Episodes

  • Revisited: Did the assassination of JFK kickstart the conspiracy theory movement?

    Revisited: Did the assassination of JFK kickstart the conspiracy theory movement?
    Dec 13 2024
    Jonathan Freedland speaks to Prof Kathryn Olmsted, author of Real Enemies: Conspiracy Theories and American Democracy, World War I to 9/11 about why the assassination of JFK spawned dozens of conspiracy theories that have persisted for decades? Because of industrial action taking place by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observer this week, we are re-running an episode from the archive.
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    25 mins
  • Revisited: Henry Kissinger and the man who wanted to confront him

    Revisited: Henry Kissinger and the man who wanted to confront him
    Dec 6 2024
    Journalist and author Michael Goldfarb, talks to Jonathan Freedland about the legacy of the former secretary of state under Richard Nixon, Henry Kissinger Because of industrial action taking place by members of the National Union of Journalists at the Guardian and Observer this week, we are re-running an episode from the archive.
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    28 mins
  • How the left is defending itself in the Democratic blame game

    How the left is defending itself in the Democratic blame game
    Nov 29 2024
    Last week on this podcast, James Carville blamed identity politics and ‘woke’ theory for the Democrats losing the election. Waleed Shahid, a former senior adviser to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and the Uncommitted campaign, believes this argument is lazy. This week, Jonathan Freedland speaks to Waleed about why the left is not to blame for Kamala Harris losing the election, and why the truth of who is might be uncomfortable for the Democratic party
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    26 mins
  • James Carville on where he thinks the Democrats went wrong

    James Carville on where he thinks the Democrats went wrong
    Nov 22 2024
    Everyone in US politics has an opinion on why the Democrats lost the election, and finger-pointing within the party is rife. As the debate rages, Jonathan Freedland will be speaking to various experts about what the party got wrong – and how it can bounce back. This week, he meets James Carville, the veteran political strategist who helped get Bill Clinton elected twice
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    23 mins
  • Matt Gaetz: who is Trump’s controversial nominee for attorney general?

    Matt Gaetz: who is Trump’s controversial nominee for attorney general?
    Nov 14 2024
    Donald Trump has shocked Democrats and Republicans by announcing far–right congressman Matt Gaetz as his pick for the role of attorney general. As the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, he would direct the government’s legal positions on critical issues, including abortion, civil rights and first amendment cases. Gaetz has himself been investigated for sex-trafficking and sexual misconduct, although never charged. What else do we know about congressman Matt Gaetz and has his nomination got any chance of being voted through the Senate? Jonathan Freedland is joined this week by Chris Michael, the Guardian US live news editor
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    28 mins
  • Can the Democrats salvage the House of Representatives?

    Can the Democrats salvage the House of Representatives?
    Nov 8 2024
    Donald Trump has won the presidency more comprehensively than expected. Republicans have flipped the Senate. However, the Democrats are still holding out hope that they can take control of the House of Representatives and prevent the president-elect from having legislative carte blanche. Jonathan Freedland speaks to the Washington Post reporter Marianna Sotomayor about what happens if Democrats are not victorious in the lower chamber
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    22 mins
  • Donald Trump is victorious. What happens now?

    Donald Trump is victorious. What happens now?
    Nov 6 2024
    In the end it was not even that close. Jonathan Freedland is joined by Susan Glasser and Nikki McCann Ramirez to discuss what went wrong for Kamala Harris as Donald Trump wins a second presidential term – and for the first time a convicted felon is elected to the White House
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    25 mins
  • The final countdown of a historic US election campaign

    The final countdown of a historic US election campaign
    Nov 4 2024
    Jonathan Freedland crosses several state lines ahead of 5 November, following the candidates and their surrogates, as they try everything to pick up the votes to swing the election in their favour
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    34 mins