Season 6 Finale

PODCAST 156: CURIOUS KID PODCAST SEASON 6 FINALE

RELEASE DATE: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH, 2022

D:  HELLO, AND WELCOME BACK TO THE CURIOUS KID PODCAST, SEASON 6 FINALE.  

O:  IT’S AMAZING THAT WE HAVE BEEN RECORDING THIS PODCAST FOR 3 YEARS.  WHAT A FUN JOURNEY IT’S BEEN.    

D:  IN JUST A FEW MONTHS, WE ARE GOING TO REACH THE POINT WHERE YOU WILL HAVE BEEN RECORDING THE PODCAST FOR HALF OF YOUR LIFE.  

O:  THAT’S A LONG TIME, AND THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT WE AREN’T GOING ANYWHERE.  SEASON 7 STARTS NEXT WEEK.

D:  WE ARE SO PROUD OF THE FACT THAT WE HAVE RELEASED A NEW EPISODE OF CURIOUS KID PODCAST EACH AND EVERY SUNDAY FOR 3 YEARS NOW, AND WE PLAN ON CONTINUING THAT FOR A LONG TIME.  NO SKIPPED WEEKS AND NO RE-RUNS.  A NEW EPISODE ON A NEW TOPIC EVERY SUNDAY.  

O:  WE HAVE A LOT TO COVER THIS WEEK, SO LET’S GIVE YOU THE RUNDOWN.

D:  FIRST, WE ARE GOING TO SAY THANK YOU TO SOME VERY SPECIAL PEOPLE.

O:  THEN, WE ARE GOING TO ANSWER A FEW QUESTIONS OUR AMAZING LISTENERS SENT IN FOR US.  

D:  THEN, WE ARE GOING TO TELL YOU OUR FAVORITE EPISODES AND FACTS FROM SEASON 6.

O:  THEN WE HAVE A SPECIAL SURPRISE FOR YOU THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MISS.  I PROMISE YOU THAT THE SURPRISE IS GOING TO BE OUT OF THIS WORLD, SO STICK AROUND TO LEARN MORE.

D:  THEN, WE ARE GOING TO REVEAL SOME OF OUR PLANS FOR SEASON 7, INCLUDING THE TOPICS FOR ALL OF THE FIRST 7 EPISODES OF SEASON 7.

O:  AND LAST, BUT NOT LEAST, MY MOMMY IS GOING TO JOIN US TO DISCUSS THE 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP.

D:  IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, WE RELEASED SPECIAL MINI-PRESIDENTIAL EPISODES IN 2019 AND 2020 LEADING UP TO THE BIG 2020 ELECTION.  WE COVERED EACH AND EVERY PRESIDENT FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON TO BARACK OBAMA IN SHORT EPISODES OF ABOUT 5 OR 6 MINUTES EACH.  WE DIDN’T THINK IT WAS FAIR TO COVER DONALD TRUMP, BECAUSE HE WAS STILL PRESIDENT, BUT WE DID PROMISE TO COVER HIS PRESIDENCY ONCE IT WAS COMPLETE.  STICK AROUND UNTIL THE VERY END OF THIS EPISODE TO LEARN MORE.  

OKAY OLIVIA, IT’S TIME TO SAY THANK YOU.

O:  THANK YOU TO OUR SPECIAL GUESTS THIS SEASON, GINA AND GARIG.  THEY HELPED US LEARN SO MUCH ABOUT SCARS AND STITCHES.  

D:  THAT WAS EPISODE 144, AND IT CAME OUT ON JULY 4TH.  IN THAT EPISODE, WE LEARNED HOW WOUNDS HEAL, WHEN WE MIGHT NEED STITCHES, AND HOW STITCHES WORK WITH THE HELP OF EXPERTS GINA AND GARIG.  IT WAS A SUPER FUN EPISODE THAT YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CHECK OUT IF YOU HAVEN’T HEARD IT YET.  

O:  WE ALSO WANT TO THANK ALL OF OUR PODCAST BUDDIES THAT WE COLLABORATED WITH THIS SEASON.

