Such a calming, interesting podcast. I love the historical quotes that come up, inspiring.

Although I preferred the TJ hour format, I still find the discussions highly informative and have enjoyed Clay's reports from the road during his Steinbeck travels. As a life long gen x registered Independent, that firmly believes in the principles of our founding and the historical uniqueness of the American Experiment, I am dismayed by the reviews that feel the need to label the show as leftist, liberal, etc.. The ability to listen to others and discuss the issues in a thoughtful, respectful way is the foundation of a healthy republic. Keep up the good work Clay, Lindsey, Joe and all the others. Let us all remember...... " I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend" - Thomas Jefferson

These podcasts are on one hand so good, but on the other are getting more explicitly partisan. I guess the temptation is irresistible and the apprehensions for the future too acute. Now I can tune in to be told how racist I am and which party at this time I should vote for.

I started listening to this show on the radio in 2007 and am still a huge fan! This is my favorite podcast. I have been introduced to so many new interests in history, politics, books, philosophy and more throughout the years. I really found history to be a boring subject until I heard this show. Clay has a way of making Jefferson and so many other historical figures real and thought provoking.

While I respect your opinion and I have much gratitude toward you, Mr. Ellis and others through the education I have received from you, this last episode of the show is the proverbial bridge too far. The absolute nonsense and fallacy that spewed from two gentlemen whom I deeply appreciate is just too much. I feel as though I have been duped or betrayed by you. I will cherish your books which I own and revisit them fondly with memories of before today but I cannot listen to another thing that either of you say. You’ve both become the thing you claim to despise. I bid you both farewell.

Hoped to listen to historical accounts and not personal political opinions. Unfollowing on episode 2.

It’s very nice to listen to a podcast that is historically accurate with an interesting take on society. Anyone who says there is a bias here has probably been programmed by Fox News to think that the US history is a certain way. I dare you to find one thing that Clay or his guests say that isn’t an accurate depiction of the the history of America. In a time when people think it was “you”Join or “you” Die, they show that it’s really “we” Join, or “we” Die

Allow the guests to speak.

In an age of low information voters, rudeness and ridicule online (and in government) this podcast is a wonderful and refreshing reminder of the true meaning of public discourse. Mr. Jenkinson is absurdly smart, educated and a fantastic speaker, yet is quite humorous and easy going with a good dose of self deprecating humor. As if all this wasn't enough the honest and transparent exploration into the endless contradictions of one of history's most important figures is truly fascinating. My only criticism? With Mr. Swenson on sabbatical the show is not quite up to snuff. Swenson has become a critical component of what makes this podcast so wonderful. To have him, then have him taken away is bordering on cruel and unusual punishment! Update. Now with the new show Clay is branching out and I enjoy it as much as ever. I do miss David though but wish him well in his retirement.

I originally started following this podcast because I was looking for something historical that was neutral politically. I thought initially that I had found it here but I was wrong. Jenkinson complains about how partisan America has become and then proceeds to contribute that mess with his left wing pontificating. When the focus of the show was Jefferson and Adams and the founding fathers it was interesting but now it’s become unbearable. If you’re liberal you’ll love it so enjoy. For me, unfollowing.

For context I’m about as far left as you can get, and have been a fan since stumbling onto this show circa 2010-2011. I just heard a guest say, almost in the same breath that: young people often don’t know history as well as they think, when they do know history it’s often over-simplistic and unaware or ignoring nuance and complexity, and then said that young people don’t realize that one can hold two conflicting views at the same like (I’m paraphrasing) “hamas’s attack on Israel was vile and horrendous, and that there are real humanitarian concerns in Gaza”. I’ll just summarize my issue with a now infamous phrase “both sides had very good people”

Great show with a unique idea - what would Jefferson say/do. Then for some reason the portrayer of Jefferson thought the listener tuned in for him and not the 3rd president. This is not what made the podcast unique, enjoyable, successful…I think even Jefferson would agree this was a bad decision.

The people give minimal stars to this show because of its supposed leftist views are plain stupid. Uninformed. Ignorant. Completely devoid of any semblance of a complex thought. I urge the listeners here to crack open a book from time to time, too much social media and local news seem to have warped their already delicate minds. Do yourself and society a favor and learn something. Stop listening to stories from your Confederate-sympathizing grandpa.

What a show. Can’t even tell you how much I’ve learned in the most pleasant way. Really to travel America with Clay!

To much Jenkinson not enough Jefferson. Very disappointed in the new direction of this podcast.

This show isn’t “leftist” - it’s correct to point out trump is a danger. He attempted to stay in power when he lost. If successful, it would have taken our political sovereignty, we wouldn’t have a choice who our president is. The show isn’t “leftist”, the listeners claiming so just support treason.

