The NPR Politics Podcast - An Independence Day tradition from the NPR Politics Podcast

Episode Date: July 3, 2026

We mark the nation's birthday in the only way we know how.This episode: voting correspondent Miles Parks, senior political correspondent Tamara Keith, and All Things Considered host Scott Detrow.This podcast was produced and edited by Casey Morell.Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at plus.npr.org/politics.See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Hey there, it's the NPR Politics podcast. I'm Tamara Keith. I cover politics. I'm Miles Parks. I cover voting. And I'm Scott Detrow. I used to go here. And you're back. You're so happy to have you. You're like a college kid coming back to a high school party. At this point, I'm like the college kid who's come back for the fourth time. Everyone's like, oh, hey, man, it's you again. And we are glad. I feel like it's more like the ghost of Christmas path that I think Scott's here to teach me a lesson or something. I don't know what the lesson is. But I'm, I'm, I'm. I'm eagerly awaiting it. Well, we are here to teach you a lesson, really to initiate you into the most important Fourth of July tradition in America, or at least on the NPR Politics Podcast. And this is a big one because we are marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

So what better way to celebrate that than to read our own favorite Declaration of Independence as recited by President Thomas J. Whitmore? Bill Pullman, the actor, in the classic film Independence Day. Which, for those new to this podcast, I will say, if I ever get an NPR obituary, I hope that starting this tradition is part of it. We decided because Morning Edition used to read the Declaration of Independence Everywhere, we decided we should do that. But with an even better document proclaiming, you know, human freedoms and rights, Bill Pullman's speech from Independence Day. Yeah, I'm so glad you just said that, Scott, because I have wondered. It's the thing that just happens every year since I've been here. And I'm never really sure where it started.

So I'm glad to know that. Any other questions I can answer? It started in the brain of Scott Detrow. And as listeners... And as long-time listeners of this pod know, Scott has a thing for extraterrestrial life. An increasingly validated thing. Well, we'll get into that somewhere else.

So anyway, with no further ado. All right. We ready? Take it away. I'm ready. Good morning. Good morning. In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world,

and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind. Mankind. That word should have new meaning for all of us today. We can't be consumed by our petty differences anymore. We will be united and our common interest. Perhaps it's fate that today is the 4th of July, and you will be once again fighting for our first. freedom. Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation. We're fighting for our

right to live, to exist. And should we win the day? The 4th of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice, we will not go quietly into the night. We will not vanish without a fight. We're going to live on. We're going to survive. Today, we celebrate our Independence Day. Thank you. Have we, is this the 10th annual reading of this or possibly? I think it is because we started in 2015. Yeah. And I think we may have skipped a year. So let's call it the 10th annual. Yeah. Well. Happy Independence Day, guys. Happy, happy Independence Day. Are you going to catch the fireworks, the flyovers? Anything fun? Oh, actually, we come to Massachusetts every 4th of July to be with my wife's family. And I, honestly, my wife's uncle gets oysters. local oysters and I eat them every 4th of July and I think about them most of the year. So I'm going to be eating way too many oysters. How many is way too many? Like double digits, Miles? I think I could eat double digits and this is one of those like classic social situations where

I'm like, how many oysters is too many at a party where people are going to be like, wow, Miles had way too many oysters. That was weird. So I'm currently playing that out right now. I'm, I think I'll probably shoot for like seven. Listen, the semi-quincentennial is only going to come by once. I think you should crack 10. Be careful what you wish for, baby. And for that very reason, I am both going to Scott Horsley's Fourth of July party where he is promising pie. And then I am going to drag my children out to a spot where we might be able to see the world record breaking for the July fireworks. That sounds fun.

Scott Horsley throws a good Fourth of July party. Yes. And hopefully so does America. We'll find out. We'll find out. We'll find out. I'm staying tuned. All right.

That's all for today. That's it. We hope you all have a great. 4th of July weekend. I'm Tamara Keith. I cover politics. I'm Miles Parks. I cover voting. And I'm Scott Detrow. I used to co-host this podcast. Now I co-host all things considered. And thank you for listening to the NPR Politics Podcast.