D:  THAT INCLUDES OUR COLLABORATION WITH A FANTASTIC NEWS PODCAST CALLED NEWSY JACUZZI.  THEY WERE KIND ENOUGH TO PLAY ONE OF OUR EPISODES ON THEIR PODCAST, AND WE PLAYED ONE OF THEIR EPISODES AT THE END OF OUR EPISODE ON GLASS THAT CAME OUT ON AUGUST 8TH.  

WE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO LOTS OF EPISODES OF ANOTHER SUPER NEWS PODCAST CALLED THE TEN NEWS.  WE RECORDED SEGMENTS ON GLOBAL WARMING, SUNSCREEN, FIREWORKS, ICE CREAM, AND PLANET NINE FOR THE TEN NEWS.  IF YOU WANT TO FIND FANTASTIC AGE-APPROPRIATE NEWS PODCASTS FOR KIDS, THERE ARE NONE BETTER THAN NEWSY JACUZZI AND THE TEN NEWS.

FINALLY, WE DID A VERY SPECIAL COLLABORATION WITH A PODCAST CALLED REACH: A SPACE PODCAST FOR KIDS.  YOU ARE GOING TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES.  IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN ALL THINGS SPACE, YOU SHOULD TOTALLY CHECK OUT REACH: A SPACE PODCAST FOR KIDS.  

O:  FINALLY, WE WANT TO THANK THE SPECIAL PEOPLE THAT MAKE THIS PODCAST POSSIBLE, ALL OF YOU.

D:  WE’VE SAID THIS BEFORE, AND WE’RE GOING TO SAY IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, BECAUSE IT’S TOTALLY TRUE.  THIS PODCAST WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT OUR INCREDIBLE LISTENERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.  YOUR SUPPORT KEEPS US GOING.  IF YOU LOVE CURIOUS KID PODCAST, PLEASE CONSIDER SENDING AN E-MAIL TO CURIOUSKIDPODCAST@GMAIL.COM TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOU’RE CURIOUS ABOUT, LEAVE A VOICEMAIL AT 856-425-2324, OR FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, AND TWITTER.  

THERE ARE ALSO THREE THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO THAT HELP US MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.  LETTING FRIENDS AND FAMILY KNOW ABOUT US REALLY HELPS US OUT.  IF YOU LOVE THE PODCAST, THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE YOU KNOW OTHER PEOPLE THAT MIGHT ENJOY THE PODCAST AS WELL.  WELL, WE WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT IF YOU LET THEM KNOW ABOUT US.  THEN YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE EPISODES AND DISCUSS THEM AFTERWARDS.  ALSO, LEAVING A 5 STAR REVIEW FOR US MAKES IT EASIER FOR NEW LISTENERS TO FIND US.  WE GET AN ALERT WHEN ANYONE LEAVES US A NEW REVIEW, AND IT TOTALLY MAKES OUR DAY.  IT ALSO ONLY TAKES A MINUTE OR TWO TO LEAVE A REVIEW.  ALSO, IF YOU WANT MORE ACCESS TO CURIOUS KID PODCAST, THE BEST WAY TO GET THAT ACCESS IS TO SUPPORT US ON PATREON.  ALL OF OUR PATREON SUPPORTERS GET AN EXTRA EPISODE EVERY SINGLE MONTH AND THEY KNOW EACH AND EVERY TOPIC WE ARE GETTING CURIOUS ABOUT IN SEASON 7.  THERE ARE LOTS OF OTHER GOODIES THAT COME WITH BEING A CKP SUPPORTER.  FOR MORE DETAILS ON HOW TO SUPPORT CURIOUS KID PODCAST, CHECK OUT THE EPISODE NOTES.       

O:  THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR LISTENERS, ALL OVER THE WORLD, FOR YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT.  WE DO THIS FOR YOU.  

D:  WHEN WE STARTED THIS THING 3 YEARS AGO, WE NEVER COULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT IT WOULD GROW INTO WHAT IT IS TODAY, AND WE HAVE YOU TO THANK.  WE ARE JUST WEEKS AWAY FROM REACHING 1 MILLION DOWNLOADS, AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO CELEBRATE THE BIG MILESTONE WITH YOU.

