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I’ve been looking for a way to celebrate America 250 as this year goes by and I don’t want it to be relegated to July 4th or certain events. So, I thought maybe I would search for primary documents, written for or by the Founding Fathers (and a surrounding cast of historical characters) for as many of the days of the year as I can. Since I’m starting in February, I think it’s fitting that my search brought me first to a set of letters exchanged between Phyllis Wheatley and General George Washington. Below is the poem that prompted Washington to write to the formerly enslaved poet, Phyllis Wheatley. His Excellency, General Washington by Phyllis Wheatley Celestial choir! enthron'd in realms of light,Columbia's scenes of glorious toils I write.While freedom's cause her anxious breast alarms,She flashes dreadful in refulgent arms.See mother earth her offspring's fate bemoan,And nations gaze at scenes before unknown!See the bright beams of heaven's revolving lightInvolved in sorrows and the veil of night!    The Goddess comes, she moves divinely fair,Olive and laurel binds Her golden hair:Wherever shines this native of the skies,Unnumber'd charms and recent graces rise.    Muse! Bow propitious while my pen relatesHow pour her armies through a thousand gates,As when Eolus heaven's fair face deforms,Enwrapp'd in tempest and a night of storms;Astonish'd ocean feels the wild uproar,The refluent surges beat the sounding shore;Or think as leaves in Autumn's golden reign,Such, and so many, moves the warrior's train.In bright array they seek the work of war,Where high unfurl'd the ensign waves in air.Shall I to Washington their praise recite?Enough thou know'st them in the fields of fight.Thee, first in peace and honors—we demandThe grace and glory of thy martial band.Fam'd for thy valour, for thy virtues more,Hear every tongue thy guardian aid implore!    One century scarce perform'd its destined round,When Gallic powers Columbia's fury found;And so may you, whoever dares disgraceThe land of freedom's heaven-defended race!Fix'd are the eyes of nations on the scales,For in their hopes Columbia's arm prevails.Anon Britannia droops the pensive head,While round increase the rising hills of dead.Ah! Cruel blindness to Columbia's state!Lament thy thirst of boundless power too late.    Proceed, great chief, with virtue on thy side,Thy ev'ry action let the Goddess guide.A crown, a mansion, and a throne that shine,With gold unfading, WASHINGTON! Be thine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus talk the Washington Auto show and generational shifts in car culture, plus their first cars! They delve into the Democratic drama of the Texas Senate race and the influence of social media on politics. The conversation also touches on the Grammys, the Kennedy Center's controversies, city dysfunction with school closures and trash heaps, and the Loudoun County School Board is absolutely insane again. Finally, they are trying to care about the Winter Olympics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Getting Hammered, hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus discuss the recent winter weather affecting much of the country, snow days and the challenges of parenting during storms. They share travel experiences, with a special confrontation for MK on the West Coast. In the news, the Minnesota fallout surrounding immigration enforcement , the dynamics of the Trump administration, and the implications of Gavin Newsom's policies, which some are now admitting are bad. They also get into gym accolades and the current crisis in the spirits industry, which they mean to solve. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of "Getting Hammered," hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus dive into a variety of topics. Vic shares his observations from a journalism conference in Palm Beach, highlighting the peculiarities of the local dog-walking culture and the challenges of parenting teenagers left home alone. The conversation then shifts to current events, including the implications of recent ICE-related incidents and public reactions to immigration enforcement. They discuss the political landscape in Virginia, particularly the recent election outcomes and the new policies being introduced by the Democratic leadership, which they argue are detrimental to law-abiding citizens. The episode wraps up with a light-hearted discussion about college football. Plus, the potential for U.S. territorial expansion, specifically regarding Greenland, and whether the madman theory of Donald Trump is more mad than theory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Getting Hammered, Mary Katharine Ham and Jenna Lee make plans for their husband's birthdays next year before diving into the Supreme Court case regarding transgender athletes in women's sports, the investigation into Jerome Powell and the Federal Reserve, the recent ICE shooting incident in Minneapolis, and how it's hard to take a few moments in the New Media to evaluate news stories, but that's what's really needed. They also touch on the redesign of the food pyramid and the inspiring story of resilience from a young athlete who lost his parents in a tragic accident. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding complex issues, the role of media in shaping public opinion, and the need for patience in forming opinions on controversial topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Katharine Ham interviews Daniel Di Martino, a Venezuelan-born economist and Manhattan Institute fellow, about the recent political changes in Venezuela and the implications of socialism versus capitalism. DiMartino shares his personal experiences growing up in Venezuela, the impact of the regime on the economy, and the importance of educating young people about the dangers of socialism. He emphasizes the need for charismatic leaders in politics and discusses the future of Venezuela and the hope for a free society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of "Getting Hammered," hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus discuss the recent U.S. military operation in Venezuela, the political landscape in Minnesota with Tim Walz's withdrawal from the governor's race, and the implications of OnlyFans models receiving work visas in the U.S. Plus, robot surgery, January birthdays, and disco! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Getting Hammered, hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus discuss their Christmas experiences and last minute Mrs Claus magic. The conversation transitions to more serious topics such as U.S. military action against ISIS in Nigeria, ongoing Ukraine-Russia negotiations, and the implications of fraud in Minnesota's childcare programs. They also touch on the renaming of the Kennedy Center, Pop Tart Bowl and the controversy surrounding a throuple featured in the Wall Street Journal. 00:00 Welcome and Holiday Recap 15:04 US Military Actions on Christmas 30:06 Minnesota Fraud Scandal 43:30 Kennedy Center 54:03 Pop-Tart Bowl and College Football 01:00:36 Throuple Housing Dilemma 01:04:24 White House Christmas Ornaments Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Katharine Ham and special guest-host Kelly Maher discuss the surprising amount of political news being made in the right-of-center coalition during the week of Christmas. It's like a Friday-night news dump for the whole year! We are on Widow Defense and Commendation for Erika Kirk for running AmFest, we get into Ben Shapiro's speech, Tucker Carlson's reaction, Megyn Kelly's anger at Shapiro and behind-the-scenes work for the Erika-Candace summit, and of course, the Candace Owens of it all. Also, the Heritage Foundation continues its come-apart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Katharine Ham makes cocktails for spirits expert Vic Matus. It's nerve-wracking. Did she succeed?! We mixed a LOT of liquors, with a garnish of news, plus favorite and hated Christmas carols and movies! On the drink menu: A Cranberry Snow Globe Spritzer, a Gingerbread Martini, a Cranberry Margarita, a Peppermint White Russian, and a Cider with Bourbon. We even had fresh-roasted chestnuts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Getting Hammered, hosts Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus talk holiday preparations and Nashville hot chicken followed by more serious topics, addressing tragic news events in Bondi Beach and Brown University. The conversation shifts to political insights regarding the current administration feature in Vanity Fair, followed by a discussion on Rob Reiner's passing and Trump's controversial response. Ending on a lighter note with a discussion on font changes at the State Department and concludes with a highlight of "Trashed Panda" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're excited to offer some interviews as bonus content on Getting Hammered with friends of the show on topics we care about. Today, Karen Vaites, an expert on literacy and curriculum, who really knows the nitty-gritty about how students learn, what works, and what we can replicate. We rant a bit about school closings and Randi Weingarten, then get on to the business of moving forward— the Mississippi Miracle, the Southern Surge, and whether skepticism is warranted. We are optimists. There is good news! We're trying to spread the word and help spread the strategy. That's where you come in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mary Katharine Ham and Vic Matus discuss a variety of topics ranging from personal updates and holiday preparations to the competitive landscape of fried chicken chains. They delve into the political implications of Jasmine Crockett's Senate run, the Minnesota fraud case, and the cultural issues surrounding it. The conversation also touches on college football playoff controversies and reflections on the Kennedy Center Honors. 10:35 - Jasmine Crockett 22:40 - Minnesota Fraud 31:00 - Kennedy Center Honors 39:43 - College Football Playoffs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the inaugural independent episode of "Getting Hammered," Vic and MK decide to bring back the show at least once a week this holiday season, with thanks to all you listeners who have stuck around during hiatus season. In the near future, we'll concoct some ways for you to support the show as we head toward the new year, whether it's premium content, subscriptions, or contributing to our holiday cocktail fund. In the meantime, you can help by subscribing, listening, reviewing, and spreading the word. Today, Vic and MK do a review of Thanksgiving health damage, Christmas traffic, and MK's kids destroying decor before diving into U.S. military attacks on alleged drug-trafficking boats near Venezuela, the law of the sea, Franklin memes, Aftyn Behn, midterm forecasts, special elections, and people who should not sing on stage, the Minnesota massive fraud story, and the drama, drama, drama of Lane Kiffin.  10:10 Narco Terrorist 21:45 Minnesota 31:25 2026 Prospects 44:39 Lane Kiffin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back again to discuss on the recent election outcomes in New Jersey and Virginia, Mamdani in NYC, and a few updates while we have been away. Tune in! 8:06 - Elections 27:19 - Mamdani 35:58 - Heritage Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices