For many Americans, taking part in a debate is just about the last thing they’d put on their dance card. But Braver Angels debates are different. In this episode Sam Rechek explains why. “Braver Angels debates are fun,” Sam tells us. “We’ve created a structure where people can have productive disagreements about contentious issues. That’s something many yearn for, and they get interested in really fast.” Unlike most debates, there are no “winners” or “losers”. Speakers at Braver Angels debates a...
Jan 16, 2026•27 min
Pick a controversial topic. Whether it’s immigration, race, climate change, the role of religion, or the economy, many of our assumptions that we view as completely reasonable can seem whacky or wrong to others. This may well include very smart, thoughtful people, who’ve had very different life experiences than our own. Our guest for this episode is Chauncey Williams, a Democratic-leaning Braver Angels volunteer in Denver. He was shocked when Donald Trump was first elected President in 2016. But...
Dec 19, 2025•24 min
More than at any time in our nation’s history, news coverage of politics and public events is dominated by national media, but many of the solutions to Americans toxic partisan divides are to be found at the local level. In this episode we hear from Steve Saltwick , the inaugural Senior Fellow of Braver Angels, and founding conservative co-chair of the Braver Angels Central Texas Alliance . Steve is one of the leading lights of Citizen-Led Solutions , a new Braver Angels nationwide initiative th...
Dec 05, 2025•25 min
Many people say Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday: No cards to be sent. No presents to be purchased. A pause with family and close friends before the year-end holiday rush. Thanksgiving is about gratitude, but it can also be a time of anxiety, and even dread. What do you say to family members, friends and neighbors who vote for a candidate or political party you despise? How do you react when they launch into a rant or say something that you find offensive? We share tips about how to disagr...
Nov 25, 2025•18 min
Just over three months into his new role as leader of Braver Angels, we hear from CEO Maury Giles about his hopes, plans and goals for America's largest volunteer-led movement working to bridge partisan divides and disagree better for the common good. America has lost much of its civic muscle, and it's time to get it back, Maury tells our host, Richard Davies. Rising polarization, declining trust in public institutions and the media, the spread of misinformation, the longest-ever government shut...
Nov 07, 2025•29 min
Liberals and conservatives are caught in a politically toxic feedback loop. Our guest, Zachary Elwood , argues that when people express contempt for those on the other side, they contribute to a cycle of conflict that weakens our nation. Increasingly, Americans view polarization as a worsening crisis. Two-thirds say the political system is too divided to solve the nation’s problems. A New York Times - Siena University poll found that many more people now believe the system is broken compared wit...
Oct 10, 2025•30 min
How do we help people see their common humanity and find common ground? We discuss this and much more with our guest, independent filmmaker and storyteller, Swati Srivastava . At a time of polarization and deep political divisions in America, growing numbers of citizens are now pushing back against the fear, loathing and distrust that poison our national conversation. Our podcasts report on the people, projects, and ideas of this movement. Swati Srivastava is Director of Visual Media at Crossing...
Sep 05, 2025•28 min
“Our political leaders— left, right, and center— have a thin view of citizenship,” says Braver Angels co-founder Bill Doherty . He argues that everything from healthcare and education to public safety and politics “is the work of we the people. That’s the robust idea of citizenship…Ultimately the big problems are those of all of us” This episode features an interview recorded for “ Derate The Hate ”, a podcast hosted by Wilk Wilkinson in collaboration with Braver Angels, the nationwide movement ...
Aug 15, 2025•25 min
Americans are divided by geography. Most of us live in overwhelmingly red or blue Congressional Districts. We are less likely than ever to know someone from the other side of the political spectrum. We are often misinformed about what members of the other tribe actually believe. In this episode we speak with Kirk Tatnall, Starla Brown, and Cade Smith about a Braver Angels exchange program. Participants from New York City and Jackson, Mississippi visited each other over two weekends. They held wo...
Jul 18, 2025•24 min
Political speech in America is all too often dominated by hyperbole. We don’t just disagree, we find those on the other side to be offensive or even worse. All too often the language of curiosity, nuance and humility is missing from our dialog. In this episode we look at a novel way to reach across the divide. During the spring, Minnesota Braver Angels leaders who live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region decided to visit six small towns in rural parts of the state. Our guests are Melinda Voss, wh...