THIS WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS THAT WERE SENT IN BY OUR LISTENERS.  THIS IS GOING TO BE SO MUCH FUN.  LOTS OF OUR LISTENERS REACHED OUT TO ASK US QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PODCAST, OR ABOUT THE TWO OF US.    

OUR FIRST QUESTION IS FROM JAMESON, 5 YEARS OLD, OF KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA.  HIS QUESTION IS “WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE EPISODE OF ALL TIME?”

O:  MY FAVORITE EPISODE IS CURIOUS ABOUT DOLPHINS BECAUSE THEY ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE ANIMALS.  I ALSO REMEMBER SOMETHING FUNNY MY DADDY SAID IN THAT EPISODE.  WE LEARNED THAT DOLPHINS HAVE MORE THAN ONE STOMACH, AND MY DADDY SAID THAT HE COULD USE ANOTHER STOMACH FOR CINNAMON ROLLS.  THAT WAS HILARIOUS.  

D:  MY FAVORITE EPISODE IS ALSO AN OLDER ONE CALLED CURIOUS ABOUT AIRPLANES.  THE SCIENCE BEHIND HOW AIRPLANES WORK HAS ALWAYS FASCINATED ME.  I REALLY ENJOYED DOING THE RESEARCH FOR THAT EPISODE AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER.  WE HAD A VERY SPECIAL GUEST FOR THAT EPISODE.  HIS NAME IS SHANE AND HE IS A PILOT WITH THE NAVY.  FOR THOSE OF OUR LISTENERS THAT RECENTLY DISCOVERED THE PODCAST, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY CHECK OUT SOME OF OUR OLDEST EPISODES FROM THE FIRST FEW SEASONS, INCLUDING CURIOUS ABOUT DOLPHINS AND CURIOUS ABOUT AIRPLANES.  THERE WERE LOTS OF FUN TOPICS COVERED IN SEASONS ONE AND TWO AND OLIVIA WAS ONLY 4 AND 5 YEARS OLD WHEN WE RECORDED THOSE EPISODES.  LET US KNOW IF YOU THINK SHE SOUNDED DIFFERENT BACK THEN.  I THINK WE FONDLY REMEMBER THOSE EPISODES BECAUSE WE WERE JUST GETTING STARTED, AND WE WERE JUST STARTING TO FIND OUR RHYTHM.  WE WEREN’T SURE ANYONE WAS GOING TO LISTEN TO US WHEN WE LAUNCHED THE PODCAST. 

THE NEXT QUESTIONS COME FROM PARKER, AGE 6, AND CHARLOTTE, AGE 4, FROM MARYLAND.  PARKER WANTS TO KNOW WHICH SPORT IS YOUR FAVORITE?  CHARLOTTE WANTS TO KNOW IF YOU PLAY ROBLOX?  THEIR MOMMY WANTS TO KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO MAKE ONE EPISODE OF THE PODCAST, AND THEIR DADDY WANTS TO KNOW WHAT PART OF THE HOUSE WE RECORD THE PODCAST IN.

O:  PARKER, MY FAVORITE SPORT IS SOCCER.  I’VE BEEN PLAYING SOCCER SINCE I WAS 2 YEARS OLD, AND I PLAY TRAVEL SOCCER TODAY… GO CHERRY HILL FIRE CHERRIES.  CHARLOTTE, I DO PLAY ROBLOX, AND IT’S SO MUCH FUN.  MY FAVORITE GAME TO PLAY ON ROBLOX IS ADOPT ME.  

D:  LOTS OF THINGS GO INTO MAKING A SINGLE EPISODE OF THE PODCAST.  A COUPLE OF HOURS ARE SPENT ON RESEARCH AND THEN ANOTHER COUPLE OF HOURS ARE SPENT ON WRITING THE SCRIPT FOR EACH EPISODE.  PARTS OF THE PODCAST ARE MORE SPONTANEOUS, BUT IT IS STILL MOSTLY SCRIPTED.  RECORDING AND EDITING EACH EPISODE USUALLY TAKES AN HOUR OR TWO TOTAL.  THEN, WE ALSO SPEND A FEW HOURS A WEEK POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND REPLYING TO E-MAILS FROM OUR LISTENERS.  SO, EVERY WEEK, ABOUT 12 TO 15 HOURS ARE SPENT ON EACH EPISODE, AND THAT INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM EPISODE TOPIC SELECTION TO UPLOADING THE FINAL AUDIO FILE.

