Two friends reach out across the Atlantic to discuss the state of America. From Germany to California and back: Mike is a professor at Stanford, Johannes is a journalist from Berlin. Where are the United States coming from, and where is it all headed? Politics, History, Society: Welcome to The Americanist Podcast! Email us at theamericanistpod@gmail.com (Cover Art: Flickr / Nicolas Raymond / flickr.com/82955120@N05/ CC BY 2.0)
Episodes
Monday Feb 22, 2021
#13 Corona Vaccine Facts and Rumors
Monday Feb 22, 2021
Monday Feb 22, 2021
In a historic week when THE AMERICANIST is ranked the #1 Politics Podcast in Kosovo, Johannes and Mike talk about the impatient wait for the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out. While Germany has been starting slow, President Biden wants to have 100 million Americans vaccinated within his first 100 days in office. A realistic scenario? And what about all these vaccines, then? Will they get the job done and help us return to a more normal life?
Mentioned in the show:
Book: "Stuck - How Vaccine Rumors Start, and Why They Don't Go Away"
Lancet Study Israel Vaccination
Russian Trolls and the Vaccine Debate | Pro-Kremlin Corona Disinformation
Thursday Feb 04, 2021
#12 Super Bowl? SUPER BOWL!
Thursday Feb 04, 2021
Thursday Feb 04, 2021
Is Super Bowl Sunday the last big thing the entire country can agree on? The quarterback mythology for the duel between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes is running wild. Mike might be American, but he could actually care less about American Football. Turns out he needs help from a German guy to even know how many players are on each team... More importantly, Mike and Johannes discuss NFL politics and put the GOAT discussion into historical perspective in the latest episode of 'THE AMERICANIST'. Email us to theamericanistpod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
#11 On Eagles’ Wings: Biden Inauguration & Capitol Riots
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Why did it take an old white man to replace the other in the White House again? In the first episode of 2021, Johannes and Mike catch up on recent events in Washington. The deadly riots fanned by Ex-President Trump were followed, at long last, by the official inauguration of Joseph R. Biden as the 46th US President. Is all now going to be good with the first Philadelphia Eagles fan in the Oval Office? This and more in the latest AMERICANIST pod. Send an email to theamericanistpod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter and Facebook!
Monday Nov 30, 2020
#10 Wrapping Up the Corona Year
Monday Nov 30, 2020
Monday Nov 30, 2020
In the last AMERICANIST episode of the year, Mike gets all excited talking about the COVID-19 vaccines currently under development. Johannes shares what his small kids taught him during this crisis year. So what to expect from 2021? All in our latest pod. Subscribe and rate and send us an email to theamericanistpod@gmail.com ! Happy holidays and talk to you in 2021!
Monday Nov 23, 2020
#9 Thanksgiving And Its History
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Monday Nov 23, 2020
Thanksgiving is all about the Pilgrims and the Native Americans? Johannes shares a different historical truth behind America's most popular national holiday. It connects a belief in divine intervention with the American wars since 1776. As the two friends interpret the documents from George Washington to Abraham Lincoln, Mike shares his vision of an All-American Thanksgiving going forward. Email us to theamericanistpod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter!
Resources mentioned in the show:
Congress 1777: https://www.loc.gov/resource/rbpe.04001400/
Washington 1789: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/05-04-02-0091
Lincoln 1863: http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm
Native American Thanksgiving: https://time.com/5457183/thanksgiving-native-american-holiday/
Monday Nov 16, 2020
#8 Democrats Divided? (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Liberals & Progressives)
Monday Nov 16, 2020
Monday Nov 16, 2020
Two weeks after the election, Donald Trump has yet to concede his loss. Meanwhile, the Democratic party is debating the way forward: Should moderates or progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lead the way? Mike has traveled to his home state Maine to finally answer the question: Is he a liberal or a progressive? And Johannes remembers the German chancellor pulling a Trump on Election Night some years ago. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @AmericanistPod and email us to theamericanistpod@gmail.com !
Monday Nov 09, 2020
#7 Biden Phor President! US Election Won in Pennsylvania
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Monday Nov 09, 2020
Joe Biden will be the 46th President of the United States. And Philly celebrates! Mike and Johannes are all excited that the votes of their former student hometown of Philadelphia (and Pennsylvania) have decided the race for the Democratic nominee and VP Kamala Harris. And guess what ... Donald Trump won't concede. What that says about his image of masculinity, the American national character, and some other scary things we learned in this election cycle - all in the latest episode of THE AMERICANIST PODCAST. Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook!
Resources for this episode:
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
#6 Has Biden Won?
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
Thursday Nov 05, 2020
One and half days into the US Presidential Election 2020, votes are still being counted across the country. It looks like Joe Biden might be the winner - but Donald Trump's supporters are also protesting in some places. Where are we at? Mike shares his emotions and Johannes recounts his election night in Germany. Email us at theamericanistpod@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @AmericanistPod !
Monday Nov 02, 2020
#5 America Votes: Election Day 2020
Monday Nov 02, 2020
Monday Nov 02, 2020
The week of the US Presidential Election 2020 is finally here. Mike's anxiety level is already off the charts, and Johannes has pulled up some fun and not-so-fun facts around the history of the American presidents and the voting process. Will Biden or Trump make it to 270 electoral votes on Tuesday? Will Trump declare himself the winner? And what would George Washington say about all of it? This and more in the latest episode of THE AMERICANIST PODCAST. Twitter: @AmericanistPod
Monday Oct 26, 2020
#4 America Votes I
Monday Oct 26, 2020
Monday Oct 26, 2020
The big election night in the United States is just one week away - and Mike tries hard to explain how Americans can vote for their favorite candidate for president. But, well, it's a little complicated: Electoral College, early vote counting, states that are no states ... In the end, Mike and Johannes do find some common ground and take some time also to assess the American media landscape - from The Boston Globe to The Fresno Bee. Part 1 of the THE AMERICANIST Election 2020 Extravaganza!