Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat describes the similarities between current authoritarian movements and those of the past. Ruth is a historian who specializes in authoritarianism and propaganda. She’s a professor of History and Italian Studies, as well as an MSNBC Opinion Columnist and frequent guest commentator on CNN, MSNBC, and other media channels. Her most recent book, Strongmen: From Mussolini to the Present, examines how authoritarians use propaganda, virility, corruption, and violence to stay in...
Feb 14, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 106
Andrew Hartzler, nephew of fmr. Representative Vicky Hartzler, talks about his viral video and how he has faced discrimination as a gay man. In early January, Andrew Hartzler went viral on TikTok for calling out his aunt, fmr. Representative Vicky Hartzler, for her homophobic comments on the house floor. As a result of that video, Andrew received national attention, and was invited to the White House to watch president Biden sign the Respect for Marriage act. For Andrew, his Aunt's comments did ...
Feb 07, 2023•34 min•Season 1Ep. 105
Ken Mayer is a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an expert on elections and campaign finance. His current research focuses on evaluating recent state-level campaign finance reforms. In this episode, he discusses the chances of Republicans in 2024, and current campaign finance reform efforts: “Well, the explanation for that is that the Republican Party is in a little bit of a bind. And a lot of the leaders, Pence and McConnell and Pompeo and others, have indic...
Jan 31, 2023•45 min•Season 1Ep. 104
Senator from Illinois Tammy Duckworth reflects on her first term in office, the current issues facing the Senate, and what she hopes to accomplish in her second term. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 28, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 103
Russian politics expert Olga Lautman discusses Russia’s failure to defeat Ukraine, the instability of the Russian political system, and more. Olga is a researcher and analyst who has been monitoring Russian and Ukrainian internal politics for years. She’s a Senior Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, and the co-host of the Kremlin File, a podcast that details the rise of Putin and the spread of authoritarianism across the globe, including the Trump White House. Learn more about you...
Jan 24, 2023•47 min•Season 1Ep. 102
Ravi Gupta held several positions during the first term of the Obama administration, including Special Assistant and Speechwriter to Susan Rice, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. After serving in the Obama Administration, Ravi wanted to take a break from partisan politics and do real work on the ground. He Founded RePublic Schools, a network of charter schools in the South that provide quality education to underserved communities. Following the election of Donald Trump, Ravi decided he ...
Jan 17, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 101
Stuart Stevens dedicated his life to getting Republicans elected. He worked for dozens of candidates, including both Bush and Romney during their presidential campaigns, and was extremely successful. Now however, Stuart regrets the part he played in the rise of Trumpism. In 2020, he wrote It Was All a Lie, about his time in the Republican party, and how Trumpism is “the natural outcome of five decades of hypocrisy and self-delusion.” Through the Lincoln Project and Resolute Square, he’s working ...
Jan 10, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 100
Hey everyone, it’s Ken Harbaugh. I just wanted to let you know that the team and I are taking some time off during the holidays. We’ll return to our normal release schedule on January 10th. Thank you all for an amazing year, and for your support for this show. Happy holidays, and have a great new year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 27, 2022•2 min
Tyler Merritt is an Activist, Author, Actor, and public speaker. His video monologue, “Before You Call the Cops,” garnered national attention after the murder of George Floyd in 2020, and has been viewed tens of millions of times. Tyler’s new children's book, A Door Made for Me, is based on his own experience being rejected by neighbors because of his race. The book helps kids understand the injustice of racism in a way they can understand, while also preparing them for situations they may encou...
Dec 20, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 99
Miles Taylor, who co-founded the Forward Party, discusses the significance of the midterm election results, the future of Trumpism, and the ongoing threats to American democracy. – Back in 2018, Miles Taylor anonymously authored a New York Times op-ed titled “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration.” At the time, Miles worked in a senior role in the Department of Homeland security. Eventually, after Trump asked him and other officials to break the law, Miles quit. He decided ...
Dec 13, 2022•55 min•Season 1Ep. 97
Medal of Honor Recipient and conservative radio host David Bellavia talks about the recent shift in the Republican party, what makes a qualified candidate, and the differences between Democrats and Republicans. Staff Sergeant David Bellavia served in the Army and deployed to Iraq in 2004. During the Second Battle of Fallujah, Bellavia cleared a house filled with five insurgents in order to save his squad. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at a White House ceremony in 2019. In Bel...
Dec 06, 2022•42 min•Season 1Ep. 96
Flipsyde member Jinho ‘Piper’ Ferreira talks about how his experiences as a police officer, rapper, and artist have influenced him. Piper was born and raised in Oakland, California. During his childhood in the 80’s and 90’s, Oakland was rife with crime, and police/community relations were at an all-time low. In 2002, Piper’s childhood friend Jihad Akbar was killed by police. This inspired him to create Flipsyde, a successful Hip-Hop group that toured worldwide in the early 2000’s. Their song Som...
Nov 29, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 95
Astronaut Garrett Reisman discusses how the Ukraine Russia War, Elon Musk, and global warming are impacting space exploration. During the interview, Garrett talks about the development of conspiracy theories, from doubting the moon landing to doubting elections: “I could laugh at the guys in the tinfoil hats that said we didn't go to the Moon. But now that it's corrupting our society and amplified by social media, it's a clear danger to our democracy. And now any kind of conspiracy theorist, I j...
Nov 22, 2022•48 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Michael Gerson was a presidential speechwriter for George W. Bush, and is now a powerful voice of dissent in the Republican establishment. Michael talks to Ken about what led him down this path of dissent, about the role of faith in motivating his decision to speak out, and about where he thinks our country is headed. Michael is a syndicated op-ed columnist for the Washington Post and host of “In Principle” on PBS. He is the author of “Heroic Conservatism” and co-author of “City of Man: Religion...
Nov 19, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 94
Former Representative Denver Riggleman discusses the January 6th committee, his experiences as a Republican during the Trump Administration, and his new book, The Breach. Denver Riggleman served in the Air Force for 15 years. Most of that time was spent as an intelligence officer and NSA advisor. From 2019 to 2021, Riggleman represented Virginia’s 5th Congressional District in the House of Representatives as a republican, but received extreme backlash from the far right for things like officiati...
Nov 15, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 93
Anne Nelson talks about the November Midterm Elections, right-wing domestic extremism, and the direction of the Republican Party. Anne is an award-winning war correspondent and author. Her newest book, Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right, details the influence of the Council for National Policy, a powerful right-wing political coalition. In the interview, Anne talks about how the people who helped organize and execute the January 6th insurrection intended it to ...
Nov 08, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 92
Former Senator Al Franken discusses the radicalization of the Republican party and the threats facing American Democracy. During the interview, Al had this to say about his Republican colleagues: “I stay in touch with some of my former Republican colleagues and I will give them crap. I'll text them and I send them Christmas cards. And I ask them about their families and I know them and we joke and stuff like that. I got along pretty well with my colleagues, I thought. I will just chide them and ...
Nov 01, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 91
Former Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley talks about her Ohio gubernatorial campaign. Nan Whaley was first elected to the Dayton City Commission in 2005, and was one of the youngest women ever chosen for the seat. In 2014, she became the Mayor of Dayton, and held that position until earlier this year when she decided to run for governor. Nan is facing incumbent Mike DeWine this November, and abortion has become a key issue in the race. During the interview, she said this about the upcoming election: “Look...
Oct 25, 2022•33 min•Season 1Ep. 90
Scott Hershovitz talks about his new book, Nasty, Brutish, and Short, in which he discusses philosophy with his children. Scott Hershovtiz is a professor of law and philosophy at the University of Michigan and former law clerk to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Scott’s new book, Nasty, Brutish, and Short, is a “romp through contemporary philosophy” led by his two young sons as they discuss ancient arguments, and ask their own questions. During the interview, Scott describes a conversation he had with his s...
