It’s an old truism that Americans don’t care about foreign policy when it’s time to cast their ballots. But with the crisis in Gaza, a prolonged conflict in Ukraine and a trade war brewing with China, could 2024 be the year that American voters finally care about what’s going on beyond the water’s edge? The hosts take a look at the importance (or lack thereof) of foreign affairs in American elections. Plus, Lydia recommends a film Oscar nominations were wrong to skip. (A transcript of this episo...
Jan 26, 2024•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast The hosts take apart why Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis can’t seem to form competitive coalitions against Donald Trump, and whether Haley, DeSantis, the Supreme Court “or God himself” can keep the former president from becoming the Republican nominee. Plus, Michelle Cottle reveals her Plan B if her political reporting career doesn’t work out. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: Suffolk University-Boston Globe p...
Jan 19, 2024•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, the hosts do the dirty work of strategizing the best vice-presidential candidate for Donald Trump to campaign with, and break down what goes into consequential (and not so consequential) V.P. picks. Plus, Carlos’s team has a Fightin’ chance next year. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: “ Picking the Vice President ,” by Elaine Kamarck “ Which Trump Toady Would the MAGA King Pick as His No. 2? ” by...
Jan 12, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Is Donald Trump an insurrectionist who should be barred from the ballot? On this episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss who should get to decide if the former president can try to return to the White House. Plus, the hosts lay out what other stories are on their 2024 political bingo cards. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: “ The Antidemocratic Quest to Save Democracy From Trump ,” by Ross Douthat...
Jan 05, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast “Matter of Opinion” is off for the week, but we’re leaving you with an audio essay from our very own Carlos Lozada on what we can learn from how our leaders speak. Politicians’ language can tell you a lot about the way they think, sometimes unintentionally. If the 2024 election is indeed a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, Carlos makes the case that their dueling visions for America come down to their favorite words. This audio essay was originally made for the NYT Audio App, free for ...
Dec 22, 2023•6 min•Transcript available on Metacast Have we reached peak Taylor Swift? Does the world need your bagel shop’s position on Israel-Hamas? Should Ross start drinking on mic? On the year’s final episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts take your questions and reflect on the best of 2023. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: “ The Presidential Fantasy Draft America Needs ,” episode of “Matter of Opinion” from New York Times Opinion “ Covering the Ele...
Dec 15, 2023•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Scandal, it seems, no longer stops politicians in their tracks. George Santos — who was expelled from Congress last Friday — will reportedly make six figures after just one week as a Cameo star. Donald Trump has been mired in countless trials and controversies — and yet he is still the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination. This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts reminisce over famous political scandals of yore. From tan suits to yacht affairs, what actually makes a scandal...
Dec 08, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Strongmen are making a comeback. The hyperlibertarian Javier Milei in Argentina and the anti-immigration Geert Wilders in the Netherlands are among a growing group of recently elected leaders who promise to break a few rules, shake up democratic institutions and spread a populist message. Is it a reaction against the failures of liberal democracies? Or is there something else behind the appeal of these misbehaving men with wild hair? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts debate where the u...
Dec 01, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast Though the “Matter of Opinion” crew is off this week, Michelle Cottle is eagerly awaiting the season finale of the first-ever “Golden Bachelor.” This older spin on the “Bachelor” franchise has proved to be a surprisingly apt funhouse mirror depiction of how America avoids the realities of its aging baby boomer population. And Michelle is here for it — in all its “weird glory.” This audio essay was originally made for the NYT Audio App, free for Times subscribers in the Apple App Store. We’ll be ...
Nov 24, 2023•12 min•Transcript available on Metacast What’s your earliest political memory? That’s the question Professor Carlos Lozada puts to his co-hosts this week on “Matter of Opinion.” The hosts discuss the coups and presidential pinings of their youths before debating what political events may be shaping the attitudes of younger voters today. Plus, the documentary Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce need to see. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) If you’re under 30 and want to share yo...
Nov 17, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast The election results on Tuesday made it clear that voters support Democratic policies and state politicians — but new polling shows they don’t love the president. On this week’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts share their takeaways from the voting, and what it all means for 2024. Also, your calls about your presidential fantasy matchups. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: “ October 2023 Times/Siena...
