The Braver Angels Podcast
Our lives have changed – our politics need to change too. Now is a time for us to remember that we need each other as Americans. Now is a time for us to reject those voices that say we don’t. The Braver Angels Podcast brings you face to face with leading voices from across the divide alongside remarkable Americans you did not know existed. Experience a movement to reignite the spirit of America and defeat the forces that divide us. With John Wood, Jr., Ciaran O’Connor and April Lawson.
Latest episodes
Jul 12, 2019 • 39min
Why Politics Sucks! with Mike Casentini
Ciaran O’Connor and John Wood, Jr. are joined by stand up comedian and BA Podcast producer Mike Casentini to trade voice impersonations and to talk political tribalism, political hypocrisy, and why its so hard to have reasonable conversations in today’s political climate. Better Angels www.better-angels.org Twitter: https://twitter.com/BetterAngelsUSA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BetterAngelsUSA/ John Wood, Jr. Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohnRWoodJr Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TranscendingPolitics/ Ciaran O'Connor Twitter: https://twitter.com/ciaranjoconnor Music: Josh Lim www.joshjameslim.com/
Jul 1, 2019 • 56min
Pop-Culture and Polarization: with Chloe Valdary
Listen to Ciaran O'Connor and John Wood, Jr. break down the political and racial divides alongside special guest, Chloe Valdary. Chloe Valdary is a writer and the founder of the Theory of Enchantment, a curriculum which confronts polarization through the use of pop-culture. Chloe's written work has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and Quillette. Learn more about Chole: https://theoryofenchantment.com/ Twitter: @cvaldary
Jun 19, 2019 • 7min
Johnologue 3: Depolarization is Not Naive
Pundits and activists on the left and the right are saying we cannot seek understanding with our political opponents without sacrificing our political goals. We disagree.
Jun 12, 2019 • 41min
Recapping the Month: Ezra Klein, The Weave Project and more
Ciaran O'Connor and John Wood, Jr. recaps their recent journeys across the country discussing depolarization and reconciliation, Ciaran's interview with Ezra Klein, the values that bind Americans and John's feelings on Memorial Day.
Jun 7, 2019 • 17min
Johnologue 2: Depolarizing Within
John Wood, Jr. highlights a surprising potential political partnership in congress, and reveals a new Better Angels process...
May 27, 2019 • 1h 13min
Ezra Klein
Ciaran talks to Ezra Klein about the state of our public conversation, viewpoint diversity on college campuses, the rise of the intellectual dark web, and whether Better Angels can truly find values that meaningfully connect Americans across ideological differences.
May 21, 2019 • 34min
Johnologue 1: Uniting America
Better Angels leader and media director John Wood, Jr. calls upon us to "Unite America," addressing the challenges and arguments against depolarization in this special episode of The Better Angels Podcast.
May 7, 2019 • 1h 3min
Faith, Love and Trump (with Evan Chase)
John and Ciaran sit down with conservative community organizer and Evangelical Christian Evan Chase to discuss Evangelical politics, support for Trump, race and the power of love to transform community.
Apr 23, 2019 • 58min
The Better Angels Podcast: A New Way of Talking Politics
Ciaran and John talk about their roads to Better Angels, the Depolarization Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr., the need for community and how to apply love in politics.
Apr 17, 2019 • 41min
Diagnosing the Divide with Bob Shrum
Prominent Democratic strategist and Director of the Center for the Political Future at USC Bob Shrum talks with Ciaran and John about his friendship with Co-Director (and prominent GOP strategist) Mike Murphy, their work at the center, and how American politics became so divided.
