Episode 12: Big Oil and American Politics

American foreign and domestic policy is shaped by many factors, but perhaps none is more important or more pervasive than oil – Big Oil. In this episode three political stories from the past – Teapot Dome in the 1920s, Texaco’s role in supporting the winning side in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s and the oil crisis of the 1970s – that help shed light on the current state of Big Oil and American Politics. Marc Johnson talks with award winning author Adam Hochschild (Spain in Our Hearts), historians Brian Black (Crude Reality) and Meg Jacobs (Panic at the Pump) and with journalists Robbie Gramer and Mark Trahant. This is a slippery subject, but the historical perspective may help explain why an oil company CEO is now Secretary of State.