Here&#39;s where to find podcasts from The Nation. Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the news, from a progressive perspective.

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The primary force behind the settlement that will allow Trump’s allies at Paramount to take over Warners-Discovery and CNN was Gavin Newsom, who pressured California Attorney General Rob Bonta to end the anti-trust fight defending media independence. Norm Eisen explains – he’s co-founder and executive chair of the Democracy Defenders Fund and Democracy Defenders Action, and, the New York Times reported, “the leader of a coalition of entertainment and news industry professionals who opposed the deal.”Also: After Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House newsroom, the TV networks united in refusing coverage of his events – including Fox News. John Nichols has our analysis. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Norm Eisen on the Paramount-Warners Merger, plus Trump and TV News / Start Making Sense

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Two weeks ago, 28-year-old democratic socialist David Morales defeated Providence&#39;s incumbent mayor Brett Smiley in the latest electrifying win for the Democratic Party&#39;s populist wing. But how did it happen? And how can it be repeated? In the first episode of this two-parter, Aaron and Matt talk to David&#39;s campaign manager Ben Shanahan about the message, strategy, and tactics that powered this insurgent victory. Next week, we expand this conversation with David&#39;s field director, Jenn Steinfeld, who gives a window into what it looks like to combine electoral campaigns with movement building. For more analysis on David&#39;s win, see Aaron&#39;s piece in The Nation: <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/david-morales-mayor-race-providence-rhode-island/" rel="nofollow">https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/david-morales-mayor-race-providence-rhode-island/</a> Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

How David Morales Won: Part 1 w/ Ben Shanahan / Fighting Fascism

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/20/7/d9e22835-1731-411e-81aa-23390b0147c6_joanwalsh_9.20.26_mixdown.mp3

My Nation colleague Joan Walsh <a href="https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/jon-ossoff-senate-georgia-voting-rights/" rel="nofollow">recently profiled</a> Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff for the magazine. Georgia is very much a purple state. The fact that Ossoff won there and stands a good chance at re-election is evidence of his political talent, turning him into an increasingly prominent national figure. Joan and I talked about Ossoff’s background and the long struggle to transform Georgia, a formerly red state where Democrats are making headway. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Jon Ossoff and the Georgia Battleground w/ Joan Walsh / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer

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Derek has journeyed to Bolivia seeking contact with <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/17/new-cat-species-identified-bolivia" rel="nofollow">the newly discovered cat species</a>, so Alex Jordan of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLP3oFXQU9footIdJdsRRRBawqoexE4qW" rel="nofollow">Always at War</a> steps in to bring you the headlines. This week: in New Delhi, BRICS member states issue a fractured joint statement on restraint in the Middle East (1:12); Iran strikes a U.S.-contracted vessel near the Strait of Hormuz (5:42); a cyberattack disables Texas-bound tankers (8:30); a new Pentagon report puts the Iran war’s cost at $33.4 billion (9:59); the Houthis/Ansar Allah advance in Taiz and hit Saudi Arabia (14:46); Yemeni government forces strike back while the U.S. rules out direct involvement (19:00); China pushes Iran to restrain the Houthis (22:37); an Israeli strike collapses a building in Gaza City, killing at least 21 people (25:12); the U.S. approves a $2.8 billion weapons sale to Israel (27:34); Russia and Ukraine strike each other’s energy infrastructure (30:57); the House passes a Russia sanctions bill named in honor of Lindsey Graham (33:37); a banking scandal roils Brazil’s presidential race (37:53); and in Sweden, a left-wing bloc narrowly wins an election (41:12).  Don’t forget to grab your copy of Danny’s new book <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/imperialist-realism-politics-and-culture-at-the-end-of-the-american-century-daniel-bessner/3b8e11ba22fb375c" rel="nofollow">Imperialist Realism</a>. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Houthis Escalate Red Sea Conflict, Pentagon Report on Iran War Costs, BRICS Summit Exposes Divisions / American Prestige

