Deep State Radio

Is the future of education artificial intelligence? What if students used AI not to write their papers for them, but as a genuine extension of their education? Chief Learning Officer at Khan Academy Kristen DiCerbo joins David Rothkopf to answer these questions and give insight into how AI should be used to expand opportunities for students.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Friday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover Trump’s new AG pick, Senator Bob Casey’s defeat in Pennsylvania, the latest proposal from COP29, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Matt Gaetz abruptly withdrew from consideration as Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Trump seemed uncharacteristically muted. Intriguingly, he accepted this outcome without once trying to crack the whip on the Senate Republicans who apparently blocked Gaetz’s nomination—which is doubly strange, as MAGA personalities were furiously urging Trump to use recess appointments to put the Senate GOP in its place. What really happened among Republicans here? We talked to Congressional scholar Norman Ornstein, who brilliantly explains what’s really driving the key GOP senators to watch going forward—and whether we’ll see real resistance among them to Trump’s future authoritarian excesses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corporate security consultant Jeremy Hurewitz (@Selllikeaspy) joins Marc Polymeropoulos (@mpolymer) to discuss his new book "Sell Like a Spy: the Art of Persuasion from the World of Espionage.” Jeremy discusses the power of relationships, his journey in writing the book, how active listening is a key skill - plus some very important predictions on where Juan Soto ends up (his beloved Yankees or Marc’s Red Sox?). A wonderful and positive chat that listeners will enjoy.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s no secret that the economy was one of the top issues for voters this election cycle. So now that we’re passing the reins of the world’s largest economy back to Trump, what should we expect? President and CEO of the Roosevelt Institute Felicia Wong joins David Rothkopf to break down the promises and policies of the president-elect and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we cover the ICC’s warrants for key leaders of Israel and Hamas, Russia’s use of an ICBM in Ukraine, Democrat efforts to force the release of the Gaetz investigation, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Donald Trump confirmed that he will use the military to carry out mass deportations. This prompted a surprisingly sharp response from GOP Senator Rand Paul, who denounced the idea as a “huge mistake” that will send a “terrible image” to the world and likely be “illegal” to boot. But why is it left to a fringe figure in the GOP to denounce Trump’s vile threats? Where are the rest of Republicans on this? We talked to Tom Nichols, a writer for The Atlantic and a sharp observer of the MAGA-fication of the GOP, about what will really happen within the military and beyond once these threats get put into action—and why it poses such a menace to the country.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s Cabinet picks are nearly complete, and our reactions range from scratching our heads to throwing up our hands in despair. But what do these selections really mean for US politics and foreign policy? Ed Luce, David Sanger, and Kori Schake join Rosa Brooks to break down the latest developments surrounding the upcoming Trump presidency. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we discuss Trump’s choice of Dr. Oz for his cabinet, Biden approving anti-personnel mines for Ukraine, Republicans targeting Congress’s first transgender member, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a blow to Donald Trump, Politico reports that GOP Senators are privately telling him that Matt Gaetz has little chance of getting confirmed as attorney general. Yet these Republicans hope Trump doesn’t make them “walk the plank,” meaning they remain reluctant to publicly challenge him, even to sink the profoundly unfit Gaetz. In short, it’s now clear that one of our only bulwarks against an authoritarian Trump will be the GOP Senate. We talked to writer Jill Lawrence, who has a new piece for The Bulwark arguing that Trump is assembling a “team of outlaws” to run the country. She explains what it means that Republicans are drawing a line against Gaetz—and why the pressure on them will be intense to challenge him when it really counts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we cover former Rep. Matt Gaetz faces allegations of paying women for sex and travel, the ACLU files a lawsuit against ICE, seeking information about its deportation flights, forty-five pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong are sentenced to up to 10 years in prison under a Beijing-imposed national security law for their involvement in a 2021 unofficial primary election, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has angrily put Republicans on notice: He may bypass them with recess appointments to get his personnel picks through in a hurry. In a scary turn in this saga, a top conservative lawyer is warning that Trump may well resort to a nuclear option that threatens devastating consequences: House Speaker Mike Johnson can trigger a complicated scenario clearing the way for those appointments, wrecking the Senate’s advice-and-consent role. With GOP opposition brewing to Matt Gaetz and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., MAGA is raging at any signs of opposition. We talked to the Brookings Institution’s Sarah Binder, a leading expert in congressional rules, who explains how this would all unfold, why it plausibly could happen, and how it would threaten our constitutional system. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we cover President Biden allowing Ukrainian strikes on Kursk, Biden’s visit to the Amazon, controversy surrounding Trump’s Defense Secretary pick, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

First came Matt Gaetz. Now The Washington Post is reporting that Donald Trump’s pick for Defense Secretary, Fox News personality Pete Hegseth, paid a woman who accused him of sexually assaulted her as part of a nondisclosure agreement (he insists the encounter was consensual). One Trumpworld source is even describing internal frustration over the failure to vet Hegseth in advance. We talked to leading Never Trump strategist Rick Wilson, who’s launching a new effort to conduct opposition research on Trump and his most prominent allies. He explains why Trump’s initial personnel moves are putting Republicans in a terrible spot—and how they betray his intent to destroy our institutions. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democrats have their work cut out for them moving into the new year. With monumental elections on the horizon, Norm has plenty of ways the Democrats can press the advantage. In this insightful episode, David Rothkopf fills in for Kavita to discuss the House, Senate, and presidential elections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: November 2, 2023 Governments worldwide are working to adapt to AI, including Biden’s executive order and a UK summit bringing together officials from 28 countries. Freedom House’s Allie Funk and Kian Vesteinsson join David Rothkopf to explain the repressive power of AI and the clear and pressing need for action to curb its harmful effects. Don’t miss it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the United States is entering a new nuclear age and a new global arms race, what does a second Trump term mean for our national security? What do the plans of Project 2025 mean for the American nuclear weapons force? How will such modernization and weapon buildup affect America’s relationships with both its allies and enemies? Joe Cirincione joins Jon to help navigate the lunacy of this new administration and the very real and very serious dangers we are now facing…. And how they might get worse. Listen here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Friday, we discuss Trump choosing RFK Jr. for Heath and Human Services, Rand Paul’s plan to kneecap the CISA, the Onion’s hilarious takeover of Infowars, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re now in Day Two of an extraordinary GOP meltdown over Donald Trump’s pick of Matt Gaetz for attorney general. Numerous Republican Senators are strongly opposing the move. But on Thursday, Trump’s appointments got even worse with his choice of anti-vax conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as the secretary of Health and Human Services. It’s hard to say which of these will be more of a disaster. We talked to Nina Burleigh, author of a great new cover story for The New Republic called “Trump 2.0: Here Comes the Night,” about how deeply worrisome these developments truly are—and whether GOP senators will hold the line against them. The prognosis is not good.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s cabinet picks reach new heights of awfulness. From Matt Gaetz to Elise Stefanik, it’s a veritable who’s who of MAGA sycophants. In a special episode, Rosa Brooks, David Sanger, and EJ Dionne join David Rothkopf to break down these awful choices and what they tell us about the upcoming Trump administration.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since winning the election, Donald Trump has been quick to cement his new administration and lay the groundwork for his frightening and ludicrous political agenda. As news of his appointees comes out, we are forced to ask ourselves - where do we go from here? Norm and Kavita are back to take stock of this unfortunate situation and analyze what our future holds… as well as talk about puppies and the humanity in dogs. Listen here.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we discuss Trump tapping Matt Gaetz for Attorney General, John Thune’s selection as the next Majority Leader, Republicans officially taking control of the House, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Wednesday, Donald Trump unleashed a rambling announcement explaining his choice of Representative Matt Gaetz as attorney general, lying manically about Gaetz’s supposed work revealing how the Justice Department had been weaponized against him. Translation: Trump wants Gaetz to use DOJ to carry out his personal vendettas. This comes as Trump has picked the Putin-friendly Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence. We talked to Ben Meiselas, co-founder of the Meidas Touch Network. He explains why these choices signal chaos ahead, and why the Gaetz pick in particular shows he’s fully determined to subvert the rule of law to punish his enemies, just as he advertised in his rant.