

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

Apr 29, 2024 • 1h 5min
The Vigilantes, Episode 7
Life in prison wasn’t enough for the Knights of Mary Phagan. They wanted Leo Frank to pay with his life, and they were going to make sure it happened. In Georgia, vigilante justice wasn’t new, but this time was different. This time, it would change the nation. Would the vigilantes actually get away with it? Join us for the final episode in this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes.Special thanks to former Georgia Governor Roy Barnes for his time and contribution to this episode. Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: Amy Watkin, Sharon McMahonResearched by: Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, Melanie Buck Parks 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

Apr 22, 2024 • 43min
The Vigilantes, Episode 6
Georgia’s Governor knew his life was in danger when he made his ruling. Would he commute Leo’s sentence, or let him die by execution?. And just how far would the angry mob go to seek revenge for Mary’s death? The planning had already begun… and it wouldn’t take long for a deal to be made with the prison warden. Join us for part six of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes.Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: Amy Watkin, Sharon McMahonResearched by: Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, Melanie Buck Parks 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

Apr 15, 2024 • 49min
The Vigilantes, Episode 5
Appeal after appeal, Leo Frank was running out of options. With a new lawyer joining his defense team – the same lawyer who earlier represented the man who testified against Leo – the tide began to turn. Witnesses were coming forward, a new explanation for the murder note comes to light, and the story is making national news. With only days remaining before the scheduled execution, would time be on his side?Join us for part five of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes.Special Thank You to the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati and the Kenan Research Center in Atlanta for their generous assistance in finding and sharing letters sent to Leo and Lucille Frank, his family, and to the Governors of Georgia, as well as the state legislature.Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: Amy Watkin, Sharon McMahonResearched by: Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, Melanie Buck Parks 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

Apr 8, 2024 • 47min
The Vigilantes, Episode 4
The heat in the Atlanta courtroom was sweltering and unbearable, as the trial against Leo Frank began. A Black man was testifying against a white man, which was nearly unheard of in the Jim Crow south. And the evidence against this man was mounting… A suspect who was at the murder scene, and continued to lie to the police. Join us for part four of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes.Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: Amy Watkin, Sharon McMahonResearched by: Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, Melanie Buck Parks 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

Apr 1, 2024 • 47min
The Vigilantes, Episode 3
It’s been 48 hours since Mary Phagan was last seen alive. It’s a media frenzy, and police are feeling the pressure to find the killer. There’s a new, sudden interest in the murder notes. Did the killer write them to throw off investigators? By the end of this episode, three men would become suspects. And despite dubious evidence and changing stories, one would soon be indicted for Mary’s murder. With a mob looking for vengeance, and sensational newspaper coverage, chances of a fair trial in Atlanta, Georgia were slim. The trial would begin July 28th, 1913, but this story is far from over. Join us for part three of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes.Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: Amy Watkin, Sharon McMahonResearched by: Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, Melanie Buck Parks 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

Mar 25, 2024 • 44min
The Vigilantes, Episode 2
It should have been a leisurely Saturday off work for 13-year-old Mary Phagan, who was looking forward to celebrating the Confederate Memorial Day holiday. It should have been an easy day for Leo Frank, too, who hoped to leave his job at the factory early to go to the local baseball game with his wife. It should have been a carefree day for 16-year old Grace Hicks, who was enjoying a rare day off, and waiting for her friend to join her at the parade.It was anything but a beautiful, joyful, restful day. Mary Phagan would never make it to the parade. Grace would soon be faced with an unimaginable task. And Leo Frank? Why couldn't the police get in touch with him? What happened in the basement of the pencil factory at that grisly crime scene? And who wrote that strange note? Join us for part two of this seven-episode series, The Vigilantes.Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: Amy Watkin, Sharon McMahonResearched by: Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, Melanie Buck Parks 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

Mar 20, 2024 • 22min
A Conversation with Kamala Harris
What is at stake in the upcoming presidential election? From the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, to women’s healthcare, and the economy, many voters aren't excited about a presidential rematch. Some have voiced their opinion by voting “Uncommitted” in the primary, instead of for President Biden.Our guest today views this election as a choice between stability, and the potential destruction of Democracy. She is the first female Vice President of the United States, and today Kamala Harris joins Sharon to give direct answers to some of the tough questions, while on her Reproductive Freedoms Tour. Special thanks to our guest, Vice President Kamala Harris, for joining us today. Host: Sharon McMahonExecutive Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder 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

Mar 18, 2024 • 33min
The Vigilantes, Episode 1
A shocking murder. A scene so brutal that the first people to find the victim couldn’t even tell what their skin color was. And a case that forever changed both the city, and the state’s legal system. It was April 1913, in Atlanta, Georgia, and the city would never be the same. You may wonder why this imperative and dramatic case is not taught in history class, or how the world could have forgotten such a horrific crime that continues to have an impact more than 100 years later. Join us for part one of this seven-episode series, and experience just how powerful of a motivator fear can be. Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonSupervising Producer: Melanie Buck ParksAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Writers: Amy Watkin, Sharon McMahonResearched by: Kari Anton, Sharon McMahon, Amy Watkin, Mandy Reid, Melanie Buck Parks 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

Mar 11, 2024 • 40min
Infectious Generosity with Chris Anderson
Chris Anderson discusses the power of generosity in a time of anger, emphasizing the impact of online kindness and the importance of being a net giver. The podcast explores bridging divides, the generative power of online generosity, different forms of kindness, and promotes Chris's book and other products.

Mar 4, 2024 • 43min
Reimagining Democracy with Max Stearns
Do you ever wonder what Democracy could look like in America? Many voters are familiar with this scene: You walk into a voting booth, review the options, and feel as though you’re voting between “the lesser of two evils.” You might worry that voting third-party is wasting a vote, but you don’t feel represented by the main candidates. Sound familiar? If you’re like the majority of Americans, you probably find yourself frustrated with the two-party system and a historically unproductive Congress. What if it didn’t have to be that way? Sharon is joined by law professor and author Max Stearns, to hear about another option: a Parliamentary Democracy. What would this look like, and how might Americans benefit by reimagining Democracy? Special thanks to our guest, Max Stearns, for joining us today. Host/ Executive Producer: Sharon McMahonAudio Producer: Jenny Snyder Production Coordinator: Andrea Champoux 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


