Talk Cocktail

Between the shimmer of America’s coastlines an inferno of anger and disillusionment consumes the heartland. This week’s WhoWhatWhy podcast explores this social and political divide with Tom Schaller and Paul Waldman, guided by their book, White Rural Rage. Armed with journalistic insight and scholarly acumen, Schaller

Sports gambling is a multi-billion-dollar business, with 38 states legalizing sports betting. The story of Shohei Ohtani's interpreter reminds us that sports and betting can still be a dangerous mix. And yet, Las Vegas, the betting and sports capital, was the home of this year's Super Bowl. Against this backdrop, the s

In this WhoWhatWhy podcast, I’m joined by national security journalist Andrew Cockburn. He exposes the little- known links between the Pentagon’s military-technology complex at the dark heart of Silicon Valley. Drawing from his recent cover story for Harper’s, entitled “The Pentagon’s Silicon Valley Problem,” Cockburn

The Village Voice existed at a unique moment in journalistic history. My guest, journalist Tricia Romano, has penned 'The Freaks Came Out to Write,' the definitive oral history of The Village Voice. It was a publication that not only captured but also shaped the zeitgeist of New York City from the paper's inception in

A recent suggestion for a bumper sticker reading “Trump First, Putin Second, America Last” is more than just a witty jab at current political dynamics; it encapsulates the historical depth of right-wing politics in the United States.  On thisWhoWhatWhy podcast I’m joined by Jacob Heilbrunn, editor of The National Inter

Professor Melissa Kearney, talks to me about the overlooked economic and social impacts of marriage and family structures and her book, "The Two-Parent Privilege." Kearney's research reveals the decline in marriage rates, particularly among non-college graduates, as an economic crisis with far-reaching consequences. Sh