From state dinners with the Queen of England or the Pope, to regular meetings with our nation’s leaders, to special events inviting hundreds of guests like the Easter Egg Roll, and to memorable moments for presidential pets like Barney Bush, the White House is always abuzz with activity. This week, The Strategerist meets with a couple of people who quietly kept the People’s House working: Dori Thornton Waller, former Deputy Social Secretary, and Susan Whitson, former Press Secretary to Mrs. Bush, for a behind-the-scenes look inside the East Wing during the Bush Administration.

Founder of Spirit of America, Jim Hake, joined Strategerist host Andrew Kauffman and the Bush Institute’s Director of Veterans and Military Families, Jason Galui, to discuss the spirit of the American people that comprises the heart of Spirit of America.

As we gather, travel home, or pause for a quiet moment, Thanksgiving reminds us to slow down and focus on what matters most. In today’s Strategerist After Hours episode, we’re embracing the spirit of gratitude — not just during the holidays, but as an everyday practice of noticing the good, acknowledging the people who lift us up, and finding meaning even in challenging times.

Fox News senior medical analyst and NYU clinical professor of medicine, Dr. Marc Siegel, joins The Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann to share the inspiration behind his latest book, The Miracles Among Us. Dr. Siegel explores the intersection of faith and medicine, reflecting on how true healing engages both body and soul. He introduces the idea of “soft miracles” — the small, interconnected moments of grace, coincidence, and human connection that together create extraordinary outcomes — and shares moving stories from his book that bring this concept to life.

On this episode of The Strategerist, Lisa and Francis Molinari joined host Andrew Kaufmann and Jason Galui, director of veterans and military families at the Bush Institute, to discuss how their family’s own journey sparked the idea of Orion Military Scholars. Together, they talk about seeing the difference stability made in their own family, and wanting to make that a possibility for other families.

In this episode of The Strategerist, Katrin Katz, Adjunct Fellow with the Center for Strategic and International Studies Korea Chair, joined host Andrew Kaufmann and Joseph Kim, the Bush Institute’s program manager of global policy, to unpack the research behind her COVID-19 report on North Korea. Joseph, himself a refugee from North Korea, offers personal insight into life under the regime and the ongoing oppression faced by its people.

In this episode, old friends Patrick Wilson, President and CEO of Little League International, and Jim Wilkinson, former White House Deputy Director of Communications and senior advisor at the NSC, State Department, and Treasury sit down with Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann. Together, they talk tee ball on the White House lawn and why Little League matters — not just for kids, but for their parents, too.

From walk-off home runs to game-winning touchdowns, Joe Buck has narrated many of the defining moments in sports — and is a fixture in America’s living rooms. But broadcasting is a family business. Joe Buck is the also the son of the late Jack Buck, another iconic broadcaster. And following in his father’s footsteps wasn’t a coincidence: Joe Buck was raised in broadcast booths and locker rooms. In this episode, Buck joins Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Bush Center President and CEO Shilo Brooks to explore what makes “greatness”, how competition brings people together, and how sports can teach us life lessons along the way.

Bob Costas is more than a sports broadcaster—he’s a storyteller and trailblazer who shaped how Americans experience sports. Having been voice of the Olympics, the World Series, and countless other events, he defined how we remember these moments --blending history, storytelling, and context, making sports feel bigger than the score. In this episode, Costas joins Strategerist host Andrew Kaufmann and Kevin “Sully” Sullivan, senior advisor at the Bush Center, to discuss what went on behind the scenes of those broadcast moments. He reflects on the art of the introduction and explains why sports continue to bring us together.

Vice President Mike Pence surprised guests at the Bush Center and sat down for a special taping of The Strategerist podcast before a live audience. He discussed his views on divisiveness in country, leadership, America’s role as a global leader, and his own new role as a professor.