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Danny and Derek welcome back Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Sun and author of <a href="https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324118190" rel="nofollow">Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel’s War on Gaza</a>, to talk about the Biden administration’s role in enabling the genocide in Gaza. They discuss the conditions in the Strip as of the current day; Biden’s small inner circle of Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, and Brett McGurk; Jack Lew’s role of ambassador and the dubious war crime review process he implemented; the Rafah red line and its immediate collapse after Israel invaded; and the Democratic Party’s domestic political miscalculations heading into 2024 and 2028.   Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

The Biden Administration’s Complicity in Gaza w/ Akbar Shahid Ahmed / American Prestige

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Only two Justices backed Trump in the Court’s ruling blocking his efforts to enlist the postal service in restricting voting by mail in the midterms. David Cole explains why this is a huge victory, but far from the end of Trump’s effforts to undermine Democratic voting.Also: The blue state attorneys general have succeeded in blocking the efforts of Trump’s allies at Paramount-Skydance from taking over Warners-Discovery, at least for now, but their lawsuit followed months of protests organized by, among others, Jane Fonda’s Committee for the First Amendment. Rashad Robinson has our analysis – his new book is From Presence to Power: How to take on the Fights that Matter – and Win. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

The Supremes say ‘No” to Trump on Mail Voting, plus the Paramount-Warner Merger Fight / Start Making Sense

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Yotam Marom has been helping build movements—and many of the most important movement organizations—for the last 20 years. His new book, For Louder Days: Reaching Beyond a Politics of Powerlessness, is an essential read for everyone on the left who wants to win a better world.Yotam, who became an organizing leader in Occupy Wall Street alongside Jonathan approximately a million years ago, joined us to talk about the left&#39;s conflicted relationship to power, leadership, identity, and strategy. We discuss how and why movements too often get in our own way, turn on each other, and play small, and talk through the big shifts we need to make if we hope to win the big battles ahead. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Overcoming the Left’s Politics of Powerlessness w/ Yotam Marom / Fighting Fascism

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I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords. In this week’s news: the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirms last month was tied for the hottest ever recorded (0:52); the Houthis/Ansar Allah take the port city of Mokha (1:45); the U.S. and Iran exchange ship attacks as oil prices rise (5:25); the IAEA refers Iran to the United Nations (7:32); Trump predicts an end to the Iran war immediately after the midterms (8:59); 12 countries ban products made in Israeli settlements (10:52); a new report alleges that Netanyahu ignored October 7 warnings and a chance to recover hostages (13:49); the IDF takes a strategic ridge in Lebanon, then escalates strikes (18:30); an arbitration court rules against India on the Indus Waters Treaty (20:49); new claims of famine emerge in Sudan’s Darfur region (23:05); the Nigerian government and Boko Haram maintain a ceasefire (24:59); the Trump administration phases out U.S. support for anti-AIDS programs in Namibia (27:21); American envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff visit Russia and Ukraine (29:22); Ukraine tries to close Russian airspace (31:20); and in a trade war update, Canadian tariffs on U.S. goods take effect (32:50).         Don&#39;t forget Derek&#39;s Substack,<a href="https://www.foreignexchanges.news/" rel="nofollow"> Foreign Exchanges</a>.Enjoy Danny&#39;s new Substack,<a href="https://imperialistrealism.substack.com/" rel="nofollow"> Imperialist Realism</a>. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Canada-US Trade War Escalates, Houthis Seize Yemeni Port, Report Says Netanyahu Ignored 10/7 Warnings / American Prestige

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For this Labor Day episode we’re joined by Bill Fletcher, a longtime union organizer who’s spent the last several years working to build out the labor movement’s anti-fascist infrastructure. Bill has an important reminder for those of us who direct most of our anti-fascist energy against Trump and the oligarchy: MAGA isn’t some astroturf trick. It’s a genuine social movement representing some 25-30 percent of Americans, and any strategies that ignore this fact are missing something fundamental about today’s dangerous political reality. You can learn more about Bill&#39;s organization, Standing for Democracy, here. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Understanding MAGA as a Social Movement w/ Bill Fletcher Jr. / Fighting Fascism

