covey, the author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, aspired to during the last decade of his life, and that was to live life in crescendo. Cynthia expands on this concept, defining it as living life with the goal to keep learning, expanding, and growing with the knowledge that your most important work is always ahead of you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nov 14, 2022 • 34min
Conservation in a Panda Costume with Ami Vitale
Today on Here’s Where It Gets Interesting, National Geographic wildlife photographer Ami Vitale sits down with Sharon to talk about her adventures around the world. Ami is dedicated to spending time with people, places, and animals and sharing their authentic and intimate stories through her camera lens. She speaks about her passion for creativity and environmental conservation efforts, and the idea that an individual may not have the power to change the world, but a great many people taking patient, determined steps together can turn the tide and make a difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices