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover Trump’s ever-worsening roster of cabinet picks, Elon and Vivek’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’, Newsom’s efforts to shield California from the next administration, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has picked three anti-immigrant hard-liners for his administration: Stephen Miller will be deputy chief of staff for policy; Tom Homan, his former head of ICE, will be “border czar”; and South Dakota governor Kristi Noem will be Homeland Security secretary. Which means Trump will act on his threat to carry out mass deportations. We talked to New York Times columnist Paul Krugman, who has a great new column arguing that mass deportations will cause a large spike in inflation. He explains why Trump’s policies will likely backfire; how he’ll corrupt government information to cover it up; and why Trump voters may soon be shocked at how badly he misled them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss Trump’s newest cabinet picks, Ruben Gallego defeating Kari Lake in Arizona, Israel missing humanitarian aid deadline in Gaza, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the campaign, Donald Trump openly advertised that as president, he’ll use the state to retaliate against his enemies in every way he can. Now The New York Times reports that some of his advisers are urging him to absolutely make good on that threat. And right on cue, Trump erupted on social media, calling for investigations into people supposedly spreading false rumors about his intention to sell shares of his Truth Social—a revealing indicator of the types of abuses of power that we can expect from a second Trump term. We talked to New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser, author of a great new piece on what’s coming. She explains in alarming detail how Trump will be far more liberated—less constrained by the law, by the Republican Party, and by guardrails of any kind—than ever before.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: December 15, 2023 As if there weren’t enough reasons to worry about a second Trump term, Jon has reminded us of another reason to be afraid. Jeffrey Lewis joins David Rothkopf and Jon Wolfsthal to discuss the nuclear chain of command in the United States and other nuclear powers and what safeguards stand between us and the fallout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: January 19, 2023 The right's hate-filled, authoritarian media machine is loud. It's time for pro-democracy media tech to GET LOUDER! Watch this superstar panel of Joe Trippi, Tara McGowan, Ben Meiselas, and David Rothkopf, moderated by Simon Rosenberg, talk turning up the volume. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Norm and Kavita are back to share their raw emotions after the election, discuss the grim realities facing the country, and break down the meaning and horrors of a second Trump presidential term. What will be different this time around? How can President Biden best serve his final days in office? Where do both parties stand and where do we go from here? DSR Network members will also get to listen to Norm and Kavita analyze Trump’s healthcare plans and the dangers of RFK Jr. and medical disinformation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI policy needs to be a focus of the Trump administration. But will the President-elect be able to rise to the challenge? What does the inclusion of figures like Elon Musk in Trump’s inner circle tell us about what the future of regulation looks like? Cyber policy expert Marietje Schaake joins David Rothkopf to answer these questions and more.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Friday, we break down Trump’s choice for Chief of Staff, Biden’s speech following the election, the first engagement with North Korean troops in Ukraine, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, after Donald Trump won the election, Jeff Bezos issued an extraordinary tweet: He didn’t just congratulate Trump; he also bent over backwards to hail his extraordinary political comeback. We think this is a bad sign of what’s coming: People in key institutional positions going out of their way to curry favor with Trump in advance. How bad will this get? We talked to Philadelphia Inquirer national columnist Will Bunch, author of a good column about Bezos’s bended knee to Trump. Bunch explains what all this portends about the surrender of key institutions in the face of Trump’s coming strongman rule—and what we can do about it.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The election is over, and we lost. Now it’s time to get up off the mat and get back to work. Simon Rosenberg and Tara McGowan join David Rothkopf to break down what went wrong this time, and share the key lessons that Democrats have to learn in order to bounce back and keep up the fight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we cover Kamala Harris’s concession speech, the biggest results from the 2024 election, Jack Smith winding down federal cases against Trump, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After Donald Trump won the election, Trump spokesperson Karoline Leavitt, who is becoming a senior figure in MAGA-world, declared on Fox News that he has a big mandate to govern exactly as he campaigned, while specifically listing what’s coming. This is alarming, since Trump campaigned relentlessly on a platform of explicit threats of authoritarian retribution and violence. We talked to David Kurtz, executive editor of Talking Points Memo and author of a good new piece on the election results. He reflects on how sobering it is that voters chose Trump in full awareness of the cruelties he’s planning to unleash—and discusses the immense task that lies ahead in containing the damage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump is officially returning to the White House. With the worst case scenario coming to pass, Rosa Brooks, Ed Luce, David Sanger, and David Rothkopf take a look at what the hell happened and discuss what we can expect from a second Trump term.