The Opinions - podcast cover

The Opinions

The New York Times Opinionwww.nytimes.com
You've heard the news, here's what to make of it.

Episodes

Why Have Kids? A Liberal Case for Natalism

With Anastasia Berg. Having children has become increasingly “coded as conservative and reactionary,” philosopher Anastasia Berg argues. She makes the case for why young liberals and progressives should take the decision back — and stop delaying it. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]

Sep 16, 20248 min

Trump, Tariffs and the Truth About His Economic Plans

For voters whose top issue is the economy, the choice is clear, argues Binyamin Appelbaum, a member of the Times Editorial Board. Though Vice President Kamala Harris’s plans may be ill-defined, he says, Donald Trump’s plans — curbing immigration, raising tariffs and cutting taxes — would actually leave consumers worse off than they are today. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]

Sep 12, 20249 min

'I Feel Like She Humiliated Him': How Trump Lost the Debate

Michelle Goldberg, the Times Opinion columnist, and Patrick Healy, the deputy Opinion editor, discuss the best and worst moments of the debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. Will Harris’s apparent debate night victory matter to the swing state voters who can make the difference? Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].

Sep 11, 202422 min

Charging Parents for School Shootings Protects Weak Gun Laws

After school shootings in Michigan, southern Virginia, and now Georgia, parents have been charged in connection to their children’s actions. Megan Stack, a Times contributing opinion writer, argues that states should turn their attention to gun storage and access laws instead of criminalizing parents. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected].

Sep 10, 20249 min

Trump Picks His Own Rally Music. What Is He Trying to Say?

Songs from Luciano Pavarotti, Sinead O’Connor and “Cats” may not strike you as typical campaign music, but they’re on repeat at Donald Trump’s political rallies. The staff editor Katherine Miller has spent a lot of time at Trump rallies, and in this episode, she takes listeners on a tour of the unusual — and often subversive — soundtrack the former president curates for his campaign events. Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Sep 09, 20248 min

Netanyahu Is Trying to Save Himself. Will He Sink Harris?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s drive to stay in power is harming Israel’s global reputation and complicating the U.S. presidential election for Democrats, the Opinion columnist Thomas L. Friedman argues. In this audio essay, Friedman offers a new name for the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and explains why Netanyahu might be rooting for Donald Trump this November. Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Sep 05, 20249 min

These Chemicals Are Hurting Us. Why Aren’t We Regulating Them?

They’ve been found in our milk, our eggs, our water supply and our bodies. In this audio essay, the environmental activist Erin Brockovich makes the case for better regulation of the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, contaminating our world. PFAS exposure has been associated with fertility issues and developmental delays in children. And while lawsuits have been filed against some of the biggest manufacturers of PFAS, Ms. Brockovich says those suits aren’t the only — or even the best...

Sep 04, 20248 min

These Young Voters Offer a Road Map For Kamala Harris

Listen in on this focus group with young undecided voters — a group that could determine the outcome of the upcoming presidential election. The New York Times deputy Opinion editor, Patrick Healy, spoke with some Gen Z voters to better understand the issues they’re focused on and how they’re feeling about Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. In this episode, he argues that while many young undecided voters don’t trust Harris, there are clear ways for her to win their support.

Sep 03, 20249 min

Uninspired by Plant-Based Foods? Add Some Anchovies.

Anchovies can help make plant-forward eating more delicious and appealing, argues Christopher Beckman, an archaeologist-turned-anchovy-lover. He is the author of “A Twist in the Tail: How the Humble Anchovy Flavored Western Cuisine,” and he makes the case for why we should all embrace the small, oily fish. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] .

Sep 02, 20247 min

Kamala Harris Wrote Two Books. They Paint Different Pictures.

Kamala Harris has made her time as a prosecutor central to her presidential pitch. In this audio essay, Carlos Lozada, a Times Opinion columnist and host of “Matter of Opinion,” examines Harris’s two memoirs, reflects on how her criminal justice message has changed and explores what that may reveal about her candidacy.

Aug 29, 20249 min

Can You Tell Which Short Story ChatGPT Wrote?

In this era of artificial intelligence, who can compose a better beach read for the vacationing masses? The beloved fiction writer Curtis Sittenfeld … or ChatGPT? Listen as Sittenfeld sits down with the Opinion editor Susannah Meadows to talk about what they learned after pitting her writing against artificial intelligence , and hear excerpts from both stories to decide for yourself which is the more compelling read. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]....

Aug 28, 202419 min

The ‘Sad Missed Opportunity’ of the Democratic Convention

The Democratic Party’s recent position — or lack of position — on Gaza “feels like gaslighting to a lot of Democratic voters,” Farah Stockman of the editorial board argues in this audio essay. The party claims to value social justice and human rights, but when it comes to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, she says, Kamala Harris “needs to do more, and she can do more, to assure people she’s going to have a more evenhanded approach when she becomes president.” Thoughts? Email us at theopin...

Aug 27, 202410 min

Tressie McMillan Cottom on Why Trump Is Struggling to Box Harris In

Should voters care about Kamala Harris’s identity? In this audio essay, the sociologist and New York Times Opinion columnist Tressie McMillan Cottom argues that while we shouldn’t ignore the unprecedented nature of Harris’s campaign, the Democrats need to balance that newness against the electorate’s desire to return to a time of political normalcy. Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] .

Aug 22, 20249 min

I’m a Doctor. I Was Unprepared When I Got This Disease.

Dr. Deborah Heaney was enjoying a vacation in the Caribbean when she was struck with a sudden, debilitating illness. It took her days, a flight home and some luck before she was finally diagnosed with dengue fever. As temperatures rise globally, mosquito-borne tropical illnesses are spreading, and our medical systems are failing to keep up. In this episode, Dr. Heaney argues that the medical community must do a better job of incorporating education on diseases like dengue into their practice....

Aug 21, 20247 min

James Carville on How Democrats Can Win on the Economy

In 1992, James Carville, the longtime political strategist, coined the phrase that helped win Bill Clinton the presidency: “The economy, stupid.” In this episode of “The Opinions,” he shares what he thinks Vice President Kamala Harris should do to capture American voters on the issue that he says is “first and foremost on people’s minds”: the cost of living.

Aug 20, 20247 min

David French on the Pro-Life Case for Kamala Harris

David French, an Opinion columnist, is an evangelical, pro-life conservative. For the first time in his life, he plans to vote for a Democratic presidential candidate: Kamala Harris. He says he will vote against Donald Trump “precisely because I’m conservative.” In this audio essay, David explains how he arrived at his decision and argues for other conservatives to join him.

Aug 19, 20248 min

Nicholas Kristof on the Failure of West Coast Liberalism

Nicholas Kristof is an Oregonian and, he is quick to point out, a liberal. But in this audio essay, Kristof takes liberals to task for their governing of cities on the West Coast. It’s an election year, and so he asks the question he believes many Americans are thinking: “Why put liberals in charge nationally when the places around the country where liberals have the greatest control are plagued by homelessness, crime and dysfunction?” Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected] ....

Aug 16, 20247 min

Charles Blow on Coming Out Late in Life

For Pride Month, the Opinion columnist Charles Blow dove into the stories of people who embraced fluid sexual identities later in life. He argues that despite the increasing number of people who come out as queer during adolescence, some don’t recognize or reveal an attraction to the same sex until their 40s or 50s. In this audio essay he shares their stories and his own. Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected] .

Aug 16, 20249 min

Farah Stockman on How Democrats Can Win Rural America

Democrats tend to do well in cities; Republicans tend to do well in rural areas. But winning back at least some rural voters is essential for Democrats to succeed in statewide elections. Farah Stockman, a member of the New York Times editorial board, found one Democrat who is trying out a new message in rural Ohio. Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected] .

Aug 16, 20248 min

Michelle Goldberg on the Kamala Harris Sugar High

With Democratic enthusiasm for Kamala Harris at a fever pitch, the New York Times Opinion columnist Michelle Goldberg spent a day in Atlanta at one of her rallies speaking with voters. In this audio essay, Goldberg argues that the energy among voters she met there is real, and more importantly, will last. Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected] .

Aug 16, 202411 min

David French on Being Canceled by His Former Church

A few months ago, the Opinion columnist David French and his family were canceled by their former church. In response, French wrote about the painful experience of being abandoned by his faith community. The column led to an outpouring from readers sharing their own thoughts and similar experiences. In this audio essay, French sits down with his editor, Aaron Retica, to discuss the fallout and listen to some of the responses he received from readers. Thoughts? Questions? Email us at theopinions@...

Aug 16, 202417 min

David Brooks on Ending America's 'Social and Emotional Breakdown'

When David Brooks was growing up, he was emotionally detached, he says. Over the past several years, he’s worked to change that. In this audio essay, Brooks shares what he learned opening up with others on his journey to become a fuller human being: that better conversation could help save America from its “social and emotional breakdown.” Thoughts? Questions? Email us at [email protected].

Aug 16, 20247 min

Introducing 'The Opinions'

Commentary from the biggest names in New York Times Opinion. One voice, one idea, four days a week, in 10 minutes or less. Thoughts? Suggestions? Email us at [email protected].

Aug 14, 20242 min