In this compelling edition of Scheer Intelligence, Robert Scheer engages with journalist Kit Klarenberg to explore the complex dynamics shaping our world. From the enigmatic diplomacy of Donald Trump to the evolving landscape of Middle Eastern geopolitics, Klarenberg offers a nuanced perspective on shifts in U.S. foreign policy, the decline of American exceptionalism, and the rise of a multipolar global order. Their conversation sheds light on contradictions, realignments, and the potential for ...
May 29, 2025•46 min
oin Robert Scheer and guest Peter Byrne as they delve into the dark side of artificial intelligence, exploring its militarization, misuse, and impact on global security and democracy. Through a series of in-depth investigations sponsored by Project Censored, they reveal how AI is being used to control societies, threaten peace, and undermine human rights—exposing what mainstream media often overlooks. Essential listening for those concerned about the true power of technology shaping our future....
May 23, 2025•28 min
Welcome to Scheer Intelligence, where the insights come directly from leading experts and insiders. In this episode, Robert Scheer sits down with Judy Karofsky, author of Diselderly Conduct , to explore the troubled landscape of assisted living and hospice care in America. From personal tragedy to systemic neglect, they delve into how a lack of regulation, corporate greed, and profit motives endanger our elders and what society must do to ensure dignity and safety in their final years. Stay tune...
May 08, 2025•38 min
Welcome to a compelling episode of Scheer Intelligence , where host Robert Scheer engages in a thought-provoking dialogue with political stalwart Dennis Kucinich. Join us as we delve into Kucinich's reflections on the devastating consequences of war, specifically addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the broader implications for both Israeli and Palestinian lives. In a time when questioning government policies can lead to severe backlash, Kucinich's courage shines through as he confront...
Apr 28, 2025•35 min
Welcome to another edition of Scheer Intelligence, where host Robert Scheer dives into critical discussions with renowned guests. Today, we have Dr. Charles LeBaron, a distinguished physician and CDC veteran, who has authored a compelling and essential book, 'Greed to Do Good: The Untold Story of the CDC's Disastrous War on Opioids.' Dr. LeBaron offers a unique perspective on the opioid crisis, drawing from his extensive experience and personal encounters. Through his well-crafted narrative, he ...
Apr 25, 2025•35 min
Welcome to this week's episode of Scheer Intelligence , where host Robert Scheer dives deep into the compelling and complex world of international relations. In today’s episode, we are joined by Ben Norton, a distinguished journalist based in China, and editor at Geopolitical Economy Report . With a profound understanding of the intricacies of China's economy, Ben offers invaluable insights into the ongoing trade tensions under the Trump administration and the shifting sands of global power dyna...
Apr 18, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Welcome to another gripping episode of Scheer Intelligence , where we delve deep into the stories that shape our understanding of freedom, power, and the human experience. I'm your host, Robert Scheer, and today, I'm joined by the insightful Joel Whitney. We will uncover the harrowing tale of Pramodia Ananta Toer, a celebrated Indonesian writer whose life was turned upside down by U.S. intervention during a turbulent chapter of history. His imprisonment for over a decade serves as a stark remind...
Apr 05, 2025•48 min
Welcome to Scheer Intelligence, where the true brainpower comes from our guests. Today, join Robert Scheer as he engages in a thought-provoking conversation with the talented Natasha Hakimi Zapata. A former award-winning poet and influential journalist at Truthdig, she now sheds light on her new book, Another World is Possible: Lessons for America from Around the Globe. With insights drawn from her unique upbringing and experiences across nine different countries, Natasha brings forth stories an...
Mar 31, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Welcome to another edition of Scheer Intelligence with your host, Robert Scheer. Today, we delve into the profound implications of the Ferguson movement, a pivotal moment in American history that continues to resonate throughout our society. Joining us are two exceptional guests: State Senator Marie Chappelle Nadal, who was on the ground in St. Louis during the turbulent aftermath of Michael Brown's tragic shooting, and filmmaker Ray Nowaselski, known for his compelling documentaries that tackle...
