A week can be a long time in politics - especially when there's not much going on in Westminster. But in this week's podcast we look back over a glorious two weeks for Team GB and an event that seemed to bring the country together.
Can politicians tap in to the sense of optimistic over-achievement? And is it all bad news for nationalists in Scotland and Wales as athletes from all over Britain embrace the union flag.
On the panel to discuss this are Guardian columnists Giles Fraser, Hugh Muir and Michael White.
Also on the agenda this week: the selection of Mitt Romney's running mate. Republican congressman Paul Ryan portrays himself as a fierce fiscal hawk and has produced his own slash-and-burn budget to prove it. But will his plans to axe spending on healthcare cost the Republicans key votes?
And we look into the enduring appeal of Ayn Rand to the Tea Party wing of the Republican party.
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