The Braver Angels Podcast

As American society becomes increasingly polarized and sorted by geography, ideology, and capital, our children are growing up in bubbles — isolated from kids who come from different backgrounds. But what if there were a way for kids to study abroad ... right here in America? Ciaran O'Connor talks to David McCullough III about his vision for the American Exchange Project, and what we can learn from students bridging the divide.

What's your reaction when you hear the name James Comey? If you're a Democrat, maybe you blame him for the election of Donald Trump. If you're a Republican, maybe you see him as the embodiment of a sinister deep state. Or maybe you see him as a faithful public servant who's been unfairly maligned by both sides. Either way, the former FBI Director has been at the center of some of the most polarizing moments in recent American history. James Comey joins Better Angels' Ciaran O'Connor and April Lawson to discuss his most controversial decisions — from investigating Hillary Clinton's emails to being fired by President Trump — and to reflect on some deeper questions around moral philosophy, ethical leadership, humility, overconfidence, and personal tragedy.

What happens when a liberal and a conservative decide to jump into an old Volvo and drive across the country? Jordan Blashek and Christopher Haugh share the story of their friendship, their travels, and how their journey changed their understanding of America and each other. Their new book is entitled Union: A Democrat, A Republican, and a Search for Common Ground.

Ciaran and John tackle the impeachment question, in addition to discussing polarization at the municipal level, John's forthcoming solo podcast, and how a President should smell.

Rusty Reno is the editor of First Things Magazine, an influential conservative journal on politics, religion, and public life. Rusty joins the Better Angels podcast to talk about how and why the religious community has responded to — and in many cases rallied around — President Trump amidst the populism surging through modern conservatism.

Julie Kohler, author of the Washington Post article "How Calls to 'Love Your Enemies' Enforce the Status-Quo," joins Ciaran and John for a back and forth about her own past critiques of Better Angels, the proper place of empathy in political life, and the importance of depolarization to preserving the possibility for political progress in the long run.  Julie is a senior advisor for the Democracy Alliance, a progressive donor network. She has a Ph.D. in family social science and writes frequently on women and politics. You can find her on Twitter @juliekkohler1. Follow the BAP at: John Wood, Jr. Twitter: @johnrwoodjr Facebook: @transcendingpolitics Ciaran O'Connor Twitter: @ciaranjustice Music by Josh Lim: www.joshjameslim.com/

John Wood, Jr. and guest co-host Greg Steinbrecher talk to, Monica Guzman journalist and founder of Seattle based publication The Evergrey, about the influence of identity on our culture of conversation in the United States, and how to have difficult conversations across racial and political divides. Check out the Evergrey at https://theevergrey.com/ Follow Monica Guzman Twitter @moniguzman John Wood, Jr. Twitter @johnrwoodjr Facebook @transcendingpolitics Greg Steinbrecher Twitter @gregsteinbrecher

Editor, political analyst and veteran of previous Republican presidential administrations, Bill Kristol brings a critical take on President Trump and a long range overview of political polarization to this episode of The Better Angels Podcast. Ciaran O'Connor and John Wood, Jr co-host. Join us at www.better-angels.org and help us depolarize America! Bill Kristol: Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillKristol John Wood, Jr. Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnRWoodJr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TranscendingPolitics/ Ciaran O'Connor https://twitter.com/ciaranjoconnor Music by Josh Lim: www.joshjameslim.com/

In this special episode of the Better Angels Podcast, writer and philosopher Lexi Hudson interviews David Blankenhorn, founder and president of Better Angels, about the state of polarization in the United States, what makes a strong civil society and his own personal journey through the heat of American division.

Ciaran O'Connor and John Wood, Jr. fill us in on the uplifting triumph that was the Better Angels National Convention in St. Louis, June 19th to 22nd.