Episodes
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Ep 64: Beir Bua
In final episode of series three, Jackie Fox and Sean Whelan dig deeper into what Donald Trump 2.0 means with Republican Strategist Michael Ricci and Former speechwriter for Barack Obama, Terry Szuplat
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Ep 63: What Happened? And What's To Come?
Jackie speaks to Scott Jennings, Nadia Brown and Hank Sheinkopf about 2024's dramatic year in US politics and what's to come in 2025
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Ep 62: Biden’s Northern Ireland Scorecard
Jackie Fox and Sean Whelan are joined by prof Deirdre Heenan from Ulster University to discuss a possible unsung Biden victory
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Ep 61: Trump's Irish Royal Rumble
RTÉ's Adam Maguire discusses what round two of a Trump presidency means for Ireland and former FBI deputy director, Andrew McCabe questions some of the high profile picks for the next administration
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Ep 60: Where’s the Clown Car?
Jackie and Sean speak to Republican Congressman David Joyce about what’s next for the GOP after it swept the board in this year’s elections
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Ep 59: Together At Last
Jackie and Sean catch-up following a chaotic 24 hours
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Ep 58: Cheat Sheet
Jackie and Sean on what to look out for on election night
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Ep 57: From the Steps of the Capitol
Jackie speaks to Ariel Hill-Davis from Republican Women for Progress on what's at stake during this election for Republicans and women
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Ep 56: Hello From The Other Side
Jackie and Sean kick off election week in Washington DC and Pennsylvania
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Ep 55: It’s Been Weird
Jackie Fox, Sean Whelan and Fiona Mitchell look back at the chaotic, strange and historical US 2024 presidential election
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Ep 54: Frat Boys Save Us!
A new Grand Old Party? Caitlin Sinclair, Spokesperson Turning Point Action, and Kevin Madden, Former Senior Advisor to Mitt Romney, discuss what’s next for the GOP
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Ep 53: Veni, Vidi, Vici?
How real is election fraud? Geoff Duncan, former Georgia Lieutenant Governor, and Paul Smith, Law Professor at Georgetown University, talk voting and what might happen after Election Day
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Ep 52: La Frontera
Yvonne Murray joins Jackie and Sean to break down the immigration issue. Jackie speaks to an Irish woman who has been on the front line of the migration crisis in the US
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Ep 51: A Commander-in-Chief
Dr Alexander Vindman, ex-National Security Council member, and former taoiseach Leo Varadkar join Jackie and Sean to discuss America’s place in the world as election day edges closer
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Ep 50: United Front
Paul Young, Mayor Memphis Democrat, Patrick Houlihan, Delegate from Ohio and Kelly Dittmar, Centre for American Women and Politics, discuss this monumental convention for the Democrats
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Ep 49: Buyer’s Remorse
Are they the right running mates? What’s the story with the US economy? Meghan Milloy, Republican Women for Progress, On Message’s Jerrod Dobkin and ex-White House Economic Adviser, Tomas Philipson discuss
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Ep 48: a brat campaign
Jackie and Sean speak to Kamala Harris’ uncle, Brendan Boyle and Sean Spicer about how both campaigns are going back to the drawing board
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Ep 47: The Tortured Democrats Department
With the Democrats in crisis, Jackie and Sean speak with former Governor of Vermont Howard Dean and former Republican Congressman, Dr John Fleming, about the chaos engulfing White House
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Ep 46: Promises, Problems and Predictions
Jackie Fox discusses the year in US politics just gone and what's ahead with Rep Bill Keating, Rep Brendan Boyle, longtime Republican strategist Scott Jennings, and reporter Alayna Treene
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Ep 45: Happy Birthday, Mr President
As the dust settles on the Midterm elections and Donald Trump announces another presidential bid, Jackie and Sean look at what it all means for the White House and Congress
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Bonus Ep: Congressman David Joyce
Republican Congressman David Joyce talks about his Galway roots, American democracy and what's next for the Republican party
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Ep 44: A Broken Democracy?
Joe Biden warns that American democracy is under threat, but a senior member of Trump's 2020 re-election campaign suggests that it is a figment of people's imagination
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Ep 43: Irritable America
Season 2 of States of Mind kicks off with a playbook for the Midterm Elections. Congressman Richard Neal also speaks about the future of his country.
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Ep 42: New Year, New Administration
Jackie Fox looks forward to a new year and a new administration with former White House Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci, legal analyst Kimberly Wehle and Congressman Brendan Boyle.
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Ep 41: Georgia On Our Minds
With the dust settling on an intense, unprecedented US Presidential election – eyes are turning to two run-off elections in Georgia as they will determine what Joe Biden can do in office.
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Ep 40: America First
What does America First mean for Joe Biden? Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Aaron David Miller, who worked with former US secretaries of states, along with former Irish Ambassador to US and IIEA DG Michael Collins discuss Joe Biden’s foreign policy vision.
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Ep 39: All Systems Joe
A dramatic end to a dramatic presidency. Brian and Jackie reflect on a week which saw Joe Biden becoming US president-elect after a gruelling and bitter campaign.