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we react to Donald Trump and the Republicans’ stunning victory over Kamala Harris and the Democrats.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this special election night episode of Deep State Radio, Minnah Stein talks to voters outside the Harris event last night in DC. As they wait for Kamala Harris to take the stage, they talk about why this event is important to them, what issues are concerning them, and how they're feeling about the results of the election. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s finally here. On the DSR Daily for Election Day 2024, we cover the main headlines heading into this critical election.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If Donald Trump is going to be defeated, it will probably come down to this: Female voters look poised to vote for Kamala Harris in numbers that we can only guess at. And on Monday, Liz Cheney went on “The View” and flatly predicted that women will save us from Trump, laying out why she believes right leaning and conservative women should—and will—reject Trump and his increasingly unstable hatreds. We talked to Stella Sexton, the vice chair of the Democratic Party in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, about what she’s seeing on the ground, how women are turning on Trump in the home stretch, and why it will be in places like Lancaster that women may decide this election against him. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the eve of the most consequential election of our lifetime, renowned investigative journalist Michael Weiss (@Michaelweiss) joins Marc (@mpolymer) to discuss the national security arena from Ukraine to the Middle East. What are the effects on Ukraine of a Harris or Trump victory? What is Biden’s overall legacy on Ukraine? Is Biden the most pro-Israel president in US history? Plus Michael’s new pup Humphrey makes his first on air appearance. Can’t miss episode as the world watches.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we cover a round-up of election news from the US and around the world, including the possibility of RFK Jr. in a Trump administration, Viktor Orban’s statements on a Trump victory, and Moldova’s pro-EU president winning reelection.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s allies reportedly fear Trump’s recent hate rally might have badly hurt him, and worry their internal polls aren’t getting it right on how shaky his standing is in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, new polls show surprising movement among women and undecided voters toward Kamala Harris. Trump raged at a rally about the highly regarded Des Moines Register poll showing him down three in Iowa and tweeted madly about other less-reputable polls he likes better. His campaign put out a crazed memo accusing pollsters of conspiring against him. With the race still a coin flip, we talked to Danielle Butterfield, executive director of the Democratic PAC Priorities USA, about what must happen now for Harris to win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes leaders like Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin tick? Dr. Ken Dekleva joins Marc Polymeropoulos and David Rothkopf to share his answer. Dr. Dekleva shares his experience helping profile world leaders for the US government, including how different US presidents utilized these leadership profiles in high-stakes summits and negotiations. Dr. Dekleva also discusses the critical role played by Regional Medical Officers overseas. on women in espionage, intelligence spycraft, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: November 1, 2023 As the war in Gaza continues, civilians are paying the price. Meanwhile, President Biden's relationship with Israeli PM Netanyahu seems destined to grow more difficult. Rula Jebreal joins David Rothkopf, Ed Luce, and Rosa Brooks to discuss what the Biden administration can do, and how US policy needs to evolve to further humanitarian goals in the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Kelly, former FBI agent and colleague at the Institute for Security and Technology in California, joins Jon to discuss the intersection between AI and cybersecurity. How has our perceptions of artificial intelligence changed alongside its rapid technological development? What effects does AI have on cybersecurity and how does it affect cyberwarfare? Are these developments not-so-bad in the long term, or are we facing impending catastrophic risk? Tune in to hear Steve and Jon break down all this and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Friday, we discuss Trump’s strange pledge to protect women “whether they like it or not”, a judge ruling that Musk’s giveaways can continue, historic flooding in Spain, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kamala Harris’s campaign just released a hard-hitting ad featuring Donald Trump’s quotes about the need for a “punishment” for abortion, and tying them powerfully to horrific stories about women suffering and dying under GOP abortion bans. If Harris wins, it’ll probably be due to women who are motivated by messages like this one. We talked to Jennifer Mercieca, a professor of political communications who writes about how political rhetoric functions. She explains how Harris is effectively tapping into a deep cultural moment—and why we may be underestimating the political energy of women in the post-Dobbs era.