Jun 27, 2025•25 min
What is America’s role in a dramatically changing world? How does the health of our democracy impact other nations? In this episode we hear a rich mix of ideas in a conversation with podcaster, commentator, and former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes . “Young people today are going to have to imagine a new US government and a new set of international institutions,” says Ben. A future administration “will have to renegotiate the terms of a new international order.” This hour-long ...
Jun 13, 2025•58 min
If you’re disturbed or simply turned off by America's rigid political divisions this is the show for you. We discuss creative skills and practices that put a little hope back in your political life Doug Teschner and Beth Malow are co-authors of the forthcoming book "Beyond the Politics of Contempt: Practical Steps to Build Positive Relationships in Divided Times." Their work builds on what they've both learned as bridge builders and Braver Angels volunteers . They also write about their work on ...
May 16, 2025•30 min
Ten years ago this month we launched our first show at a time of new beginnings for podcasts. We were early to this game, and well before podcasting became part of mainstream media. In contrast to other shows about politics and current affairs we ran against the grain, avoiding snarky slogans and angry attacks. How Do We Fix It? focused instead on solutions journalism and what might be improved if we listen carefully to others who we don’t agree with. We urge listeners to get out of their comfor...
Apr 25, 2025•43 min
We release this show at a moment of high political drama. Economics, financial markets, and America’s relations with the rest of the world are in a state of tumult. So how on earth do we talk with and listen to people on the other side? Should you even try? Jessie Mannisto , Director of Debates at Braver Angels says “yes!” In this episode we learn why understanding those who you disagree with is a vital first step to repairing civic relations. We discuss the First 100 Days Debates : “Is Presiden...
Apr 11, 2025•25 min
I don’t do this work in optimism. I do it in hope”, Braver Angels President David Blankenhorn tells our podcast. “If we’re going to have any chance to fix this and save our country, this is what needs to be done.” Soon after the tumultuous 2016 election Braver Angels sprung to life— co-founded by David, Bill Doherty and David Lapp. Two years after its founding this nationwide volunteer-led citizen movement had its first convention attended by 72 conservative and 72 liberal delegates. Last summer...
Mar 28, 2025•21 min
What do you think of people who you totally disagree with about politics? Can you listen to their point of view and have a constructive conversation? Do you dismiss the other side as evil or deplorable? In this episode we hear from Wilk Wilkinson , a Christian conservative who voted for Donald Trump. He has working class roots and grew up poor. A decade ago Wilk was enraged at liberals, but today he’s working closely with both reds and blues at Braver Angels to turn down the volume on loathing a...
Feb 21, 2025•24 min
In the five years since the COVID pandemic began, trust in public health institutions and vaccines has plummeted. According to a new opinion poll , just over half of the public now says they trust the Food and Drug Administration to make the right recommendations on health issues at least “a fair amount,” down from nearly two-thirds (65%) in June 2023. About 1 in 4 Republicans parents now say they’ve akipped or delayed some children’s vaccines. " Why Should I Trust You? " is a new podcast about ...
Feb 07, 2025•24 min
How Do We Fix It? raises questions about solutions to divisive topics of politics and public policy: Decidedly secular matters. In this episode we look at how religious groups and institutions can help bring people together across divides. Braver Faith is our focus. The Right Rev. Mark Beckwith is our guest. Braver Faith is one the newest and most vibrant groups within Braver Angels — America's largest cross-partisan, volunteer-led movement that works to push back against rigid polarization. Led...
Jan 24, 2025•23 min
In the fall 2024, a young British filmmaker jumped in a small car and drove across America, asking more than 200 strangers the same two questions: "How did we lose connection with our neighbors, and how do we get it back?" Many of the answers and explanations are fascinating. "I am a firm believer that developing a curiosity or a curiosity in strangers is the cure for a polarized and isolated world," says Joseph Sim , the director and producer of the new documentary, " A Road Trip Across a Divid...
Dec 13, 2024•23 min
The holiday season is here, but many people across the country may dread sitting down with their nearest and dearest— all because of politics. In this episode we share down-to-earth advice from two wise experts who have thought deeply and creatively about how to minimize conflict and maximize cooperation with parents, family, and friends. Tania Israel is a Professor of Counseling Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and award-winning author of " Beyond Your Bubble : How to N...
