Central Air

Robinson Meyer, executive editor of Heatmap News and climate and energy journalist. He breaks down why oil prices stayed muted, how permitting reform might (or might not) move in Washington, the politics behind opposition to wind power, and where data centers can go without overwhelming the grid.

Gary Leff, airline industry analyst and author of the View From the Wing blog, joins to dissect Spirit Airlines' collapse and wider airline politics. He discusses shifting passenger preferences that hurt ultra-low-cost carriers. He explores antitrust fights, whether JetBlue could have saved Spirit, European low-cost contrasts, loyalty card economics, and what rising fuel costs mean for capacity.

Sean Trende, a senior elections analyst and political science lecturer, explains redistricting tradeoffs and how recent Supreme Court rulings reshape Voting Rights Act challenges. He also tells the story behind a viral Outback DoorDash tweet to illustrate rising food prices. Short, sharp conversations touch on compactness, partisan advantage, political geography, and the politics of inflation.

Alex Thompson, national political correspondent at Axios and co-author of a book on Biden, reflects on his controversial White House Correspondents' Dinner remarks. He and the hosts debate whether the dinner still makes sense, how it turned into a cultural spectacle, and the optics of roasting presidents. They also touch on media gossip culture and the role of party-driven events in Washington.

Patrick Ruffini, Republican pollster and co-founder of Echelon Insights, author of Party of the People. He explains Trump’s multiracial populist coalition and which 2016–2020 gains look durable. They debate whether U.S. politics has become perpetual change and how the Iran war and gas prices reshape midterm strategy. Conversation also covers tactics for avoiding big midterm losses.

Daniel Biss, mayor of Evanston and likely soon a congressman, talks about winning a high-spend primary and facing AIPAC-linked outside money. He discusses his progressive Zionist stance and why Israel became central in a local race. Conversation also covers Medicare expansion tactics, Iran war uncertainty, and the politics of heavy outside spending.

Marc Caputo, White House correspondent for Axios, offers on-the-ground reporting from south Florida and inside Trump-era decision-making. He breaks down the muddled Iran strategy and the risks of repeated strikes. He also examines why Republicans dominate Florida, from redistricting limits to housing and insurance strains. The conversation closes with a sharp look at journalists using AI as research assistants.

Tyler Austin Harper, Atlantic staff writer and former environmental science professor, blends academic grit with on-the-ground reporting. He unpacks how big philanthropy reshapes humanities priorities. He visits Maine politics and the odd dynamics of a Senate primary. He traces extinction themes in literature and weighs cultural shifts around polyamory memoirs.

Alex Bores, a former New York assembly member and AI policymaker who wrote the RAISE Act, joins to discuss AI rules for the public sector. He tackles the Pentagon vs Anthropic dispute, risks around surveillance and autonomous weapons, and how data centers should pay for grid upgrades. He also talks transit needs for Manhattan and testing AI safety with playful prompts.

Mike Solana, founder of Pirate Wires and CMO at Founders Fund, shares quick, on-the-ground takes from Silicon Valley insiders. He discusses billionaire plans to leave California over a proposed wealth tax. Conversations cover why the tax feels different, the reality of relocation vs. fighting the measure, and culture wars from Wired’s “Gay Tech Mafia” claims to arts debate and market ripples.