Podcast · News

The Nation Podcasts

by The Nation Magazine · English · News

Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the week in news. Hosted by Jon Wiener and presented by The Nation Magazine.

Typical length: 44 min
Language: English

Latest episode

36 min

GOP Election Deniers running for Governor; plus John Berger’s Ways of Seeing / Start Making Sense

Most political reporting has been about Democrats’ chances of taking control of Congress, but the Governors’ races hold the key to election protection in the 2028 presidential vote. Harold Meyerson explains, and examines the contest now underway in Nevada. Harold is Editor-at-Large of The American Prospect. Also: John Berger, author of the classic “Ways of Seeing,” was more than a Marxist art critic. On the 100 th anniversary of his birth, John Powers comments on his life and work—both of which were extraordinary. John is critic-at-large on NPR’s Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Advertising…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

1 hr 2 min
Dispatch from the Frontlines of the Data Center Wars w/ Ben Inskeep & Bryce Gustafson / Fighting Fascism
Data centers and AI, AI and data centers. We all know how pivotal these issues have become. But lots of the analysis on these topics has been coming from pundits who are the farthest removed from them. That’s why we wanted to speak with Ben Inskeep and Bryce Gustafson from Citizen Action Coalition. Bryce and Ben have been helping communities on the frontlines of data center fights in Indiana organize and stand up against Big Tech, and their on-the-ground insights—about what’s motivating the backlash, the potential for a broader political realignment, and more—are critical to understanding…
42 min
Why SCOTUS is Climate Action’s Biggest Threat w/ Elie Mystal / A People's Climate
That’s why The Nation’s justice correspondent Elie Mystal thinks the Supreme Court should matter to everyone who cares about climate and environmental justice. The Court can block laws, limit the government’s ability to regulate polluters, and prevent communities from holding powerful companies accountable. In this episode of A People’s Climate , Shilpi Chhotray talks with Mystal about what happens when some of the biggest climate battles are being decided by a few unelected judges. Mystal explains how the Supreme Court has changed, why its decisions have such far-reaching consequences for…
41 min
War Breaks in Tigray, Brazil Elections, Houthi/Ansar Allah Attacks Hit Saudi Airports / American Prestige
Derek has returned, but he keeps trying to get Danny to go to some seminar led by a charismatic “mentor” he encountered in his travels. In this week’s news: war breaks out in Ethiopia’s Tigray region (0:43); Flavio Bolsonaro wins the first round of Brazil’s presidential election as the right makes major gains (6:46); in Yemen, the government’s counteroffensive against Ansar Allah stalls (9:51), the group attacks airports in Saudi Arabia and Yemen (12:40), and Saudi Arabia seeks outside military support (13:42); the U.S. prepares to resume its war against Iran as the Islamic Republic…
1 hr 9 min
Brazil’s Data Center Boom is Enabled by Renewables Firms w/ Laís Martins / Tech Won't Save Us
Brazil’s renewable energy is being exploited to justify unnecessary data center construction. Laís Martins joins Paris Marx to discuss why the renewable energy sector is behind a rise in Brazilian data center development, how this is impacting communities, and the ways this greenwashing is redirecting funding away from more socially progressive projects. Laís Martins is a technology reporter at The Intercept Brasil. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
1 hr 2 min
Palestine Three Years After October 7 w/ Rashid Khalidi / American Prestige
Danny and Derek welcome back to the show Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University and author of Palestine: A Primer , to talk about changes in the regional and political landscape of Palestine since October 7. They discuss adapting The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine for a younger audience, the devastation of Gaza, Hamas’s October 7 strategy and its miscalculations, the Biden administration’s support for Israel, changes in the Middle East after the war with Iran, shifting American attitudes toward Israel and Palestine, the prospects for…
42 min
AI: What is to be Done? plus Protest Under Assault / Start Making Sense
The real threat of AI is not the destruction of humanity, but rather replacing human labor with machines—that’s what Garrison Lovely argues. He’s the author of Obsolete: The AI Industry’s Trillion Dollar Race to Replace Us—and How to Stop It. Also: Our right to peaceful protest is under assault. To save it, we need to “respect it, defend it, and more than anything – use it.” that’s what Annie Leonard says - she’s a longtime activist who spent 17 years with Greenpeace USA, then she helped launch the Jane Fonda Climate PAC. And she’s co-author of the new book, “Protest.” Advertising Inquiries:…
1 hr 17 min
Does Staten Island Explain the Trump Age? w/ Ben Naddaff-Hafrey / Fighting Fascism
