Know Your Enemy

Bill Kristol, editor-at-large and founder of The Bulwark and former Weekly Standard leader, reflects on his shift from neoconservative insider to small‑l liberal Never-Trump critic. He discusses neoconservatism's origins, debates over Iraq and Straussian influence, the rise of Trumpism, failures of the conservative movement to contain populism, and his views on regime change and recent Iran policy.

A teaser about a rising Texas politician who mixes religious rhetoric with populist moral urgency. They probe how faith shapes progressive politics, the role of prophetic religion and Martin Luther King’s legacy, and why Americans turn to nontraditional spiritual responses. The conversation also contrasts religious left and right approaches and explores religion’s place in a pluralistic public life.

Matt Duss, executive vice president at the Center for International Policy and former foreign policy adviser to Bernie Sanders, provides expertise on U.S. strategy toward Iran. He walks through recent U.S. and Israeli strikes, Iran’s missile responses, and why the attacks happened now. The conversation also covers historical U.S.–Iran tensions, neoconservative Iran alarmism, and political dynamics pushing toward war.

John Ganz, journalist and essayist who links conservative history to today's politics, digs into the long-running pattern of right-wing infighting and propaganda. He traces continuities from postwar conservatism to modern smear campaigns. Short, sharp takes on figures spreading conspiracies, the alignment of movement media and power, and recurring political tactics.

Pedro L. Gonzalez, writer and former New Right personality who left MAGA, explains why he joined, what life inside the movement felt like, and why he walked away. He discusses paleoconservative influences, the pull of populism, leaked private messages and online backlash. Conversation also covers conspiracy culture, antisemitic tropes, and life after leaving, including family and new writing projects.

A romp through the Shattered Glass movie and the real Stephen Glass scandal. They trace how a 1990s magazine culture made writers into celebrities. Conversation dives into the New Republic’s makeover, elite fact‑checking myths, and how centrist politics softened consequences. The hosts unpack how flattering narratives fooled cultural gatekeepers.

Jason Zengerle, journalist and author of Hated By All the Right People, walks through Tucker Carlson's climb from magazine star to cable power player. He traces media shifts, Carlson's stylistic turns, key moments like the Daily Caller and Fox years, and the arc toward conspiratorial and antisemitic rhetoric. Short, sharp takes on influence, performance, and the changing conservative media landscape.

A reporter’s on-the-ground perspective from Minneapolis as activists and neighbors organize in tense, unpredictable streets. The conversation explores how networks forged during George Floyd protests shape current resistance and response to ICE and BP. Ordinary Minnesotans acting with bravery appear alongside warnings about rising militant impulses and a sense of a fracturing civic life.

Matt Kirkagaard, Progressive International analyst on Latin American politics, and David Adler, PI organizer specializing in regional interventions, unpack US moves in Venezuela and Greenland. They trace Monroe Doctrine legacies, map Trump-era tactics across the hemisphere, and debate whether coercion drives countries toward China. Fast-paced, strategic, and sharply geopolitical.

The killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent ignites a heated discussion on the growing unpopularity of federal policing. The hosts explore conservative fears surrounding unchecked federal power and the hypocrisy of right-wing figures. They tackle the visible presence of federal agents and reflect on the moral implications of state violence, drawing on Christian themes. Local leaders in Minnesota are pleading for restraint, highlighting a crucial moment for collective change away from violence and oppression.