State of the Union
State of the Union features video podcasts by independent media.
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Winning is Essential…But it is Not Enough
There are reasons for optimism as we head into the 2026 midterms. Polling is showing that people are fed up with Trump and his policies, courts are holding firm against the president, and some Republicans are beginning to distance themselves to a greater degree than we have previously seen. Yet winning in November will not mend the cracks in our democracy alone, and real challenges in our political system remain. Author and historian Timothy Snyder joins David Rothkopf and Norm Ornstein to reflect on our democratic system and the need for political resilience against tyranny.
Trump, Power, What Comes Next
A repudiation of Donald Trump
Corruption and Regime Change with Anne Applebaum and Tim Snyder
The Big Story: War, Peace, and Democracy
The Atlantic’s Anne Applebaum, Tom Nichols, and Nancy A. Youssef join Atlantic staff writer Jonathan Lemire to discuss whether the 2026 midterm elections are likely to be free and fair, along with the latest foreign-policy news from the White House and the Pentagon.
Recorded at The Atlantic Festival 2026.
theatlanticfestival.com
Heather Cox Richardson: Where We Are Today
In today’s Politics Chat: A federal judge blocked the State Department's Office of Remigration from sending deportees to third countries with no ties to them, a program that has cost more than 400 million taxpayer dollars. Another federal judge ruled Homeland Security cannot keep holding detainees in abysmal conditions at a facility in New York. A judge also blocked Trump's ban on White House press access for Politico, CNN, and MSNBC for 14 days, and Secret Service let the reporters back onto the campus that afternoon. At the United Nations, Iranian and Cuban delegates walked out during Trump's remarks, and many delegates walked out when Benjamin Netanyahu spoke. Chinese President Xi Jinping again invoked the Thucydides Trap to Trump, a reference to a declining power confronting a rising one. Health and Human Services proposed stripping federal regulations from Head Start, including a new English-only requirement. ProPublica corrected false claims Senator Susan Collins made about its reporting on an alleged pay-to-play scheme tied to a Navy contractor's campaign donations.
Heather Cox Richardson: We're in the Thick of It Now
Republicans Get NIGHTMARE NEWS as Generic Ballot Swings Hard Against Them!
Simon and Jen break down shocking new generic ballot polling showing Democrats opening double-digit leads, why once-safe deep-red Senate seats in Texas, Ohio, Alaska, and Kansas are now in jeopardy, and how Trump’s compounding foreign policy and economic crises are driving erratic behavior. Plus, they detail the massive 50-state election protection network launching nationwide, the power of early voting mobilization, and why Rep. Thomas Massie's impeachment resolution against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth marks a turning point in Washington.
Election Nightmare Scenario
Link to Podcast (1:07:15) and Transcript
Katie Couric’s interview follows Judge Luttig’s recent 3500 word commentary in The New Republic. He discusses what may be Trump’s “final battle” to destroy democracy, and he responds to questions about the path taken by the Supreme Court.
The Final Battle for America’s Democracy Michael Luittig, The New Republic, September 10, 2026Peter Thiel Is Betting Against America'
Gil Durán, author of the New York Times bestseller The Nerd Reich, tells Jim Acosta that Peter Thiel's moves in Argentina are actually bets against the survival of American democracy. Durán alleges JD Vance is "a wholly owned subsidiary of Peter Thiel" — bankrolled with $15 million in his Senate race, converted, credentialed and placed on the ticket by Thiel and his Silicon Valley allies. With crypto and AI money pouring into the midterms, Durán argues the fight over who runs the country is no longer between the parties. Watch this groundbreaking interview Live. He was permanently banned from X in April. Facebook blocked links to his newsletter. YouTube moved to delete his channel the week his book dropped and only backed off after it became a public story. That's documented, he says, and it's plenty menacing on its own.
Dead Air: History Leaves Clues | Steve Schmidt and Dean Blundell
Dead Air is back—and this time, Steve and Dean are coming to you from Europe. They’re traveling with their 20-year-old sons through some of the darkest chapters in human history, showing them how fascism took hold in Nazi Germany: slowly, one day at a time. Dachau didn’t start as a death camp. It started as a work camp and the parallels are impossible to ignore. Steve and Dean are here to talk about the history we swore we’d never repeat—and what they’re seeing in America today, from ICE detention centers to a government testing just how much cruelty people will accept. Plus: Mark Carney, America’s relationship with Canada, and Pete Hegseth attacking a Canadian kid on the internet while our military is in shambles and losing a war. Never again means never again. Don’t miss this one.
