Shows / Bourbon in The Back Room
Bourbon in The Back Room
An inside look at politics with Senators Sheheen and Lourie. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the important, fun, and sometimes weird world of South Carolina Politics. Learn how the laws that impact your life every day get made and find a unique perspective on connections around the state!
Episodes
- Bourbon in The Back Room
A BLUE WAVE CRASHES - Midterms Recap with Vincent Sheheen and Joel Lourie
ALL POLITICS IS NATIONAL. Vincent and Joel sit down for a deep dive into how Democrats won nationwide, closely dissect local and statewide races, talk through…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
S.C. GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE - ALAN WILSON
In this Episode of Bourbon Shots, Vincent and Joel sit down with S.C. Attorney General and Gubernatorial candidate, Alan Wilson, to discuss his race for the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
S.C. U.S. SENATE CANDIDATE - DR. ANNIE ANDREWS
Vincent and Joel sit down for an episode of Bourbon Shots to hear how the campaign is going for Annie Andrews as she runs against Darline Graham for one of the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SC GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, JERMAINE JOHNSON
Vincent and Joel sit down with Jermaine Johnson and Sam Skardon - candidates for SC governor and lieutenant governor to talk about democrat momentum in South…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
LIVE! Midterm Elections and the University of South Carolina - Guest USC's Thad Westbrook
Vincent and Joel sit down to discuss proposals for eliminating the State income tax, the South Carolina midterms, gubernatorial race, political fundraising…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
LIVE! From Furman University - Mayor of Greenville, Knox White
Vincent and Joel sit down live from Furman University with the longest serving Mayor in Greenville history, joined by special guests Rep. Chandra Dillard, Sen…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Attorney General Candidate Richard Hricik
Vincent and Joel sit down with the Democratic candidate for South Carolina Attorney General to discuss his platform, his vision for the South Carolina AG's…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture - Hugh Weathers
Vincent and Joel sit down with the Commissioner of Agriculture, Hugh Weathers, to discuss his family lineage of farmers, his history of public service in South…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SC Workforce and Economic Activity - Guest, SCDEW Director, William H. Floyd
Vincent and Joel sit down with the Director of SC Department of Employment and Workforce, William H. Floyd, to discuss the economic state of South Carolina…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
State Budget and State Politics - Guest Maayan Schechter
Vincent and Joel sit down with all star journalist, Maayan Schechter, to discuss all things South Carolina politics, take a deep dive into the budget, talk…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SOUTH CAROLINA US SENATE VACANCY - Guest Ralph Norman
Vincent and Joel sits down for an episode of bourbon shots to get in the weeds related to the open US Senate seat left by the late Lindsey Graham and hear from…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SOUTH CAROLINA US SENATE VACANCY - Guest Mark Sanford
Vincent and Joel sits down for an episode of bourbon shots to get in the weeds related to the open US Senate seat left by the late Lindsey Graham and hear from…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SOUTH CAROLINA US SENATE VACANCY - Guest Mark Lynch
Joel sits down for an episode of bourbon shots to get in the weeds related to the open US Senate seat left by the late Lindsey Graham and hear from one of the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
The Life and Legacy of Senator Lindsey Graham
Joel and Meg Kinnard discuss the life of the late Senator Lindsey Graham, his impact on the SC political landscape, the fallout in SC, and so much more!…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Political Analysis and Runoff Results - with Guest Matt Moore
Vincent and Joel sit down with special guest, political analyst and strategist Matt Moore with First Tuesday Strategies to discuss the runoff results, the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
A CONSERVATIVE'S TAKE ON HOW TO FIX CLIMATE CHANGE - Guest Congressman Bob Inglis (R)
Senators Sheheen and Lourie sit down with former Congressman, Bob Inglis, to discuss his political views, the state of the nation, his conservative take on why…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Primary Election Results and the State of South Carolina - Guest Jeff Collins - Associated Press
Vincent and Joel sit down with Jeff Collins with the Associated Press to take an insider look at the South Carolina primary results - some surprising outcomes…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SC GOVERNOR'S RACE - ROM REDDY
Hear the Senators sit down with a candidate for the South Carolina Governor's office to get an in-depth look at who he is, why he's running for Governor, his…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SC ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE - STEPHEN GOLDFINCH
Hear the Senators sit down with a candidate for the South Carolina Attorney General's to get an in-depth look at who he is, why he's running for AG, how he…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
S.C. ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE - DAVID STUMBO
In this segment of Bourbon Shots, hear the Senators sit down with a candidate for the South Carolina Attorney General's to get an in-depth look at who he is…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Special Guest - US Senator Mark Kelly
Vincent and Joel sit down with Senior US Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona to talk about his path to politics, his family, his link to Top Gun the movie, flying…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Sine Die Day 2026! Legislators Come Down for a Drink!
