The Rest Is Politics US: 100 Episodes In

When I was first approached by the Goalhanger team to be Katty Kay’s co-host on their new US focused Rest Is Politics show, I figured why not? It was pitched as a one hour a week commitment with a limited run leading up to last fall’s U.S. presidential election. Well, we misjudged, because we’re now over 100 episodes in, and I’m thrilled I said yes to the job.

Since we started, we’ve had our weekly show recordings, our mini-series on influential figures like Elon Musk, our Founding Member Q&As and multiple sold-out live shows on both sides of the pond. 

Sharing my perspective on the key forces shaping America’s future, on the global stage to over 7.5 million monthly listeners and viewers has taught me so much about the worlds of both politics and podcasting, so I thought I’d share a few of my lessons learned:

1. Find a Great Partner: Without Katty, there would be no show. Bringing decades of broadcast journalism experience to the table, Katty understands pacing better than anyone—she knows exactly how to keep things (aka me) moving along. She is also remarkably connected throughout DC, with fresh takes and scoops to discuss each week. And looking back, we were incredibly fortunate to build on the foundation that Goalhanger, Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell established with the original TRIP show.

2. Vitriol is Easy, Balance is Harder (yet Necessary): You likely know I am not exactly a fan of President Trump, but the podcast can’t afford to be reflexively negative towards the White House. We aim to give our listeners around the world an accurate portrayal of what’s actually going on in Washington. Avoiding all bias is impossible, but we do our best to fairly lay out all reasonable sides (and even try to understand the unreasonable ones)—otherwise listeners would stop tuning in.

3. Keep Learning: I’ve been behind a podcast microphone before—both as a host and a guest—covering subjects I’m passionate about like finance, crypto, history and literature. But TRIP US has presented a new opportunity. What started as a show about the election has evolved into a far broader conversation—one that covers trade wars, global conflicts, the President’s inner circle, the markets and more. I learn something new each episode, and I hope our listeners feel the same.

So, here’s to 100 more! And as Katty always reminds me to say, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.