Nothing Bonds a Crime Family Like the First Guy Who Flips
Rick Wilson has a plan, and it's straight out of a mob prosecutor's playbook. While Mike Johnson is out there insisting Republicans will EXPAND their majority, the White House is quietly doing something very different: lawyering up, tightening ethics disclosures, and bracing for a Democratic Congress. Rick says forget impeaching Trump directly — the Senate math doesn't work. Instead, Democrats should go after the STAFFERS first: the aides, the enablers, the people who don't have money for elite lawyers and who kept receipts as personal insurance. He names names — Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, Susie Wiles, Jared Kushner — and lays out why this "roll-up" strategy could crack Trump's inner circle wide open once people realize he has zero incentive to protect them.
Heather Cox Richardson: Politics Chat
Heather Cox Richardson comments on what is happening now. More importantly, she explains the history of how we got hear and ends this podcast with "What we need to do."
In today’s Politics Chat: A federal judge in Boston, Indira Talwani, blocked the Trump administration's new mail-ballot verification system until September 10, and the Justice Department appealed to the Supreme Court after the hearing went poorly. Trump's record on lawsuits seeking state voter rolls now stands at 0 and 23, including losses before judges he appointed himself. House Speaker Mike Johnson is keeping the House out of session as Representative Thomas Massie pushes a bill granting state attorneys general access to Epstein files the Justice Department has withheld. Reports suggest Trump plans to keep the Iran conflict quiet before the midterms, then escalate afterward. Fox News's Maria Bartiromo departed abruptly with no explanation given. In Texas, Tarrant County Republicans stripped polling places after a January 2026 special election flipped a Republican-held seat. A new MIT study found Republicans now vote more in person, meaning mail-voting disruptions would likely hurt Democrats more. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker's state credit rating was upgraded again this week after years of investment in education and growth.
Auchincloss: Impeach Pete Hegseth First
Congressman Jake Auchincloss joins Charlie to discuss a wide array of topics, including the future of the Democratic Party, how they can become the party of ideas again, and which MAGA disciples face a reckoning after the November elections.
Waking Up to America’s National Defense Crisis
Donald Trump and his allies have made American defense weak. From the disastrous handling of the war with Iran to the abandonment of staunch allies in favor of despots, it’s clearer by the day that security is not the priority of this administration. Former Navy pilot Ken Harbaugh joins David Rothkopf to analyze what makes this national defense crisis so startling and why America needs to prepare for future crises.
Politics Chat
Get full, free access to Letters from an American on Substack.
Are We Ready for Hurricane Trump?
Trump has gutted nearly 20% of FEMA's workforce and dragged his feet in granting natural disaster relief to blue states. With hurricane season on the horizon, it's a perfect storm of sabotage and cruelty.
What Is Next For America?
Peter Wehner: Trump Fears Irrelevance More Than Infamy
The Atlantic's Peter Wehner joins Charlie to talk about Trump's desperate attempts to remain relevant, his miscalculations about Iran, and MAGA's obsession with Anthony Fauci.
Where We Are Right Now
Correction: 14:48 Democrat from Oregon*
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Letters from an American
Jon Ossoff on the spiritual rot of Trumpism
Rep. Stansbury Calls Out Republicans for Mass Firings and Destroying the Government
Brian Tyler Cohen | American Conversations
Brian Tyler Cohen is a progressive YouTuber, podcaster, and host of the No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen podcast. Cohen has built an audience of millions across platforms and billions of views on YouTube. His first book, Shameless, was a #1 New York Times bestseller. His newest book, The Day After is the essential guide for anyone who understands that saving democracy requires more than winning—it requires the courage to govern boldly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHgvzlhJiDYSubStack (2:19)
Brazen corruption': Heather Cox Richardson HUMILIATES Trump but sees a 'VIBE SHIFT' away from MAGA
Heather Cox Richardson identifies a change in American politics. And it’s coming from the people. If historian Heather Cox Richardson ever had an agenda, it’d be protecting democracy. The history professor and author of the “Letters from an American” Substack joins Nicolle this week to consider the knock-on effects of economic pain at the grocery store and unpredictability at the podium on voter’s perception of Trumpism. She reflects on violence from ICE officers in her home state of Maine, the whiplash messaging in the war with Iran and concerns about the cyclosporiasis outbreak — which she sees as emblematic of places “where the federal government used to protect American families and are no longer.” Throughout, Richardson seamlessly adds historical context to our modern-day political struggles. She draws parallels between the moment that we’re in and the rise of the Republican party in the 1850’s, noting that — similar to the way Democratic leaders are responding to the public’s evolving concerns — “the people invented Lincoln.” And she makes it clear that we may already have the clarity we need: “What Americans are really doing in this moment is recovering their agency,” she says. “That’s a vibe shift.”
