The Fly

Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service
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Your weekly window into how the most impactful moments in politics unfold. From the Oval Office to the Clinton campaign war room to the hallowed halls of Congress to Maryland's Governor's Mansion, we bring you inside the rooms where the biggest decisions are made. Hosted by a couple of college kids still trying to learn how things get done in this complicated yet beautiful world of American politics.

  1. Ankit Jain, D.C. Shadow Senator, "We fought a revolution to prevent this”

    3D AGO

    Ankit Jain, D.C. Shadow Senator, "We fought a revolution to prevent this”

    Our latest episode is with Ankit Jain! Elected in 2024, Ankit Jain has served as the Shadow Senator for the District of Columbia and has stayed committed to advocating for statehood and expanding voting rights for DC. Before entering politics, Jain worked as a voting rights attorney and founded Young Democrats Ward 2 to encourage civil engagement in young people. Jain’s election as a shadow senator for D.C was historic as he was the first Asian-American and Indian-American elected to office in Washington, D.C. Listen more to hear everything there is to know about Congress from Ankit Jain!

    39 min
  2. Former Senator Laphonza Butler, "I'm Open to Every Opportunity"

    NOV 16

    Former Senator Laphonza Butler, "I'm Open to Every Opportunity"

    Welcome back to another episode of the Fly on the Wall! Today, we welcome Former Senator Laphonza Butler on the podcast! Laphonza Butler is a former senator representing California, who Governor Gavin Newsom appointed to replace the late Senator Dianne Feinstein after her death in 2023. Born in Mississippi, Butler attended Jackson State University before beginning her career as a labor organizer. She has been actively involved in the United States labor movement throughout her public service career, serving as President of SEIU Local 2015 in Los Angeles, California. Before serving in Congress, former Senator Butler served as the president of Emily’s List which works to elect Democratic pro-choice women to government. Former Senator Butler has also been prominent in the private sector, working as Director of Public Policy for Airbnb. Former Senator Butler is a Fall 2025 GU Politics Fellow at Georgetown University and has hosted her weekly discussion groups on AI, Labor, and the Politics of the Future of Work, which she expands on in this must-listen-to podcast episode.

    29 min
  3. Jamelle Bouie, NYT Opinion Columnist, "The Constitution is Living"

    NOV 10

    Jamelle Bouie, NYT Opinion Columnist, "The Constitution is Living"

    Tune in to this week’s episode with a fellow podcaster, Jamelle Bouie! Co-host of his own podcast, Unclear and Present Danger, and columnist for the New York Times, Jamelle Bouie, provides perspective on history and politics.  Before joining the Times, Bouie began his career at The American Prospect magazine and then became the chief political correspondent at Slate magazine. From receiving the Hillman Prize for Opinion & Analysis Journalism and being elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, Bouie has shaped national conversations on democracy and race. Some of Bouie’s most recent articles for the Times include “They Don’t Want to Live in Lincoln’s America” and “This Administration Is Silencing Its Critics.” Listen to one of the most influential commentators in politics today as Bouie explores topics of the Constitution and the role of executive power in modern politics

    25 min
  4. Ambassador Mark Green, "I Don't Do Wish Projection"

    NOV 2

    Ambassador Mark Green, "I Don't Do Wish Projection"

    Welcome back, flies! We hope you had a spook-tacular halloween 👻 🎃 This week we sat down with Mark Green, the former Ambassador to Tanzania. Green’s career has been nothing short of extraordinary. Green began his political career as a congressman for Wisconsin’s 8th congressional district, where he served as Assistant Majority Whip. During the second Bush administration, he worked to promote international development as the Ambassador to Tanzania. From 2017 to 2020, he served as the Administrator of USAID—leading its humanitarian aid efforts. As a malaria survivor, child of South African immigrants, and former school teacher in Kenya, Green brings a dynamic perspective to the table. TUNE IN to learn about his take on humanitarianism, free enterprise, and the Trump administration’s dismantlement of USAID.

    41 min
  5. Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), "The Slow Walk Into an Authoritarian Government is Absolutely Happening"

    OCT 27

    Congressman Adam Smith (D-WA), "The Slow Walk Into an Authoritarian Government is Absolutely Happening"

    Hi Flies, welcome back to Episode 5 of Season 18! On this episode, we have Congressman Adam Smith, a democrat from Washington state’s 9th district on the podcast. Representative Smith recently spoke at an event hosted by Georgetown’s Initiative for U.S-China dialogue, and discussed the U.S/China relationship and its importance. Representative Smith was born here in Washington, D.C and grew up in Washington State. In 1987, Congressman Smith graduated from Fordham University with a degree in political science and went back to Washington state to pursue his law degree at the University of Washington. After law school, Congressman Smith worked in both private and public law, notably practicing for Cromwell and Mendoza and Belur, before becoming a prosecutor and later a judge. At 25 years old, Mr. Smith was the youngest state senator ever elected, serving there until 1996 before being elected to Congress in 1997. Mr. Smith is currently the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee and is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, as well as the Congressional Progressive Caucus. Notably, and related to this episode of the podcast, Mr. Smith created the bipartisan congressional caucus for effective foreign assistance to advocate for reforms in foreign aid. In this episode, Mr. Smith discussed U.S-China relations regarding his leading of the first United States House delegation to China in six years, U.S-China diplomacy, the airstrikes conducted by the Trump administration in the Caribbean, and Mr. Smith’s role being one of the first Democrats to call for President Biden to drop out of his 2024 campaign. This episode, which you can find on Spotify, is one you won’t want to miss out on!

