Review: Pod Save America

Photo courtesy of MCT Campus

While many of us were pleading “God save America” when Donald Trump placed his right hand on the Lincoln bible, it turns out that the answer to surviving in Trump’s America is not God, but rather a pod – podcast that is.

“Pod Save America” is described by its hosts as a “no-bulls—” conversation about politics.” In a political landscape filled with Kellyanne Conway’s “alternative facts,” this approach is exactly what the surgeon general ordered. The twice-weekly podcast is hosted by a rotating group of four former Obama administration staffers: Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer and Tommy Vietor. There is no denying that this podcast has a liberal stance, but the show isn’t pretending to be NPR – it is very well aware of both its audience and bias.

The hosts successfully mix serious political conversations, like repercussions of the immigration executive order, with quick humor – like a joke about Trump’s extra long tie possibly compensating for the inaugural crowd size.

Each episode typically begins with a recap and discussion of the latest political headlines, then wraps up with an interview featuring a special guest. Recent guests have included DNC Chair candidate Tom Perez, Late Night host Seth Meyers and their former boss President Obama.

The interview with Obama was the last interview he gave as president, which should be reason enough to check out the podcast. The atmosphere was bittersweet as they shared West Wing memories and discussed the administration’s accomplishments, all the while knowing Obama’s legacy was in the small hands of his successor.

What makes this podcast so great however, is that it does more than just talk about politics. They inspire their listeners to get involved in the issues they discuss. Different episodes have encouraged the audience to attend their local women’s march, register others to vote or sign up at Swing Left – an online website that connects volunteers with campaign opportunities in their nearest congressional swing district.

New episodes of “Pod Save America” drop every Monday and Wednesday on Spotify, iTunes, Google Play or the Crooked Media website. So, if you find yourself rolling your eyes at every Trump-related news alert or just want to be more informed about politics in this fast-paced Twitter world, Pod Save America is just the way to procrastinate your AP government homework.