ICE AIR: Inside America's Secret Deportation Network
What happens after someone is detained by immigration authorities—and before they're removed from the United States?
"ICE AIR: Inside America's Secret Deportation Network" is a multi-state investigation into the transportation system that moves detainees across the country.
YouTube (50:34)
Mark Kelly Shows Pete Hegseth Who's Boss, Scolds Him For Inappropriate Statement During Hearing
What the Fourteenth Amendment Protects
Are We at War With Iran Again? (And Why the World Doesn't Trust Us Anymore) | A Conversation with General Mark Hertling
Charlie Sykes, To the Contrary Podcast, July 8, 2026On Tyranny—Special 250th Edition
See the video on Substack (9:53)
Excerpt:
If the republic has lasted so long, it is because it was radical in its beginnings. Insofar as it has thrived, it has been through successful and continual struggles against its own limits. And that has only been possible because Americans have seen those limits, because they have chosen to see the truth about their history and themselves. I was thinking of self-recognition and self-correction ten years ago when I wrote On Tyranny; today, as a small part of a celebration our two hundred and fifty years, some friends of freedom have joined me to read its lessons aloud.
After victory in the Revolutionary War, the founders debated how to found a republic, conscious of the failures of liberty in history. They knew from the ancient Greeks that oligarchies—rule by a few wealthy men—easily coalesce. They understood from the Roman Stoics that freedom requires a self-discipline that defied the immediate circumstances. They saw from the failed republics of their own times that wealth easily captures institutions. And so in a second moment of insight, they added a Constitution to the Declaration of Independence.
Sadly, those who lead our official celebration today represent every threat to liberty that the founders named: arbitrary rule; indifference to law; undue accumulation of wealth; corruption of the government to attain that wealth; collusion with foreign powers to attain power.
The lessons: (1) Do not obey in advance; (2) Defend institutions; (3) Beware the one-party state; (4) Take responsibility for the face of the world; (5) Remember professional ethics; (6) Be wary of paramilitaries; (7) Be reflective if you must be armed; (8) Stand out; (9) Be kind to our language; (10) Believe in truth; (11) Investigate; (12) Make eye contact and small talk; (13) Practice corporeal politics; (14) Establish a private life; (15) Contribute to good causes; (16) Learn from peers in other countries; (17) Listen for dangerous words; (18) Be calm when the unthinkable arrives; (19) Be a patriot; (20) Be as courageous as you can.
A Forgotten Message: The Founding Fathers Were Quite Clear
One-On-One With Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Rep. Stansbury: Trump and the GOP are infighting & Speaker Johnson shut down the House again
Surprise, surprise! Trump and the GOP are infighting and the Speaker has shut down the House…once again. Here’s the latest on all of the drama.
Stop Vought. Save Science. - A Call To Action With Dr. Colette Delawalla
Russell Vought is trying to destroy American science & federally funded research as we know it.
OMB’s latest proposed rule, “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance,” would require all scientific grants to be approved by political appointees, stealing approval power from career experts in their fields. Funding would be required to align with “Administration policies and priorities.”
Political appointees selecting or approving research proposals destroys the scientific process, which is exactly what this Administration wants.
This a direct threat to scientific independence, public health, and evidence-based decision-making. Please join with Stand Up for Science to demand Congress stop this attack on science with direct and intense pressure on Trump and even legislation if that’s what it takes.
Scott Pelley on Bari Weiss and His Last Days at ‘60 Minutes’ | The Interview
Lulu Garcia-Navarro writes: It’s hard to overstate the impact of “60 Minutes” on journalism. It’s the most-watched television-news program in America. Since its debut on CBS in 1968, it’s been the home of some of the most-storied broadcast journalists, from Mike Wallace and Ed Bradley to Lesley Stahl, Anderson Cooper and, until this past week, Scott Pelley.
