The Preamble

The Preamble

The world feels complicated. The Preamble is where it starts to make sense. Hosted by Sharon McMahon — known for making sense of complex issues — she and her guests dive deep into the stories and ideas driving our future, bringing clarity and honesty to every headline. If you want real insight, bold conversation, and answers that matter, this podcast is your must-listen. Hit play, and join the movement that will shape history. An Audacy Podcast.

Episodes

Elyse Myers’ New Book and Harriet Tubman’s Faith

February 23, 2026 • 40 mins
You might know her as the woman who got dragged to a taco bell where her date ordered one hundred tacos and she got stuck paying for them. Elyse Myers’ hilarious re-telling of that story launched her career, and now she’s out with a new book, That’s a Great Question, I’d Love to Tell You. She joins Sharon to talk about her struggles as a kid, and what happened when she learned her brain worked differently, and there was nothing wro...
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The State of Black History and Journalism in 2026

February 16, 2026 • 45 mins
Simply teaching the facts in and out of the classroom has become an act of courage, and sometimes, real risk. Former history teacher Ernest Crim joins Sharon McMahon to talk about why Black history, civics, and knowing your rights are crucial to navigating power abuses, injustice, and democracy. He tells us why he keeps speaking up even when the system falls short. Plus, is reporting the facts partisan? Sharon speaks with Katie Cou...
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If Court Orders Don’t Matter, Nothing Does, Banning Books, and How to Find Hope

February 9, 2026 • 38 mins
Americans are being offered a false choice: safety or rights, as though “law and order” means obedience from citizens and exceptions for the government. Sharon’s take on ICE violating 96 court orders in Minnesota in just one month. Plus, Jodi Picoult is one of the most banned authors in the country. Why? She writes about racism, gun violence, and LGBTQ+ rights, encouraging young people to use their critical thinking, rather than be...
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How ICE Is Mimicking 19th Century Slave Patrols, and What AI Tech Billionaires Really Want

February 2, 2026 • 45 mins
Gen Z Historian Kahlil Greene explains how today’s ICE enforcement has chilling parallels to the slave patrols of the 19th Century, designed to hunt human beings for profit and power. Then, Sharon speaks with author Karen Hao to talk about her new book Empire of AI, and why the biggest names in tech aren’t just building tools, but chasing a quasi-religious vision of control. Karen reveals how that ideology is reshaping democracy, d...
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Inside ICE: Recruitment, Congressional Accountability, and Absolute Immunity

January 26, 2026 • 49 mins
This episode was recorded before Border Patrol agents shot and killed Twin Cities nurse Alex Pretti. What happens when the people enforcing the law no longer seem bound by it? Our contributor Elise Labott reports on ICE’s expansive recruitment campaign and training program. Sharon is then joined by MN Representative Angie Craig to discuss the escalating situation in Minnesota and what Congress may, or may not, do in response. Pl...
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The War on Drugs, and the Truth Behind the Viral Claims of Fraud at Minnesota Daycares

January 19, 2026 • 40 mins
The War on Drugs is being used to justify U.S. military actions, including a covert operation in Venezuela, but is that going to have an effect on the opioid crisis? Sharon is joined by Beth Macy, author of the bestselling book Dopesick, for a powerful conversation about her new release, Paper Girl, and the addiction, poverty, and deep political divides plaguing communities. Plus, Sharon breaks down the viral video claiming daycare...
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The Pentagon Papers, Why Nobody Wants Venezuelan Oil, and Answers to Your Questions

January 12, 2026 • 50 mins
The story you didn’t know: The Pentagon Papers. Politics Professor Casey Burgat tells us about the government lies, coverup, and the reporters who exposed all of it. Then Sharon talks with economist and Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman about the lies you often hear about immigration and its effects on the economy, why American oil companies actually don’t want Venezuelan oil, and his predictions for the 2026 economy. Plus Sharon answer...
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Margaret Taylor, From Army Wife to Reluctant First Lady

January 5, 2026 • 32 mins
Margaret “Peggy” Taylor was a true pioneer woman, so the White House was never the life she wanted. She spent decades roughing it at remote army posts, surviving war, illness, and devastating loss alongside her soldier husband. When Zachary Taylor became president, Peggy quietly stepped away from Washington society, choosing instead to focus on her faith and family. It’s a reminder that not every First Lady wanted the job. If yo...
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Sarah Polk’s Power Behind the Presidency

December 29, 2025 • 33 mins
Sarah Polk was one of the most politically powerful women of her era. From running her husband’s political operation behind the scenes to mastering the art of influence, she knew exactly how power worked. She shaped her husband’s presidency, set social rules in the White House, and proved that ambition didn’t have to be loud to be effective. This is the story of a woman who changed American politics. If you’d like to submit a qu...
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America’s Most Overlooked First Lady, Anna Harrison