Oct 18, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 89
Kris, a combat vet, explains how he studies and disrupts fascism and white supremacism in the U.S. – Kris Goldsmith is an Iraq combat vet who studies disinformation and far right movements. He's the founder of Task Force Butler, an organization of veterans that aims to disrupt online extremist activity and radicalization, and encourage those who have fallen victim to its disinformation to leave that path of destruction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 11, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 88
Dr. Belew describes the growth, strategies, and consequences of the White Power movement in America. – Dr. Kathleen Belew, a professor at Northwestern University and author of Bring the War Home: The White Power Movement and Paramilitary America. You can find Kathleen on Twitter at @Kathleen_Belew, and learn more about her at kathleenbelew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oct 04, 2022•47 min•Season 1Ep. 87
In 2019, Alex provided testimony that led to Donald Trump’s first impeachment, and foreshadowed Russia’s devastating invasion of Ukraine. In this episode, he discusses his decision to blow the whistle, the authoritarianism of the Trump White House, and the stakes of the war in Ukraine. – Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Vindman is an army vet and former director for European affairs for the National Security Council. In October of 2019, Lieutenant Colonel Vindman was subpoenaed by Congress as part o...
Sep 27, 2022•43 min•Season 1Ep. 86
Pat Ryan discusses his successful special election campaign, and the nationwide surge in support Democrats have seen in response to the Dobbs decision. – Pat is a West Point grad and army vet who just won a hotly contested special election in New York's 19th congressional district. He’ll be up for reelection in November. To learn more about Pat, and to support his November campaign, visit patryanforcongress.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @PatRyanUC. Learn more about your ad choices. Vis...
Sep 20, 2022•39 min•Season 1Ep. 85
Jason Kander discusses his new Memoir, Invisible Storm – Jason Kander served as an intelligence officer in Afghanistan, and as Secretary of State for Missouri, before his Senate campaign in 2016 catapulted him onto the national stage. In his new memoir, Invisible Storm, Jason talks about how he decided to step away from an extremely promising political career to focus on his mental health. Jason is now the President of National Expansion at the Veterans Community Project, an organization that pr...
Sep 06, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 84
Esosa Osa is the Deputy Director of Fair Fight Action, an organization founded by Stacy Abrams that advocates for election reform. Longtime listeners will remember that Esosa guest hosted an interview a few years ago. You can listen to it here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 24, 2022•34 min•Season 1Ep. 83
In 2013, Jim Obergefell and his boyfriend John, who was suffering from a terminal disease, were married on the tarmac in a medical jet at an airport in Maryland. When they returned home to Ohio, they learned that marriage would not be legally recognized. This led Jim to become the lead plaintiff in Obergefell v. Hodges, a 2015 case in which the Supreme Court ruled that the fundamental right to marry is guaranteed to same-sex couples. In the wake of Dobbs. v. Jackson, which removed the constituti...
Aug 23, 2022•38 min•Season 1Ep. 82
Jimmy Soni is an author and journalist who was named among Forbes Magazine’s 30 under 30 in media. His new book, The Founders, takes a look at how PayPal was a launching pad for some of the world's most impactful tech entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs, including Elon Musk, went on to create SpaceX, Youtube, Yelp, and many other influential companies. You can find him on Twitter and Instagram @jimmyasoni Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Aug 10, 2022•52 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Dan Pfeiffer served as Communications Director and Senior Advisor in the Obama Administration, and now co-hosts Pod Save America, a podcast that helps listeners make a difference. His new book, Battling The Big Lie, describes how we nearly lost our democracy in 2020, and how the fight to preserve it continues. You can find Dan on Twitter at @danpfeiffer, and on Instagram at @pfeiffer3342 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 27, 2022•49 min•Season 1Ep. 80
David Gergen served in senior roles for four Presidents: Nixon, Ford, H.W. Bush, and Clinton. He’s since become an award winning journalist, author, and Harvard Professor. His new book, Hearts Touched with Fire, discusses how we must pass the torch to the younger generations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 13, 2022•51 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Lecia Michelle is an author and anti-racist educator. Her new book, The White Allies Handbook, provides readers with the tools to get off the sidelines and onto the frontlines of the fight against racism. The White Allies Handbook is currently available for pre-order, and will be released on July 26th. You can find Lecia on Twitter @LeciaMichelle11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 29, 2022•45 min•Season 1Ep. 78