Pelley, who was at the network for 37 years, including as White House correspondent, anchor of the “CBS Evening News” and “60 Minutes” correspondent, was fired after an explosive series of events and much turmoil over the past few years at CBS. These events include a controversial financial settlement with President Trump over a “60 Minutes” segment; the sale of the network to David Ellison; and the appointment of Bari Weiss, a former New York Times Opinion staffer and founder of The Free Press with no television-news experience, to lead CBS News.
Pelley’s firing came after Weiss dismissed several of his colleagues and hired a new “60 Minutes” boss, Nick Bilton, whom Pelley then clashed with in a staff meeting. Pelley, along with a number of other “60 Minutes” correspondents who were fired, have now accused Weiss of editorial interference and bias, charges that CBS News and Weiss deny.
In his first sit-down interview since he was fired, Pelley told me about the specific incident he viewed as interference, about his experiences at CBS News over the past weeks and months, and about what he hopes will come of this very tumultuous time at the network where he spent most of his career.
Articulating This Messy Moment in American History | Explainer
Is Trump Finally Losing The True Believers?
Rich Logis once defended Trump. Now he's helping people leave MAGA behind. On this episode of The Lincoln Project Podcast, Rick Wilson sits down with the founder of Leaving MAGA to discuss the growing number of former Trump supporters who have simply had enough. From the Epstein scandal to the fallout from Trump's tariffs and the chaos surrounding Iran, the excuses are getting harder to make and the consequences are getting harder to ignore. Rich explains what finally broke the spell for him, why more Republicans are questioning Trump than ever before, and whether we're witnessing the beginning of a real MAGA crackup. When reality starts showing up with receipts, even the most loyal believers have to make a choice.
“We Closed Our Account”: Advocates Call for Boycott of Citizens Bank for Financing ICE Jails
We look at a growing boycott against Citizens Bank amid a campaign to pressure the corporation to divest from financing CoreCivic and GEO Group, two of the nation’s largest private operators of ICE jails. An interfaith coalition of dozens of religious groups in Boston said Citizens Bank has failed to adequately address its concern about financing private prisons, so the group has withdrawn $1 million from its estimated $14 million account with the bank and threatened to keep removing funds until its demands are met.
Ossoff: Something is happening in Georgia
Can Trump Be Stopped? Actually, Yes.
Miles Taylor is a former DHS official during Trump's first term and the founder of Defiance.org. He joins Charlie to discuss how the administration's changes to the green card process reveal that Trump's immigration stance was never about those who entered the country illegally — but about all immigrants. They also cover artists pulling out of the Freedom 250 concert and Trump's potential role in the 60 Minutes shake-up.
American Conversations: Senator Andy Kim
YouTube (23:26)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WUYCw4eLNoGet full, free access to Letters from an American here:
heathercoxrichardson.substack.
American Conversations: Illinois Governor JB Pritzker
YouTube (43:08)
The Andy Borowitz Show: Predicting the End of Trump?
As Stephen Colbert Says Goodbye, My Favorite Moments
As Stephen Colbert takes his final bow on The Late Show, I reflect on my favorite moments with him and some of my favorite sketches from his show. We'll miss you on our TV screens, Stephen. Can't wait to see what you do next.
Ken Burns on Trump 'Authoritarianism': We will repair and restore but 'can’t be complacent'
Legendary award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns joins Nicolle Wallace for a special episode of "The Best People" talking about the venality and virtue of America at 250. As our nation's 250th anniversary approaches, he joins Nicolle at the famed 92nd Street Y for an intimate conversation about the American experiment — how its failures and its successes inform each other and nudge the country forward. Ken understands that political turmoil is a hallmark of our democracy; fundamentally, we’ve been here before. He shares why he believes Trump's "authoritarianism" will be defeated and why we’re going to make it, by looking at history. It's a conversation you don't want to miss.
Heather Cox Richardson: Politics Chat
Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: JD Vance's Maine visit to talk about fraud, accusations used by the guilty party, Rick Scott's $1.7 billion Medicare and Medicaid fraud settlement, Trump pardons for fraud-convicted donors and allies, Trump family wealth gains since January 2025, Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff’s negotiations, World Liberty Financial and untraceable crypto revenue, no-bid contracts and cost inflation on DC vanity projects, Trump's China trip with billionaire delegation, Crédit Mobilier scandal, Teapot Dome scandal, Viktor Orbán corruption precedent, and Republican fraud accusations as political counter-messaging ahead of the midterms.
Tom Nichols Noticed Something About Trump That Nobody In The Media Will Say Out Loud
Tom Nichols of The Atlantic joins Jim Acosta with a warning the mainstream media won't touch. He's seen these behavioral patterns before — up close, in someone he loved — and what he's watching from this president has him alarmed. There's a war happening. Decisions are being made. And the person making them may not be who you think they are. If this was someone in your family, you'd already know what to do.
YouTube (18:50)
U.S. Congressional District 8 Candidates’ Forum
The Swampscott Democratic Town Committee, along with Town Committees from Nahant and Marblehead, in association with Swampscott Government Access Television, sponsored a District 6 Congressional Candidate's forum on May, 7, 2026 at the Swampscott High School Auditorium.
Heather Cox Richardson: Today in Politics
Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Tennessee congressional redistricting, the Supreme Court's Louisiana v. Callais ruling and the Voting Rights Act, mid-decade Republican remapping in Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, Florida, and South Carolina, Operation REDMAP and one-party state concerns, CIA assessment contradicting administration claims on Iran, War Powers Act and the 60-day deadline, Project Freedom and Saudi Arabia airspace denial, U.S.-Iran renewed hostilities, Shell profits and national gas prices, Whirlpool recession warning, Tom Homan immigration raid escalation, ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention costs, Trump-Pope conflict and Rubio's Vatican meeting, Fulton County grand jury transcripts, state Supreme Court elections in Georgia and North Carolina, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act cuts.
YouTube (53:27)
Elon's Baby Mama Spills The Tea on MAGA's Pay-To-Play Influencer Campaigns
Elon Musk’s ex and former MAGA social media influencer Ashley St. Clair joins Rick Wilson to expose the truth behind the MAGA influencer ecosystem—how it works, who profits, and why it’s starting to fall apart in real time. From clout-chasing grifters to coordinated messaging and manufactured outrage, this episode breaks down the business model behind right-wing social media and the hypocrisy fueling it. As the MAGA movement fractures and influencers turn on each other, this is the inside story of a political media machine built on clicks, cash, and chaos—and what happens when the audience finally sees through it.
Trump's Fed Pick is a Spineless Disgrace
In today’s “To the Contrary” Podcast, Justin Wolfers does not mince words. Come for the rage, stay for the economics lesson. In today’s podcast, Wolfers also reminds us that the threat to jail the Fed Chair is the kind of thing that you see in tinpot dictatorships — not something that is done in any serious industrialized country.
Trump’s Failed, Illegal War Is Breaking His Presidency, And The Republican Party Too
Polling and mid-term prospects darkened for Republicans this week. How long will their 2026 candidates keep blindly following a failed, corrupt, and deeply unpopular President?
YouTube (28:24)
The complete podcast includes Q and A and is posted on Hopium Chrononicles:Hopium Chronicles (54:49)
Heather Cox Richardson: Today in Politics | Explainer
Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Instability in the Trump administration as (female) cabinet departures continue, Kash Patel Atlantic story and FBI leadership concerns, Wall Street Journal reporting on Trump's conduct during Iran crisis, U.S.-Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz closure, Trump approval ratings at historic lows, 2026 election war chest and voter roll manipulation efforts, Christian nationalist Bible-reading campaign, UAE financial backstop talks and World Liberty Financial ties, FISA Section 702 renewal fight in Congress, Haitian TPS discharge petition and Republican defections, Tucker Carlson breaks with Trump, Democratic governors and 2028 presidential candidate activity.
YouTube (46:09)
LIVE: Pete Buttigieg BRINGS DOWN The House in RED STATE!!
Meidas Touch, April 18, 2026Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg hosts a Win the Era town hall in Tulsa, bringing together a packed crowd for a conversation on unity and community action. The event focuses on empowering people to get involved locally and make a real impact where they live.
YouTube (1:11)
Visit https://meidasplus.com for more!
What Americans should learn from Hungary’s rejection of authoritarianism
After 16 years of authoritarian rule, Hungary's pro-democracy opposition crushed Viktor Orban's party and won a supermajority in parliament. Leah and Ezra break down the early lessons — building a new opposition movement, driving massive turnout, and preparing for election sabotage. If they can do it, we can do it. Plus: a red-district Indivisible group in Colorado showing what effective grassroots organizing actually looks like. And yes, bad dad puns and live Q&A with the movement.
