Fly On The Wall

NEW week, NEW episode!

Welcome back to The Fly! There’s no better way to kick off Season 16 than with Rick Wiley, a seasoned GOP political strategist and Spring 2024 GU Politics Fellow. Rick has worked behind the scenes of some of the most high-profile political campaigns in the U.S., most notably as the National Political Director for Ambassador Nikki Haley's presidential campaign. In this episode, Rick dives deep into the strategic mind of a political campaign, offering a front-row seat to the highs and lows of navigating today’s intense political landscape. Join us as Rick shares his personal stories from the campaign trail, his thoughts on early voting and vote-by-mail, and his thoughts on the future of effective political messaging.

Welcome back to the Fly! There is no better way to end the season than with Dr. Fauci. As leader of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for 38 years, he has been on the frontline of nearly every major disease since the 1980s. His research and dedication have helped save tens of millions of lives. As Dr. Fauci has been widely covered, he gets candid in this episode about many of his life and professional experiences, from personal relationships with presidents—he has advised seven of them—to his actions during the AIDS/HIV epidemic and his close relationship with LGBTQ+ activists to the long nights leading up to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Fauci becomes personable and opens up about his lovely relationship with his wife and gives us college students much-needed and very sentimental advice. This is truly an episode you don’t want to miss! If you want to hear what is on his personal gym playlist or the secret to a long, happy, and loving relationship, tune in now! Have a great sum

Welcome back, flies! We have a very special episode this week, because we have not one but two guests!! First, we sat down with Waleed Shahid, a Senior Democratic Strategist and former Spokesperson for Justice Democrats, about the future of the Democratic party, including "The Squad." Next, we sat down with Allegra Kirkland, the politics director for Teen Vogue. Kirkland shared her thoughts on the impact of the pandemic, the key to voter turnout, and the stakes for 2024. This is a special-edition, must-listen episode that you don't want to miss!

This week flies sat down with the PBS NewsHour White House Correspondent and CNN Analyst Laura Barrón-López. Laura is a rising star in journalism who knew she wanted to be a journalist since she was 12. She began in local journalism in California early in her college career and, after graduation, moved to DC after receiving an opportunity to be a reporter for E&E News. Since then, she has worked for PBS, Politico, CNN, The Hill, The Huffington Post, and The Washington Examiner. Journalism is the key to protecting our democracy. Tune in as we talk about what it’s like covering the President of the United States. Hear Laura’s insights about the state of democracy and journalism following the 2020 Election and January 6th and how that will impact how journalists cover the 2024 race. This is an episode you do not want to miss!

Buzz buzz… sit down with fellow flies Kenneth and Sarah to listen to an engaging conversation with Pentagon Correspondent and the Washington Post’s National Security writer Dan Lamothe. In this episode, Dan discusses how he made his foray into the world of journalism, starting with local reporting and moving toward covering the U.S. military, its people, and its operations. For over 15 years, Dan has covered the Armed Forces, consistently traveling to Afghanistan and shadowing senior U.S. defense officials at home and abroad. Tune in to hear more about Dan’s experience with reporting about war and how it has shaped his writing today.

We are zooming in with another incredible interview! Val Demings is a profile in public service. Demings was Orlando’s first woman Chief of Police and served as the Congresswoman for FL-10, where she was a house impeachment manager for Donald Trump’s first impeachment and was there that day on January 6th. She was also on President Biden’s shortlist for Vice President and ran for US Senate against Senator Marco Rubio in 2022. Tune in to hear candid talk about public safety and crime from a former police chief, the political future of Florida, what it was like becoming a House Impeachment Manager, and what it was like to be in Congress on January 6th. I promise, you do not want to miss this episode!

Welcome back to another incredible episode. This week, Flys sat down with Machalagh Carr, former Chief of Staff to Kevin McCarthy. Carr is an experienced legal counselor who served as General Counsel for the Speaker and office of the Republican Leader. Additionally, she has held numerous roles across a number of congressional oversight committees. Tune in to hear inside details about the McCarthy speakership and how law and politics are changing in America’s current political climate. This is an episode you do not want to miss!

Welcome back! Here to start off our season: Chase and Sarah joined our very first fellow, Deanne Millison! They had a lively conversation about Deanne’s experience starting off in law school and transitioning into the political sphere. Hear more about Millison’s roles as the Chief Economic Advisor for Vice President Harris, her work with the impeachment proceedings of Pres. Donald Trump, and her time with Mayor Rahm Emanuel for her hometown of Chicago. Buzz into the episode to hear more about Millison’s journey from local government to the hilltop!

