Pardon My Politics: A Thanksgiving Survival Guide
Ever feel like the holidays are stressful enough without your uncle turning Thanksgiving into a cable news audition? Same.
In this episode, we’re breaking down how to survive political conversations at the holiday table without ruining the pie or your sanity. From setting expectations before you walk in the door to gracefully exiting bad-faith debates, we’re giving you the tools to make it through the season with your peace intact.
We’re also bringing back Pardon My Politics: Thanksgiving Edition. JD Vance and Erica Kirk’s viral hug, the New York Times’ messy headline, Trump ignoring a guest fainting in the Oval Office, and the Colorado organizers who quietly flipped their entire city council.
To lighten things up, we dive into some truly unhinged White House Thanksgiving history. JFK skipped the turkey, Nixon served cottage cheese with ketchup, Obama baked sweet potato pie, and Trump… well, he brought out the Big Macs. We also imagine what Thanksgiving would look like with a woman in the Oval Office.
And in Ask a Millennial Mom, we talk teaching gratitude when your family can’t agree on basic facts, choosing between the parade, football or the dog show, and the “I’m trying, but I’m a parent” dishes that always come through. Yes, the Whole Foods hot bar and boxed stuffing absolutely count. Tune in.
We Discuss:
(00:20) The “Hot Louvre Thieves” and the strange glamorizing of viral criminals
(08:56) Why holiday family gatherings turn into unexpected political minefields
(14:02) How to exit heated conversations without drama or guilt
(15:45) The invisible mental load moms carry during the holiday season
(24:29) Pardon My Politics: viral hugs, bad headlines, fainting scandals and big wins
(35:34) The wildest and weirdest Thanksgiving traditions from the White House
(43:53) Ask a Millennial Mom: teaching gratitude, handling family tension and easy mom dishes
Learn more about:
Tanya Nathan is a political campaign and communications strategist with over a decade of experience in progressive campaigns and advocacy. Currently a Principal at a nationally-based grasstops consulting firm, she's a Denver native living with her 8-month-old daughter, husband, and their rescue pets. Her hobbies include crosswords, mezcal tasting, and trying to sleuth out who's going to be on Love is Blind Denver.
Sarah Andrews is a political strategist living in rural Colorado with her husband and two young kids. When she's not managing campaigns or chasing toddlers, she's passionate about women's rights, childcare policy, and creating space for honest political conversations that don't end in shouting matches.
Website: momarchypodcast.com
Substack: https://substack.com/@momarchy
Instagram: @themomarchypodcast
TikTok: @momarchypodcast
Email: momarchypodcast@gmail.com
