Dems win all over: Harold Meyerson; Origins of the Culture War: Adam Hochschild

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In this week’s special elections, a Democrat got elected mayor of Miami for the first time in almost 30 years — by a 19-point margin; and, even Trump country in Georgia is not safe from Democratic wins – Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: How did we end up with Trump back in the White House? We got here in part because Republicans built a movement over several decades centered on what are called “the culture wars.” But there’s a long history behind the culture wars, going back at least a century to the Scopes Trial, in 1925, about teaching evolution. It’s still an issue today. Adam Hochschild is on the show to explain. (First recorded February 18, 2025)  12-12-2025

Republicans and Obamacare, Again; plus Early, Early Bob Dylan

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Republicans are about to end Obamacare subsidies, driving up premiums for 20 million people during the year of the midterm elections. How have they managed to end up after all these years with no health insurance plan of their own? John Nichols comments.

Also: Bob Dylan’s earliest recordings have just been released—the first is from 1956 when he was 15 years old—on the 8-CD set ‘Through the Open Window: The Bootleg Series vol. 18” – which ends in 1963, with his historic performance at Carnegie Hall. Sean Wilentz explains – he wrote the 120 page book that accompanies the release.

Transcript HERE  12-10-2025

Affordability politics: Harold Meyerson; Bob Dylan’s beginnings: Sean Wilentz

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Trump on Wednesday declared that Democrats who say we are in an affordability crisis are “pulling a con job” – he said prices are “falling across the country, just about everything is down.” But the statistics show the opposite, prices have NOT been falling; another key factor of affordability is stagnation of wages – Harold Meyerson comments.

On Bob Dylan’s earliest recordings “Through the Open Window: A Bootleg Series vol. 18” – they start in 1956 when he was 15 years old and go up through 1963, his historic performance in Carnegie Hall – “Bob Dylan in America” author Sean Wilentz comments.  12-5-2025

Mamdani’s Socialism–and Us; plus Football and Concussions

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Zohran Mamdani takes office in four weeks as the first socialist mayor of New York City. How should we understand the constraints he faces, without accepting those constraints? Bhaskar Sunkara has our analysis; he’s president of The Nation and author of ‘The Socialist Manifesto.’

Plus: Sports Talk on The Nation podcast! Of course Thanksgiving was a big weekend for football on TV – a weekend where millions of viewers got to see a festival of brain injuries — concussions after receiving blows to the head. Dave Zirin will comment – he’s the long-time sports editor of The Nation and host of the Edge of Sports podcast.

Transcript HERE  12-3-2025

From Marjorie Taylor Greene to Mamdani: Harold Meyerson; Alice Waters on School Lunch; Sonia Nazario on ‘Enrique’s Journey’

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Last Friday Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she was quitting after Trump excommunicated her from MAGA, while the same day Trump welcomed Zohran Mamdani to the White House with open arms and high praise. What’s going on with Trump? Harold Meyerson comments – he’s editor at large of The American Prospect.

Also: Alice Waters, the legendary founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, winner of the National Humanities Medal, awarded by Obama, talks about how to make school lunch delicious, affordable, organic, and beautiful – and locally sourced from regenerative farmers. Her new book is A School Lunch Revolution.

Plus: The Republicans call it ‘illegal immigration’: Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounts the journey of a 16-year-old Honduran boy who fought immense obstacles and dangers to reach his mother in the US, who he hadn’t seen since he was five. Sonia’s book is Enrique’s Journey.   (Originally broadcast in March, 2006)  11-28-2025

Trump condemns Marjorie Taylor Greene, praises Mamdani; plus Alice Waters on ‘A School Lunch Revolution’

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Last Friday Marjorie Taylor Greene announced she was quitting after Trump excommunicated her from MAGA, while the same day Trump welcomed Zohran Mamdani to the White House with open arms and high praise. What’s going on with Trump? Harold Meyerson comments – he’s editor at large of The American Prospect.

Also: Alice Waters, the legendary founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, winner of the National Humanities Medal, awarded by Obama, talks about how to make school lunch delicious, affordable, organic, and beautiful – and locally sourced from regenerative farmers. Her new book is A School Lunch Revolution.  11-26-2025

Trump’s big defeat: Harold Meyerson and John Nichols, ‘The Wounded Generation’: David Nasaw

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On Wednesday night, Trump signed the bill requiring release of the Epstein Files; something he devoted all of his political power to preventing. What does this mean for Trump, for MAGA, and for the rest of us? Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: After almost a year of Trump stonewalling about the Epstein files, Republicans in the House finally took a stand against him. More than a hundred Republican members were prepared to vote for releasing the files. Facing a dramatic defeat, on Sunday night Trump caved, and Tuesday the vote in the House was nearly unanimous. John Nichols has our analysis.

Plus: The Americans who fought in World War II have been called “the greatest generation,” but historian David Nasaw argues that it’s more appropriate to regard them as “the wounded generation.” That’s the title of his new book about vets coming home after WWII.  11-21-2025

House Republicans Defy Trump; plus, when WWII Vets Came Home

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After almost a year of Trump stonewalling about the Epstein files, Republicans in the House finally took a stand against him. More than a hundred Republican members were prepared to vote for releasing the files. Facing a dramatic defeat, on Sunday night Trump caved, and Tuesday the vote in the House was nearly unanimous. John Nichols has our analysis.

Also: The Americans who fought in World War II have been called “the greatest generation,” but historian David Nasaw argues that it’s more appropriate to regard them as “the wounded generation.” That’s the title of his new book about vets coming home after WWII.

Transcript HERE  11-19-2025

From the shutdown to the Epstein files: Harold Meyerson; plus Bhaskar Sunkara on Mamdani, and John Fabian Witt on the 1920s

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Last week ended with the Democrats triumphant after huge wins with voters across the country; then at the start of this week the Republicans were triumphant when eight Senate Democrats caved on the shutdown; but then, since Wednesday, Trump and the Republicans have been reeling since Democrats on the House oversight committee released devastating emails from the Epstein files – Harold Meyerson comments.

Also: As mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani will be the first socialist in American history to hold significant power. It’s a huge opportunity, and a huge responsibility. Bhaskar Sunkara, president of The Nation and author of “The Socialist Manifesto,” will comment.

Plus: How a band of visionaries and a million dollars upended America – in the 1920s, which had some remarkable similarities to our own era. Award winning historian John Fabian Witt will explain; his new book is ‘The Radical Fund.’  11-14-2025

Mamdani’s Momentum, plus ‘The Radical Fund’

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As mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani will be the first socialist in American history to hold significant power. It’s a huge opportunity, and a huge responsibility. Bhaskar Sunkara, president of The Nation and author of “The Socialist Manifesto,” will comment.

Also: How a band of visionaries and a million dollars upended America – in the 1920s, which had some remarkable similarities to our own era. Award winning historian John Fabian Witt will explain; his new book is ‘The Radical Fund.’

Transcript HERE  11-14-2025