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What can ancient human prehistory teach us about fighting fascism today? It turns out, quite a bit! So says historian Patrick Wyman, whose recent book, Lost Worlds, covers the 10,000 years between the end of the Ice Age and the Late Bronze Age collapse. Together, we discussed what makes societies fall apart, what is lost when they do, and how history demonstrates that human agency — and our decisions today — really do matter in determining what comes next for our civilization. Check out Patrick’s wonderful book, <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/lost-worlds-how-humans-tried-failed-succeeded-and-built-our-world-patrick-wyman/d35a39f742ad1625" rel="nofollow">Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our Worl</a>d⁠. And his great podcast, Past Lives: <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/past-lives/id1852618120" rel="nofollow">https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/past-lives/id1852618120</a> Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

How Civilizations Fall w/ Patrick Wyman / Fighting Fascism

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Danny and Derek speak with David Griscom, co-host of <a href="https://www.leftreckoning.com/" rel="nofollow">Left Reckoning</a> and author of T<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-myth-of-red-texas-cowboys-populism-and-class-war-in-the-radical-south-david-griscom/357907e2647302a7" rel="nofollow">he Myth of Red Texas: Cowboys, Populism, and Class War in the Radical South</a>, to talk about the all-but-ignored history of leftwing politics in Texas. Topics include: the current state of Texas politics, the Farmers’ Alliance and the People’s Party, the Texas Socialist Party and its newspaper The Rebel, the role of religion in Texas socialism, and the prospects for socialism in modern-day Texas.   Along with the book and podcast, be sure to also check out David’s Substack <a href="https://therattler.substack.com/" rel="nofollow">The Rattler</a>. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Texas’s Radical Roots w/ David Griscom / American Prestige

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Is the resistance to data centers a new kind of mass politics? David Wallace-Wells explains why the answer is “yes.” He’s a writer for The New York Times Opinion pages and author of the unforgettable book “The Uninhabitable Earth.”Also: How to be a dissident in an age of fear – Ami Fields-Meyer has thought a lot about that. For starters: don’t start from scratch; don’t try to do it alone. Ami is co-author of the new book “On Courage.” Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

The Amazing Movement Against Data Centers, plus How to be a Dissident / Start Making Sense

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The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Trump could proceed with construction of his ballroom—they explicitly did not rule on the merits of the case, but on the issue of standing for the plaintiff. Robert Weismann has our analysis – he’s co-president of Public Citizen.Also: The Democrats are now favored to win not only the House but also the Senate in November – they need to flip four seats, and their candidates are ahead in five. John Nichols explains. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

The Supremes and the Ballroom, plus the Dems and the Senate / Start Making Sense

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The Trump administration has announced a new set of harsh sanctions against Iran. This is a strange development since originally Trump launched a war on Iran on the pretext that sanctions weren’t working. Trita Parsi of the Qunicy Institute argues the current tactic won’t work and is a holding action as both the US and Iran bide their time in a long conflict. Parsi’s writings can be found on his Substack. In the interview, we discuss <a href="https://tritaparsi.substack.com/p/why-so-many-countries-around-the" rel="nofollow">his column</a> on the surprising way many governments are rooting for Iran to check US imperialism. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

The Iran War Stalemate w/ Trita Parsi / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer

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American Prestige brand MREs use Argentinian beef, but don&#39;t worry, it&#39;s the good kind. In this week’s news: the US launches a new sanctions campaign against Iran (1:35); Iran and Oman negotiate the management of the Strait of Hormuz (5:49); a Haitian gang killing (9:20); the Israeli government takes bids for its E1 settlement (11:52); the US removes Syria from the terrorism sponsors list (14:30); the Syrian Democratic Forces announces its dissolution (15:43); Trump submits the Saudi nuclear deal to Congress (18:31); progress is made in negotiations between the DRC and M23 (23:46); the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to expand (26:26); the CIA director visits Russia (28:07); US-Canada trade talks collapse (31:10); and the United States prepares a deep sea mining auction around overseas territories (35:35).Don&#39;t forget Derek&#39;s Substack, ⁠Foreign Exchanges⁠.Enjoy Danny&#39;s new Substack, I⁠mperialist Realism⁠. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

News — New US Sanctions on Iran, Syrian Democratic Forces Dissolve, US-Canada Trade Talks Collapse / American Prestige

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Not long ago, tech jobs were sought after for their security, benefits, wages, and the progressive values promoted by Silicon Valley companies. But now workers are barely hanging on. Clarissa Redwine and JS Tan join Paris Marx to discuss the state of worker organizing in the tech industry, including how it’s changed since the mid-2010s and where it needs to go from here.Clarissa Redwine is a tech worker and labor activist. JS Tan is a PhD candidate at MIT and writes the Value Added newsletter. They are the authors of Against Tech Oligarchy: Worker Resistance in the World&#39;s Most Powerful Industry. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

How Mass Layoffs Changed Working in Tech w/ Clarissa Redwine & JS Tan / Tech Won't Save Us

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Danny and Derek speak with Jonathan Cheng, China bureau chief for The Wall Street Journal, about the Christian origins of North Korea’s founding ideology and the subsequent personality cult. The discussion explores missionary Samuel Moffat’s work in Pyongyang, the conversion of Kim Il-sung’s family to Christianity, Christian nationalism during Japanese colonial rule, the turn toward socialism, Kim’s postwar personality cult, and how Christianity informs the Kim family’s rule today. Be sure to grab a copy of Jonathan’s book <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/korean-messiah-kim-il-sung-and-the-christian-roots-of-north-korea-s-personality-cult-jonathan-cheng/2df9cafcc1231627?bkshp-astro=t&ean=9781524733490" rel="nofollow">Korean Messiah: Kim Il Sung and the Christian Roots of North Korea&#39;s Personality Cult</a>. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

North Korea's Roots in Christianity w/ Jonathan Cheng / American Prestige

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The Supreme Court is not a Trump court – at least not on several issues - but where do they stand on voting rights? And what exactly did the court say on Monday about the postal service cooperating with Trump in his effort to restrict voting by mail? David Cole explains - he’s the former National Legal Director of the ACLU, and The Nation&#39;s legal affairs correspondent.Also: Colson Whitehead won two Pulitzer prizes for his novels, and then wrote three crime stories about Harlem – the latest is Cool Machine. John Powers comments--he’s critic at large for NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

The Supremes, Trump, and Voting, plus Colson Whitehead’s Harlem / Start Making Sense

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We said we&#39;d talk about Graham Platner someday, and that day has arrived. We were all super excited about Platner. That excitement turned out to be misplaced. So what are the lessons we should draw from this saga? We also reflect back on the broader primary season, debate Woke 1, talk data centers, and look toward November, in this first just-us-cohosts-episode. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Unpacking Platner / Fighting Fascism

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The current conflict in the Middle East might escalate on a new front. In recent weeks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjaman Netanyahu has been touting Turkey as a potential threat on par with Iran. This conflict is partly spurred by the fact that Syria, currently rebuilding after a brutal civil war, is becoming a battleground for competing projects of regional hegemony. To discuss this as well as the prospects for a more realistic foreign policy, I talked to <a href="https://quincyinst.org/author/adam-weinstein/" rel="nofollow">Adam Weinstein of the Quincy Institute</a>. Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Israel’s Escalating Conflict with Turkey w/ Adam Weinstein

Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the week in news. Hosted by Jon Wiener and presented by The Nation Magazine.