    14 min
  6. Amy Howe, Author of SCOTUSblog, "The 64,000 Question"

    OCT 20

    Amy Howe, Author of SCOTUSblog, "The 64,000 Question"

    Get ready for Episode 4 of Season 18! 🪰🪰 Listen to Georgetown University 2025 Fall Fellow Amy Howe! Amy Howe is an accomplished journalist and legal analyst, best known for her work SCOTUSblog. She is the co-founder of SCOTUSblog, where she helps break down complex Supreme Court decisions and is a leading voice on the intersection between law and public life. Before turning to journalism. Amy Howe has argued over two dozen merit cases before the Supreme Court and has taught at Harvard Law, Stanford Law School and American University’s Washington College of Law. Amy has covered the Court for more than a decade and has earned both a Peabody Award and a National Press Club Journalism Award for Breaking News! Tune in to get a behind-the-scenes at the Supreme Court and the life of a journalist!

    42 min
  7. Rob Flaherty, Deputy Campaign Manager, Joe Biden 2024, "You Don't get a Trophy for Cutting the Margins"

    OCT 16

    Rob Flaherty, Deputy Campaign Manager, Joe Biden 2024, "You Don't get a Trophy for Cutting the Margins"

    Welcome back to the Fly for our third episode of Season 18! Rob Flaherty is a Georgetown University Fall 2025 Fellow who is a leading political strategist. He previously served as Former Assistant to President Joe Biden, as well as his Director of Digital Strategy. When President Biden exited the presidential race in 2024, Flaherty took over as Deputy Campaign Manager for Harris for President in her historic 107 day battle for the White House. Flaherty is a 2013 graduate of Ithaca College, whose career in politics was sparked after watching West Wing and from there, joined local campaigns in New York. As a young professional, Flaherty also worked on Terry McAuliffe’s campaign for governor of Virginia. Later, Flaherty moved to the national stage where he became Presidential Candidate Beto O’Rourke’s Digital Director in 2020, Creative Director at Priorities USA, and Deputy Director of Digital Communications for Hillary for America. Flaherty runs a fellow’s discussion group currently titled "The Politics of Attention: Media, Campaigns, and Our Broken Information Environment.” Flaherty sat down with the Fly to discuss these topics and more, ranging from how he started in politics, his work in the White House and on the campaign trail, digital media strategy wins and losses, and how the traditional media and press has evolved, as well as its implications for the political landscape in the United States. This is a must-listen episode with many fun tid-bits and insights into the White House and digital media!

    35 min
  8. Jamaal Bowman, Former U.S. Representative, "Imagine a Better World"

    OCT 8

    Jamaal Bowman, Former U.S. Representative, "Imagine a Better World"

    There is a big buzz in that air for Episode 2 of Season 18! Jamaal Bowman, former middle school principal turned US Representative for New York’s 16th Congressional District joined us for a special episode on activism. Before entering politics, Bowman founded Cornerstone Academy for Social Action, a middle school focused on a restorative justice approach for their students. In the 2020 Democratic primary, Bowman's defeat of 16-term incumbent, Eliot Engel, showed the strength of grassroot campaigning. Once in Washington, Bowman quickly became an influential progressive figure for his viewpoints on education, racial equity, and US foreign policy in Israel. Known for his authenticity and dedication to his community, Bowman was a key player in policies surrounding education and labor reform. In 2024, Bowman lost to pro-Israel candiate George Latimer in what was recorded as the most expensive House of Representives primary in US history. Since then, Bowman has launched the Built to Win PAC, and has used his platform to advocate for systemic change in education and human rights policy. Join us to hear a down-to-earth perspective on current political issues of education, the Israel-Gaza conflict, and labor reform. This is a must-listen episode for those interested in activism or a career in politics!

    56 min
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About

Your weekly window into how the most impactful moments in politics unfold. From the Oval Office to the Clinton campaign war room to the hallowed halls of Congress to Maryland's Governor's Mansion, we bring you inside the rooms where the biggest decisions are made. Hosted by a couple of college kids still trying to learn how things get done in this complicated yet beautiful world of American politics.

Information

  • Creator
    Georgetown's Institute of Politics and Public Service
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2025
  • Episodes
    204
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © All rights reserved
  • Show Website
    The Fly