The Declaration of Independence: Its Intellectual and Material History
Let’s keep celebrating the semiquincentennial by tackling the remarkable history of our most inspirational founding document. Historian and Hoover Institution fellow Michael Auslin joins the podcast to discuss National Treasure: How the Declaration of Independence Made America. He and Chris cover the document’s chaotic creation, its less-than-ideal preservation, and its enduring impact on almost ten generations of Americans.
Show Notes:
Michael Auslin’s book, National Treasure (https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/National-Treasure/Michael-Auslin/9781668214541?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=24294690946&gbraid=0AAAAADv-uEl8M9R5w3Wfnsyh-Fp3H6Cv8&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5vLVBhCiARIsAD56SFLSgmM20qHbflI7AoeX62sBTMKSZk_uRlvN40f5rE_U4_Ykck2UX2gaAkVvEALw_wcB)
Michael’s book event at AEI (https://www.aei.org/events/national-treasure-a-book-event-with-michael-auslin/)
Time Stamps:
1:45 Myths and misconceptions about the Declaration
12:40 The forgotten Declaration takes center stage
23:34 The Civil War and consent of the governed
28:33 More reasons to loathe Woodrow Wilson
33:45 MLK and the “promissory note” of equality
42:30 The Declaration’s core claim of unity
46:16 The DSA’s challenge to the greatness of the Declaration
49:03 The Declaration preserved and displayed
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out (https://open.spotify.com/track/0t7Dc6aK0rDlF7GHzCFVGp),” used with permission from the artist.
Produced by Keira Stenson.
17 Sept 2026
What a Tangled Web: Honesty in the 21st Century
The first topic for our new season is an important one, and that’s no lie. Chris talks to Christian B. Miller, the A.C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University, about the virtue of honesty. What does it mean to be honest? Is it more rewarding—and less risky—to be dishonest today than it was in the past? How are Americans dishonest today online, on campus, and in politics? Christian’s new book is The Honesty Crisis: Preserving Our Most Treasured Virtue in an Increasingly Dishonest World (Oxford, 2026).
Time Stamps:
2:49 What is honesty?
15:14 Deepfakes and online infidelity
31:07 Academic dishonesty and the tragedy of Jason Arday
42:39 Honesty and politics
52:39 The exception of the arts
Show Notes:
Christian B. Miller’s book, The Honesty Crisis (https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-honesty-crisis-9780197840801)
Billy Joel, “Honesty (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuFScoO4tb0)”
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out (https://open.spotify.com/track/0t7Dc6aK0rDlF7GHzCFVGp),” used with permission from the artist.
Produced by Keira Stenson.
25 Jun 2026
American Civic Stories
In this special double feature, Chris welcomes the authors of two new books about the American way of life—one about the many things that make it great, and the other about something we’ve lost. First, Matthew Mehan of Hillsdale College’s Washington, DC, campus discusses his latest children's book, The American Book of Fables, a collection to help the young and old celebrate America’s 250th birthday. And in the back half, Andy Smarick of the Manhattan Institute talks about his first novel, Community Day, a mystery about the distressing decline of civil society.
Show notes:
Matt's book, The American Book of Fables (https://sophiainstitute.com/product/the-american-book-of-fables/)
Andy's novel, Community Day, on Substack (https://communityday.substack.com/) and Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Community-Day-ANDY-SMARICK-ebook/dp/B0GX5YC8YX)
Matt's other work (https://dc.hillsdale.edu/Profiles/Matthew-Mehan/)
Andy's other work (https://manhattan.institute/person/andy-smarick)
Time stamps:
0:49 – Matthew Mehan on The American Book of Fables
29:01 – Andy Smarick on Community Day
Opening and closing music: Brendan Benson, “Spit It Out (https://open.spotify.com/track/0t7Dc6aK0rDlF7GHzCFVGp),” used with permission from the artist.
Produced by Sean Doolan & Keira Stenson.
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