Jesse WegmanEvery podcast appearance, updated as new ones drop

David N. Gellman interviews Jesse Wegman on The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People’s Constitution (Celadon Books, 2026). Jesse Wegman tells the story of James Wilson, a Founding Father whose bold vision shaped American democracy but whose legacy was lost to scandal. As a young lawyer, James Wilson made a celebrated case for American independence in an essay that inspired the famous words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” He went on to write the first draft of the Constitution and, along with the mor...

David N. Gellman interviews Jesse Wegman on The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People’s Constitution (Celadon Books, 2026). Jesse Wegman tells the story of James Wilson, a Founding Father whose bold vision shaped American democracy but whose legacy was lost to scandal. As a young lawyer, James Wilson made a celebrated case for American independence in an essay that inspired the famous words “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” He went on to write the first draft of the Constitution and, along with the mor...

Watch this video episode on our YouTube channel! Happy Constitution Day the year of America's 250th birthday! He was only one of six Signers to place his signature on the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. He is the man who was one of the major architects of our federal government. He became arguably the biggest defender of democracy among the Founders. And yet, his name has been largely forgotten. His name is not Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, or Franklin. His name is James Wilson, the Founding Father you have never heard of before. Jesse Wegman, Senior Fellow at the Brennan Center and a former NYT opinion columnist, shares his fascination of Wilson and his contributions, oddities, and even survival from a mob attack. Hear how Wilson's arguments and contributions shaped the Constitution and made a lasting impact on the country we call home today. Get your copy of The Lost Founder ! Check out Jesse's website at jessewegman.com ! Follow Jesse on his Substack "Major Questions with Jesse Wegman"! Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute! JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level! IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER: All views expressed by the host are presented in his personal capacity and do not officially represent the views of any affiliated organizations. All views presented by guests are solely those of the interviewees themselves and may or may not represent the views of their affiliated organizations, the host, Friends & Fellow Citizens, and/or The George Washington Institute.

James Wilson was a brilliant Philadelphia lawyer, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and a driving force behind the Constitution. And yet in 1779 a Philadelphia mob attacked his home, and his forceful defense of ratifying the Constitution led to him being burned in effigy. An Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Wilson died in a North Carolina boarding house on the run from his many creditors. Jesse Wegman recounts Wilson's fascinating and complicated life in his new book, The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution . Order the Book! Tell us what you think! Send us a text message!

In this week’s episode, Jesse Wegman joins Michael Waldman to discuss his new book, The Lost Founder: James Wilson and the Forgotten Fight for a People's Constitution , the first major biography of James Wilson. Wilson was a coauthor of the Constitution (his words: “We the People”). He signed both the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, was one of the first Supreme Court justices — and died on the run from the law. Wegman explores Wilson’s long-lasting impact, his fall from grace, and the enduring relevance of his expansive vision for American democracy. Recorded on June 23, 2026.The Brennan Center is a nonpartisan law and policy institute that works to repair, revitalize, and defend our systems of democracy and justice so that they work for all Americans. The Brennan Center cannot support or oppose any candidate for office.

We continue our discussion of the Equal Rights Amendment. Is it the proposed ERA, the adopted ERA, or the dead ERA? Some say we already have an ERA in the 14th and 19th Amendments; Akhil and Jesse explore what some women, such as Elizabeth Lady Stanton, had to say about the 14th Amendment and equal rights back in the day. The SCOTUS was asked to weigh in on amendment adoption dates back in the 1930’s - they punted. Would that happen again, should this reach them? And - would it be better to have an ERA “Now Now Now,” as many insist, or is there a better way? Finally, Professor Amar is about to do something he hasn’t done in 22 years. What is so important that it prompted this?

The Archivist of the United States is in the news, and if that’s happening, you know some esoteric constitutional question is up. Fortunately, “Amarica’s Constitution,” is on the case. We have New York Times Editorial Board member, Jesse Wegman, who wrote for the Times on this subject recently, raising all sorts of issues - which Akhil is happy to answer for Jesse and for all of us. Meanwhile, this is all about the Equal Rights Amendment, and Amendments in general, and Article V of the Constitution, and what about ERA anyway - what would it do? All this and more - with feeling. There’s a lot here, so this is part one of two.

With two of the past three American presidents winning the electoral vote, but losing the popular vote, many question whether the institution stifles the will of the people and goes against the concept of democracy. Jesse Wegman joins Julian Zelizer and Sam Wang to speak about the electoral college, political gridlock, and how to fix the system. Wegman recently published his first book, "Let the People Pick the President." On this week's episode, he discusses his book, alternatives to the system, the National Popular Vote Compact, and more. Wegman is a member of The New York Times editorial board and writes on issues concerning the Supreme Court and legal affairs. He previously worked as a reporter, editor, and producer at outlets including National Public Radio, The New York Observer, Reuters, The Daily Beast, and Newsweek.

Who thought the Electoral College was a good idea? In two of the last five presidential elections, the candidate who lost the popular vote still managed to win the White House. So why are we still electing the most powerful position this way and what are the alternatives? Jesse Wegman, author of the new book “Let the People Pick the President”, gives amazing insight into the slapdash construction of the Electoral College. Hear him make the case that the institution we ended up with is divisive and undemocratic and ought to be done away with once and for all. Let the People Pick the President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College by Jesse Wegman Intelligence Squared U.S. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.