Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

Updated: 04 Nov 2025 • 426 episodes
www.nbcnews.com

Every week Chris Hayes asks the big questions that keep him up at night. How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this (all) happening? This podcast starts to answer these questions. Writers, experts, and thinkers who are also trying to get to the bottom of them join Chris to break it all down and help him get a better night’s rest. “Why Is this Happening?” is presented by MSNBC.

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The UN has warned of an alarming rise in violence and restrictions by Israeli settlers and security forces in the West Bank. American journalist Jasper Nathaniel has spent time in the region and captured a recent brutal attack on a Palestinian woman- one incident among a growing number of violent acts. He joins WITHpod

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We’ve seen a growing political and ideological divide between urban and rural populations in America. What has happened in Urbana, Ohio is a case study in how politics can shake a town to its core. Beth Macy is the author of “Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America.” She joins WITHpod to discuss

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Cars play such a big part in contemporary life. But why? And to what effect? Our guests this week point out that it's an incredible moment to rethink our relationship to cars. Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon are the co-hosts of the “War on Cars” podcast and the authors, along with Aaron Naparstek, of “Life After Cars: F

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Jen Psaki is on a mission to show us how the Democratic party can use this political moment to fight and win again. On Season 2 of her podcast, “The Blueprint,” she interviews the people reshaping the party, starting with Texas Congressman Greg Casar, Chair of the Progressive Caucus.   The first two episodes of “The Bl

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On October 8, 2025, President Trump deployed the Texas National Guard to the Chicago area – marking yet another instance of military force being used domestically under his leadership. This follows earlier deployments of federal troops to states like California and Oregon. These actions point to a deeply troubling patt

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Democrats are looking to regain power, and there is a whole lot of warranted debate about what a winning formula looks like. “The Blueprint with Jen Psaki” is a forum where those discussions take place. On season two of her podcast, Jen sits down with some of the biggest names on the left side of the political spectrum

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