WE RECORD THE PODCAST FROM A ROOM IN OUR HOUSE THAT WE CALL THE OFFICE, BECAUSE I WORKED IN THE ROOM WHEN I WORKED FROM HOME YEARS AGO.  IT HAS SINCE BECOME MORE OF A GUEST BEDROOM.  IT’S ACTUALLY NOT THE BEST PLACE TO RECORD A PODCAST.  THE ACOUSTICS AREN’T GREAT IN THIS ROOM, OR ANY BEDROOM FOR THAT MATTER… SMALLER SPACES WOULD BE MUCH BETTER.  IN FACT, OUR FRIENDS AT NEWSY JACUZZI HAVE RECORDED THEIR PODCAST FROM UNDER A BED TO GET BETTER ACOUSTICS.  THAT’S TRUE DEDICATION RIGHT THERE.

OKAY, WE’VE GOT ONE MORE LISTENER QUESTION TO ANSWER, AND IT’S ADORABLE.  CHECK OUT THIS VOICEMAIL FROM LISTENERS IN CANADA.        

DANIEL AND ISABELLA AUDIO VM:  WE WERE WONDERING WHEN JACOB RETIRES FROM THE PODCAST WILL OLIVIA CONTINUE TO SHARE INFORMATION FOR KIDS?

O:  THAT WAS AWESOME.  THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE VOICEMAIL, DANIEL AND ISABELLA.  I DON’T THINK MY DADDY HAS ANY PLANS ON RETIRING SOON, SO I DON’T THINK I’LL BE GOING SOLO WITH THE PODCAST.  WE REALLY ENJOY DOING THE PODCAST TOGETHER.  WE HOPE TO DO IT FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

D:  THAT’S SO SWEET.  I AGREE.  I LOVE DOING THIS SO MUCH, I HOPE TO NEVER RETIRE FROM PODCASTING.  

O:  THANKS TO OUR LISTENERS FOR THOSE SUPER DUPER QUESTIONS.  WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED LEARNING A BIT MORE ABOUT ME, MY DADDY, AND THE PODCAST.    

D:  IT’S NOW TIME TO REVEAL OUR FAVORITE EPISODES AND FACTS FROM THE SEASON THAT IS COMING TO A CLOSE, SEASON 6.  THIS IS A TRADITION WE DO AT THE END OF EVERY SEASON.

O:  MY FAVORITE EPISODE WAS CURIOUS ABOUT SLIME.  I LOVE THAT EPISODE BECAUSE MAKING SLIME IS SO MUCH FUN.  

D:  THAT WAS A FUN EPISODE.  GREAT CHOICE.  MY FAVORITE EPISODE WAS CURIOUS ABOUT AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS.  WE LEARNED ABOUT SOME OF THE REALLY FASCINATING ANIMALS THAT CALL AUSTRALIA HOME.  I THINK MANY OF US KNOW ABOUT THE KANGAROOS AND KOALAS, BUT AUSTRALIA IS ALSO HOME TO THE QUOKKA, WHICH MIGHT JUST BE THE CUTEST ANIMAL IN THE WORLD.  AUSTRALIA IS ALSO HOME TO SOME OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ANIMALS IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.  

OLIVIA, WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE FACT LEARNED IN SEASON 6?

O:  MY FAVORITE FACTS ARE THAT SCORPIONS GLOW UNDER BLACKLIGHT AND THAT BABY SCORPIONS ARE CALLED SCORPLINGS.  I’VE NEVER SEEN A SCORPION BEFORE, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ONE SOMEDAY, FROM A DISTANCE.    