Sine Die and the end of session create a fervor of activity at the State's Capital! Vincent and Joel sit down and have a few drinks at Tin Roof across from the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SC ATTORNEY GENERAL RACE - DAVID PASCOE
Joel sits down with David Pascoe, candidate for South Carolina Attorney General, to discuss his background, history in politics, family, aspirations for the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Statewide Politics Heat Up With Summer on the Way - Guests Andrew Shue and Gubernatorial Candidate Billy Webster
In Bourbon Briefs hear about the legislative updates on mandatory liquor liability insurance, efforts at extreme abortion bans, continued charter school…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Statewide Politics and Building South Carolina to Support its Citizens - Guest Representative and Gubernatorial Jermaine Johnson
Joel sits down with representative and democratic gubernatorial candidate Jermaine Johnson to discuss a breadth of developments happening in SC politics and…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Special Guest Ambassador Rahm Emanuel - Rebuilding Government for its People
Hear about Rahm Emanuel's time as a White House Chief of Staff and as mayor of Chicago and his tenure as ambassador to Japan. Learn about his current…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
LIVE! From the College of Charleston with Guest, Mayor of Charleston, William Cogswell Jr.
Vincent and Joel sit down in front of a live audience of College of Charleston students to discuss the city of Charleston, the future of one of South…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
School Voucher Controversy and the Future of S.C. - Guest Representative Hamilton R. Grant
Vincent and Joel sit down with Representative Hamilton Grant and discuss his background in South Carolina, time at S.C. State and experience in the Marching…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Upcoming Legislation, College Sports, and Medical Marijuana - Guest, Senator Tom Davis
The Senators sit down with a leader in the State Senate, Tom Davis, one of the original guests on BITBR, to celebrate his 18th year in the Senate! Hear them…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
LIVE! From the Leadership Columbia Class of 2026 - Guest Scott Keogh, President of Scout Motors USA
Hear Vincent and Joel discuss the cutting edge of business development in South Carolina in front of a new class of business leadership in our State's capital…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
The Race for the Governor's Office and South Carolina Parks and Recreation - with Special Guest Duane Parrish
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Duane Parrish - Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism - to talk about a growing…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
A New Year of SC Politics and Newly Elected Democrats - with Guest Senator Ed Sutton
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Senator Ed Sutton, to talk about his history in South Carolina, his military service, and what it was like running as a…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
A YEAR OF S.C. POLITICS AND POLICY - Guests Will Folks and Tod Augsburger
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, FITSNews' own Will Folks, to discuss the crazy developments in South Carolina Politics, the course of state policy…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
The Concise Guide to South Carolina Government - With Guest Dr. Kendra P. Stewart
Vincent and Joel sit down with Guest, Professor of Political Science, Dr. Kendra Stewart, to do a deep dive into South Carolina Government, politics, history…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
The History of South Carolina, Mother Emanuel Church, and SC State Government
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest Kevin Sack, senior reporter for the New York Times, to discuss his journalism and his new book on the Mother Emanuel…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Closing S.C.'s Healthcare Coverage Gap LIVE from the CoverSC Conference
Vincent and Joel sit down LIVE from the CoverSC conference with J. J. Gentry Senior Lawyer for the Ethics Committee to talk about his push for lung cancer…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Valerie Bauerlein and The Story of Scott Spivey
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest - Valerie Bauerlein - and discuss her latest story and investigative journalism into Scott Spivey and what really happened…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Dick Harpootlian - Dig Me a Grave
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest - Senator Dick Harpootlian - to discuss his new book, Pee Wee Gaskins, his history in South Carolina, hear fascinating…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Inside Political Journalism with Maayan Schechter and Jeff Collins
Joel sits down with respected political Journalists Maayan Schechter and Jeff Collins to discuss their backgrounds in South Carolina, how they got into…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
End of Summer Politics and the South Carolina Lottery with Guest Dolly Garfield
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest - Executive Director of the SC Lottery - and discuss how the lottery works, how it benefits the state, and the Dolly's…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Jaime Harrison, What's next for the Democratic Party, and Life in Public Service
