From the Balcony
A new student-driven podcast from the Dole Institute
Just off the Senate Republican Leader's office at the U.S. Capitol Building lies a balcony with a sweeping view of the National Mall. It was here that Senator Bob Dole struck many of his famous bipartisan deals, worked the phones, and gave interviews. Upon his retirement from the U.S. Senate in 1996, the chamber unanimously approved to rename it the "Robert J. Dole Balcony." Our first-ever podcast, From the Balcony, brings that spirit to life by providing a place for candid, thoughtful, and engaging conversations on public policy and the defining issues of today.
Meet your hosts
Nathan Binshtok
Nathan is a junior studying economics and political science at KU, and plans on attending law school. While at the Dole Institute, he led the Pizza & Politics student program, which connects students to leading journalists and experts while enjoying a slice of pizza.
Ella Rhuems
Ella is a senior studying political science, psychology, and dance. She’s held multiple roles at the Dole Institute, including Discussion Groups coordinator, where she was responsible for helping organize programming with Dole Fellows.
Rob Kaplan on the State of the U.S. Economy
Rob Kaplan served as the CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas for many years, giving him unique insights into how the primary steward of economic policy in the United States makes important decisions.
Episode coming early 2026
Where to listen
Episodes will be airing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube early next year. You can also subscribe to our podcast via our RSS feed.
Transcripts of our episodes may be generated by the platform you’re listening on, and they may not be accurate. An accessible version of the episode will be made available upon request. Please contact us at doleinstitute@ku.edu to request the material be made available in an accessible format, or for general assistance.
The Dole Institute is committed to universal accessibility in all programs and resources. We are in the process of making all of our web projects fully accessible. An accessible version of the material represented on this site will be made available upon request. Please contact us at doleinstitute@ku.edu to request the material be made available in an accessible format, or for general assistance.