D:  OOOOOOOOH, THOSE ARE FUN FACTS FOR SURE.  MY FAVORITE FACT WAS FROM THE EPISODE CURIOUS ABOUT GLASS.  IN THAT EPISODE, WE LEARNED THAT GLASS ISN’T REALLY A SOLID OR A LIQUID.  IT’S KID OF IN BETWEEN.  GLASS IS CONSIDERED AN AMORPHOUS SOLID, MEANING THAT THE ATOMS IN GLASS ACTUALLY MOVE OVER TIME.  I NEVER KNEW THAT, AND IT’S REALLY FASCINATING.  

OKAY LISTENERS, IN JUST A COUPLE OF MINUTES, WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU LOTS OF DETAILS ABOUT SEASON 7 WHICH STARTS NEXT WEEK.  BUT WE HAVE A SPECIAL SURPRISE FOR YOU FIRST.

O:  A FEW WEEKS AGO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTERVIEW 2 VERY SPECIAL GUESTS.  I INTERVIEWED TWO ASTRONAUTS.  AND THAT’S NOT EVEN THE MOST AMAZING PART.  THE ASTRONAUTS I INTERVIEWED WERE AT THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION WHEN THEY ANSWERED MY QUESTION.  THAT MEANS THAT THEY WERE ACTUALLY IN SPACE, FAR, FAR, AWAY FROM EARTH.  

D:  OLIVIA HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HER QUESTION THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS OVER AT REACH: A SPACE PODCAST FOR KIDS.  WE ARE ABOUT TO PLAY THE AUDIO OF HER QUESTION AND THE ASTRONAUTS ANSWERS RIGHT NOW, AND AFTER YOU’RE DONE LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE, CLICK ON THE LINK FOR THE FULL EPISODE OF REACH: A SPACE PODCAST FOR KIDS IN THE SHOW NOTES.  THEIR EPISODE FEATURES QUESTIONS FOR THE ASTRONAUTS FROM A BUNCH OF CURIOUS KIDS.  ALL OF THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ARE SO INTERESTING AND FUN, SO CHECK IT OUT.  ARE YOU WONDERING WHAT OLIVIA ASKED THE ASTRONAUTS.  WELL, HERE WE GO:

***AUDIO FROM Q&A WITH ASTRONAUTS MEGAN MCARTHUR AND MARK VANDE HEI***

D:  THAT WAS INCREDIBLE.  A BIG, BIG THANKS TO REACH: A SPACE PODCAST FOR KIDS AND TO ASTRONAUTS MEGAN MCARTHUR AND MARK VANDE HEI FOR ANSWERING OLIVIA’S QUESTION.  

O:  IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE VIDEO OF THE ASTRONAUTS ANSWERING MY QUESTION, YOU CAN FIND IT ON THE CURIOUS KID PODCAST FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM PAGES.

D:  THE VIDEO IS AWESOME BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE THE ASTRONAUTS FLOATING WHILE THEY ANSWER OLIVIA’S QUESTION, AND WHEN MEGAN PASSES THE MICROPHONE OVER TO MARK, SHE DOES IT IN THE COOLEST WAY THAT CAN ONLY BE DONE IN SPACE.

O:  ALRIGHT LISTENERS, IT’S TIME TO REVEAL THE TOPICS FOR OUR FIRST 7 EPISODES OF SEASON 7.  WE ARE GOING TO GET CURIOUS ABOUT PLANTS, BOATS, COLORS, POPCORN, PUMPKINS, NARWHALS, COMPASSES, AND SO MUCH MORE IN SEASON 7.  

D:  WE ARE ALSO GOING TO HAVE MORE SPECIAL GUEST INTERVIEWS IN SEASON 7 THAN WE’VE HAD IN ANY SEASON YET.  GUESTS ARE GOING TO JOIN US TO HELP US LEARN ABOUT SOCCER, CODING, EARS, CARNIVOROUS PLANTS, HORSES, AND ASTEROIDS.  ALL OF THAT AND SO MUCH MORE COMING UP IN THE NEXT 6 MONTHS OF CURIOUS KID PODCAST, SO BE SURE TO TUNE IN EVERY SUNDAY WHEN NEW EPISODES ARE RELEASED.