Staten Island is often referred to—by its inhabitants—as the Forgotten Borough of New York City. But who knew that in the 1990s, Staten Islanders literally tried to secede. Our guest this week, Ben Naddaff-Hafrey, is a journalist and senior producer for the Revisionist History podcast, and he’s created a brilliant new series called The Staten Island Problem that tells the history of this moment when New York City almost came apart. Ben sees this story as an early example of the politics of resentment that dominates America today. To understand Staten Island is to understand the communities…
35 min
Gaza and Elite Accountability w/ Connor Echols / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
Many of Joe Biden’s closest advisors are now well-ensconced in the sinecures reserved for the elite, working at think tanks, academia, and major media outlets. Normally, they could expect to have future jobs when the Democrats retake the White House. But this cozy situation is being disrupted by ongoing reporting showing the extent of their complicity in the Gaza genocide and other US crimes in the Middle East. I spoke about this with Connor Echols, managing editor of Responsible Statecraft, who wrote an excellent article on the efforts to hold these officials accountable. Advertising…
41 min
Earth's Greatest Enemy w/ Abby Martin / A People's Climate
“National security has always explicitly been about fossil fuels.” The U.S. military is the world’s largest institutional consumer of fossil fuels—and one of the largest sources of environmental destruction. Yet its role in the climate crisis is rarely part of mainstream climate or environmental justice conversations. In this episode of A People’s Climate, host Shilpi Chhotray talks with independent journalist and documentary filmmaker Abby Martin about why meaningful climate action must confront militarism. As military spending rises and wars continue to devastate communities and…
46 min
US-Iran Talks Stall, Russia Nuclear Warning, Brazil Election / American Prestige
As Derek completes the final phase of his vision quest, Alex Jordan of the Always at War podcast fills in once more. In this week’s news: U.S.-Iran talks stall over the order of concessions (1:28); Gulf oil exports return to prewar levels (4:34); Netanyahu uses an attempted seizure of a FlyDubai flight to reinforce his agenda as an election approaches (11:15); in Iraq, the U.S. ends its counter-ISIS mission (16:06); Pete Hegseth launches Project Meridian to study the “future of warfare” (21:35); Trump hosts tech leaders who pledge “tremendous” self-regulation (24:49); British police arrest…
1 hr 7 min
The AI Buildout is a Boon for the Fossil Fuel Industry w/ Ketan Joshi / Tech Won't Save Us
Tech companies are working with the fossil fuel industry to push unnecessary data center projects while misrepresenting the climate impact — and governments are letting it all happen. Ketan Joshi joins Paris Marx to discuss how the data center buildout is driving a surge in fossil fuel investment, and how it’s all playing out in Australia. Ketan Joshi is a climate writer and data analyst based in Oslo working with climate and environmental groups. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
41 min
The Plan for No Kings-Vote Early Day, plus The Supremes and Trump’s voter list purge / Start Making Sense
Leah Greenberg, co-executive director of Indivisible, answers the question, “What’s the Plan -- for the next No Kings Nationwide Day of Action?” This one shifts from mass protest in the streets to organizing for early voting – and preparing for whatever Trump does to disrupt or undermine the vote, the count, and the certification. Also: The Supreme Court last Friday issued an order allowing states to use Trump’s SAVE database to purge their voter rolls of people the DHS considers ineligible – but it’s too late to apply to the midterms. Rick Hasen explains – he teaches law at UCLA and he’s…
1 hr 1 min
How David Morales Won (Part 2) w/ Jenn Steinfeld / Fighting Fascism
Last week, we spoke with campaign manager Ben Shanahan about David Morales’s winning strategy in his successful campaign for Providence mayor. Today, we have a very different conversation with Jenn Steinfeld, David’s field director, about how they built the grassroots operation that knocked proportionately more doors than Zohran’s, without burning anyone out. It turns out campaigns really can run field the right way and win. Let’s do it more often! Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
21 min
The Obama Center as a Tomb of Neoliberalism w/ Kate Wagner / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
My Nation colleague Kate Wagner has written a brilliant critical essay on the Obama Center, which just opened in Chicago. I talk to her about how the history of presidential libraries, a now anachronistic form as well as the controversies surrounding the Obama Center’s displacement of public space and the dissatisfying way it memorializes the Obama presidency. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
2 min
Trailer / A People’s Climate Season 2
A People’s Climate is back for Season 2. Host Shilpi Chhotray takes you inside the fight for climate and environmental justice with organizers, legal experts, filmmakers, and movement leaders challenging the corporate and political forces blocking real change — from Big Oil and militarism to over-policing and the Supreme Court. This is essential listening for anyone serious about building a mass climate movement. New episodes every Saturday starting Oct 3, 2026. Guests this season include: LaTricea Adams - Founder and CEO of Young, Gifted & Green Brea Baker - Writer, Activist and Author of…
52 min
Mutiny of the College-Educated Worker w/ Noam Scheiber / American Prestige
Danny and Derek talk with Noam Scheiber , New York Times reporter and author, about the radicalization of American college graduates. They discuss a Starbucks union campaign, underemployment among recent grads, the Taylorization of white-collar jobs, AI, corporate fixation on labor costs, the “con” of college for millennials, and the collapse of meritocracy. Buy your copy of Noam’s book on the subject, Mutiny: The Rise and Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class . Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
38 min
Norm Eisen on the Paramount-Warners Merger, plus Trump and TV News / Start Making Sense
The primary force behind the settlement that will allow Trump’s allies at Paramount to take over Warners-Discovery and CNN was Gavin Newsom, who pressured California Attorney General Rob Bonta to end the anti-trust fight defending media independence. Norm Eisen explains – he’s co-founder and executive chair of the Democracy Defenders Fund and Democracy Defenders Action, and, the New York Times reported, “the leader of a coalition of entertainment and news industry professionals who opposed the deal.” Also: After Trump banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House newsroom, the TV…
1 hr 28 min
How David Morales Won: Part 1 w/ Ben Shanahan / Fighting Fascism
Two weeks ago, 28-year-old democratic socialist David Morales defeated Providence's incumbent mayor Brett Smiley in the latest electrifying win for the Democratic Party's populist wing. But how did it happen? And how can it be repeated? In the first episode of this two-parter, Aaron and Matt talk to David's campaign manager Ben Shanahan about the message, strategy, and tactics that powered this insurgent victory. Next week, we expand this conversation with David's field director, Jenn Steinfeld, who gives a window into what it looks like to combine electoral campaigns with movement building.…
39 min
Jon Ossoff and the Georgia Battleground w/ Joan Walsh / The Time of Monsters with Jeet Heer
My Nation colleague Joan Walsh recently profiled Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff for the magazine. Georgia is very much a purple state. The fact that Ossoff won there and stands a good chance at re-election is evidence of his political talent, turning him into an increasingly prominent national figure. Joan and I talked about Ossoff’s background and the long struggle to transform Georgia, a formerly red state where Democrats are making headway. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
44 min
Houthis Escalate Red Sea Conflict, Pentagon Report on Iran War Costs, BRICS Summit Exposes Divisions / American Prestige
Derek has journeyed to Bolivia seeking contact with the newly discovered cat species , so Alex Jordan of Always at War steps in to bring you the headlines. This week: in New Delhi, BRICS member states issue a fractured joint statement on restraint in the Middle East (1:12); Iran strikes a U.S.-contracted vessel near the Strait of Hormuz (5:42); a cyberattack disables Texas-bound tankers (8:30); a new Pentagon report puts the Iran war’s cost at $33.4 billion (9:59); the Houthis/Ansar Allah advance in Taiz and hit Saudi Arabia (14:46); Yemeni government forces strike back while the U.S. rules…
50 min
The Biden Administration’s Complicity in Gaza w/ Akbar Shahid Ahmed / American Prestige
Danny and Derek welcome back Akbar Shahid Ahmed, Diplomatic correspondent for The Washington Sun and author of Crossing the Red Line: Biden, His Advisors, and Israel’s War on Gaza , to talk about the Biden administration’s role in enabling the genocide in Gaza. They discuss the conditions in the Strip as of the current day; Biden’s small inner circle of Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, and Brett McGurk; Jack Lew’s role of ambassador and the dubious war crime review process he implemented; the Rafah red line and its immediate collapse after Israel invaded; and the Democratic Party’s domestic…
37 min
The Supremes say ‘No” to Trump on Mail Voting, plus the Paramount-Warner Merger Fight / Start Making Sense
Only two Justices backed Trump in the Court’s ruling blocking his efforts to enlist the postal service in restricting voting by mail in the midterms. David Cole explains why this is a huge victory, but far from the end of Trump’s effforts to undermine Democratic voting. Also: The blue state attorneys general have succeeded in blocking the efforts of Trump’s allies at Paramount-Skydance from taking over Warners-Discovery, at least for now, but their lawsuit followed months of protests organized by, among others, Jane Fonda’s Committee for the First Amendment. Rashad Robinson has our analysis…
1 hr 30 min
Overcoming the Left’s Politics of Powerlessness w/ Yotam Marom / Fighting Fascism
Yotam Marom has been helping build movements—and many of the most important movement organizations—for the last 20 years. His new book, For Louder Days: Reaching Beyond a Politics of Powerlessness , is an essential read for everyone on the left who wants to win a better world. Yotam, who became an organizing leader in Occupy Wall Street alongside Jonathan approximately a million years ago, joined us to talk about the left's conflicted relationship to power, leadership, identity, and strategy. We discuss how and why movements too often get in our own way, turn on each other, and play small,…
36 min
Canada-US Trade War Escalates, Houthis Seize Yemeni Port, Report Says Netanyahu Ignored 10/7 Warnings / American Prestige
I, for one, welcome our new AI overlords. In this week’s news: the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirms last month was tied for the hottest ever recorded (0:52); the Houthis/Ansar Allah take the port city of Mokha (1:45); the U.S. and Iran exchange ship attacks as oil prices rise (5:25); the IAEA refers Iran to the United Nations (7:32); Trump predicts an end to the Iran war immediately after the midterms (8:59); 12 countries ban products made in Israeli settlements (10:52); a new report alleges that Netanyahu ignored October 7 warnings and a chance to recover hostages (13:49);…
1 hr 18 min
Understanding MAGA as a Social Movement w/ Bill Fletcher Jr. / Fighting Fascism
For this Labor Day episode we’re joined by Bill Fletcher, a longtime union organizer who’s spent the last several years working to build out the labor movement’s anti-fascist infrastructure. Bill has an important reminder for those of us who direct most of our anti-fascist energy against Trump and the oligarchy: MAGA isn’t some astroturf trick. It’s a genuine social movement representing some 25-30 percent of Americans, and any strategies that ignore this fact are missing something fundamental about today’s dangerous political reality. You can learn more about Bill's organization, Standing…
1 hr 14 min
How Civilizations Fall w/ Patrick Wyman / Fighting Fascism
What can ancient human prehistory teach us about fighting fascism today? It turns out, quite a bit! So says historian Patrick Wyman, whose recent book, Lost Worlds , covers the 10,000 years between the end of the Ice Age and the Late Bronze Age collapse. Together, we discussed what makes societies fall apart, what is lost when they do, and how history demonstrates that human agency — and our decisions today — really do matter in determining what comes next for our civilization. Check out Patrick’s wonderful book, Lost Worlds: How Humans Tried, Failed, Succeeded, and Built Our Worl d⁠. And…
1 hr
Texas’s Radical Roots w/ David Griscom / American Prestige
Danny and Derek speak with David Griscom, co-host of Left Reckoning and author of T he Myth of Red Texas: Cowboys, Populism, and Class War in the Radical South , to talk about the all-but-ignored history of leftwing politics in Texas. Topics include: the current state of Texas politics, the Farmers’ Alliance and the People’s Party, the Texas Socialist Party and its newspaper The Rebel , the role of religion in Texas socialism, and the prospects for socialism in modern-day Texas. Along with the book and podcast, be sure to also check out David’s Substack The Rattler . Advertising Inquiries:…
44 min
The Amazing Movement Against Data Centers, plus How to be a Dissident / Start Making Sense
Is the resistance to data centers a new kind of mass politics? David Wallace-Wells explains why the answer is “yes.” He’s a writer for The New York Times Opinion pages and author of the unforgettable book “The Uninhabitable Earth.” Also: How to be a dissident in an age of fear – Ami Fields-Meyer has thought a lot about that. For starters: don’t start from scratch; don’t try to do it alone. Ami is co-author of the new book “On Courage.” Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
35 min
The Supremes and the Ballroom, plus the Dems and the Senate / Start Making Sense
The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that Trump could proceed with construction of his ballroom—they explicitly did not rule on the merits of the case, but on the issue of standing for the plaintiff. Robert Weismann has our analysis – he’s co-president of Public Citizen. Also: The Democrats are now favored to win not only the House but also the Senate in November – they need to flip four seats, and their candidates are ahead in five. John Nichols explains. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

About The Nation Podcasts

Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the week in news. Hosted by Jon Wiener and presented by The Nation Magazine.

The Nation Podcasts is a English news podcast from The Nation Magazine. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: The Nation Magazine
Language: English
Category: News
Typical length: 44 min
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Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1060110806

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