This week we’re sharing an excerpt of the first episode of our new investigative series Master Plan , which was recently named a must-listen by The Guardian and Apple Podcasts. In each episode of Master Plan , The Lever’s David Sirota and his team of journalists expose the secret scheme that legalized corruption for the wealthy. With the help of never-before-reported documents, we’ll look back at where this plot began, how it is accelerating in the 2024 election - and how it can be stopped. In t...
Aug 27, 2024•7 min•Transcript available on Metacast Josh and Dave are joined by journalist and media expert John Knefel to discuss how the conservative propaganda operation PragerU landed a major new partnership with Florida’s public schools.
Aug 10, 2023•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast For the final episode of The Audit season three, Dave and Josh are joined by comedian and actor Wyatt Cenac . These old-school chums engage in a wide-ranging exploration of their favorite PragerU topics, including abortion, climate change, guns, pornography, and “woke” investing. PragerU videos discussed this week: Why Do You Hate Conservatives? ESG: Woke to Broke For Star Trek fans out there, here’s a link to the Bad Faith podcast episode where Wyatt and Josh debate whether or not the Federatio...
Jul 10, 2023•2 hr 34 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast In this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave and Josh join forces with Andrew Perez, investigative reporter from The Lever , to delve deeper into the financial underpinnings of PragerU. The three review, with horror, the organization’s fawning and unhinged interview with Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus, who donates millions to PragerU. Dave and Josh also recount their mission to obtain PragerU’s tax documents, which leads to an unexpected face-to-face encounter. Finally, the episode also discu...
Jul 03, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave and Josh submit their supple minds to the mental libido of Dennis Prager, whose “fireside chat” video about the sexual nature of “men versus women” exposes the ugly truths about the many regressive cravings of modern conservatism. Joined by guests Will Menaker of Chapo Trap House and Kath Krueger of Discourse Blog (43:22), this episode will require that you too repress your urges — to laugh! Also discussed: The Joe Rogan anti-vax “debate-gate” controver...
Jun 26, 2023•2 hr 18 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave and Josh are in the back of the classroom with comedian and TV writer Lisa Curry (38:29) to consider a pair of PragerU videos about the male identity. Listening to conservative white men trying to give sex and relationship advice to young people is both hilarious and enlightening for what it reveals about today’s national political conversation. You can follow Lisa on Instagram @olympianlisacurry and on Twitter @lisa_curry . Videos discussed this week: ...
Jun 19, 2023•2 hr 47 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit , comedian, writer, and political commentator Katie Halper joins hosts Dave and Josh to react to PragerU’s videos on race, liberalism, and affirmative action. PragerU wants to teach you about the American Left. To gauge the results, the team discusses the organization’s political explainers — covering what they get right and wrong, and pondering who is the last best hope for Earth. The group also discusses how conservatives view the liberal media industry, and...
Jun 12, 2023•2 hr 35 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast This week, journalist and activist Naomi Klein joins Dave and Josh as a special guest to look under the hood of several PragerU “educational” videos that offer a conservative spin on the topics of climate science and green technologies. Klein, who has authored several influential books (including This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. the Climate ), points out how the fossil fuel-funded groups behind videos like these have shifted tactics in the years since COVID, moving from a strategy of “har...
Jun 05, 2023•2 hr 38 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit, Dave and Josh cover Gov. Ron DeSantis’ presidential campaign announcement and observe that GOP politics are mostly a match-up between manly “right-wing lunatics” against “nerds and dorks.” Despite their differences, all Republican campaigns seem to agree that homelessness in cities is the fault of Democrats, woke liberals, and the unhoused people themselves. PragerU videos are an excellent resource for observing exactly how conservative activists are reframin...
May 29, 2023•2 hr 5 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast Bill Maher is all the rage over at PragerU. On this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave and Josh look at why PragerU regularly uses video clips featuring the comedian and host of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher for their more hard-line conservative screeds on race, culture, and economics. They are joined by special guest Gareth Reynolds , a comedian, writer, and co-host (along with Dave) of The Dollop podcast . The crew discusses the “Bill Maher bubble,” cranky old men, reanimating Martin Luther ...
May 22, 2023•2 hr 58 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave and Josh delve into a topic at the root of much of PragerU’s curriculum: The apparent evils of socialism! To discuss the persistent misrepresentations and misunderstandings surrounding communism and socialism, they are joined by guest Professor Richard Wolff , a Marxist economist and co-founder of the nonprofit Democracy at Work . Wolff highlights the influence of Marxist ideas on various Christian socialist movements throughout history, and the convers...
May 15, 2023•2 hr 4 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave, Josh and their guest Jared Yates Sexton, explore PragerU's treatment of the founding fathers. From George Washington's wealth and questionable actions to PragerU’s obsession with the founding fathers' heights, they unpack the mythologies and oversimplifications that the American Right invests in these historical figures. Jared Yates Sexton is author of The Midnight Kingdom: A History of Power, Paranoia, and the Coming Crisis and co-host of the Muckrake...