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Ep 38: Here We Go
Following an inconclusive night in a tight US presidential election, the final result is still too close to call.
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Ep 37: Beginning of the End
With only hours to go until polling day, Brian and Jackie answer your questions ahead of Election Night.
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Ep 36: Into The Unknown
What could happen when the polls close? Republican Congressman in Florida, Francis Rooney and Notre Dame’s Professor Emeritus Bob Schmuhl discuss the different scenarios which may or may not happen following election night and why eyes should be on Florida.
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Ep 35: The Final Debate
Former speechwriter for Barack Obama, David Litt and Greg Swenson from Republicans Overseas discuss the second and final presidential debate in Nashville, Tennessee where no mute button was needed.
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Ep 34: One Person, One Vote?
Why is it so hard to vote in America? Legal analyst and law professor, Kimberly Wehle and Rachel Homer from Protect Democracy discuss voting barriers across America and concerns over voter suppression.
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Ep 33: From US President to Dog Catcher
US Presidential election drama aside, the Congressional elections will determine who has the upper hand in Washington. Mark Rom from Georgetown University discusses who and what we should look out for. And back to the drama - the fallout from Donald Trump’s Covid diagnosis.
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Ep 32: Running Mate Pt II
Kamala Harris is a woman with many firsts to her name. The daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, she is known for her tough and combative nature. Her uncle Gopalan Balachandran on how those characteristics were always there and Suhasini Haidar from The Hindu discusses what a Biden/Harris...
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Ep 31: Running Mate Pt I
Who is Mike Pence? What does he stand for? A look at the life and times of Vice President Mike Pence as the running mate debate edges closer. His Clare relative gives an insight into his love for Ireland but it’s his devotion to God that will always come out on top.
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Ep 30: That First Debate
A look at the ‘hot mess’ that was the first presidential debate with Katherine Zappone, who is part of Team Biden and Jennifer Carnahan, Chair for the Republican Party of Minnesota.
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Ep 29: Showtime
With the US presidential debates about to get underway, Eli Attie, who was part of Al Gore’s debate team in 2000, gives a behind the scenes insight and discusses how it influenced his writing and producing for the West Wing.
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Ep 28: Bob Woodward
Legendary journalist Bob Woodward on why he thinks Donald Trump’s leadership is shocking, tragic and embarrassing.
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Ep 27: You've Got Mail
With postal voting more popular in 2020 due to the pandemic, Brian and Jackie discuss the controversies surrounding it and the postal service with CEO of FairVote, Rob Richie. Also one American living in Ireland on why she’s worried about her vote.
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Ep 26: Martin Luther King III
Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s oldest son, Martin Luther King III speaks about his father's legacy, Donald Trump's America and how voting in November should be a 'very easy choice'.
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Ep 25: How Swing States Are Swinging
What are battleground states and why are they so important? Business owner in Pennsylvania, Sean Fedorko talks about his state’s unexpected swing in 2016 and black Democrat Vernon Jones, who spoke at this year’s RNC, on backing Donald Trump.
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Ep 24: The Electoral College with The Mooch
A look at the world of the Electoral College while former White House communications director, Anthony Scaramucci talks about Donald Trump calling him a ‘loser’ and why the president is going to be ‘annihilated’ in November.
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Ep 23: The Elephants in the Room
The Republican National Convention had the five fs: faith, family, feelings, fear and future. Tim Wigginton, North Carolina GOP Press Secretary joins to talk about the long road to this convention and what it was like to be on the ground.
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Ep 22: Biden’s Big Moment
Congressman Brendan Boyle looks back at the virtual Democratic National Convention’s unusual speeches, Joe’s big moment and how he’s welcoming anti-Trump Republicans with open arms.
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Ep 21: Unconventional Conventions
Howard Dean, ex Chair of the Democratic National Committee, on healthy infighting and the party's virtual convention. Former Washington Correspondent, Robert Shortt also lays bare what conventions are really all about.
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Ep 20: Who is Joe Biden?
Grief, gaffes and gregarious: A look at the life and times of Joe Biden, with the man who inadvertently ruined his first presidential run.
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Ep 19: Spice Up Your Life
Sean Spicer, former White House Press Secretary speaks about the dangers of underestimating Joe Biden, the future of the GOP, Trump's re-election bid and not missing that podium.
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Ep 18: The Social Media Battlefield
Pete Buttigieg’s Campaign Manager, Mike Schmuhl on the unprecedented campaign, social media wars in 2020, disinformation and the power of Trump’s Twitter. While Brian speaks to people to see if they have learned anything from the chaotic 2016 election.
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Ep 17: Inside the Trump Campaign
Communications Director for the Trump campaign, Tim Murtaugh on shake-ups, not trusting the polls, daily battles, holding out for campaign rallies and his Irish roots.
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Ep 16: Being a Black Trump Supporter
Immanuel Jarvis, North Carolina GOP Chair, on what it’s like to be a black Donald Trump supporter while Brian goes on the road in Pennsylvania as the Pence and Biden campaigns hit the swing state.