Hello Flies, and welcome back! It's a new year and time for a new season of The Fly! We have an exciting roundup of Fellows and guests this season and can't wait to get started. For our very first episode, Chase and Julian sat down with Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia Secretary of State. They had a fascinating conversation about election security, including Secretary Raffensperger's interactions with Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential election. They also discussed Georgia's economy, the state's future, and how they will continue to hold safe, fair, free elections. It's a must-listen-to season opener, and we hope you enjoy!

Hello flies! We’re buzzing into Thanksgiving break with a brand new episode! This week flies interviewed Brenda Gianiny, President of Axis Research Inc. and a Republican pollster for notable Republicans such as Liz Cheney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mitch McConnell, Bush-Cheney 04, and more! We talked about Brenda’s experience as a pollster and how issues like abortion, Trump’s indictments, Jan. 6th, and more are impacting the GOP primary, competitive down-ballot races, and the 2024 Presidential race. Become a fly on the wall and get the inside scoop on polling and upcoming elections. You do not want to miss this episode!

Welcome back, flies! As Thanksgiving approaches, we have another great episode for you with one of our GU Politics fellows! This week, we sat down with Emily Horne, the Former Spokesperson for the National Security Council under the Biden Administration. She also is the Former Head of Global Policy Communications at Twitter, and the Founder and CEO of Allegro Public Affairs. Emily shared her thoughts on misinformation, the future of social media, and the disguised role of state actors on social media during elections. Tune in to hear her opinion on social media regulation and the importance of a peaceful transfer of power. This is a must-see episode, so make sure to take a listen!

Buzz buzz, fellow flies! This week’s episode features another GU Politics Fellow, Craig Minassian! Darius and Sarah dive into Craig’s journey of merging the seemingly distant realms of politics and entertainment. Tune in to hear more about Craig’s experience as a producer and consultant for Comedy Central, MTV, ABC, and ESPN, working with Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, in addition to his ten years of involvement with the Clinton Foundation. This is a must-listen!

Hello Flies! Welcome back to another episode! This week, we sat down with another GU Politics Fellow, Joe Hack! Hack graduated from Georgetown in 2009, so we were happy to welcome him back to the hilltop! Hack is the Former U.S. Senate Chief of Staff (Sen. Fischer, R-Neb.), as well as a Senior VP for The Daschle Group and the CEO of Swann Street Consulting. Austin and Chase had a great conversation about taking on the responsibility of Senate Chief of Staff at only 27 years old, as well as his views on the changing Republican Party and his institutional faith in the Senate. This is a must-see episode, so enjoy!

On this week’s episode, the flies buzzed into an exciting conversation with Georgetown senior Gabe Fleisher, the founder and editor-in-chief of the daily political newsletter Wake Up to Politics. Gabe discussed his experience with starting the newsletter, his coolest experiences as a reporter, and the accessibility of political news. He also shared insight into the Speaker race and his thoughts on 2024. Buzz into the episode; this is not one to miss!

In this episode, the flies sat down with Nia-Malika Henderson, CNN Senior Political Analyst and GU Politics Fellow. She discussed everything from the challenges of being a black queer woman in the media industry today, to the fallbacks the media had in covering the Obama and Trump administrations, to the significant changes she has witnessed over the past decade, and where she thinks politics and journalism in America are headed. This is definitely an episode you do not want to miss, so give it a listen now!

We are buzzing into a new season with an interview with former White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain! Beginning working with President Joe Biden in 1988, Klain has nearly four decades of experience serving all three branches of government and the private sector. His unmatched expertise was tested in the first two years of the Biden Administration as they faced a conundrum of crises from Covid-19 to January 6th to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Klain spoke about his time here at Georgetown and the lessons he has learned from his time in public service. You do not want to miss this episode!

Welcome back! For the season finale, we sat down with former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan. Hogan shared his experience during his time as governor, his political career, the future of the Republican Party in Maryland, and more. It's been a fantastic season and year with The Fly, and we can't thank all of our listeners enough for tuning in every week!

In this episode of The Fly, we sat down with David Greene, host of Left, Right, & Center, and a former co-host of NPR’s Morning Edition. David shared s his experiences reporting in Libya during the Arab Spring and in Ukraine last year. The flies also had an honest discussion with him about the current polarization of news and lessons we can learn moving forward. Listen now!

In this exciting episode, the flies sat down with Robert Doar, the President of the American Enterprise Institute and a highly respected public policy expert. The conversation surrounded all things about think tanks in America and the role they have in affecting legislation. This is surely an episode you do not want to miss out on, so grab a snack and listen now!