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest Jaime Harrison to talk about the reality of politics, how the toughest jobs get done, sticking with his party, and so much…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Preservation of Institutions with Gubernatorial Candidate, Senator Josh Kimbrell (R)
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest - candidate in South Carolina's 2026 Governor's race - Republican Josh Kimbrell. They discuss the importance of State…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
An Update on State Government - With Guest, Senator Sean Bennett (R)
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee, Sean Bennett, for another appearance on the podcast to give us a thoughtful and…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear
Vincent and Joel sit down with the remarkable Governor Andy Beshear and hear about how he won a statewide gubernatorial election as a democrat in Kentucky, a…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Agreeing to Disagree and the Theater of Elected Office - With Representative Jermaine Johnson
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, friend of the Senators, basketball player, and esteemed Representative Jermaine Johnson. Hear Rep. Johnson talk in depth…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Modern Political Culture and How the Sausage Gets Made - with Guest Representative Gil Gatch (R)
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative Gil Gatch, to discuss his life and politics in the low country, his background as a musician, pastor…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
The Path into Politics and An Attempt to Reduce Recovery Rights for Injury Victims - with Senator Overture Walker
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, new Senator Overture Walker, to discuss his family roots in Sumter, his education at U.S.C., how he got his start in…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
LIVE! SINE DIE 2025 - Legislators Come Down for a Drink
Sine Die and the end of session create a fervor of activity at the State's Capital! Vincent and Joel sit down and have a few drinks at Tin Roof across from the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
LIVE! with the Leadership Columbia Class of 2025 - Guest Harry Lightsey III, SC Secretary of Commerce
Vincent and Joel sit down LIVE with SC Secretary of Commerce, Harry Lightsey III, before the Leadership Columbia class of 2025 in the Palmetto Club. Hear the…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Making a Difference and Listening to Constituents - with Representative Nathan Ballentine (R)
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative Nathan Ballentine, to talk about updates on the legislative session, his years of public service, how he…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
The Sane vs the Insane - with Guest Representative Justin Bamberg
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative Justin Bamberg, from Bamberg County, to discuss representing a small county, Justin's background and…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Education and Public Works - With Guest Representative Shannon Erickson and Andrew Wylam
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Shannon Erickson, chairman of the House Education and Public Works Committee, and discuss education in SC, early…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Tax Reform, Economic Development, and Celebrating the Revolutionary War - with Representative Brandon Newton AND CEO of SC250, Molly Fortune
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Molly Fortune, to discuss celebrating SC's role in winning the revolutionary war! They then speak with Representative…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
LIVE! From the SC Realtor Association's Annual Conference - with Guest, Speaker Pro Tempore, Tommy Pope
For the Third Year in a row Vincent and Joel host the podcast from the SC Realtor's Association Annual Conference with Guest, Speaker Pro Tempore Tommy Pope…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Chuck Todd - Local Reporting, After Meet the Press, and the Modern Age of Politics
Joel sits down with guest, Chuck Todd, to discuss all things political reporting. They talk about combatting the rise of antisemitism in the US, effective…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Loss of Political Civility and the Importance of Lawyer Legislators - with Guest Representative Todd Rutherford
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Representative J. Todd Rutherford, to discuss Gambling in South Carolina, sports betting, funding state programs, dram…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
SC’s Budget and Your Taxes in 2025 - Guest, Ways and Means Chairman, Representative Bruce Bannister
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Chairman Bruce Bannister, to discuss South Carolina's 40 Billion Dollar Budget, what South Carolina does with your tax…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
2024 YEAR END RECAP - WILL FOLKS - FITSNews
Vincent and Joel sit down with Will Folks and have an in-depth and substantive discussion about the tumultuous and turbulent year of 2024. They give a touching…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Rural Politics, Business, and Life After Politics - With Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer
Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Lieutenant Governor and State Senator, Andre Bauer. They discuss his substantial background in politics, how working hard…
- Bourbon in The Back Room
Senator Nikki Setzler - Forty-Eight Years of S.C. Politics
Happy Thanksgiving! Vincent and Joel sit down with guest, Senator Nikki Setzler to discuss how he became a 48-year veteran of the State Senate and the longest…