A long uninformed rant about Ukraine as the first justified war in his lifetime. I had no idea what this podcast format was about but it’s no different than a guy on your Facebook feed who watches MSNBC all day.

Why spend 7 minutes talking about what we are about to hear… lost 7 more minutes of over/under rated Presidents. Stop stop stop. Intro the episode and get on with it. Please!!!

Long time Jefferson Jour listener and I want to like the new format but right now the shows are very hit or miss. I’ll keep listening for awhile to see if it grows on me.

I originally started listening to the show around 2009 and had to stop because it had become completely unlistenable with the lack of Jefferson and the inundation of leftist political views

I was surprised at the transition of the show but LOVE IT!

Tragically, the new format means that the show has lost why I originally started listening; namely an informative and insightful view of the age of Jefferson, and how such has influenced, and can continue to influence the world we live in. That is what made The Jefferson Hour different, and hence worth listening to. Now, I essentially feel like I’m listening to any of the countless generic NPR shows produced by the many local public radio stations across our country. The Jefferson Hour had a fantastic and useful niche, which they surrendered. Oh, and did I mention the bleak turn to discussing leftist politics? Yep, this has become an echo chamber of the current progressive dialogue. What a shame. I miss the actual history.

Oh, how I miss The Thomas Jefferson Hour! This new program is a letdown; too much current events and there are plenty of programs like that. TJ Hour was unique and EXCELLENT. While I never deleted TJ episodes, now I find myself deleting way more Listening To America episodes than what I listen to. So Clay, don’t attach too much meaning to subscriber numbers or podcast downloads; those numbers can be misleading. Please go back to doing that which you do best.

I love the evolution and expanded scope of the new format for this podcast. I’m also glad that some of the regular guests will continue to take part. Thank you so much for these conversations, Clay. While I don’t agree with everything that is said, it’s important to hear these views in a respectful dialogue. Keep going, bring us together.

Learned a lot from your 2part show. JQA, truly helped form the country.

Tell us you hate conservatives and DJT WITHOUT TELLING US you hate conservatives and DJT….. 🙄

The show has drifted too far away from Jefferson and his times. There are many podcasts we can go to for current events and relatively few for history. I hope the podcast goes back to a more historical perspective.

Started listening to it many years ago when I started at the post office and I have never stopped. I started this podcast as a fairly conservative person and now as a leftist and a normie(not historian) I haven't always agreed with the hosts and some of their guests (conservative) conclusions over the years and yet, I’ve rarely felt that they didn’t treat the subject of that episode with great care and thoughtfulness. I have also enjoyed the overall trend of their opinions and views. Despite being an Adams man, this podcast has made me appreciate Jefferson despite some of the things we tend to judge great figures for (and rightly) years later. This podcast made me decide to visit both Monticello and Poplar Forest, both of which I enjoyed and I was especially impressed with the care Monticello took explaining Jefferson and his life of which I think this podcast also does. Great job. “United we bargain, divided we beg.”

I didn’t think you could toe the PC line while seriously discussing these subjects, but these men manage it. They tread carefully around every issue that might upset people that probably don’t listen to the podcast anyway. It is subtle, but it is also disturbing that they are so scared that they play it safe to this extent. The subjects and much of the content are very interesting. But I can’t listen to these terrified people.

I’m so pleased to hear serious conversation!

The first podcast I ever subscribed to and the only one I’m proud to help financially support. Clay, David and their guests never fail to deliver thoughtful, mindful and respectful conversations rooted in American history, whether looking back in time or at current events.

For folks who claim to be historians, I find the political views expressed of this program hopelessly naïve. Lots of good history which I always enjoy, but I am flabbergasted at the progressive leftist conclusions, drawn by the hosts.

You make history fun and interesting

I was so excited when I found this podcast. Listened to 4 episodes and I had to unsubscribe. I loved when they impersonate Jefferson but stick to ONLY that! If they do want to discuss todays events, please be impartial. They attacked one side of the political party in each of the 4 episodes without attacking the other party. I’m a conservative and while both political parties do/say stupid things, they really misrepresented one political party.

Figured I could listen to a podcast that objectively discusses history. Putting the liberal spin on the 14th Amendment and voicing your opinion on the why some on the “Right” don’t like it was both unnecessary and patronizing.

I have been listening for 17 years and rarely miss an episode. I think guests Joseph Ellis and Lindsay Chervinsky are fabulous (and others too). I feel this show has become better over time - and has offered historical perspectives that help give contest to our current time and politics. I don’t question that some on the right don’t like some of what they hear on the Thomas Jefferson Hour, but that may be a function of the politics of our time, where some people simply don’t want to be challenged. Jefferson was a complicated melange of left, right that does not fit in our 21st century political “boxes”, and that makes him particularly interesting and relevant. It may be that being intellectually honest comes across to some as being leftist - and that itself says a lot about the times we live in. MARVELOUS show. Listen snd you will learn a lot. No better educational bang for the buck. Thank you!

