Talking Feds

Robert Kagan, historian and foreign policy expert at Brookings and The Atlantic, explains how recent U.S. actions shattered the post‑World War II grand bargain. He traces why allies trusted America, how their rearmament and regional shifts followed, and whether the old order can be rebuilt or must be replaced.

Jacob Weisberg, veteran media leader and political commentator; Ali Vitali, sharp political journalist and TV anchor; Natasha Korecki, seasoned national politics reporter. They dissect the grinding war with Iran and its unclear aims. They trace MAGA fractures after a high-profile resignation. They unpack Pam Bondi’s hearing drama and the nationalized Illinois primaries and outside money's influence.

For the latest Talking San Diego conversation, Harry sits down with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro in front of a packed-house in San Diego.  They discuss the experiences that have shaped the governor, from his long-shot bid to rescue Soviet Jews, to his fight for abuse victims, to the arson attack on his family, and more telling stories from his new best-selling memoir “Where We Keep the Light.”But Governor Shapiro also speaks to this “dangerous moment" for a U.S. at war with Iran, facing a rising tide of division and hatred domestically, all worsened by what the governor calls President Trump’s “corrosive, cruel politics.” Against that grim backdrop, Governor Shapiro lays out his vision for repairing the country and makes his case that our challenges calls for a new brand of leadership.This Talking San Diego event was made possible by our venue partner Congregation Beth Israel and bookselling partner Warwicks. You can find a video version of this episode (and all 1-on-1 conversations) on the Talking Feds YouTube channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Juliette Kayyem, Harvard security expert and former DHS official. David A. Graham, investigative writer at The Atlantic. David French, former JAG and NYT columnist. They critique apparent unpreparedness for the Iran war. They debate strategic divergence with Israel, risks of prolonged conflict, performative briefings, and an overlooked push to remake voting rules and collect state voter data.

Kim Lane Scheppele, law professor who studies democratic backsliding, maps how democracies collapse and which foreign playbooks resemble American risks. She explains rapid autocratic tactics like court-packing and legal rule changes. The conversation covers grassroots defenses, state-level pushback, and why protecting free, fair elections is the last line of defense.

In this episode, Harry and guests Jonathan Alter, Conor Lamb, and Mara Liasson break down a fast-moving week with massive overtures in domestic and international news. The discussion starts with the escalating war with Iran — including new reporting on Russia reportedly providing intelligence to Tehran and the growing debate in Washington over war powers and the cost of the conflict. Then, they turn to the 2026 midterm landscape, where early primaries in places like Texas and North Carolina offered the first real clues about the fight for Senate control. And finally, they discuss the first cabinet sacking of Trump’s 2.0, as Kristi Noem was the first head to roll. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You won’t see Stacey Abrams’s name on a ballot this year, but you will see her impact. As Trump gears up to take desperate measures to avoid getting clobbered in the midterms, Abrams is mobilizing voters to counter the president. She and Harry talk through Trump’s plays thus far: seizing election records, pushing legislation that strips voting rights from millions, and sowing doubt. In response, Abrams lays out a program of ten things any American can do to help stop the country’s slide toward Trumpian tyranny. Mentioned in this episode: Abrams's newest book: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/697037/coded-justice-by-stacey-abrams/  Abrams's podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/assembly-required-with-stacey-abrams/id1760004996  Abrams's piece in the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/22/us-black-history-dei Abrams's 10 steps: https://10stepscampaign.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Susan Glasser, Bill Kristol, and Jon Lemire join Harry to assess the prospects for military action against Iran, the ways DOJ incompetence and testimony from the Clintons are changing the Epstein story, and Trump's longest-ever State of the Union address. Why hasn't Trump tried to sell his operation against Iran to the American people, and what's his endgame for it? Is the DOJ's Epstein transparency becoming a blatant coverup? And is it time to retire the traditional State of the Union? Mentioned in this episode:Susan's columns: https://www.newyorker.com/contributors/susan-b-glasser Bill's conversation series:  https://conversationswithbillkristol.org/ Jonathan's reporting: https://www.theatlantic.com/author/jonathan-lemire/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In their newest mashup, Harry and Molly Jong-Fast trade questions about the latest eyebrow-raising news in the Epstein scandal and the fallout from Trump's tariff defeat. Molly gets Harry to walk her through the intricacies of the so-called 302s—detailed victim statements taken by the FBI—some of which the DOJ failed to produce for a victim who told the FBI that Trump abused her. Harry has plenty of Epstein questions of his own for Molly, but also asks what happens with tariff refunds and the Democrats' strategy heading toward the midterms. Mentioned in this episode: Molly's book: ⁠ https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/738849/how-to-lose-your-mother-by-molly-jong-fast/ Molly's podcast: ⁠ https://fastpoliticspod.com/ Molly's Substack: ⁠ https://mollyjongfast.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mimi Rocah, former federal prosecutor turned legal commentator; Adam Klasfeld, courtroom reporter tracking international Epstein developments; Kyle Cheney, senior legal reporter at Politico. They unpack the Supreme Court striking down presidential tariff power. They parse split conservative justices, fierce judicial rebukes to immigration enforcement, a contempt finding, and international fallout from the Epstein files.