Fly on the Wall: a GU Politics Podcast

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Fly on the Wall: a GU Politics Podcast

Your weekly window into how the most impactful moments in politics unfold. Have you always wanted to how politics really works? Us, too. And we hope you are, too.

From the Oval Office to the Clinton campaign war room to the halls of Congress to Maryland's Governor's Mansion, we bring you inside the rooms where the biggest decisions are made. Curious how the public debating, social-media sparring, and closed-door deal-making yields policy? Wondering what gets left out of that news story? That's we decided to do something about it. Captivated by the 2016 elec

tion, energized by our home in Washington, DC, and inspired by the rise of mainstream political podcasts, a group of college kids at Georgetown pitched, planned, and launched Fly on the Wall in February of 2017--and never looked back. Unlike your typical news outlet, we don't look at the who, what or why. We're interested in the how; we want to know about the decision-making processes that yield tangible results. Our aim is to take our listeners into the rooms where it happens: the countless hours of planning, the dirty work, the moments of defeat, the moments of triumph. Each week, we bring in a new politico--including White House staffers, journalists, communications experts, and even elected officials--to tell us what we would see if we were "flies on the wall," extracting fascinating stories about how politics gets things done. As students studying government, we're fascinated by this stuff.

05/08/2025

Welcome back flies!! It’s the end of another great semester here at Georgetown which means it’s the season finale of The Fly! What a better way to end the season than with GU Politics Fellow Don Graves! Graves served as the 19th Deputy Secretary of Commerce under the Biden-Harris Administration from May 2021 to January 2025. He previously served as Counselor to President Biden during the 2020 campaign and held senior roles in the Obama-Biden Administration, including Executive Director of the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, where he oversaw programs like the CDFI Fund and the Small Business Lending Fund. Austin and Chloe spoke with Graves about the future of the federal workforce, the value of the private and public sectors, and Graves’ political experience in both Detroit and Puerto Rico. Graves also spoke on his experience drafting major policy like the CHIPS Act, and the importance of government accountability and results. This is a must-see season finale, so tune in!
We’ve had so many great guests this season, and cannot thank everyone enough for coming onto the podcast this semester. See you all in the fall and have a great summer!!🪰🪰🪰📚📚📚

05/04/2025

Hi Flies! Welcome back to a brand new episode! It’s finals season here at Georgetown, but that doesn’t mean we can’t give you a great new conversation! This week, Abigail and Julian sat down with Heather Nauert, a Spring 2025 GU Politics Fellow. Nauert is a journalist and former spokesperson for the State Department. She began her career as a broadcast journalist, working for major outlets such as ABC News and Fox News, where she served as a correspondent and co-host of the morning show Fox & Friends. In 2017, she transitioned to public service, joining the U.S. Department of State as its Spokesperson under President Donald Trump. Join us for a fascinating conversation about Nauert’s transition from journalism to government, the impact of foreign correspondence, and changes in the Trump administration’s foreign policy in the second administration. Julian and Abby also discussed the impact of 9/11, her experience visiting North Korea, and so much more! This is a must-see episode, so make sure to take a listen. 🪰🪰📚📚

03/31/2025

Hello flies!! Welcome back to a brand new episode!! It’s cherry blossom season in D.C, and time for another great episode with a great guest!! This week, Kenneth and Julian sat down with Tony Fabrizio, a Spring 2025 GU Politics Fellow! Fabrizio was the Chief Pollster for Donald Trump for President in 2024, 2020, and 2016. He has helped elect Presidents and Prime Ministers on five continents. The flies discussed messaging for the 2024 campaign, the changing media landscape, and the most effective ads against the Harris campaign. This is a must- see episode coming tomorrow!! 🪰🪰🪰🌸🌸

03/17/2025

Happy St. Patrick’s Day flies! Buzzing in with a brand new episode, just as lucky as a pot of gold ☘️Join Abigail and Chloe as they sit down with Cecilia Kang, an award-winning Technology Correspondent at The New York Times, with unique expertise in the intersection of technology and public policy. She has broken news that led to regulatory investigations into Apple, Google, and Amazon, and interviewed top executives such as Tim Cook, Sheryl Sandberg, and Reed Hastings. Cecilia has over 20 years of experience in journalism, covering U.S. and international technology, economics, and business news.

Curious to know what America’s best defense against AI could be? Tune in to hear Kang’s approach to translating complex technology issues for broad audiences, as well as the global race to dominate artificial intelligence. 🪰🎤

02/25/2025

Hello flies! 🪰🪰🪰Welcome back to a brand new season of The Fly! We are so excited to kick start this season with a very special guest, Meg Kinnard! Meg is a national politics reporter with a 20 year career at The Associated Press. She anchored the first-ever general election livestream coverage for the AP, and was also the first AP reporter to appear on the AP’s TikTok account. Austin and Sarah sat down with Meg for a dynamic conversation about her time at The AP, the importance of nonpartisan political news, and the future of podcasting. Meg has covered Congress, campaign advertising, the 2024 GOP presidential primary, and so much more. She is also a Georgetown alum, where she was famously a member of the GU College Democrats and the GU College Republicans. This is a must-see episode, so everyone take a listen!!! Also, stay tuned for many more exciting episodes this upcoming season!🪰🪰

12/08/2024

Welcome back flies! This week we are buzzing back in with a special edition episode featuring California’s outgoing senator Laphonza Butler! Reporting from the Hart Building of the Senate Office, sit down with Will and Sarah as they dive into Butler’s expansive political journey.

Butler begins with her passion for the labor movement, motivated by ideals of the Civil Rights Movement and inspired by her own mother to fight for worker’s rights. Rebuilding the trust of California’s laborers, Butler eventually became President of the California SEIU State Council in 2013.

Butler also discusses her transition to working for Emily’s List, one of the nation’s largest political action committees dedicated to electing Democratic women candidates to office. Working in both the labor movement and political consulting, Butler discusses her approach to balancing grassroots perspectives with strategic national and state goals.

Tune in to listen! 🎙️💙

11/15/2024

BUZZ BUZZ… did you miss us? We are back with another GU Politics Fellow for you all this week, Former Special Assistant to the President Ashley Gunn! Gunn not only has 25 years of experience in state and federal government under her belt working on two Presidential campaigns, but she served as the senior director of cabinet affairs for Donald Trump’s administration. Since 1991, Gunn has worked extensively behind the scenes of every republican convention. Don’t miss out and be sure to tune in to this week’s episode to hear about Gunn’s take on the people behind our government, the importance of balancing family and career, and how at the end of the day- we’re truly more similar than we are different. 🎙️🪰

11/03/2024

🚨ELECTION DAY SPECIAL COVERAGE ALERT

Election Day is almost here, and we cannot believe it! This has been a historic election cycle, and the Fly team is here to guide you through it with a special two-part series you won’t want to miss!

Part One drops tomorrow! In this episode, Senior Fly Andrea Smith sits down with former CNN embed Sarah Mucha and Reed Howard, Chief Public Affairs Officer for The Future Caucus. Together, they’ll dive into the fascinating world of swing state voters, focusing on groups like Nikki Haley supporters in Pennsylvania and Gen Z in Michigan. You’ll get an insider’s perspective on how these key demographics are shaping the race and see what strategies the candidates are using (or not using) to connect with them. If you’ve ever wondered what goes into the planning and strategy of a campaign, this is your chance to hear all the behind-the-scenes details from those who have been in the thick of it!

And mark your calendars for Part Two, airing on Election Day! Andrea and Darius Wagner will be joined by MSNBC’s Symone Sanders Townsend, who has a wealth of experience working in local and national campaigns, most notably being the Press Secretary for Bernie Sanders in 2016, the Senior Advisor to the Biden-Harris campaign, and the Chief Spokesperson for VP Kamala Harris in 2021. Symone brings incredible insights about the current political landscape and the candidates involved. Her unique perspective is invaluable, and you’ll definitely want to hear her thoughts as the race reaches its climax!

So get ready to start your Election Day prep with us. These episodes are filled with invaluable insights that will give you a front-row seat to everything that’s unfolded leading up to this moment. From our Fly family to yours—please enjoy, and remember to VOTE!

10/22/2024

Season 16 is coming!! The flies are BUZZING to bring you a super exciting season filled with conversations around the presidential elections, bring you on the campaign trail, and break down everything that comes afterward! This will be a historic few months and you will not want to miss out on our episodes pulling back the curtains behind it all.

Much love,
The Fly Team

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http://politics.georgetown.edu/flyonthewallpod

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