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Stubborn Things

Stubborn Things

By: AEI Podcasts
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John Adams famously said: “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." In this era of knee-jerk partisanship and ideological posturing, Adams's warning is as important as ever. Tune in every other week as AEI's Jay Cost and Sean Trende draw on their wide-ranging base of knowledge and stubborn commitment to the evidence to understand what is happening in the world of American politics.Copyright 2026 AEI Podcasts Political Science Politics & Government World
Episodes
  • Gordon Wood and the History of the Founding at 250

    Gordon Wood and the History of the Founding at 250
    Jun 22 2026
    This episode of Stubborn Things comes out a week ahead of schedule, and this one’s for the historiography nerds. This week, Jay and Sean discuss the legacy of historian Gordon Wood, who passed away earlier this month, and the historiography of the American founding. Our hosts lead us on a tour from Charles Beard’s economic interpretation of the founding and framing of the constitution to the “consensus historians” of the mid-20th century who responded to Beard’s theory. Then, they address the shift in the way history was done, with the emergence of Bernard Bailyn, Gordon Wood, and others, all of whom emphasized that the American founding was ideological in nature. Jay and Sean also analyze new histories of the founding, including social histories and critical histories, like the 1619 Project. The episode concludes with a dialogue on how to think about the founders and the founding, 250 years on.Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.Show notes:Gordon S. Wood, a Historian Who Loved AmericaGordon Wood Accepts the 2025 Irving Kristol Award, AEI Annual Dinner 2025George Bancroft’s History of the United States of AmericaCharles Beard’s An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United StatesBernard Bailyn’s The Ideological Origins of the American RevolutionGordon Wood’s The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1787 and The Radicalism of the American RevolutionJoyce Appleby’s Capitalism and a New Social Order: The Republican Vision of the 1790s and Liberalism and Republicanism in the Historical ImaginationLance Banning’s The Sacred Fire of Liberty: James Madison and the Founding of the Federal RepublicRogers Smith’s Civic Ideals: Conflicting Visions of Citizenship in U.S. History
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • The Identity of the GOP with Patrick Ruffini

    The Identity of the GOP with Patrick Ruffini
    Jun 15 2026

    This week, Jay and Sean welcome Echelon Insight’s Patrick Ruffini to Stubborn Things to talk about how the GOP went from the party of Reagan to the party of Trump. Patrick discussed the Republican Party’s demographic shift and how Trump began to appeal to working class voters during the 2016 election. Jay, Sean, and Patrick also touched on the idea of economic aspiration, potential reversions in the GOP’s demographic gains, and economic and educational indicators of voting patterns. Plus, hear Patrick’s thoughts about the future of the GOP post-Trump and what to watch for in the midterms.

    Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.

    Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.

    Show notes:

    Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP

    Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream

    Steadfast Democrats: How Social Forces Shape Black Political Behavior
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Return of the Tiers

    Return of the Tiers
    Jun 1 2026

    The last Stubborn Things episode was so popular that we couldn’t resist doing yet another presidential tiers episode. Take a listen to hear how Sean and Jay rank the first presidents of the twentieth century, from Theodore Roosevelt through Hebert Hoover. And let us know where you’d place these presidents on your own tiers!

    Remember to rate and follow Stubborn Things and stay up to date by following us on X @aei_STpodcast.

    Comments? Suggestions? Email us at StubbornThings@aei.org.
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    1 hr and 6 mins
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