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we approach the election's final days, the entire country has its eyes set on Tuesday. How are the candidates faring in this final stretch? Is Trump’s racist MSG rally a true October Surprise? Do we have any idea at all where we are headed between now and Election Day? Tune in to hear Norm and Kavita discuss all this and more: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the final countdown, and we’re feeling… optimistic? Nauseous? All of the above? With only a few days left until Election Day, Norm Ornstein and David Corn join David Rothkopf to make their final predictions. From Madison Square Garden to the battleground states, we cover what you need to know before November 5th.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we discuss legal challenges to Musk’s $1 million-a-day giveaways, a Trump supporter threatening Harris supporters with a machete, the Supreme Court allowing Virginia to purge voter rolls, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The presidential race is tied, and Donald Trump very well could win. But he is now scapegoating others for a possible loss: He’s reportedly angry with Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley, he’s raging about supposed voter fraud in Pennsylvania, and his allies are sounding new alarms about his ground game in key states. Meanwhile, new polls show engaged voters tilting to Kamala Harris, which means more pressure on Trump’s ground operation to turn out low-propensity voters. We talked to Joel Payne, a senior official at MoveOn, who explains what’s really happening with both sides’ ground games, why it could make the difference, and what could still go wrong for Democrats. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I don’t know if you know this, but there’s an election coming up. In the wake of 2020, we know that election drama doesn’t end when the polls close. Senior Advisor at the Brennan Center Barton Gellman joins Rosa Brooks and David Rothkopf to discuss what we can expect after the election, and what can be done to prevent the worst from coming to pass.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Creating new policy around a cutting edge issue like AI is tricky. How can we balance the needs of innovation and regulation. More importantly, how do we sure that not person, or country, is left behind? Former White House official Camille Stewart Gloster joins David Rothkopf to discuss these pressing issues and more.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we break down Kamala’s huge rally in DC, Ukraine’s new mobilization efforts, troubles at the Washington Post, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the backlash to Donald Trump’s hate rally in New York intensifies, he defended the event as a “lovefest” in a rambling monologue on Tuesday. Why? Because the vile “joke” at the rally comparing Puerto Rico to a pile of garbage is infuriating Puerto Rican voters, a surprisingly large constituency in Pennsylvania. We talked to GOP strategist Mike Madrid, co-founder of the Lincoln Project, expert on the Latino vote, and author of The Latino Century. He explains why this could be the “October Surprise” that has put Trump in danger of losing the state—and the election. As Madrid tells us: “Surprise, Donald Trump, you blew yourself up.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Veteran national security journalist Nancy Youseff (@nancyayouseff) joins Marc to discuss Israel’s strike on Iran, what Iran may do next, the plight of the hostages, and how covering decades of wars in the Middle East shapes one’s views on the current conflict. Plus a discussion of the Arab street, and how the region is changing. With amazing bonus content on Nancy’s journey as an Arab-American female journalist, and her covering the Arab spring. A can’t miss episode with one of the leading national security experts of our time.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we cover the fallout of Trump’s follies, Israel targeting UNRWA with new legislation, an election surprise in Japan, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MAGA suddenly seems very, very out of sorts. Donald Trump raged at Fox News on Monday, blasting the network for its supposedly favorable coverage of Democrats. Meanwhile, a number of Trump’s allies suddenly seem very worried about the backlash to his hate rally at Madison Square Garden. We spoke with Democratic strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio, who regularly does research into disaffected voters and explains why Trump’s rally at the Garden could provide last-minute motivation to vote against Trump among people who are at risk of sitting out the election.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we discuss Trump’s racist rally in New York, the blocking of Virginia’s voter purge attempt, a dire climate warning, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend, Michelle Obama delivered an extraordinary speech that reminded us how catastrophic Donald Trump’s presidency was, harshly criticized his debased moral character, and asked why the press expects Kamala Harris to meet basic standards of public conduct that aren’t expected of Trump. Could this closing message win over the undecided voters who will decide the race? We talked to Reed Galen, a former GOP strategist who’s working to pull remaining fence-sitters away from Trump for his group Join the Union.us, about why Michelle Obama’s message might reach undecided women and how it puts the media to shame. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marissa talks with Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, founder of Politifact and author of Beyond the Big Lie: The Epidemic of Political Lying, Why Republicans Do It More, and How It Could Burn Down Our Democracy, about the serious implications misinformation and lies spread by politicians can have on our democracy. Marissa and Bill then take a somewhat soothing digression into the subject of IPAs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: September 22, 2023 Norm and David are not happy, and for good reason. The latest judiciary committee hearing reminds us all how far down the rabbit hole the Republican party has gone in the pursuit of scorched-earth politics, but it is not the only example of Republican lunacy this week. Norm and David break down the latest news and more in suitably ranty fashion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: November 29, 2023 As the temporary truce between Israel and Hamas nears its end, we’re left to wonder what a more permanent peace looks like. Rosa Brooks, Kori Schake, and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to examine the possibility of peace and to break down the Biden Administration’s role in the conflict and whether the public perception of the war as a US/Israel joint venture is fair. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As China continues to expand and modernize its nuclear arsenal and policy, the national security risk becomes central to the US-Chinese relationship. But how is China actually changing its nuclear policy? How does the Chinese political leadership see the purpose of a large nuclear arsenal? What threats are both China and the US perceiving? Tong Zhao joins Jon to discuss his recently published report on Chinese nuclear policy and break down all these topics and more. Listen here: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we cover Elon Musk in conversation with Vladimir Putin since late 2022, shootings at a Democratic campaign office in Arizona, Donald Trump announcing his intention to use presidential powers to end special counsel Jack Smith's investigations, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a new interview, Donald Trump seethed with anger at Jack Smith, and confirmed that if elected president, he’ll fire Smith as special counsel immediately. On top of that, Trump also boasted that the Supreme Court has now given him immunity from criminal prosecution. Which suggests Trump really does think that if he wins, he’ll be able to function as president with something like absolute impunity, unaccountable to any laws. We talked to former federal prosecutor Barbara McQuade, who explained what actually would unfold if a newly elected President Trump fired Smith, and how dangerous he could get as a totally unshackled president.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With less than two weeks remaining in a tightly contested election, battleground states have become a crucial target for each presidential campaign. Olivia Troye and Reed Galen join David Rothkopf to share what they see on-the-ground in these states, discuss Trump’s ever-terrifying rhetoric, and examine how the Harris campaign is navigating this tight race. Later, Julie Zebrak joins David to share her perspective from Georgia and break down the key issues confronting voters. Tune in here:  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Rothkopf joins Norm to break down the final twelve days of the presidential race, from Kamala Harris’ CNN Town Hall to Trump’s incredibly concerning and outspoken affinity for Nazis. How does the election landscape look as we head into the final stretch? How confident can we be in a Harris victory, and what is truly at stake if Trump wins? Tune in to hear Norm and David discuss all this and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we cover the expected Hezbollah leader being killed, campaigning in Pennsylvania and Georgia, infant mortality getting worse after Roe reversal, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s former White House chief of staff, John Kelly, just revealed that he believes Trump will rule as a dictator and a fascist—and that he mused aloud about having his generals function as Hitler’s generals did. Kamala Harris jumped on this news to highlight the dire threat posed by a second Trump term. Can Harris translate this bombshell into a strong closing message in swing states that will decide this election? We talked to Wisconsin Democratic Party chair Ben Wikler, who walks us through what Harris must do to win the state—and what a closing argument about the dangers posed by Trump might accomplish. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With two weeks to go until the election, an October Surprise seems to be emerging, as Trump was quoted saying, "I need the kind of generals that Hitler had." Kori Schake, Rosa Brooks, and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to discuss all the major news leading up to the election, including what this news about North Korea assisting Russia really means and the history of Trump's fascination with Hitler. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Everyday is a three legged stool of fear, joy and self-loathing:” our favorite espionage author David McCloskey (Twitter: @mccloskeybooks) joins Marc to discuss his new book “The Seventh Floor” and the painful yet rewarding process of writing a best selling novel. Plus, CIA pranks, friendships forged in training, tradecraft that is (almost) real, and more on our favorite case officer, Artemis Proctor. And finally, woe to David’s Cleveland Indians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover Russian disinformation efforts surrounding the election, Trump accusing the Labour Party of election interference, Bill Gates’s contribution to the Harris campaign, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With two weeks to go, the presidential race couldn’t be closer. But if Kamala Harris is to win, how exactly would that happen?  