May 08, 2023•2 hr 56 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave and Josh go back to school with Denis Prager’s enormous library of children’s educational content! The American right’s obsession with attacking teachers and public education in recent years has given us PragerU Kids , a streaming hub of “pro-America” kids programming intent on battling the evil woke agendas “infiltrating classrooms, culture, and social media.” As a guest, the two brought in a real teacher: Betsy Long, a public school educator in Los An...
May 01, 2023•2 hr 15 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s episode of The Audit , Dave and Josh analyze an area of PragerU’s curriculum that will make your head spin: racism in America. For this precarious exercise, they brought in writer/commentator Aaron Thorpe of the Trillbilly Worker’s Party podcast. They dive deep into multiple PragerU videos from the likes of Candace Owens on topics such as critical race theory, slavery, and reparations, with a clearer understanding of the historical counternarratives that conservatives wish to spin...
Apr 24, 2023•2 hr 9 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast In the new season of The Audit , Dave and Josh take a big leap into the astounding world of PragerU, a right-wing propaganda machine that aspires to become a force in American education. This first episode, which delves into PragerU’s approach to world history and foreign affairs, features guest Daniel Bessner, an associate professor of International Studies at the University of Washington and co-host of the American Prestige podcast . The three discuss PragerU’s revisionist understanding of top...
Apr 17, 2023•2 hr 5 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast The Audit is back with a new season. Subscribe now at Levernews.com/audit/ and get all the new episodes as they arrive.
Apr 14, 2023•1 min•Transcript available on Metacast Rove & Axelrod discuss the current state of politics, and we break down their discussion in real time. You might be surprised which of these two players actually understands why we are where we are and which one is completely oblivious to any measurable reality. Actually, you probably won't be. If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or leave us a tip. For a rough transcription of this episode click here ....
Jan 09, 2023•2 hr 39 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Axelrod oozes over Ronald Reagan, leaving us to wonder if these people actually believe in anything. Nina Turner discusses why she doesn't hang out with her counterparts on the Beltway. If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or leave us a tip. For a rough transcription of this episode click here .
Jan 02, 2023•2 hr 44 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast Rahm Emanuel's campaign to run for re-election while covering up the murder of a Black teenager elicits some strong reactions from everyone. Nina Turner tells an infuriating story about the Democratic convention that she's never told before. If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or leave us a tip. For a rough transcription of this episode click here ....
Dec 26, 2022•2 hr 37 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast David Axelrod explains how to accidentally stumble across a once in a lifetime presidential candidate who doesn't really need you, while Karl Rove explains how to use racist and homophobic smears to destroy your political opponents. If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or leave us a tip. For a rough transcription of this episode click here ....
Dec 19, 2022•2 hr 46 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast We discuss why it's not really a good thing to be friends with people who want to kill you. Rove & Axelrod explain what inspired them to get into politics, and it's possible one of them is actually telling the truth. If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or leave us a tip. For a rough transcription of this episode click here ....
Dec 12, 2022•2 hr 34 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast A brief breakdown on why Biden's pot reform might not be the greatest thing since sliced bread, and then the gang dives into the final classes of W's Master Class, including sitting through an 18 minute lesson on cold wax painting. On the plus side, we get some fun drinking stories, some fun Turd Blossom stories, and did you know they make a version of the Bible for stupid people? Also - remember the pretzel? We go out on a note of hope, however - warm and fuzzy memories of the deep friendship s...
Nov 07, 2022•2 hr 35 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast Josh, Dave and Kate learn some important lessons on self mockery and stretegery. They also take a look at what might be the worst joke every told at The White House Correspondents' Dinner, and the final word on the Try Guys scandal - because we're the last people to find out about it. Josh explains the Hollywood No, and the gang discusses the difference between polyamory and swinging. This episode has it all! If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or ...
Oct 31, 2022•1 hr 13 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast You knew it was coming, folks. George W. Bush walks us through all the ways he showed amazing leadership and accountability during 9/11, Katrina AND the financial crisis of '07/'08. Short version - it all comes down to acting like you care. We also examine one of the few not entirely terrible things Bush did - Pepfar - and how he still managed to get some terrible in there, and how Bush's experiences in the world of business don't jibe at all with his stated belief in free markets. All that, AND...
Oct 24, 2022•2 hr 52 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Professor Bush discusses his unshakable belief in having principles in place before a crisis hits, and how he and his team came up with those principles. After 9/11. If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or leave us a tip. Click here for a rough transcript.
Oct 17, 2022•2 hr 33 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast Seeking out good advice on how to be leaders of men, Josh, Dave, and Kate sit down to watch the first three lessons in George W. Bush's Master Class on Authentic Leadership. If you'd like to support this show, go to LeverNews.com/Audit to become a supporter or leave us a tip. For a rough transcription of this episode click here .
Oct 10, 2022•2 hr 33 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast This is the trailer for The Audit. You should listen and subscribe. Do it. We dare you.
Sep 22, 2022•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast