"The American Idea with America’s patriotic philanthropist"

SHOW NOTES: In this special episode of The Blessings of Liberty, a celebration of Constitution Day, investor, philanthropist, and historian David Rubenstein walks through the nation’s semiquincentennial, the big ideas of the Declaration and the Constitution, and the importance of history and reading in today’s climate.

Participants

David Rubenstein is the Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of The Carlyle Group, one of the world’s largest private investment firms. He is principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Chairman of the University of Chicago Board of Trustees, and a leader in the area of Patriotic Philanthropy.

Jeffrey Rosen is a senior fellow at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and CEO Emeritus of the National Constitution Center. He is also a professor of law at the George Washington University Law School and a contributing editor of The Atlantic.

Additional Resources

• David M. Rubenstein, The Highest Calling: Conversations on the American Presidency (2024)
• David M. Rubenstein, The American Experiment: Dialogues on a Dream (2021)
• Jeffrey Rosen, The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. Jefferson Ignited the Lasting Battle Over Power in America (2025)
• Jeffrey Rosen, The Pursuit of Happiness: How the Classical Writers on Virtue Inspired the Lives of the Founders and Defined America (2024)

Stay Connected and Learn More

• Substack: @rosenjeffrey
• Instagram: @TheBlessingsOfLiberty
• X: @JeffreyRosenPod
• X (Personal): @RosenJeffrey
• YouTube: @TheBlessingsofLibertyPod

Thank you to our presenting sponsor, FIRE, a nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to defending and sustaining the individual rights of all Americans—especially freedom of speech and free thought. Learn more about FIRE’s work at FIRE.org/blessings.