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250 Years On, Can Democracy Hold? (with Joanne Freeman)

Jun 25, 2026 · 1h 15m

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About this episode

Joanne Freeman is a historian, author, and renowned professor at Yale, where she specializes in early American politics and political culture. She joins Preet ahead of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding to discuss the continued relevance of the Declaration of Independence, the fragility of democracy, and why the Founders were so worried about demagogues, civic virtue, and the peaceful transfer of power. Then, Preet answers listener questions about whether states can require ICE agents to identify themselves, and the recent court decision requiring that Trump’s name be removed from the Kennedy Center. In the bonus for Insiders, Preet and Freeman discuss President George Washington’s…