

DSR's Words Matter
The DSR Network
American politics is undergoing seismic changes that will alter the course of history. At Words Matter, we believe that facts, evidence, truth and objective reality are necessary and vital in public discourse. Our hosts and guests have broad experience in government, politics and journalism -- this gives them a unique ability to explain recent events and place them in historic context. Together, with fellow journalists, elected officials, policy-makers and thought-leaders, they will analyze the week's news and get at the real truth behind all the distracting headlines.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 13, 2020 • 39min
A World in Disarray with Richard Haass
Richard Haass is President of the Council on Foreign Relations. He is a veteran diplomat and the author or editor of more than a dozen books including the forthcoming “The World: A Brief Introduction”Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 9, 2020 • 36min
Words Matter Library: Era of Ignition by Amber Tamblyn
This week we put Era of Ignition: Coming of Age in a Time of Rage and Revolution by Amber Tamblyn into the Words Matter Library. Amber is an actor, filmmaker, writer, activist and poet. Her acting credits include Joan of Arcadia, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, House and will be seen in Y: The Last Man,. Her written work has been featured in The Cut and the New York Times.@ambertamblynSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 6, 2020 • 19min
Welcome to 2020!
Happy New Year - Welcome to 2020.This year will be one of the most - if THE most consequential in American political history.For the first time ever, a President of the United States runs for re-election after being impeached by the House of Representatives and facing a trial in the US Senate.Control of both Houses of Congress, the White House and the future of the Supreme Court all hang in the balance.And in the next few months, Democrats will choose their nominee to take on President Trump in November. But going into Iowa and New Hampshire - after nearly a year of campaigning and a half dozen debates, no clear front runner has emerged.And now - in addition to all of that - war hangs over the Middle East after US forces assassinated Iran’s highest ranking military leader less than 48 hours into the new year.Katie and Joe discuss that and more.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan 2, 2020 • 27min
Best of Words Matter Library: The Ginsburg Files
In this Best of edition of the Words Matter Library, Katie sits down with Lauren Moxley, the host of The Ginsburg Tapes Podcast -- which chronicles Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s oral arguments before the then all-male United States Supreme Court from 1972 to 1978 —before she became #Notorious RBG.The Ginsburg Tapes allows the listener to be a fly on the wall for some of the most important cases in American jurisprudence as future Justice Ginsburg challenged laws treating men and women differently. In between the actually Supreme Court recordings, Lauren puts the cases, the law and even the Justices themselves in historical context and explains how as a lawyer, RBG really did change the World.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 30, 2019 • 48min
The Professionals Pilot
This week Katie and Joe preview Joe's new series "The Professionals" where we give you the inside story of what really drives a presidential campaign. We'll break down what makes a campaign successful and why some candidates come up short. Our experts meet two important criteria - they're not actively working on a campaign now (so they can be unbiased) AND they've been involved at a senior level for multiple presidential campaigns.In the pilot episode Jen Psaki, Paul Begala and Ron Klain take you behind the scenes of presidential debate prep.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 26, 2019 • 13min
Words Matter Library: Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy
As the United States Senate prepares for the Impeachment Trial of President Donald J. Trump, we once again put then-Senator John F. Kennedy's Pulitzer Prize winning book into the Words Matter Library. Profiles in Courage chronicles acts of bravery and integrity by 8 United States Senators. Caroline Kennedy and the late John F. Kennedy Jr. narrate the story of leaders who defied their party and their constituents to do what they felt was right and as a result suffered severe criticism and significant losses. History will be watching to see if there are any modern examples of political courage left in Washington.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 23, 2019 • 37min
The Pelosi Gambit
Last week the 45th President of the United States became only the 3rd Chief Executive in American History to be impeached by the House of Representatives.This week Katie and Joe talk about what it means for President Trump, his legacy AND how long Speaker Pelosi can withhold sending the Articles of Impeachment to the US Senate.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 19, 2019 • 46min
SPECIAL Rick Wilson
Rick Wilson is a political strategist, media consultant and a best-selling author based in Florida who has produced political commercials for governors, U.S. Senate candidates and super PACs.Rick has written for the Daily Beast, Politico, the New York Daily News, Medium and he is the author of the New York Times Best Seller Everything Trump Touches Dies.. His next book, Running Against the Devil: A Plot to Save America from Trump—and Democrats from Themselves will be published on January 14, 2020.His is also one of the Founders of The Lincoln Project, a Super PAC that "will be dedicated to defeating President Trump and Trumpism at the ballot box and to elect those patriots who will hold the line.” Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 16, 2019 • 45min
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff
This week Katie and Joe sit down with the Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Congressman Adam Schiff is in his 10 term representing California’s 28th Congressional District.Before that he was a Member of the California State Senate where he served as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Congressman Schiff began his career as an Assistant US Attorney in the Central District of California.Katie and Joe talk to him about the Impeachment of President Trump, what a Senate trial may look like and more.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dec 12, 2019 • 5min
Words Matter Library: If you cannot believe the President, who can you believe?
More than 20 years ago - in his closing argument in the Senate Impeachment Trial of President Bill Clinton, Republican House Manager Congressman Henry Hyde held up a letter from 8 year old William Preston Summers, a 3rd grader from Chase Elementary School in Chicago.It was perhaps only compelling moment in the entire trial. This week, we put Congressman Henry Hyde reading third grader William Preston Summers' letter into the Words Matter Library. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/words-matter. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices