Welcome to Talking Fed's one-on-one, deep-dive discussions with national figures about the most fascinating and consequential issues defining our culture and shaping our lives.

I'm your host, Harry Littman. So fortunate to welcome

a very special guest. All of you here know him from his historic national role as manager

of the second impeachment, member of the Gener 6th Committee, ranking members still of the House

Committee on oversight. Even leaving his day job

aside, he's a remarkably accomplished professor, writer, moral leader, and family man,

as you may know from his really remarkable memoir, still available in paperback, I believe,

unthinkable. I'll stick to the sober kay I used to introduce him last time,

which is how I think of him, a constitutional patriot and a warrior for the rule of law.

Can't thank you enough. Please join me in welcoming. Jamie Raskin. I'd like this time to start

with a quiz, two lists of five items, and I'd like you to tell

me, if you can, what they are. List number one, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Idaho, West Virginia.

List number two, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Hawaii, New York. Any guesses?

Do one more time. Montana, Wyoming. Alaska, Idaho, West Virginia. That's one five. New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Hawaii, New York.

I mean, the reddest and the bluest?

The states with the most gun ownership and the least gun ownership,

but also very red, very blue.

So I think it tells you that there is a linkage between our national gun problem

and our deep partisan divisions as a country. And that's the aspect, there's so many

aspects of the gun violence problem, but that's the one I wanted to focus on today.

Thank you for having me, Harry. Thank you all for coming out. Well, let me start it this way.

I would like to start at a kind of philosophical level by talking about the social contract

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