A political podcast for people not yet ready to give up or go insane.

That’s how Pod Save America by Crooked Media advertises itself. It’s most certainly not clickbait or false advertising for there are days when Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, Dan Pfeiffer, and Tommy Vietor seem like some of the last sane people on earth.

However, I may be a bit biased, seeing as Pod Save America was my very first podcast. They had always seemed like the weird child of audiobooks and the radio. As a twelve-year-old, I was traumatized when I had to spend twelve hours in the car listening to audio books. I think that played a part in my aversion to podcasts as well.

That mindset may have followed me through my life if not for my older brother. When he lived at home, he would listen to sports podcasts, ever-deepening my resolve that I wouldn’t like podcasts. But when they say college changes people, they really weren’t kidding. When my brother came back from college, his taste in podcasts had changed; they were political podcasts now.

That fact, and the knowledge that I’ll be able to vote in the next election made the perfect storm that drove me to finally give podcasts a try.

Pod Save America initially caught my eye with its title. A joking illusion to the saying “God save America,” I had a feeling this podcast at least wouldn’t be as boring as other political podcasts sound. So, I clicked it open, and as I scrolled through the titles of each of the episodes, my confusion and excitement began to grow. “Shutdown for What.” “Impeach the Motherforker.” “Conspiracy of Dunces.” “Nancy P and Cardi B try to open D.C.” Each one labeled ‘Explicit.’ I knew if I was going to be listening to a podcast, it was going to be this one.

My first episode, “Shutdown for What,” was eighty-three minutes and fifty-one seconds. By the tenth minute, I was already attached. They spoke freely and with obvious knowledge; they all worked for Obama. They swore and they talked over each other and they asked hard questions. When I clicked play, I didn’t know anything about them or politics for that matter, but their liberal democratic views became quickly apparent.

In some ways, the fact that they were my introduction into politics has shaped the way I think, but it has also pushed me to develop my own opinions as well, so that I may speak as confidently as they do.

Each episode is comprised of a few different parts or topics. Oftentimes, the last part will involve an interview of some sort. Whether with those participating in the teacher protests in California or with people like Kirsten Gillibrand who is running in the 2020 presidential election. This added element to their episodes diversifies their podcast and strengthens the knowledge that their strong beliefs are founded in; it emphasizes their passion for what they talk about and believe in.

Not only is their representation diverse, but so are their topics. Constantly changing with the fast pace of our government. Pod Save America’s twice-a-week system allows them to talk about things in real time and stay up to date on all the happenings, both on Capitol Hill and in our nation as a whole. In some ways, it’s overwhelming that enough happens in a week that they have enough product for two over-an-hour-long episodes. But Pod Save America covers each topic with a thoroughness that keeps you from feeling like you’re stuck in a political tornado without any knowledge of how you got there.

I wouldn’t recommend Pod Save America to anyone who finds liberal democratic views appalling; however, I get the feeling that all those people stopped reading after I said “Obama.” However, for anyone who is just opening themselves up to the world of politics or who has differing opinions on the state of our union, Pod Save America is about to become your new obsession.