Corey Brettschneider
Professor of political science at Brown University. Author of The Oath and the Office.
The Oath and the Office, a podcast with Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang
New episode · November 5, 2026
Democrats Win Congress in Historic Midterms. Can They Rein In Trump?
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Democrats have won the House and Senate. What will it take to turn that victory into lasting checks on presidential power? Corey Brettschneider and John Fugelsang examine the laws and reforms needed to hold presidents accountable, including reviving the independent counsel, protecting civil servants from political retaliation, and curbing abuse of the pardon power.
From the episode
You know, things had gotten bad enough that, for example, the most outlier individual on Facebook, one person invited 300,000 people to Stop the Steal groups. Like that’s not supposed to be possible within the geometry of Facebook.
Frances Haugen, on Could Facebook Have Stopped January 6? With Frances Haugen
The show
Hard-hitting constitutional analysis meets razor-sharp comedy.
The Oath and the Office is a weekly politics podcast unpacking presidential power, the U.S. Constitution, and the rule of law—with serious constitutional analysis and biting comedy.
Brown University political science professor Corey Brettschneider teams up with comedian John Fugelsang to tackle the week’s biggest stories and what they mean for American democracy—from the Supreme Court and elections to free speech and abuses of presidential power.
Every president swears to “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution, but what happens when one openly attacks it? Corey and John pull no punches, exposing threats to democracy, demanding accountability, and talking with the people fighting back.
Mixing sharp wit and serious political fire, this is the civics lesson you can’t afford to miss. New episodes every Thursday.
John Fugelsang
Host of The John Fugelsang Show on SiriusXM Progress 127. Author of Separation of Church and Hate.
The new book
The Presidents and the People
Five Leaders Who Threatened Democracy and the Citizens Who Fought to Defend It
Winner, American Bar Association Silver Gavel Award, 2025
American presidents have often pushed the boundaries established for them by the Constitution; this is the inspirational history of the people who pushed back.
Buy the book
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"[A]n essential survey… [The Presidents and the People] is an invaluable breakdown of present-day concerns in an illuminating historical context."