The Podcast

For many years, friends, colleagues and supporters of Michael J. Harrington hoped a book might be written that chronicled his impactful congressional career. This podcast attempts to address that wish.

The podcast begins with Michael Harrington's historic election to Congress in 1969 and journeys through the bulk of the 1970s, ending with his farewell speech to the Congress in 1978.

Michael Harrington went to Congress to make a difference. He served during a tumultuous period of war, White House corruption, presidential resignation, assassination attempts, illegal CIA missions, an energy crisis and structural economic upheaval. With boundless energy and urgency, he applied himself to these and many other issues of local and national importance. 

A disruptor by nature, Harrington took the fight to all who found comfort in the status quo. With an eye always fixed on the bigger picture, he pressed for change by shining a spotlight on unfairness, stupidity and outright illegality in realms both foreign and domestic. His tireless efforts placed him at the center of a fierce battle to rein in US intelligence agency adventurism, most specifically, the CIA. 

It nearly cost him his seat in Congress.

Independent by nature and a persistent critic of legislative conventions, he nevertheless became the catalyst for a series of far-reaching, economic policy victories fashioned by a bipartisan coalition that he created and led.

Equally significant, Harrington generously opened his office to more than 150 young student interns, giving them meaningful work and putting into practice his belief that civics must be learned and exercised by every American if we are to "keep the republic."

We hope that this podcast does justice to his contributions. 

Episodes will be issued as they become available on our website: www.atruepatriot.net and on Spotify in December 2025 and January 2026.

We would like to thank the many who agreed to be interviewed including: June Brown, Pat Choate, Tom Corcoran, Mike Evans, Congressman Barney Frank, Congressman Michael Harrington, Karen Kelley, US Senator Ed Markey, John Moriarty, Congressman Jamie Raskin, Judge David Sacks, Attorney General James Shannon, David Shribman, Congressman John Tierney, Bill Tinti, Jean Villa, Sam Vitali and Larry Zabar.

We would also like to thank Susan Edwards, Archives Librarian at Salem State University and Patrick Kennedy, Executive Director, Salem Access Television for their invaluable assistance and support in making this podcast possible.

There are many we wish we could have interviewed who are no longer with us. Their names bear mentioning given the major role each played in Michael's career: Massachusetts Senate President Kevin Harrington, Jake Segal, Bill Wasserman, US Senator Paul Tsongas, US House Speaker Thomas P. (Tip) O'Neill, Judge Dennis Healey, State Representative David Harrison and State Representative Larry Alexander are the most obvious. There are, of course, many others who were part of Michael's incredible political journey who we would have liked to interview as well.

We dedicate this podcast to Dorothy M. Harrington, who played such a large and supportive role as Michael's partner in life, and who always made everyone feel part of the family. She is dearly missed.

Jack Moriarty, Co-Producer & Narrator

John Moriarty, Co-Producer & Writer

November 2025