Veteran journalist Ron Brownstein has a new piece in The Atlantic laying out what Harris’s path to victory looks like. The short version: She has to run up massive margins in cities and affluent suburbs, while limiting Trump’s gains among nonwhite and working class white voters. That may sound unsurprising. But the details on how this might unfold are complicated, fraught with uncertainties, and actually plausible, if very difficult. So we invited Brownstein on the show to demystify all of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Skynet-type AI apocalypse is on everyone’s mind, but what about the very real problems happening right now? Professor of Technology and Regulation at the Oxford Internet Institute Sandra Wachter joins David Rothkopf to share what issues with artificial intelligence we should focus on, and why now is the perfect time to take action.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we discuss Antony Blinken heading back to the Middle East, a leaked US assessment of Israeli strike plans, Trump’s flip-flopping on election interference, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The other day, Donald Trump playacted as a worker at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania. But he ran into trouble, evading a question about whether he would support a minimum wage hike, producing scalding headlines. Which gets at a larger scam: Trump enjoys public approval on the economy, even though his agenda for working people is borderline nonexistent, whereas Harris has a detailed economic agenda for working and middle class people alike. We talked to HuffPost senior reporter Jonathan Cohn, author of a good new piece on the McDonald’s saga, who explains how this stunt captures the fraudulence of Trump’s economic plans—and the authenticity of Harris’s middle class biography.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Monday, we cover ‘unprecedented interference’ in Moldova’s election and referendum, the House’s report on the Secret Service failures, Elon Musk’s new and probably illegal election giveaway, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At a rally in Nevada, Barack Obama offered a blistering new warning: Trump’s vows to persecute the “enemy within” should be taken with deadly seriousness. Trump’s displays are deeply dangerous in someone who would be president with no guardrails left. Yet even now, a sizable subset of voters just doesn’t take his threats seriously. We talked to veteran analyst Michael Podhorzer, author of a good new piece warning that we’re “sleepwalking our way to fascism.” He explains how this election could come down to whether those voters grasp the threat Trump poses—exactly what Obama seemed to be saying—and criticizes the media for failing to sound the alarm.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: October 27, 2023 With Russia conducting an unprecedented nuclear strike drill, China significantly expanding its arsenal, and the US unveiling a new nuclear weapon, we might just be witnessing the beginnings of a modern nuclear arms race. Heather Williams and Jeffrey Lewis join Jon Wolfsthal and David Rothkopf to dissect the intricacies of the changing landscape of nuclear weapons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: October 20, 2023 Senator Chris Murphy (D-Connecticut) chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee subcommittee on the Middle East. In this exclusive one-on-one conversation, he discusses the President's funding request for Ukraine and Israel, the recent trip of President Biden to Israel, the risks associated with the conflict between Israel and Hamas including the risk of escalation and the broader issue of what America's role and priorities in the region ought to be. It's a must-listen podcast. Join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Eliana Johns, Senior Research Associate with the Federation of American Scientists, joins Jon to discuss China’s latest ICBM tests and her recent geolocation project to locate them. What is the significance of these recent ICBM launches? What goes into open-source investigation projects? And how can one use mere images of bushes, dirt and blades of grass halfway across the world to pinpoint critical missile test sites? Find out all this and more here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former CIA paramilitary officer, station chief, and senior DoD official Mick Mulroy joins Marc to discuss the demise of Hamas leader Yayah Sinwar. Responsible for the death of 46 Americans, Sinwar’s death will be celebrated by the US counterterrorism community. Will this energize the now stalled hostage negotiations? And bonus content on a string of US intelligence community analytic failures, and what to do to rectify both shortfalls in analysis and collection. Must listen to episode on this dramatic day.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Friday, we breakdown the killing of Yahya Sinwar in Gaza, the US charging an ex-Indian intelligence official for involvement in an assassination plot, North Korea sending troops to aid Russia, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Thursday, Donald Trump erupted with rage at Fox News over its election coverage, explicitly slamming Fox for making a Kamala Harris presidency more likely. Meanwhile, CNN reports that among Trump allies, plans for another fake electors scheme are in full swing. Which raises a question: What sort of chaos could erupt, if the voting is close and Fox and other right wing media start amplifying Trump’s inevitable lies about fraud in the election? We talked to election law expert Matthew Seligman, author of How to Steal a Presidential Election, who walks us through the potential nightmare scenarios that lie ahead, and what we can do about them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Early voting has started, and there are already great signs for the Harris camp. From early voting data to new voter registration to youth engagement, it looks like Kamala has the momentum. Tom Bonier, Tara McGowan, and Simon Rosenberg join David Rothkopf to provide a state of the race and share why things are still looking rock solid for the democrats as Election Day draws near.