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PODCAST

USSC Briefing Room

United States Studies Centre

The USSC Briefing Room is a podcast from the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney. It gives you a seat at the table for a briefing on the latest US news and foreign policy. Co-hosts Mari Koeck, Jared Mondschein and Victoria Cooper talk to experts to cover what you need to know and what"s beneath the surface of the news.

news news commentary

All Episodes

26:38

New Cold Wars with NYT’s David Sanger

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/08/19

Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times journalist David Sanger was one of the few journalists selected to ask President Biden a question in his press conference following the NATO Summit in Washington DC and has reported on Washington during the last seven US presidential administrations. His latest book, New Cold Wars: China’s Rise, Russia’s Invasion, and America’s Struggle to Defend the West, considers America’s global position in this pivotal time. What might the 2024 election mean for

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25:42

Modi’s future after the Indian election

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/08/13

This year, India held the largest democratic exercise in the world as 643 million people voted in their election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi won his third election, however, his party, the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party), could not secure a majority in the Parliament, leading to the formation of a coalition government. The opposition secured enough seats to have a leader of the opposition for the first time in a decade, setting up a more contested framework for Prime Minister Modi to

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35:18

The Harris 2024 campaign is official: DC insiders on...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/07/30

Within a week of President Biden announcing he is ending his candidacy for a second term, Vice President Kamala Harris secured scores of endorsements, set fundraising records and secured enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee. How would a Harris administration be different from the Biden administration? Who’s on Harris’ VP short list? Does Harris stand a chance against former president Trump? To discuss these questions, USSC Non-Resident Fellow Victoria Cooper welcomed DC

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27:36

From strongman to living martyr: How Trump’s...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/07/23

Former president Donald Trump narrowly avoided death when a bullet grazed his ear at a campaign rally on 13 July. The images of him rising, holding his fist high and chanting “Fight!” while blood streamed down his face instantly became iconic. Donald Trump has been called a ‘strongman’ throughout his political career, how does this assassination attempt shape the mythology around him? What cultural factors contribute to his persona and perception at home and abroad? How could this change in

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55:21

The NATO Summit in the shadow of Trump, Biden and Vance

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/07/17

Last week, NATO leaders gathered in Washington DC for their annual summit, this year celebrating the 75th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. However, much of Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s final summit was overshadowed by scrutiny of President Biden and then quickly followed by the assassination attempt on former president Trump and the announcement of his running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance. What was the main objective for NATO at this summit and was it achieved

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56:28

Trump’s immune. It is so ordered – featuring Chas...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/07/10

The US Supreme Court handed down their ruling in former president Trump’s immunity case and it granted far broader immunity than most experts anticipated.Why was the ruling so expansive? What does this mean for Trump’s criminal trials? How will this change the presidency going forward?To discuss these issues, we welcomed Chas Licciardello from ABC’s Planet America back on the podcast to follow up on his initial discussion with USSC Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck.Read the full

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32:43

Why Trump and Biden? How the US system led to their...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/07/08

President Biden’s approval rating is at an all-time low and the number of “double haters” who want neither candidate is at an all-time high. The US system is driving the selection of candidates further and further away from the mainstream. Campaign financing contributes to this. How did Trump and Biden become their party’s nominee with so little public support? What systems contribute to the polarisation of politics? Could campaign finance reform lead to candidates with a broader

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25:54

A DC insider on the post-debate pathway for Democrats

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/06/30

Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s debate in Atlanta was always going to be one for the history books. Never before had a general election debate occurred before the party conventions officially named them as their presidential nominees. But following a debate performance that even President Biden conceded was not his best, the most historical aspect of the debate was how many Democrats want to take advantage of the early debate timing and change their nominee altogether. If Democratic primary

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26:36

The push for ranked-choice voting in America

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/06/27

As American politics has become increasingly polarised, experts and analysts have explored avenues for electoral reform to shift voting to be more representative. One solution is ranked-choice voting (RCV), which is standard in Australia, but only appears in a fraction of jurisdictions in the United States. Why is ranked-choice voting so rare in the United States? What is driving the movement to adopt it in more jurisdictions? How can Australia’s method of voting address “the fundamental

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30:21

What is Juneteenth and how does it differ from other...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/06/18

On 17 June 2021, President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, making the day a federal public holiday. What did this new holiday celebrate? What role does Juneteenth play in American history? How is it different from Martin Luther King Jr Day? To discuss these questions Senior Lecturer in American Studies at the United States Studies Centre (USSC) Dr Kathryn Schumaker joined Director of Research Jared Mondschein on the podcast. Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on

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32:49

State of play: Australia’s munitions stockpiles and...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/06/13

The war in Ukraine was a wake-up call for nations around the world as they saw how quickly one crisis could consume the national supply of certain munitions. The Australian Government addressed this in both its 2023 Defence Strategic Review and 2024 National Defence Strategy through the prioritisation of the Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) and acceleration of the GWEO enterprise. However, these aspirations are a long way from becoming reality and bridging the gap from where we

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29:59

What the 2024 election means for America’s Asian...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/06/04

In November, Americans will head to the polls to cast their vote for who will hold the most powerful office in the world – Joe Biden or Donald Trump. But it isn’t only Americans who are impacted. What would a Trump administration vs Biden administration 2.0 mean for allies and partners around the world? What will stay the same regardless of who wins? And, importantly, what can countries do now to prepare for the next four years? Last week, the USSC released its election-year Red Book | Blue

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30:25

The “Third pillar of the alliance” one year later

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/05/21

On 20 May 2023, on the sidelines of the Quad Leaders’ Summit, President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a third pillar of the Australia-US alliance: the climate, critical minerals and clean energy transformation compact. What does this compact involve? How much progress has been made in the past year? What will happen to this pillar of the alliance if former president Trump is re-elected? To discuss these issues, USSC Non-Resident Fellow Lachlan Carey joined Director

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47:20

The Scan-Share-Shape approach to economic security

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/05/07

Economic security is on the minds of leaders everywhere. From trade barriers to industrial policy to crackdowns on foreign investments, growing strategic competition is shaping the global economy. What is economic security? What are the trade-offs involved? And how can Australia adapt to this changing world? Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer is joined by USSC Non-Resident Fellow Helen Mitchell to discuss Helen's new report: Unlocking economic security: a strategic playbook for

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90:43

Deep dive into Trump’s Supreme Court immunity hearing...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/05/03

In January, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there is no presidential immunity that would shield former president Trump from prosecution in the case against him regarding his actions to overturn the results of the 2020 election. But the US Supreme Court said they would take up the question, hearing the oral arguments on their last day of this judicial term.Why did the Supreme Court step in after the DC Circuit Court of Appeals had made a unanimous ruling? What is at stake for

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47:13

What can jazz teach us about democracy?

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/04/30

In honour of International Jazz Day, we’re releasing a special episode of the USSC Briefing Room with the Founder and Director of The Jazz and Democracy Project® (J&D) Dr Wesley Watkins. His program integrates jazz into the study of US history, government, civics and culture, specifically, but also into the humanities more broadly, making J&D a captivating way for students to engage democratic and egalitarian ideals through a range of themes and subject areas. It has been widely

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34:21

JAUKUS and Washington’s view of Canberra, one year later

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/04/23

When a delegation from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) travelled to Washington DC in 2023, AUKUS came up in every conversation and Australia eagerly awaited a visit from President Biden to Australia that didn’t eventuate. Now we are discussing potentially expanding AUKUS to include Japan and significant legislative reforms are making US-Australia defence collaboration stronger than ever.How much has changed in Washington from a year ago? Is the potential for JAUKUS making waves in

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43:40

How Japan and Australia can counter coercion in the...

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/04/14

The rules-based order is under stress in the Indo-Pacific and, according to the latest report from Freedom House, democracy has declined for an 18th consecutive year globally. Both Japan and Australia have strong commitments to development assistance in the region, but a new report from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) argues that this is not enough to counter elite capture, misinformation and other malign influences in the region.What are the stakes for democracy promotion in the

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25:25

Trump's VP shortlist

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/03/28

With the two oldest presidential presumptive nominees in US history, the stakes for the vice presidential selection have never been higher. In 2016 Mike Pence helped deliver the evangelical vote for Trump, but he seems to be going a different direction in 2024. All eyes are on who he will ultimately choose.Will Trump look for a VP to help win swing states? Do any of his former presidential competitors stand a chance? How will Trump’s VP pick change the election?USSC Director of Research and

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46:08

AUKUS: One year since the 'optimal pathway'

USSC Briefing Room ·

2024/03/12

One year ago, Anthony Albanese, Rishi Sunak and Joe Biden gathered at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego to share the ‘optimal pathway’ for Australia to acquire the nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS agreement. This critical step laid out the timeline, the type of submarines that would be acquired and the price tag of $268-$368b for AUKUS Pillar I.But we wanted to check in, one year after the optimal pathway was announced. How are we progressing? Was the pathway realistic? And what

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