emily howard

publishing professional

NPR

6 podcast episodes to listen to instead of watching election coverage

PodcastsEmily HowardComment

Today is Election Day here in the U.S., and as an antidote for endless talking heads and political ads, here are a few of my favorite podcasts and their election-themed episodes! Enjoy!

If you have 15 minutes and want something light... 

It's no secret that Pop Culture Happy Hour is my favorite podcast. I have dragged many a friend and family to the live shows in DC. Sometimes PCHH will have Small Batch editions, shorter episodes that drop on days other than Friday. Here's one where Stephen and Glen chat about late night talk shows, SNL and the presidential election:

If you have almost an hour and want some fresh perspective

Radiolab's episode "One Vote" chronicles a few stories where one vote really does make a difference, from the biggest elections to the smallest.

If you have a few hours and want lots of stories from all sides...

This American Life has a series of episodes (and fun web extras here and here) on the upcoming election. First listen to these: Episode #599 "Seriously?" and Episode #600: Will I Know Anyone at this Party?.

Then listen to this one:

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Honorable Mention

Here is a suggestion from my husband Grant, a huge fan of Bill Simmons' website The Ringer and its political podcast Keepin' it 1600. The show is hosted by four former aides of President Obama, including former Director of Speechwriting Jon Favreau.

I'm sure there's a few I missed, comment with your favorite election podcasts so I can continue to keep the TV off :)