December 22, 2025 • 33 mins
America’s shortest presidency produced one of its most overlooked First Ladies. Anna Harrison didn’t even make it to the White House before William Henry Harrison skipped wearing a coat to his inauguration, caught a cold, and died from pneumonia just 31 days later. Shaped by revolution and a New York education, Anna defied expectations, from eloping against her father’s wishes to running school on the Ohio frontier. Her story is a ...
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The Chains We Forge In Life, How Religious Is the US, and Hanukkah at the White House

December 15, 2025 • 46 mins
A warning to anyone engaged in demeaning rhetoric: How do you want to be remembered after you’re gone? Like Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, it’s not too late to change. Plus, Sharon is joined by political and data scientist, and stand-up comedian, Andrea Jones-Rooy for a fun discussion about data literacy. You’ll learn how to spot manipulation and political spin in headlines and news stories before they fool you.  And then...
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How Beavers Built America, The 5 Habits of Hope, And Jackie Kennedy’s Christmas Legacy

December 8, 2025 • 44 mins
Before railroads, revolutions, or even the idea of America itself, one animal with a grudge against running water built the foundations of our country. The beaver didn’t just shape rivers — it shaped history, and even sparked a war.  Then Sharon talks with psychologist and author Dr. Julia Garcia, whose new book The Five Habits of Hope offers a practical way to find your way back to hope, especially when life feels heavy.  Plus, ...
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America’s Rising Sun Moment, Why You’re More Powerful Than You Think, And Memorable Moments of White House Holidays

December 1, 2025 • 45 mins
Even the Founding Fathers had their doubts about the future of the country, but Benjamin Franklin chose to see its promise. We’ll explain how one chair gave him the answer he was searching for.  Plus, Sharon talks with philosopher Alex Madva, co-author of ⁠Somebody Should Do Something⁠, about why so many of us feel powerless, but there’s more common ground in America than we think. So what can we do about it? He’ll tell us.  And ...
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The Most Chaotic Election in American History Was Saved by an Irish Immigrant, and a Conversation with Congressman James Clyburn

November 24, 2025 • 45 mins
Meet the Irish immigrant who used fireplace tongs to fight a member of Congress, was thrown in jail for insulting a president, and ultimately changed the course of American history. Plus, Sharon talks with powerful Democratic Congressman James Clyburn in a wide-ranging conversation that touches on the drama currently happening in the House, his life growing up as a Black child in the south, and why people of color need something...
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Presenting unPAUSED with Dr. Mary Claire Haver

November 19, 2025 • 2 mins
Welcome to unPAUSED, the podcast where bold, unfiltered conversations take place about what it really takes for women to thrive in the second half of life. Every week, Dr. Mary Claire Haver, a board-certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Certified Menopause Practitioner, and #1 New York Times best-selling author, tackles the conversations women actually need to hear. Dr. Haver sits down with a variety of medical experts, CEOs, and ri...
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How Hard Can It Be, Boys Do It? Plus, Fighting for Equal Rights After the Civil War, and Answers to Your Questions

November 17, 2025 • 45 mins
It’s not something you’ll read about in most history books. Sharon tells the remarkable story of Florence Hall and her Women’s Land Army: the women who took over the farming jobs American men left behind when they went off to fight World War II. These women weren’t just fill-ins, in many cases, the farms they worked on were even more successful than when the men were doing the work. Plus, Sharon is joined again by Akhil Reed Amar,...
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A Stranger Saved My Husband’s Life, Why You Think the Way You Do, and Answers to Your Questions

November 10, 2025 • 47 mins
A shocking phone call after a routine medical exam. Despite no symptoms, Sharon’s husband had advanced kidney disease and he would die without a transplant. She shares the deeply personal story of a stranger saving Chris’s life, and what it taught her about the selflessness of others. Plus, her fascinating conversation with Colin Woodard, author of Nations Apart, who goes back generations to explain why America is so polarized, and...
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From the Printing Press to AI, Why Fascists Fear Teachers, and Answering Your Questions

November 3, 2025 • 47 mins
Five centuries ago, Johannes Gutenberg’s printing press shattered the barriers to knowledge. Today, AI is doing the same. Sharon takes you on a journey into history that is strikingly similar to where we are today. Plus, she’s joined by Randi Weingarten, author of Why Fascists Fear Teachers whom critics have called “the most dangerous person in the world.” Together, they explore why teachers remain democracy’s first line of defense...
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Government Shutdown, White House Renovations, and Stoic Virtues

October 30, 2025 • 41 mins
Welcome to the very first episode of The Preamble! Sharon kicks things off with a conversation with New York Times bestselling author Ryan Holiday to chat about his new book, Wisdom Takes Work. Ryan shares how reading can be a superpower, allowing us to “communicate with the dead” and learn from those who came before us. And, he explains what you can do to become more wise today. Plus, Sharon answers your most pressing questi...
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The Preamble Trailer

October 19, 2025 • 1 min
The world feels complicated. The Preamble is where it starts to make sense. Hosted by Sharon McMahon — known for making sense of complex issues — she and her guests dive deep into the stories and ideas driving our future, bringing clarity and honesty to every headline. If you want real insight, bold conversation, and answers that matter, this podcast is your must-listen. Hit play, and join the movement that will shape history. C...
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