Nov 27, 2024•30 min
Some wore red hats, others wore blue. Outside scores of polling places in many states across the country, pairs of Democrats and Republicans sat together in a radically simple experiment called the Braver Angels Election Day Initiative. The contrast between dire media forecasts of violence, and calamity during the election and what actually happened was stark. The day passed by calmly with minimal reports of disruption. There was a sense of quiet majesty that day. In this episode we hear about t...
Nov 15, 2024•23 min
Do you believe what you see in newspapers, websites and on TV? Most Americans don't trust the people who are supposed to truthfully report the news. A new Gallup poll says Americans have record-low trust in mass media. Only one-in-three adults has a "great deal" or a "fair amount" of confidence in the media to report the news "fully, accurately and fairly." More than 150,000 readers each day turn to Tangle , a website read by liberals, conservatives and independents. Every day Tangle tackles one...
Nov 01, 2024•25 min
Are you fed up with politics and especially the presidential campaign? On How Do We Fix It? we're reporting on the people, projects and ideas of Braver Angels. This nationwide citizen-led movement is a growing coalition of liberals and conservatives working to restore hope and co-operation to our politics. In this episode we speak with a second pair of Red-Blue volunteers who will be working together and meeting voters outside a polling site on November 5th. It's all part of the nationwide Elect...
Oct 25, 2024•22 min
These final days before the election are tense times . Today’s toxic politics are hurtful and heart breaking for many of us. Maybe we all need a hope vaccine. An injection of kindness, curiosity and understanding for those who see the world differently than we do. In our latest report on the work, ideas, and people of Braver Angels , the nationwide citizen-led campaign against political polarization, we learn more about its Election Day Initiative : A volunteer-led effort to push back against po...
Oct 11, 2024•23 min
Elections are vital to all democracies: The authority of the government comes solely from the consent of the governed. But millions of Americans don’t trust the electoral process and have highly negative views of politics .. Many have little or no confidence that all votes will be fairly and accurately counted. What should be done to improve our elections? We discuss reforms that both conservative reds and liberals blues can endorse. Some may surprise you, including ending gerrymandering and the...
Sep 27, 2024•26 min
Braver Angels is addressing a huge threat that could disrupt the future of our democratic republic: The rigid, often bitter, divisions between reds and blues. While nearly four in ten voters identify as "independent", more than nine in ten Americans fall into one of two broad categories. They identify as either conservative or liberal leaning and tend to vote for either Republicans or Democrats. "If this country breaks apart, if violence increases to the point where we are killing each other, it...
Sep 13, 2024•27 min
“I don’t do this work in optimism. I do it in hope”, Braver Angels President David Blankenhorn tells us. “If we’re going to have any chance to fix this and save our country, this is what needs to be done.” Soon after the tumultuous 2016 election Braver Angels sprung to life— co-founded by David, Bill Doherty and David Lapp. Two years after its founding this nationwide volunteer-led citizen movement had its first convention attended by 72 conservative and 72 liberal delegates. This year, more tha...
Aug 30, 2024•26 min
When renowned physician-scientist Francis Collins was about to have his first conversation with Christian conservative Wilk Wilkinson in early 2022, he admits that he had concerns. "I thought oh boy, this is going to be a tough one". Dr. Collins had recently stepped down as Director of NIH— The National Institutes of Health. He served under Presidents Obama, Trump, and Biden, and played a leading role in the federal response to the COVID pandemic. Podcaster Wilk Wilkinson , who lives in rural Mi...
Aug 16, 2024•31 min
Toxic polarization is "the problem that eats all other problems... It's the sludge at the base of everything else," says our guest Mónica Guzmán . Think how much progress could be made on the great problems of today if politics were much more about discovering nuance than shouting slogans. This show is our second episode on the work, people, and ideas of the volunteer-led cross-partisan campaign, Braver Angels . In the coming months, we'll report on their initiatives and projects. Americans who ...
Aug 02, 2024•25 min
This is our first in a series of new reports on the work, people and projects of Braver Angels — the largest volunteer-led group in the bridging community. The show was recorded a few days after the assassination attempt against Donald Trump. Our guests are Jessie Mannisto and Luke Nathan Phillips , who spent this week in Milwaukee, right outside the Fiserv Forum Arena, site of the Republican National Convention. Since its founding after the 2016 election, Braver Angels has brought together many...
Jul 19, 2024•27 min
