Ben and Joel are joined by award-winning author Ron Chernow, author of the acclaimed new "Washington: A Life," which offers a compelling and exhaustive new examination of America's first president.

Topics considered in this podcast:

* Is there anything new to say about George Washington?
* Is it fair to modern politicians to portray Washington and his colleagues as near-demigods?
* Just how smart was George Washington?
* Was Alexander Hamilton a Rasputin-like power behind Washington's power?
* How wide is the gulf between the man and the myth?
* What are we to make of Washington's ownership of slaves?
* Those dentures weren't actually wooden, were they?
* Are Tea Partiers right to stake an exclusive claim on the Founders?

Chernow will appear Monday, Oct. 18 at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to discuss the book.