O:  NOW, WE ARE GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO MY BROTHER NOAH AND MY MOMMY TO LEARN ABOUT THE 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DONALD TRUMP.

D:  AND, IF YOU ENJOY LEARNING ABOUT THE U.S. PRESIDENTS AND THE HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, GO BACK AND LISTEN TO ALL OF THE MINI-PRESIDENTIAL EPISODES.  IT’S LIKE GETTING A CRASH COURSE IN THE LAST 250 YEARS OF AMERICAN HISTORY IN JUST A FEW HOURS TOTAL.  JOIN US NEXT WEEK, WHEN WE GET CURIOUS ABOUT PLANTS FOR LISTENERS IN OHIO AND MARYLAND.  AS ALWAYS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LISTENING AND GETTING CURIOUS WITH US.

N:  HI EVERYBODY, TODAY MY MOMMY IS GOING TO TALK ABOUT DONALD J. TRUMP. 

H:  THANK YOU NOAH, FOR INTRODUCING DONALD J. TRUMP, THE 45TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.  DONALD TRUMP WAS BORN IN THE YEAR 1946 IN QUEENS, NEW YORK.  AFTER GRADUATING FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, HE WENT ON TO WORK FOR HIS FATHER’S REAL ESTATE BUSINESS.  HE WORKED FOR DECADES IN REAL ESTATE AND OTHER BUSINESS VENTURES, MAKING LOTS OF MONEY BEFORE ENTERING THE WORLD OF POLITICS.  HE WOULD BECOME THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO BE A BILLIONAIRE BEFORE TAKING OFFICE.  

DONALD TRUMP RAN FOR PRESIDENT IN THE YEAR 2000 AS A THIRD PARTY CANDIDATE.  HE DROPPED OUT EARLY IN THAT ELECTION CYCLE, BUT THE DESIRE TO BECOME PRESIDENT STUCK WITH HIM.  HE CONSIDERED RUNNING IN FUTURE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, BUT DIDN’T OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCE HE WAS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT AGAIN UNTIL THE YEAR 2015.  THIS TIME, HE DECIDED TO RUN AS A MAJOR PARTY NOMINEE, AS A REPUBLICAN.  BEFORE REPRESENTING THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, HE NEEDED TO DEFEAT 16 OTHER CANDIDATES, WHICH HE DID SUCCESSFULLY BEFORE EARNING THE NOMINATION.  

HIS OPPONENT IN THE 2016 ELECTION WAS HILLARY CLINTON, WIFE OF FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON, AS WELL AS SECRETARY OF STATE FOR FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA.  DESPITE LOSING THE POPULAR VOTE BY CLOSE TO 3 MILLION VOTES, DONALD TRUMP BEAT HILLARY CLINTON SOUNDLY IN THE ELECTORAL VOTE, EARNING 306 ELECTORAL VOTES, COMPARED TO 232 FOR HILLARY CLINTON.  TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHY WE VOTE USING AN ELECTORAL COLLEGE RATHER THAN POPULAR VOTE, LISTEN TO EPISODE 107 OF CURIOUS KID PODCAST, CALLED CURIOUS ABOUT ELECTION DAY.  

IN ORDER TO APPEAL TO LOTS OF VOTERS, DONALD TRUMP USED A STRATEGY THAT HAD BEEN USED BY PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS, INCLUDING RONALD REAGEN.  HE REMINDED VOTERS THAT HE WAS NOT A POLITICIAN, AND HIS LACK OF POLITICAL EXPERIENCE WAS A POSITIVE, BECAUSE HE WOULD BE ABLE TO BETTER REPRESENT THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.  HIS MESSAGE RESONATED, AND HE WAS ABLE TO EARN LOTS OF VOTES WITH PROMISES TO “MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”.  

WHEN HE WAS ELECTED, DONALD TRUMP BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO BE ELECTED AFTER TURNING 70 YEARS OLD.  HE WAS ALSO THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO TAKE OFFICE WITHOUT ANY MILITARY OR POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.  WHEN TAKING OFFICE, HIS PRIMARY GOALS WERE TO CREATE MORE JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS, TO LOWER THE NATIONAL DEBT, AND TO BUILD A WALL ALONG THE BORDER OF THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO. 

AS PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP HAD LOTS OF SUCCESSES.  HE HELPED PUT 3 NEW JUSTICES ON THE SUPREME COURT.  HE ALSO ESTABLISHED A 6TH BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES CALLED SPACE FORCE, WITH THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING U.S. MILITARY ASSETS IN SPACE.  PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN OVERSEEING THE PASSAGE OF THE TAX CUTS AND JOBS ACT, WHICH CHANGED THE NATIONAL TAX CODES FOR THE FIRST TIME IN DECADES.  HE SIGNED THE FIRST STEP ACT INTO LAW, LEADING TO CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM.  THE FIRST STEP ACT RECEIVED LOTS OF SUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE.  HIS BIGGEST SUCCESS IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS IS LIKELY THE DEFEAT OF A TERRORIST GROUP CALLED ISIS EARLY IN 2019.  ON THE DOMESTIC STAGE, MANY CONSIDER HIS BIGGEST SUCCESS TO BE THAT THE U.S. STOCK MARKET ROSE TO RECORD LEVELS ON HIS WATCH.

DONALD TRUMP’S 4 YEARS IN OFFICE ALSO HAD SEVERAL FAILURES.  HE IS WIDELY CRITICIZED FOR WITHDRAWING THE UNITED STATES FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE AGREEMENT, WHICH WAS DESIGNED TO REDUCE POLLUTION AND DELAY THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE.  HIS DECISION TO MEET WITH SEVERAL DICTATORS, INCLUDING VLADIMIR PUTIN AND KIM JONG-UN, WAS ALSO CALLED INTO QUESTION.  

DONALD TRUMP BECAME THE THIRD PRESIDENT TO BE IMPEACHED, BUT THE FIRST PRESIDENT TO BE IMPEACHED TWICE.  ON BOTH OCCASIONS, THE SENATE FOUND DONALD TRUMP NOT GUILTY.  

DONALD TRUMP RAN FOR PRESIDENT ONCE AGAIN IN 2020, BUT WAS DEFEATED BY JOE BIDEN.  THE ELECTION TOOK PLACE DURING A WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC.  DONALD TRUMP’S HANDLING OF THE PANDEMIC WAS CONTROVERSIAL, WHICH MAY HAVE COST HIM VOTES IN THE 2020 ELECTION.  THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE RESULTS WERE IDENTICAL TO THE YEAR 2016, BUT THIS TIME IT WAS DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE JOE BIDEN THAT SECURED 306 ELECTORAL VOTES TO DONALD TRUMPS 232.  THE RESULTS OF THE ELECTION MADE DONALD TRUMP THE FIRST ONE TERM PRESIDENT SINCE GEORGE H.W. BUSH, WHO SERVED FROM 1989-1993.  AFTER THE ELECTION, PRESIDENT TRUMP REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE ELECTION RESULTS.  ON JANUARY 6TH OF THIS YEAR, 2021, CONGRESS MET TO COUNT THE ELECTORAL VOTES IN A LAST STEP TO OFFICIALLY DECLARE JOE BIDEN’S VICTORY.  WHILE THEY WERE MEETING, VIOLENT PROTESTERS BROKE INTO THE U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING IN AN EFFORT TO DELAY CONGRESS FROM DECLARING JOE BIDEN THE WINNER OF THE ELECTION.  IT WAS DONALD TRUMP’S POSSIBLE ROLE IN THE EVENTS OF JANUARY 6TH THAT LED TO HIS SECOND IMPEACHMENT.          

DONALD TRUMP HAS ALREADY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT ONCE AGAIN IN 2024.  IF HE IS SUCCESSFUL IN BECOMING THE NEXT PRESIDENT, HE WOULD BE THE FIRST AND ONLY PRESIDENT SINCE GROVER CLEVELAND TO SERVE 2, NON-CONSECUTIVE TERMS AS PRESIDENT.  

JOIN OLIVIA AND HER DAD NEXT WEEK FOR THE START OF SEASON 7.  UNTIL NEXT TIME, STAY CURIOUS!