Diane Rehm: On My Mind

WAMU 88.5

Diane Rehm’s weekly podcast features newsmakers, writers, artists and thinkers on the issues she cares about most: what’s going on in Washington, ideas that inform, and the latest on living well as we live longer.

6hr 28min

Thumbnail for "Fact-checking the 2024 election".

Glenn Kessler is the chief writer of the Fact Checker column in the Washington Post. He joins Diane to talk about truth and lies in the 2024 election.

September 5, 202425min 35sec24.56 MB

Thumbnail for "What the Harris-Trump debate says about the state of the race".

The New Yorker's Susan Glasser breaks down the presidential debate – and the state of the race -- as early voting kicks off next week in key battleground states.

September 12, 202432min 38sec31.33 MB

Thumbnail for "A discussion of "My Brilliant Friend," the NYT's book of the century so far".

The New York Times recently ranked the top hundred books of the century so far. The number one spot went to "My Brilliant Friend" by Elena Ferrante. In 2015 Diane hosted an in-depth discussion of the novel – and the mystery surrounding its author. We revisit that conversation.

August 29, 202443min 29sec41.79 MB

Thumbnail for "The case for abolishing the Electoral College".

Revisiting Diane’s 2020 with Jesse Wegman, author of “Let the People Pick the President.” They talked about the creation of the Electoral College and why he says it’s time to rethink our presidential election system.

August 22, 202436min 4sec69.28 MB

Thumbnail for "Behind the rising cost of veterinary care".

Journalist Helaine Olen explains how private equity and corporate takeovers are reshaping the pet care industry – and raising your bill.

August 14, 202437min 19sec35.83 MB

Thumbnail for "Dr. Fauci on AIDS Breakthroughs, Covid Setbacks and the Future of Public Health".

Dr. Anthony Fauci talks about his groundbreaking work on HIV/AIDS, the relationship between politics and public health, and whether the country is ready for the next pandemic.

August 8, 202437min 39sec36.14 MB

Thumbnail for "Biden's push to reform the Supreme Court".

President Biden's plan to reform the Supreme Court. Legal analyst Harry Litman breaks down the proposals and explains why he thinks Democrats are playing the long game.

August 1, 202437min 28sec35.98 MB

Thumbnail for "How serious is the threat of political violence in the U.S.?".

The ongoing threat of political violence in America. The Atlantic’s Adrienne France looks at how the escalating divisions and rhetoric are fueling attempts against our leaders and ordinary citizens.

July 25, 202430min 49sec29.58 MB

Thumbnail for "Understanding Project 2025 and how it could shape a second Trump presidency".

The Republican National Convention, J.D. Vance and the myths and realities of Project 2025. Diane talks to Andrew Prokop of Vox about the emerging picture of a Trump second term.

July 19, 202443min 51sec42.12 MB

Thumbnail for "The nation's first Black female billionaire on resilience, creativity, and following her passions".

A Diane Rehm Book Club conversation with Sheila Johnson, the nation's first Black female billionaire, recorded live at WAMU's Black Box Theater. They discussed her memoir "Walk Through Fire."

July 11, 20241hr 3min60.26 MB

Fact-checking the 2024 election

September 5, 202425min 35sec

Donald Trump began his political career with demands to see Barack Obama’s birth certificate, based on the false claim that the he had been born outside of the United States. In other words, a lie.

The former president concluded his term in office with an even bigger lie, namely that the 2020 election was rigged.

In between, Trump fibbed thousands of times about things big and small. And keeping track of these mistruths and exaggerations were political fact-checkers, journalists whose job it is to call out not only Donald Trump’s lies – but the lies all politicians tell.

Glenn Kessler has been the chief writer and editor of the Fact Checker column for The Washington Post since 2011. In it he examines the “truth behind the rhetoric.”

Kessler joined Diane to talk about how his job has changed since Donald Trump entered politics and the challenges of covering the 2024 presidential election.