C-SPAN's The Weekly
Connecting today's political discourse with the past 40 years of politics. Using audio taken from C-SPAN's vast Video Library, each episode focuses on a theme tied to current events providing a unique perspective on today's news.
Episodes
At some point, close listeners to C-SPAN's podcast "The Weekly" might have wondered: Why have we never done an episode featuring the best-of James Traficant?
Well – wonder no more.
Because – it's this week's episode!
Why now?
Two reasons:
1. This podcast is running on May 8th - That's right – Congressman James Traficant's birthday … he was born on May 8th, 1941;
2. We have a very special guest for this podcast … We're joined...
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May 1, 2025 • 24 mins
Can you imagine a time when a U.S. President and a Canadian Prime Minister were friends? ... And said nice things about each other in public? ... And the nice things they said about each other in public were neither remarkable nor newsworthy?
Well, here's proof that such a time once existed:
"The fact that we go on, we got along, President Reagan and Prime Minister Mulroney, two some said Irish, we were Irish, now that I t...
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April 24, 2025 • 13 mins
It's time for the annual White House Correspondents Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton.
But this year: No comedian.
Which means: No jokes about C-SPAN … or about the Washington Hilton.
In the past, at every dinner, there seemed to be at least one joke made about one or the other ... or sometimes both in the same joke — Like Conan O'Brien pulled off in 2013...
Congratulations to C-SPAN for winning the bid to broadcast thi...
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April 17, 2025 • 70 mins
The White House Correspondents Association dinner is just a week away.
The big annual media black tie shindig in the basement of the Washington Hilton typically has several surprises.
Like this film shown during 2000 dinner.
"I want to thank the Academy for this tremendous honor. This may be the greatest moment of my life. I mean, hear since i was a little boy I wanted to be a real actor"
That was Bill Clinton, his final dinn...
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Thirty years ago, C-SPAN showed the Senate Whitewater Committee hearings. The Special Committee to Investigate Whitewater Development Corporation and Related Matters was created in May 1995. Hearings ran for 300 hours over 60 sessions across 13 months.
Did anything concrete come out of those hearings seen on C-SPAN?
Well – at least one thing.
A hit murder mystery now streaming on Netflix called "The Residence."
How do you get from...
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April 3, 2025 • 14 mins
If you're listening closely to the language currently being used by leaders of the United States and Canada about each other -- what a Republican president once said about the two countries might seem unfamiliar.
The American people know that putting up walls around our country is a prescription for ruin, not renewal.
What the world and the United States need now is more trade and more open trade. And that's why we've pushed for a ...
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March 27, 2025 • 30 mins
October 31st, 2019.
The U.S. House debates and passes a resolution laying out the rules in the first impeachment inquiry of President Trump.
House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer addresses the House that day — but there's something else on his mind as well:
Today is a serious day. Last night was an extraordinary night. I rise for the millions of people who live in the Washington metropolitan area to congratulate and to exalt with...
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March 20, 2025 • 35 mins
On the third day of his second administration, President Trump signed six executive orders. One was: Declassifying files pertaining to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy, former Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The inclusion of JFK was of particular interest to the C-SPAN podcast "The Weekly."
Three years ago -- in March 2022 — we did an episode marking the 30th anniversary of Oliver St...
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March 13, 2025 • 38 mins
Next week is C-SPAN's 46th anniversary…. On March 19th, 1979, House TV began – for the first time Americans could watch live gavel to gavel coverage of the U.S. House floor on their television. … It was Day One of privately funded C-SPAN.
To mark this anniversary on this podcast, we're trying something new.
We asked three of America's greatest political podcasters to pick their favorite moment from the House on TV… We'll play the c...
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March 6, 2025 • 12 mins
When presidents come into office, traditionally their first big speech to Congress is about the budget. Like President Trump this past week.
Instead of a State of the Union address, new presidents share their economic agenda and vision for the coming four years.
And almost always in that big budget speech, they anguish over the escalating national debt.
Like President Ronald Reagan in 1981…
Our national debt is approaching $1 tril...
