- 53 minutes 28 secondsReplay: Who is Ron DeSantis?
As speculation mounts over a potential Presidential bid in 2028, former Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appears to be one of the few republicans who might consider the midterms a success.
But who is he, what are his politics, and does he really stand a chance at winning the White House in two years?
In this episode I dust off an episode from the archives as I ask... once again... who is Ron DeSantis?
This episode was originally published in September 2023.
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Special Guest:
Dr Emma Long, Associate Professor in American History and Politics at the University of East Anglia.
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Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
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Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
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10 November 2026, 2:00 am - 12 minutes 35 secondsStudy Notes: The Presidents - Millard Fillmore (1850 - 1853)
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today: the thirteenth President of the United States, Millard Fillmore - how he unexpectedly became president, the compromises and controversies that defined his administration, and why historians still debate his legacy.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
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6 November 2026, 2:00 am - 59 minutes 54 secondsIn the Making: 2026 Midterm Results
What a night for the democrats. Talarico turned Texas blue, as a big blue wave swept across the United States. But is this a sign of things to come for the democrats, or just a protest vote against Trump?
We break down all the results, the winners and losers, and what's next, alongside show regular Emma Long.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
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4 November 2026, 10:17 am - 59 minutes 2 secondsIn the Making: Midterms 2026 Preview
It is polling day across the United States, as hundreds of congresspeople, dozens of senators, and a bunch of governors are among the thousands of elections taking place around the country.
So we're giving you a 101 on exactly what's happening, where you need to paying attention to, what this all means for Donald Trump, and how this might shape the Presidential election in 2028.
Joining me this week is Tim Galsworthy, a lecturer in history and military history at Lincoln Bishop University.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
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3 November 2026, 2:00 am - 13 minutes 8 secondsStudy Notes: Ted Bundy
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today, Ted Bundy and his lasting impact on American life.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
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30 October 2026, 2:00 am - 41 minutes 10 secondsIn the Making: The End of Donald Trump?
This week, Donald Trump is told to attend a deposition hearing, if he wants to continue suing the BBC for defamation.
Donald Trump has told his Attorney General Todd Blanche to challenge the outcome of the Alaska senator race... but only if they lose.
And as we get closer to the midterms, we're looking back at two years of Trump 2.0, to try and understand his recent behaviour, as we stare at the possibility of lame duck Trump for the next two years.
Joining me this week is Iwan Morgan, an Emeritus Professor in the Institute of the Americas at University College London.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
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29 October 2026, 2:00 am - 52 minutes 26 secondsWhat Was the Wall Street Crash of 1929?
The Wall Street Crash is one of the defining moments in modern economic history - a sudden collapse in stock prices that helped trigger the Great Depression and reshape global politics, finance, and society.
But the crash didn’t come out of nowhere. It emerged from a decade of speculation, fragile banking systems, global instability after the First World War, and domestic political choices that left the American economy dangerously exposed.
To understand the crash, we need to understand the world that produced it: the roaring markets of the 1920s, the rise of Wall Street as a cultural and financial force, and the individuals whose decisions fuelled both the boom and the bust.
So in this episode, I’m asking… what was the Wall Street Crash of 1929?
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Special Guest:
Dr Sean Vanatta, a historian of American finance and political economy at the University of Glasgow.
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Highlights:
02:19 -
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Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
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Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
27 October 2026, 2:00 am - 11 minutes 3 secondsStudy Notes: The History of the U.S. Attorney General
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today, The History of the U.S. Attorney General - where the role came from, why it was created, what it does, and the most consequential Attorneys General in American history.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
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23 October 2026, 1:00 am - 57 minutes 57 secondsIn the Making: How to Buy a Political Movement
This week, I speak with Adam Swart, founder of Crowds on Demand, in an extended conversation ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
He explains how political rallies are funded, why “grassroots” movements rarely exist in the way people imagine, and how his company navigates ethics, safety, and influence in an increasingly polarised America.
We also explore Adam’s proposed Transparency in Political Demonstrations Act - a push to force major rallies to disclose who’s paying for them.
This is a pretty mindblowing conversation that reframes how political pressure is manufactured in the 21st century.
Visit Crowds on Demand: https://crowdsondemand.com/
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JOIN TEAM SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
Join the community: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
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22 October 2026, 1:00 am - 59 minutes 52 secondsWho Owns Democracy?
Democracy is often described as a system in which power ultimately rests with the people. But history shows that democratic power is never guaranteed - it must be structured, protected, and constantly renewed.
The relationship between citizens and government is shaped by laws, institutions, norms, and behaviours that can either sustain democracy or allow it to erode. Across the world, democracies have collapsed not only through coups or revolutions, but through gradual shifts: weakened checks and balances, concentrated executive power, politicised courts, and citizens who stop paying attention.
Today, in the final part of our series on democracy, we explore how democratic systems distribute power, how governments earn and lose legitimacy, how authoritarianism emerges from within democratic structures, and what warning signs citizens should recognise.
So in this episode, I’m asking… who owns democracy?
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Special Guest:
Ira Chaleff, author of To Stop a Tyrant and one of the leading thinkers on power, followership, and resisting authoritarian behaviour.
His work examines how systems break down, how leaders accumulate dangerous levels of authority, and how citizens and institutions can prevent democratic backsliding.
Buy Ira's book: https://a.co/d/0coCQuEs
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Highlights:
02:19 - Did the Framers Believe in Democracy?
07:13 - The Benevolent Dictator
15:34 - Too Much People Power?
18:59 - Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
26:02 - Can't We All Get Along?
30:21 - The Danger of Complacency
39:34 - The Normalization of Deviance
44:25 - Protecting Today's Democracy
49:24 - A Blind Spot in the System
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Contact us: [email protected]
Team SOTUS: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/community
Brands & advertisers: [email protected]
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Credits:
Producer - Liam Heffernan
Host - Liam Heffernan
Editor - Liam Heffernan
In Partnership with the British Association for American Studies
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
20 October 2026, 1:00 am - 12 minutes 13 secondsStudy Notes: The Presidents - Zachary Taylor (1849–1850)
America: Study Notes are quickfire explainers for all the things you want to know about the USA, but don't want to ask.
Today, the twelfth President of the United States, Zachary Taylor - his election, his presidency, his key achievements and challenges, and his lasting legacy.
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America: The Story of the USA is a Podcasts by Liam production for Mercury, in partnership with the British Association for American Studies.
Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: https://sotus.beehiiv.com/
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16 October 2026, 1:00 am - More Episodes? Get the App