Mar 21, 2025•50 min
Welcome to another edition of Scheer Intelligence , where insights come alive through the voices of our guests. I'm your host, Robert Scheer, and today we have the privilege of speaking with the insightful Vijay Prashad, a prolific author and the Director of the Tri-Continental Institute for Social Research. With an impressive body of work that includes over 40 books, Prashad has established himself as a leading voice on global affairs. In our conversation, we explore the complexities of interna...
Mar 14, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Welcome to another episode of Scheer Intelligence! I'm your host, Robert Scheer, and today we’re diving into a critical conversation about the state of media, censorship, and the role of independent journalism in our society. Joining me are two passionate advocates from the organization Project Censored: Shealeigh Voitl and Andy Lee Roth. In this episode, we explore the alarming trends of censorship, particularly in an era where many attribute societal issues to the influence of the internet rat...
Feb 21, 2025•1 hr
Welcome to another edition of Scheer Intelligence. I’m your host, Robert Scheer, and today marks a significant new chapter for our program as we transition to Scheerpost, where we’ll continue our mission of exploring vital issues with depth and clarity. After nearly a decade of broadcasting through KCRW, we’re excited to bring you more frequent conversations, allowing us to engage with the news as it unfolds. In this inaugural episode under the Scheerpost banner, I’m joined by the esteemed Ray M...
Feb 12, 2025•43 min
Tariffs, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, electric cars: there is much to be said about the evolving relationship between China and the United States. While Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on the country are just the latest story, it is only a fraction of the news coming out of China that directly affects the U.S. and the future prospect for business and the government. Joining host Robert Scheer from China on this episode of Scheer Intelligence is Geopolitical Economic Report editor-in-ch...
Feb 04, 2025•1 hr 1 min
This is the political season to be thankful for small favors of optimism, and in this edition of Scheer Intelligence, host Robert Scheer and guest Joe Lauria, editor of the Consortium News website, are excited to have found a gift of striking significance to what remains of the practice of serious journalism on the internet. It is Donald Trump’s delivery on a promise in his inauguration address that “After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expressio...
Jan 24, 2025•55 min
The wildfires in Los Angeles county have brought a multitude of difficult and prevailing questions to the forefront of the region as well as the system of capitalism. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast is Jacobin Magazine columnist Ben Burgis to discuss writer Mike Davis and how his book, “The Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster,” (February 1998) serves as a kind of prognosis for everything going wrong in Los Angeles today. The ...
Jan 17, 2025•51 min
The American saber-rattling against China has been increasing almost as fast as China’s own development in the past few years. China’s economic prosperity and international influence is undeniable yet American politicians continue to treat their rise as a threat to their global hegemony. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence is Megan Russell, a writer, academic and CODEPINK's China is Not Our Enemy Campaign Coordinator. Scheer is quick to point out the intergeneration...
Jan 10, 2025•1 hr 11 min
*This episode originally aired on December 21, 2018. This is part two of a two-part interview. To listen to part one, click here . In part two of this two-part interview, Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper, once coming within four hours of execution, details how he copes with the daily torment of impending death as his legal team fights to prove his innocence with new exonerating evidence Gov. Jerry Brown has refused to allow to be examined. For the past 33 Christmas holidays, Kevin Cooper has inhabi...
Dec 27, 2024•32 min
Much needed attention has been brought upon the for-profit health insurance industry in the wake of the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Personal stories about people’s tragic experiences involving not only UnitedHealthcare but many other insurance companies have spelled out a deeper issue that resonates across the American political spectrum. Sean Morrow, a journalist and writer for More Perfect Union—a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on working class issues—has gained sign...
Dec 20, 2024•52 min
The assassination of Brian Thompson, the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare insurance company, has prompted a national reckoning of how corporate entities commit crimes on a daily basis and are not only not punished but rewarded for their profit-making prowess. Many point to Luigi Mangione, the alleged assassin, as an example of vigilante justice, murdering someone who is responsible for the deaths of thousands who are denied medical care. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelli...
Dec 13, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Though one can debate the reasons, statistics and precedent of nuclear war, what is often left out of the conversation is the reality of it: destruction of the world as a whole. In her new immersive art experience titled, “ Any War, Any Enemy ,” immersive artist Lena Herzog throws this reality literally right in the faces of viewers. The film can uniquely be experienced via virtual reality as well as a traditional screen and it plainly shows what nuclear war looks like. Herzog begins the film wi...
Dec 06, 2024•1 hr 32 min
Gaza today symbolizes nothing but death, destruction and oppression. Israel’s genocide and scorched earth bombing campaign has not only wiped out its people but the rich history that stretches back thousands of years. Juan Cole, University of Michigan history professor and renowned Middle East historian, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to clearly lay out the history behind Gaza through his newest book, “ Gaza Yet Stands .” Gaza, Cole says, was a cosmop...
Nov 22, 2024•1 hr 1 min
The election came and went, and despite Democrats’ heavy emphasis on abortion rights, the election of Donald Trump makes it clear that the rights of women across the country are in grave danger. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence to spell out this danger and talk about his new book, “Abortion in the Age of Unreason: A Doctor's Account of Caring for Women Before and After Roe v. Wade” is “America's Abortion Doctor” Dr. Warren Hern. Hern possesses vast experience wit...
Nov 15, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Reporting on the election often involves being glued to computer screens dictating the polling numbers around the country and using statistics revolving around race and gender to make assumptions about how the country is politically swaying. Journalist and online host Michael Tracey actually went out to many prominent swing states throughout the election and spoke to various swaths of voters, engaging in what their vote really means and how ordinary Americans view newly appointed Donald Trump an...
Nov 08, 2024•1 hr 16 min
Amidst the hype, excitement and nervousness of the election, the bigger picture of what the United States is and how it operates often gets lost on people. Many think that choosing one or another candidate will significantly alter their future to better represent their values, but in reality there is only one group of people that matter the most: those who Dr. Peter Phillips, professor emeritus at Sonoma State University, calls the “titans of capital.” In his new book by the same name, Phillips ...
Nov 01, 2024•53 min
Fewer people in the world had access to the personal moments experienced by Steve Wasserman, Heyday Books publisher, former LA Times Book Review editor and former editor at several of the nation’s most prominent book publishing houses. In his latest book, “Tell Me Something, Tell Me Anything, Even If It's a Lie,” he details his close encounters with a handful of some of the most significant people in the 20th century, including Jackie Kennedy, Susan Sontag, Christopher Hitchens, Gore Vidal, Barb...
Oct 25, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Any urban street in America is guaranteed to be lined with popular fast food chains, the readily available nature of their products being the main attraction, with people barely giving a thought to the process behind getting the food from the farm to the table — or more likely, the take-out box. Joining host Robert Scheer on this week’s Scheer Intelligence are two people who dedicated their recent film, “Food and Country,” to understanding this process behind food in the United States and how bi...
Oct 18, 2024•39 min
In the 365 days following the events of Oct. 7, the situation in the Middle East is as complicated as ever. Israel’s genocide in Gaza agonizingly continues, and its invasion of Lebanon and subsequent retaliation at the hands of Hezbollah and Iran has added more fuel to the fire. Tensions are escalating and Middle East expert and writer Juan Cole joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to explain its precedent and what the future may hold. The extremism of the ...
Oct 11, 2024•43 min
At a time of book bans and the withholding of critically important struggles in our history, our education system has increasingly failed to provide our young with the tools to become engaged citizens in our much celebrated experiment in democracy. This miseducation of the young has been vastly accelerated by the shocking erosion of civic education in the standardized testing that separates winners and losers in the ranking of our meritocracy. This reality has been made painfully obvious to Lind...
Oct 04, 2024•41 min
In the midst of election season, conversations revolving around the levers of power become more frequent, and in the case of a U.S. presidential election, that often includes debates around the so-called “deep state”. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence, Professors Charles Derber and Yale Magrass discuss their new book, “Who Owns Democracy?: The Real Deep State and the Struggle Over Class and Caste in America.” There are many interpretations of what the 'deep state'...
Sep 27, 2024•1 hr 8 min
The genocide in Gaza has brought the issue of Israel — and what it represents for Jewish people — into the forefront of Jewish communities worldwide. The powerful influence of the Israel lobby on Israel’s image in the United States makes this issue highly contentious and deeply complex. In this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, host Robert Scheer and Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP), a nonprofit dedicated to fostering peace between Israel and Pale...
Sep 20, 2024•58 min