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February 27, 2025 • 18 mins
If someone were to ask you: name your favorite moment in Congress involving a character from Saturday Night Live -- how would you respond?
There’s a good chance you would say it was this: Chris Farley – as Speaker Newt Gingrich – with Speaker Newt Gingrich –– August 4th, 1995 … It was the 100th day of the new Republican majority in the House of Representatives. And Chris Farley – dressed up as Newt Gingrich and doing a doing mast...
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February 20, 2025 • 28 mins
"Saturday Night Live" – The comedy show has been on TV for half a century.
And it seems like Congress has been talking about it for nearly that long.
Like Democratic Senator Al Gore in 1990: "I saw a television show recently called Saturday Night Live, Mr. President. They have the habit of putting on humorous pretend commercials that look like real commercials."
And Republican Congressman David Drier in 1993: "Mr. Speaker, more t...
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February 13, 2025 • 20 mins
Americans are celebrating Valentine's Day. So, let's remember – the St. Valentine's Day Massacre.
Here's President Bill Clinton, speaking on February 15th, 1994 – the day after Valentine’s Day, to the law enforcement community in London Ohio …
In the last three decades, violent crimes have increased by 300 percent. Over the last three years, almost a third of Americans have either had themselves or someone in their families victi...
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February 6, 2025 • 13 mins
You might have seen or heard a new promo spot from C-SPAN – Presidents talking democracy … from Jimmy Carter through Donald Trump ….
Carter: "Democracy is always an unfinished creation"
Reagan: "Democracy is worth dying for"
Bush: "Democracy belongs to us all"
Clinton: "We are here in the sanctuary of democracy"
Bush: "Great responsibilities fall once again to the great democracies"
Obama: "American democracy is bigger than any o...
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January 30, 2025 • 39 mins
Two presidents. Two eulogies. For each other.
Political opponents who became friends. Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.
Here's Jimmy Carter's eulogy for Gerald Ford in 2007.
For myself and for our nation, I want to thank my predecessor for all he has done to heal our land."
Those were the first words I spoke as president. And I still hate to admit that they received more applause than any other words in my inaugural address.
...
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January 23, 2025 • 38 mins
During the first two weeks of March 1989, the U.S. Senate debated President George Bush's nominee for Defense Secretary, John Tower.
Among the Senators who spoke about former Senator Tower – one of his former colleagues -- Alaska Republican Ted Stevens …
"my mind went back again to some Senators I have known here in the Senate who have been impaired. I saved one Senator one day who almost fell in the path of a subway, he was s...
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January 16, 2025 • 27 mins
Getting ready for January 20th – and the presidential inauguration?
Then you might also be getting ready for fun facts about the swearing-in ceremony.
Like in 2009 – when swearing-in President Barack Obama – Chief Justice John Roberts got the oath wrong.
What did he get wrong?
And -- what are some other inauguration fun facts?
Like:
• Which Chief Justice has administered the most oaths of office?
• Which Chief Justice has administ...
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January 9, 2025 • 33 mins
We're just days away from President Joe Biden leaving the White House.
Which makes this a good time to remember other departing presidents – and their farewell addresses.
Like Richard Nixon speaking to staff, August 9, 1974, the day he resigned the presidency.
You are here to say goodbye to us, and we don't have a good word for it in English -- the best is au revoir. We'll see you again.
Presidents giving farewell addresses …
• Wh...
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January 2, 2025 • 20 mins
On Monday, January 6, 2025, Congress once again will meet in a Joint Session to certify the electoral votes in the presidential election.
As President of the Senate and presiding over that ceremony, Kamala Harris will find herself a unique and rare position –a sitting vice president who ran for the presidency and then had announce his or her own electoral defeat.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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December 26, 2024 • 25 mins
Ever wonder how C-SPAN’s The Weekly comes together? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, we pull back the curtain to explore the making of our podcast. From brainstorming story ideas to interviewing top political insiders, discover what it takes to deliver timely and insightful episodes week after week. Join host Howard Mortman and producer Shannon Rice as they share funny anecdotes, memorable moments, and the challenges of t...
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