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One way or another, we’re getting a new administration come January. In the age of AI, the first 100 days of either administration will need bold policies to regulate this rapidly expanding industry. Executive Director of Data & Society Janet Haven joins David Rothkopf to share the key points that the next administration must hit in order to keep the US on top of AI regulation.  This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Thursday, we discuss a judge striking down election rules in Georgia, Israel no longer processing commercial food shipments into Gaza, JD Vance claiming the 2020 election was not legitimate, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The word “fascist” has fully penetrated the presidential race. We just learned that a top general under President Donald Trump described Trump as “fascist to the core.” Trump has been threatening to unleash the military on the enemy within, which numerous observers describe as fascist politics. And at a Fox News event on Wednesday, Trump uncorked an unhinged, rambling response to all this, insisting that the real fascists are Democrats. We talked to David Austin Walsh, a historian and author of Taking America Back, who explains how the American right has overlapped with fascist movements throughout our history—and what that says about our MAGA moment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s nearly impossible to tell what’s true in the deluge of election coverage. Every day brings a new story or opinion piece that seems to contradict what came before. Ed Luce joins David Rothkopf to navigate the maze of polls and pundits to share predictions for the 2024 election and why we still feel pretty good going into November.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Wednesday, we cover the Biden administration’s demands for more aid in Gaza, Elon Musk’s super PAC, incredible early voting in Georgia, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the media finally figuring out how to cover Donald Trump’s mental unfitness for the presidency? First, CNN’s Jake Tapper dressed down a Trump surrogate for whitewashing Trump’s threat to unleash the military on his enemies. Then Trump held a strange town hall at which he abruptly stopped answering questions, which generated aggressive media coverage. And Kamala Harris has directly engaged on Trump’s mental state in a new way, drawing media attention to it. We talked to Brian Beutler, who often criticizes the media on his Off Message Substack, about the increasing signs that the press is treating Trump’s mental decline as a big story. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR Daily for Tuesday, we cover Netanyahu’s promise that Israel will strike Iranian military targets, Canada and India expelling diplomats, threats of violence against FEMA, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend, J.D. Vance tried to argue that Donald Trump will not target his political enemies if he’s reelected president. Yet at around the same time, Trump was confirming the opposite point with several new rants on Fox News, declaring flatly that he’ll use the military to target the “enemy within.” Indeed, Trump regularly says openly at his rallies that in a second term, he will persecute unnamed enemies of MAGA. We talked to Politico reporter Myah Ward, author of a great new piece on what he’s been saying at these rallies, about how blatant he is now being about his second-term intention to grotesquely abuse presidential power.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: November 27, 2023 Israeli officials have predicted two more months of fighting. With such a lengthy campaign ahead, is the IDF pursuing the best strategy? Former deputy director of the CIA Counterterrorism Center Darrell Blocker joins Marc Polymeropoulos and David Rothkopf to assess Israel’s approach so far and what could be on the horizon for the region. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: March 15, 2023 There is never a dull period for the Middle East. David and Rosa are joined by Alon Pinkus of Haaretz to discuss Iran and Saudi Arabia resuming diplomatic ties and the ongoing crisis in Israel. Do we anticipate big changes in the Middle East following this announcement? What does this say about America's role in the region? Is Israel in an (unwritten) constitutional crisis? All of this and more during this thoughtful discussion. Members get a bonus segment where David and Kim Ghattas, author of Black Wave, continue the conversation about the Saudi-Iran relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a whirlwind of a week, and Norm and Kavita are back to discuss it all: Hurricane Milton in Florida, Republican FEMA hypocrisy, the public health disinformation spewing from the RFK Jr-Trump alliance, Trump’s mental deterioration, and more. Members will also get to hear exclusive insider content on Kamala Harris’ healthcare plans.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices