Curtin's Cast Episode 9 - 23 April 2025 - Drew Westen

We have a fantastic episode of Curtin's Cast this week featuring Professor Drew Westen, well-known US political psychologist and author of the super influential 2007 book, 'The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation'. We spoke to Drew about his book – including receiving praise from Bill Clinton (which he initially thought was a hoax!) - why feelings trump facts every time, what the Left gets wrong about voters, Trumpism and much more!

About Drew Westen

Drew Westen is a Professor in the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry at Emory University and formerly taught at the University of Michigan and Harvard Medical School. He is founder of Westen Strategies a strategic messaging consulting firm that serves nonprofits and political organizations and the author of three books and countless scholarly articles, including The Political Brain: The Role of Emotion in Deciding the Fate of the Nation. The book has been widely used by political candidates and leaders around the world and is credited as having influenced campaign strategies in a number of races, beginning with the 2008 Presidential race. President Bill Clinton described it as one of the most significant books in politics he had read in a decade. He has advised a range of organizations, from presidential and prime ministerial campaigns in the US and internationally.