A Brief History of Clinging to Power (Season 7 Episode 11)

Mitch McConnell has been in hospital for three weeks. His office hasn't said why. This has happened before. Many times.

From ancient Rome and Churchill's secret stroke in 1953, to Biden's very public deterioration on live television in 2024, this is the complete history of politicians who refused to leave, and the systems that helped them hide it.

We also look at Robert Byrd, the West Virginia senator who went from a terrible person to civil rights advocate across a fifty-year career, and whether a very long political career can ever actually be justified.

Plus: the case for younger leadership, from Zohran Mamdani freezing rents in New York at 34 to Jacinda Ardern passing gun reform in ten days at 37.

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Artist: Sarah Chey

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