YouTube (1:00)
Why Orbán’s Fall Should Worry Trump and MAGA
Timothy Snyder on Viktor Orbán's election loss, Trump, MAGA authoritarianism & lessons for democracy. The historian and "On Tyranny" author joins Preet Bharara to break down what Orbán's stunning defeat by Peter Magyar means for Trump, MAGA, and the global far-right — and what it reveals about how democracies can fight back. Snyder explains why "democracy" alone doesn't rally voters and what message Democrats must actually run on, while unpacking his provocative warning that some form of terrorism may be Trump's best electoral bet in 2026. They also why Snyder's most urgent lesson from "On Tyranny" — do not obey in advance—matters more than ever.
The Trump Regime Is Rotting, Decaying, Crumbling, Unraveling, Falling Apart
Friends, last night I got together with members of our proud, plucky, and patriotic community at Hopium Chronicles for a special edition of our weekly gathering, something I called The Fall Of Orban Dance Party. While there wasn’t a lot of dancing there was plenty of celebration. For Orban’s dramatic fall is major blow to Trump, Vance, Putin, and the Greater MAGA project, and another sign of the decay, rotting, crumbling and weakening of the Trump regime.
That’s the major message in my talk this week - the Trump project is failing, floundering, and falling apart. Trump was already in a weakened position due to the failure of his economic strategy, the harms he has brought to farmers and small businesses across the country, the rejection of his ICE terror regime/mass deportations, our collective revulsion at the Trump-Epstein scandal, his unprecedented corruption, and his cuts to health care and food assistance programs while giving his friends enormous tax breaks. He was already historically unpopular, and Democrats have been overperforming and winning elections of all kinds across the country, even in red states. Then he launched an illegal, unpopular, and failed war in Iran, one that has thrown the whole world and our own economy into a profound crisis.
YouTube (28:12)| Hopium Chronicles
Heather Cox Richardson: Politics Chat, April 16, 2026
Topics covered in today’s Politics Chat: Hungary's Magyar election victory and democratic opposition theory, Biden vs. Magyar approaches to political legitimacy, MAGA Republicans as illegitimate political party, House Joint Resolution 140 on Boundary Waters copper sulfide mining, Saudi sovereign wealth fund pullback, House War Powers Resolution on war with Iran fails by one vote, Lina Khan's new antitrust center at Columbia Law, House Democrats' corruption committee, 25th Amendment legislation, Russell Vought's congressional testimony, what Moms for Liberty local school board losses signal on a national scale.
We’re live here on YouTube and Facebook every Tuesday and Thursday at 6 pm Maine time (3 pm PT).
YouTube (46:31)
The Pope vs. Trump's Evil
Donald Trump has doubled down on his fight with Pope Leo. Steve Schmidt breaks down why Trump and MAGA keep digging the hole deeper.
YouTube(9:18)
How America Is Losing the World | Lunch Money with Paul Krugman
Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman and historian Heather Cox Richardson are joining forces for Lunch Money, a new monthly conversation series. Krugman writes the popular Substack newsletter bearing his name; Richardson's Letters from an American reaches over 6 million readers every day. Join them for a wide-ranging, thoughtful, and provocative conversation about whatever is on their ever-curious minds.
Find Heather's Letters from an American here.
Find Paul's Substack here (33:18)
The Real Reason America Is In Such Danger Right Now…and the Solution
The ceasefire with Iran and subsequent peace talks have taken a predictably disastrous turn. JD Vance has utterly failed as a negotiator. Trump has returned to his maximalist aggression and threatens to blockade the Strait of Hormuz. It’s clear that America, and the world, are in danger. Joe Cirincione and Jon Wolfsthal join David Rothkopf to take a look at what makes the President’s latest moves so perilous and why a fundamental change in the way we perceive our democracy is needed to right the ship.
Dead Air with Steve Schmidt & Dean Blundell: The "Balloonacy" of It All
On this episode of "Dead Air," Dean Blundell and I break down this past week's top stories. From the bizarre "balloonacy" surrounding Kristi Noem's husband to the sudden firing of Pam Bondi, the hypocrisy is reaching a breaking point. But beyond the political theater lies a darker reality: the systemic medical neglect of children at the ICE detention center in Dilley, Texas. Dr. Angela Rasmussen and Dr. Anita Patel joined us for this part of the discussion.