Although I have only recently subscribed to this podcast, the hope was that I would learn more about history and less of their pseudo intellectual left wing politics, dressed in academia. Not convinced they actually know that much about Jefferson. It is quite apparent these people live in a bubble. Jefferson would be appalled for his name to be associated with these people.

Want to love this but horrible liberal bias, hard to listen to.

My love for American history which has endured for many years, began when I happened to grab a book by Joseph J. Ellis called, intriguingly, Founding Brothers. I pulled the book from its dusty shelf crammed with other used books and tucked it under my arm. It would take me several months to actually read it, but once I did, I was in love. That same love drove me to seek out other mediums where I could start to devour American history. Which led me to find this podcast. Each episode is filled with anecdotes and insights that are brilliant, funny, and animated. Mr. Jenkinson does an incredible job bringing the third President to life. The insights and arguments that are brought forth have allowed my thinking about the tumulutuous start to our republic to never become stale. As a 32-year-old ex-pat living in Israel, I don’t find many people with whom to “nerd out” about American colonial history, and so I often find myself putting on my headphones and finding either the latest or one of the hundreads of evergreen episodes of The Thomas Jefferson hour and tuning out to be wisped back in time to the late 1700s. My love for American history which has endured for many years, began when I happened to grab a book by Joseph J. Ellis called, intriguingly, Founding Brothers. I pulled the book from its dusty shelf crammed with other used books and tucked it under my arm. It would take me several months to actually read it, but once I did, I was in love. That same love drove me to seek out other mediums where I could start to devour American history. Which led me to find this podcast. Each episode is filled with anecdotes and insights that are brilliant, funny, and animated. Mr. Jenkinson does an incredible job bringing the third President to life. The insights and arguments that are brought forth have allowed my thinking about the tumulutuous start to our republic to never become stale. As a 32-year-old ex-pat living in Israel, I don’t find many people with whom to “nerd out” about American colonial history, and so I often find myself putting on my headphones and finding either the latest or one of the hundreads of evergreen episodes of The Thomas Jefferson hour and tuning out to be wisped back in time to the late 1700s.

I just listened to the show about the contradictions of Jefferson’s life. Like other episodes, the richness of detail and the analysis is thought provoking. Jefferson’s paramount contributions to the rise of the American republic are revered, while at the same time, no apologies for his ugly indulgence of slavery, Sally Hemmings, and bankruptcy. This is a great historical portrait of humanity.

A much needed and courageous conversation in this time and place. Would it be too much to ask for the same ambivalence in your conversations about Russia? Russian people have no more evil in their hearts than any other nation. The Russian government also deserves a thoughtful analysis. It baffles me how the same people who demonstrate such an incredible poise and wisdom to slow down and rationally discuss complex issues in the American society, in the same breath, dismiss complexities of another society. Isn’t it a perfect political situation for TJH to unearth the correspondence between the two imperfect rulers, President Jefferson and Tzar Alexander I, to promote cohesion over enmity in modern society? Thank you.

This was my favorite episode. Very different from most others, but so needed and appropriate to our tine and recent events. With Clay’s closing quote from Jefferson, I became a true Jeffersonian today, flaws and all. More please.

Why? Why? Why? Do you feel the need to chime in on current events with the whining about Trump and Supreme Court decisions? Stick to 18th century history, PLEASE!!!

Started listening to 2016 episodes in what at first glance seemed to be an unbiased interesting history podcast that would be somewhat of an escape and refuge from the unending barrage of bad news and fleeting hope the U.S. is suffering under the disastrous Biden administration. It didn’t take many episodes to quickly unfollow this leftist garbage that views history through the lens of radical redistribution of wealth progressive elitism. Purely socialist propaganda combined with radical left talking points thinly veiled behind an American History facade.

The podcast is always worth a listen. Topics vary, as do the historical individuals he portrays, always circling back to Thomas Jefferson.

Love her

LOVE Lindsey C! Keep her coming :)

Please make it permanent !

I really like the new direction for the show. The new format of interviewing authors or other interesting people whether they have a direct connection to Jefferson or not is wonderful and will keep me listening to more episodes. I especially loved the episode about violence in congress. I would never have learned about this book otherwise and now I can’t wait to read it!

I started listening to the Thomas Jefferson Hour more than 10 years ago and it has continued to be a honest and thoughtful look into the life of Thomas Jefferson and how his world and ours today are connected. Please continue all the great work that you do to bring this podcast to us! We are very thankful for this.