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Consider the Constitution is a podcast from the Robert H. Smith Center for the Constitution at James Madison's Montpelier. The show provides insight into constitutional issues that directly affect every American. Hosted by Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey the podcast features interviews with constitutional scholars, policy and subject matter experts, heritage professionals, and legal practitioners.
52 Episodes
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In this special episode of Consider The Constitution, Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey is joined by Dr. Kelley Fanto Deetz, Montpelier's Chief Advancement Officer, to explore how James Madison's Montpelier reveals history's most essential truth: no story stands alone. Deetz reveals why Madison's constitutional genius, Dolley's political mastery, and the enslaved community's foundational role must be understood as interconnected tiles in one complex picture. From diplomatic dinners served by ens...
Host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey welcomes back Dr. Lauren Bell to explore how the Constitutional Convention's historic compromises shaped Congress into America's most powerful branch of government. From Madison's Virginia Plan to the Great Compromise that created our bicameral legislature, Bell reveals how enumerated and implied powers actually work in practice. Discover why congressional representation has become increasingly unequal over time, how air conditioning changed Congress forever, an...
For the first time in over 20 years, James Madison's Montpelier is opening its transformational constitutional seminars to the general public. Join host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey and Center Director Patrick Campbell as they extend a personal invitation to an extraordinary three-day immersive experience. Imagine sleeping on the same grounds where Madison wrestled with the ideas that became our Constitution, spending intimate classroom time with renowned Madison scholar Dr. Lynn Ell, and watchi...
In this episode, host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey explores James Madison's constitutional philosophy with professors Eric Kasper and Howard Schweber, co-authors of "James Madison's Constitution: A Double Security and a Parchment Barrier." The conversation unpacks two key Madisonian concepts: "double security" (the idea that both federalism and separation of powers work together to prevent tyranny) and "parchment barriers" (Madison's concern that written rules alone aren't enough to constrain po...
As college campuses continue to serve as vital sites of activism, protest, and public debate, university police face the complex task of upholding First Amendment freedoms while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of diverse campus communities. In this episode, Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey sits down with Chief Timothy Longo, Associate Vice President for Safety and Security at the University of Virginia, to explore the delicate intersection of constitutional rights and campus safety. With over 40 y...
In this compelling episode of Consider the Constitution, host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey explores one of the most contentious intersections of constitutional law and public policy with Professor Hank Chambers from the University of Richmond Law School. Together, they unpack the complex doctrine of qualified immunity and its relationship to police discretion—topics that have become central to national debates about policing, accountability, and civil rights. Professor Chambers breaks down what ...
1In this illuminating episode of Consider the Constitution, Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey welcomes back Dr. Lindsey Cormack, the pioneering political scientist who created DC Inbox—a first-of-its-kind digital archive preserving congressional newsletters. From James Madison's vision of Congress as the people's branch to today's digital communication tactics, this conversation uncovers the evolution of constituent engagement and the power dynamics of political messaging. Dr. Cormack explains why she...
In this episode, host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey interviews historian Dr. Peter Kastor about how America's founding generation transformed constitutional ideals into functioning government institutions. Learn about the challenges faced by early federal leaders, the overlooked contributions of thousands of ordinary civil servants, and how this formative period established enduring traditions of public service and constitutional governance.
In this enlightening episode of Consider the Constitution, host Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey sits down with Dr. Dennis Rasmussen, professor of political science at Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Their conversation explores the philosophical underpinnings that influenced the creation of the U.S. Constitution, particularly focusing on Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke, David Hume, Adam Smith, and Montesquieu whose ideas shaped the framers' thinking. Dr...
In this episode of Consider the Constitution, host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey welcomes back Kendra Johnson, assistant Public Defender in Fairfax, Virginia, to explore the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments. Johnson explains how these amendments form the backbone of criminal procedure in America and protect citizens from government overreach. The discussion begins with an overview of each amendment: the Fourth Amendment protecting against unreasonable searches and seizures, the Fifth Amendment...
Host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey welcomes Dr. Casey Burgat back to James Madison's Montpelier to discuss his new book, "We Hold These Truths: How to Spot the Myths That Are Holding America Back."
In this compelling conversation with historian Dr. Joshua Rothman from the University of Alabama, we explore the complex relationship between slavery and the U.S. Constitution. Dr. Rothman reveals how the founding document's compromises—from the three-fifths clause to the fugitive slave provision—both protected and perpetuated human bondage while planting seeds for eventual conflict. We discuss how economic forces, technological innovations like the cotton gin, and territorial expansion trans...
In this special episode of Consider the Constitution, Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey explores the evolving role of America's First Ladies with Anita McBride, former Assistant to President George W. Bush and Chief of Staff to First Lady Laura Bush, and co-author of "Remember the First Ladies: The Legacies of America's History-Making Women." Though the Constitution never defines this role, First Ladies, from Martha Washington to today, have wielded significant influence in shaping policy, dipl...
In this compelling episode, host Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey sits down with Sharon McMahon, "America's Government Teacher" and New York Times bestselling author of "The Small and the Mighty," to explore the remarkable stories of overlooked women who shaped American democracy. From Rebecca Brown Mitchell, who helped secure women's suffrage in Idaho decades before the 19th Amendment, to fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin, whose courageous stand against bus segregation helped pave the way for the M...
What defines constitutional leadership in today's complex political landscape? Dr. Barbara Perry, co-director of the presidential oral history program at the Miller Center, examines how modern presidents navigate their constitutional authority while facing unprecedented challenges. Drawing from her extensive work conducting presidential oral histories, Perry illuminates the delicate balance between executive power and constitutional constraints, from the critical process of peaceful power tra...
In this episode of Consider the Constitution, we explore the presidential pardon power with Professor Kim Whele from the University of Baltimore Law School. The discussion covers the historical origins of pardons from British common law, its incorporation into the U.S. Constitution, and how this power has evolved through American history through the recent pardons by both President Biden and President Trump in 2024-2025.
Bitter rivals, fake news, and fears of biblical proportions—welcome to the U.S. presidential election of 1800. Consider the Constitution Host Katie Crawford-Lackey and historian John Ragosta unpack America's first transfer of power between opposing parties, revealing surprising parallels to our current political moment.
How would James Madison, the architect of the First Amendment, view today's controversial TikTok ban debate? Host Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey and constitutional expert Dr. Lynn Uzzell explore the surprising parallels between 18th-century free speech battles and our modern social media challenges.
In this season finale, host Dr. Katie Crawford Lackey and producer Adam Belmar reflect on key conversations from the first season of Consider the Constitution Podcast. They revisit notable discussions with constitutional scholars about Article III, judicial review, Madison's vision for managing political diversity, and the evolution of constitutional rights. Highlights include insights on voting rights, the legacy of Reconstruction, privacy in the digital age, and George Washington's approach...
Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky, Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library, joins host Dr. Katie Crawford-Lackey to explore the evolution of presidential power from the nation's founding through the early republic. Drawing from her new book "Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged The Republic," she discusses how George Washington and John Adams shaped the executive office, established crucial precedents, and navigated the delicate balance between effect...
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