The Country is Great when the Country does Good

The Country is Great when the Country does Good

Author: The One Country Project November 26, 2025 Duration: 35:30

Hosts Heidi and Joel Heitkamp are joined by political commentator Chris Matthews to discuss the future of the Democratic Party, lessons from Bobby Kennedy, and the importance of connecting with everyday Americans. They examine recent election results, challenges facing rural America, and how both parties can better serve working people. 

You will gain valuable insight into how Democrats can rebuild trust with rural and working-class voters. Chris Matthews shares stories about the Kennedys and offers advice for future leaders. You should listen if you care about democracy, dignity, and the future of rural America.

Join us on The Hot Dish every week, where we serve up hearty conversations that resonate with every corner of the country.

The Hot Dish is brought to you by the One Country Project, making sure the voices of the rest of us are heard in Washington. To learn more, visit https://onecountryproject.org or find us at https://onecountryproject.substack.com/.

  • (05:22) - Chris Matthews discusses how snobbery hurts Democrats in reaching rural America.
  • (12:00) - Chris, Heidi and Joel debate the hypocrisy around immigration in Red states.
  • (22:18) - Heidi and Chris highlight the importance of rallying for our country's democracy.
  • (27:36) - Joel and Chris discuss how Senators need to speak up and use their office for the good of the country.
  • (33:49) - Heidi and Chris debate Roosevelt's Social Security strategy.

Heidi Heitkamp, a former U.S. Senator, and her brother Joel, a longtime Midwest radio host, bring a unique perspective to the table in their podcast The Hot Dish. Their dynamic is the engine here-a blend of deep policy knowledge from the halls of Congress and grounded, everyday insight from community radio, all filtered through the familiar and often humorous lens of sibling debate. They sit down with a range of guests, from national newsmakers and elected officials to local policymakers, focusing squarely on the ideas and actions that impact rural communities across America. These aren't dry lectures; they're animated discussions that dig into practical solutions for real challenges, from economic opportunities to infrastructure. Produced by The One Country Project, the conversation on this podcast is as informative as it is engaging, often punctuated by the kind of lively back-and-forth that only a brother and sister can provide. You'll come for the insightful analysis on politics and news, but you'll stay for the authentic and enlightening dialogue that makes complex issues relatable. Each episode serves up a hearty mix of substance and personality, offering listeners a fresh take on the stories that shape the heart of the country.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Hot Dish
Podcast Episodes
Tim Miller on GOP Corruption and Betrayal [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:46
Rural voters keep hearing about scandal in Washington, but most of it never gets past the surface. Tim Miller, host of the Bulwark Podcast, joins Heidi to dig into what's actually driving political corruption right now,…
Decoding Trump with Aaron Rupar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:23
Trump is fighting to control how states run their own elections, and the fallout could shape the midterms before a vote is cast. Aaron Rupar, an independent journalist who's tracked Trump and the media covering him for y…
Data Centers, Tariffs, and the Fight for Rural Votes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:46
Data centers are showing up in rural counties across the country, and not everyone is happy about it. Isaac Wright, a strategist who's spent two decades working rural campaigns, joins Heidi and Joel to talk about why tha…
Saving Small Farms, with Rep. Angie Craig [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:41
Farm country has been waiting on a new farm bill for almost two years. Angie Craig, the top Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee and a Minnesota congresswoman now running for the state's open Senate seat, joins He…
The Truth About Screw Worms [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:04
Screw worms nearly disappeared from American ranches sixty years ago. Dr. Eric Deeble, executive director of Americans for the Common Good and former Deputy Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs at USDA u…
Baseball’s Hidden History of Segregation and Triumph [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:07
For America's 250th birthday, Heidi and Joel skip the fireworks and head for the ballpark, and they bring their guest, Bob Kendrick, along. He is the President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missour…
Heidi Heitkamp Reflects on the Pool [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:41
For Heidi, the reflecting pool on the National Mall in D.C. is more than a tourist attraction; it's a metaphor for how Washington handles problems. Years of algae, cloudy water, and expensive repairs reflect a familiar p…
These Policies Are Squeezing Farmers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:15
Nick Levendofsky has spent years watching Washington write farm bills that land badly in the field. As director of the Kansas Farmers Union, he's tracked input costs climbing, cattle herds shrinking, and processing power…
Trump’s Dictator Playbook, with Ruth Ben-Ghiat [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:34
Buckle up, history buffs and democracy defenders. We're sitting down with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, professor of history and Italian studies at New York University, author of Strongman, and one of the leading experts on authoritar…
Are AI's Magic Bean Promises Leading Rural America Down a Risky Path? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:18
This episode pulls back the curtain on the AI gold rush, the data centers, the water bills, the NDAs, and what it all means for rural communities that rarely have a seat at the table.AI sounds like the future, but the co…