Nov 08, 2023•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast The polls are clear: Neither Joe Biden nor Donald Trump has the full confidence of American voters. But is Biden’s latest competition, Democratic Representative Dean Phillips of Minnesota, the answer to voters’ malaise? Or perhaps an independent candidate like Robert F. Kennedy Jr.? On this week’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts imagine their own alternative candidates for 2024 and debate what good — if any — could come from long-shot contenders. (A transcript of this episode can be fo...
Nov 03, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Will technology — and the people who make it — lead us into a better future? Or a worse one? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss Elon Musk, techno-optimism and the manifesto taking Silicon Valley by storm. Plus, we learn that Ross wears dad drag. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at matterofopinion@nytimes.com . Mentioned in this episode: “ The Techno-Optimist Manifesto ,” by Marc And...
Oct 27, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast This week, the Opinion columnist and former New York Times Jerusalem bureau chief Thomas L. Friedman joins the “Matter of Opinion” hosts to discuss the rapidly evolving situation in the Middle East and the mistakes that led to this moment (he’s looking at you, Benjamin Netanyahu). (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: " Why Israel is Acting This Way ," by Thomas L. Friedman in The New York Times Unlock full acc...
Oct 20, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast On today’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the global response to the war between Israel and Hamas. What domestic and international strings are attached to U.S. support in the region? And what will that support signal to rival hostile powers? (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: “Party of One: The Rise of Xi Jinping and China’s Superpower Future,” by Chun Han Wong President Joseph Biden and V...
Oct 12, 2023•24 min•Transcript available on Metacast Now that Kevin McCarthy is no longer speaker, who’s in charge of the Republicans, and is this overthrow what voters actually want? Today on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the future of a deeply divided G.O.P. and debate what it means to be a Republican now. Plus, an argument for revisiting an elementary-school classic. (A transcript of this episode can be found at the top of the episode page on the Times website.) Mentioned in this episode: “ What Explains Educational Polarization Among ...
Oct 06, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast In 2020, Joe Biden handily beat Donald Trump in a race that was never particularly close. But now that the twice-impeached and four-times-indicted former president may once again be the Republican nominee, polls suggest they might be even, at best. Why isn’t Biden doing better? Has his presidency really gone so poorly? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss the uphill battle Biden is facing heading into 2024 and debate what kind of leader Americans really want. (A transcript of this...
Sep 29, 2023•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Americans are sick of business as usual. This year alone, more than 275 strikes have broken out across the country, and last week, nearly 13,000 members of the United Auto Workers joined the picket line to demand a better deal with their employers. So what’s going on with work in America? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts break down how a changing economy and technological innovations are complicating the worker-employer relationship. Lydia offers some insight from her experience as th...
Sep 22, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Hundreds of thousands of migrants, many seeking asylum, have arrived in the United States over the last year, overwhelming already-strained resources in cities and states across the country. Last week, in arguably one of the most immigration-friendly cities in the country, Mayor Eric Adams said that migrants would “destroy New York City.” This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss how the “border crisis” has come to frustrate Democratic politicians further north, and why the conversatio...
Sep 15, 2023•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Classrooms have been a key battleground in the so-called woke wars for years now. But could the debate over how schools teach history, race, gender and sexuality be coming to an end? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts look at signs that these wedge issues are no longer dividing us, ask whether we have reached “peak woke” and disagree on whether it’s even worth fighting about wokeness at all. Mentioned in this episode: “Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater and the Unmaking of the American C...
Sep 07, 2023•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s been 18 months since Russia invaded Ukraine. No true negotiations have happened. As the stalemate continues, what role should the United States play in the fight? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss how the war is playing out at home and whether there’s actually more American enthusiasm for invading Mexico. Plus, a trip back in time to a magical land of sorcerers and “Yo! MTV Raps.” Mentioned in this episode: “ An Unwinnable War ,” by Samuel Charap in Foreign Affairs “ The R...
Aug 31, 2023•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast The first Republican primary debate of the 2024 election is over. Chris Christie wiggled his fingers. Nikki Haley took Vivek Ramaswamy to the woodshed. Tim Scott was a “nonentity.” And then there was that elephant decidedly not in the room, Donald Trump, who instead spent his evening raving about water pressure to Tucker Carlson. As the former president is expected to turn himself in at the Fulton County Jail, the Matter of Opinion hosts discuss what we learned from the first G.O.P. debate — and...
Aug 24, 2023•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast It happened. A jury in Georgia indicted Donald Trump and 18 of his closest co-defendants. Which can only mean one thing: Michelle is thrilled. So even though Matter of Opinion is taking a break this week, Michelle grabbed Opinion colleague David French, a former litigator, to break down her “favorite” indictment and analyze what’s got Rudy Giuliani into “a world of hurt.” (A full transcript of this audio essay will be available midday on the Times website.) Unlock full access to New York Times p...
Aug 16, 2023•15 min•Transcript available on Metacast Donald Trump was impeached twice. He has been indicted three times. He lost the 2020 election. And yet he’s the clear Republican front-runner for 2024. Today on “Matter of Opinion,” Michelle Cottle, Ross Douthat and Carlos Lozada explore how Trump has created a winning political strategy and what his potential nomination could mean for Joe Biden, the Republican Party and the future of the country. Mentioned in this episode: “ The Normal Paths to Beating Trump Are Closing, ” by Ross Douthat for T...
Aug 10, 2023•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Elite colleges are facing a reckoning over their admissions practices. But is there a case for upholding policies that give preferential treatment to some students? On this episode of “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts examine whether it really matters if you go to Harvard and what the upside could be of favoring family connections. Mentioned in this episode: “ Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Consequences of Admission to Highly Selective Colleges ,” by Raj Chetty, David J. Demin...
Aug 03, 2023•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster hit “Oppenheimer” tells the story of the father of the atomic bomb and the invention he hoped would end all wars. (Spoiler alert: It did not.) On “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts discuss how history should view J. Robert Oppenheimer — naïve martyr or crybaby? — and whether we have more to fear from nuclear weapons in the age of artificial intelligence. Mentioned in this episode: “‘ Cry Baby Scientist’: What Oppenheimer the Film Gets Wrong About Oppenheimer the Man, ...
Jul 26, 2023•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this week’s “Matter of Opinion,” Michelle, Ross, Carlos and Lydia offer their recommendations for your summer reading and lay out what they’re excited to dive into themselves. Plus, listener book picks. Books mentioned in this episode: From Michelle: Thursday Murder Club series, by Richard Osman “The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder,” by David Grann From Lydia: “Slow Horses,” Book 1 in the Slough House series, by Mick Herron “The Transit of Venus,” by Shirley Hazzard “Middlemarch...
Jul 20, 2023•25 min•Transcript available on Metacast In just one week, more than 100 million people have signed up for Meta’s new Threads app. On “Matter of Opinion,” the hosts ask why so many people are joining, given how much we love to hate on social media, and whether “social” media is even social anymore. Mentioned in this episode: "Anti-Social Media: How Facebook Has Disconnected Citizens and Undermined Democracy," by Siva Vaidhyanathan "Stealing MySpace: The Battle to Control the Most Popular Website in America," by Julia Angwin More from t...
Jul 13, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s as American as … “Survivor”? This week on “Matter of Opinion,” our hosts each bring a piece of pop culture that they think defines America, and make the case for why grifters, connivers and Tennessee’s finest explain the United States. Additional reading: Check out the cultural artifacts our hosts and other Opinion columnists think best represent America. Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcast...
Jul 06, 2023•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast It’s an age-old question in America: Is the government lying to us? According to David Grusch, a former intelligence official who recently alleged that the U.S. government is secretly storing alien spacecraft, the answer is yes. He is, of course, not the first person to make a claim like this, but lawmakers appear to be taking him far more seriously than previous would-be whistle-blowers. So, what’s really going on? On this week’s episode of “Matter of Opinion,” our hosts discuss what the govern...
Jun 29, 2023•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
