- 76
- Episodes
- 49
- Transcribed
- 3,108
- Ratings
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2023
- First episode
- 53M
- YouTube views
About The Big Dig
“This is a town where there are three pastimes: politics, sports and revenge.” The town is Boston. Seemingly dry topics become gripping political dramas in this Peabody Award winning show from creator Ian Coss and GBH News. Each season of “The Big Dig” uncovers a different facet of society – infrastructure, gambling, food, healthcare – together the pieces connect to tell the story of modern America. Season 1: "The Big Dig" The highway project known as “The Big Dig” is infamous – a shorthand for government failure – but it all started as one engineer’s dream to correct the wrongs of the past, and its legacy is far from simple. Season 2: "Scratch & Win" America’s most successful state lottery – and its greatest innovation, the scratch ticket – all starts with mafia bookmakers and state bureaucrats going toe to toe in a battle to own the future of gambling. Season 3: "Catching The Codfather" A fishing tycoon is arrested in an elaborate sting operation, but claims he’s the real hero fighting back against the state. Season 4: "Mitt & Ted, a healthcare story" Mitt Romney and Ted Kennedy began their political journeys on opposite sides of the healthcare issue, and they ended once again on opposite sides, but for a brief period in the middle they worked together to pass a groundbreaking law – one that promised to finally transform the politics of American healthcare – the law known as Romneycare. So what brought this odd couple together, and what ultimately pulled Mitt and Ted apart? -------------- CREDITS: Host & Creator: Ian Coss Executive Producer: Devin Maverick Robins Producer: Isabel Hibbard Story Editor: Lacy Roberts Contact us as thebigdig@wgbh.org (mailto:thebigdig@wgbh.org)
- Publisher
- GBH News
- Category
- history
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- Yes
- First episode
- 13 Sept 2023
- Latest episode
- 21 Oct 2026
Latest episodes
49 of 76 episodes have a transcript.
21 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Mitt & Ted | 5. A Thousand Fathers
14 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Mitt & Ted | 4. Three Legged Stool
7 Oct 2026TRANSCRIPT
Mitt & Ted | 3. Save The Money
Inside a recent episode
Mitt & Ted | 5. A Thousand Fathers
Published 21 Oct 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] But then for any businesses that don't comply, you impose what's called a payroll tax. That means the employer mandate is actually generating meaningful revenue that can help subsidize insurance for anyone who doesn't get it through their job. That's how you get to universal coverage. For people on the left, that payroll tax was an essential feature. For people on the right, it was unacceptable. Opponents of the governor's bill say it will hurt small businesses like local fast food franchises. And by February, March of 1988, opposition to the bill was impossible to ignore. Business community heavily opposed to it. […]
Read the full transcript with a Pod Engine plan.
See plansWho has been a guest on The Big Dig
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Eli Reed
- Stephanie Pollack
- Chris Cook
- Edward Fitzpatrick
- Zack Cunha
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- YouTube views
- 53,440,794
- Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.9 / 5
- 2,163 ratings
- Spotify
- 4.9 / 5
- 945 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 68 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 59
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 93
- Engagement
- 99
Contact The Big Dig
- Guest appearances
- Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
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Questions about The Big Dig
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes weekly, based on its RSS feed.
Does The Big Dig take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
Where can I read transcripts?
49 of 76 episodes have a transcript on Pod Engine. Full transcripts are available with a Pod Engine plan.
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