RedBlog Podcast

Coming this July!!Series 1- Kremlin FileJoin us every week as we talk with our guests about Russia's criminal regime, its domestic and foreign policy, international footprint & the Russian people.  We'll go back to Putin's rise to power and trace the steps he and his circle took to consolidate power to today: repression, violence and kleptocracy.  Will the Russian state ever rid itself of autocracy?We often think that Russia and its autocratic regime are far away and don't really affect our daily lives: we're wrong. Their active measures hit our media, infrastructure, hospitals and many other sectors. And through our complacency, we've allowed them to act with impunity.Our guests tell their stories about their personal experiences & mission to uphold liberal democratic values, our common values.  Some fought tooth & nail for freedom of speech and free-fair elections in Russia and others are dedicating their lives to this battle in the West. Check out our Twitter page @redblogpod for live events on Spaces when you can ask us anything and chat about what's in the news.A round of applause for Oreste Camarra--Co-Op-- in Toronto for the music and to Alessandro & Daniele at Virus Studio--our sound engineering team. Thanks for listening!Olga & Mo

From Claire-It's the Greens in this Battle of the Superfighters episode of the Cosmopolicast. Plus, Down with the Sun: Why the world needs nuclear power.This is the first part of our Energy Week Cosmopolicast, which went on for two full hours. We'll post the second half tomorrow. Robert Zubrin and the Lewises, père et fils, duked it out in an all-out brawl with Casey Handmer, Alexander Hurst, and Benjamin Wolf. Monique, Ron, Vivek, and I tried to keep our guests from punching below the belt. I know we always say, “This was our best Cosmopolicast yet!” but truly, this one's a contender. If you think providing energy to the world's 7.8 billion people must be a simple matter, listen to this one through.If you would like to read more on the Robert Zubrin's case for nuclear, please have a look at his article in the Cosmopolitan Globalists. Thanks for listening!Claire & The Cosmopolitan Globalists

From Claire and the Cosmopolitan GlobalistsOur conversation with Nicolas Tenzer, a senior French civil servant and the founding president of the Paris-based independent think tank, Centre d'étude et de réflexion pour l'Action politique (Center for Study and Research for Political Decision).  He is a visiting professor at Sciences-Po Paris. This podcast will be of special interest to those who wonder how French foreign policy is made and which institutions must be strengthened—or created—to put it on a more consistent footing. In the end, we ask: how must foreign policy be conducted in the future?  Nicolas offers passionate responses, making reference to such inhumane events in Syria, China and elsewhere. We hope you enjoy our conversation, Claire & The Cosmopolitan Globalists

CTP is now into its 50th episode and to mark this occasion, we're taking on China and its Project of the Century.  To help me understand what is happening with China, especially after the release of the Human Rights Watch Report "Crimes Against Humanity in Xinjiang," I asked  Reid Standish, editor of China in Eurasia (Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty) and Prof Scott Lucas (EA Worldview) to come on and we hope you'll enjoy the convo about  how China is moving across the world in their effort to gain great power status. Reid is an expert on China, Central Asia, the Caucasus and has had experience in Moscow as well. He and Scott help us understand how the Chinese regime maintains its power and influence at home as well as abroad. What's the Belt and Road Initiative Belt and what are China's relations with international powers such as Russia and South East Asia as well as Europe. Many thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese without whom I wouldn't be able to get prepped for the chats. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for listening,Mo

From Claire- Henry signed off after the Cosmopolitan Globalists finished recording the China Cosmopolicast. (If you haven't yet listened to that, we highly recommend it; it's the best so far, except maybe for the Russia Cosmopolicast.)But Adam, Monique, Vivek, and I hung around a while longer to chat. We assumed we were done recording, so we were very relaxed. We'd planned just to throw the last part out, but when we listened to it, we liked it. So we decided to release it as a bonus. If you've ever wondered what Cosmopolitan Globalists say when they think no one's listening, here's your chance.Enjoy and thanks for listening!Claire & The Cosmopolitan Globalists

From Claire—We rounded up our favorite people from the former Soviet satellite states to discuss Russia, and as you might imagine, none of them are amused. Vladislav Davidzon—Scott Abel, Estonia's former president, Toomas Hendrik Ilves, reinforces the Estonian contingent from his lonely farmhouse in the Estonian countryside and Jon from Vienna.We ask just what, exactly, Putin thinks he's doing. He's now sent tanks, troops and long-range guns to loom, thuggishly, on Ukraine's borders and in its stolen territories. Why? He couldn't seriously be planning to gnaw off another chunk of Ukraine, could he? His last meal has been giving him serious indigestion. Is he testing to see what the EU will do? (The EU has already made it clear it is eager to beclown itself, as Toomas notes.)Is this a test of the new US administration? Is Moscow angling to get control over the Crimean water supply? Or is Putin just keen to make of himself the maximum possible nuisance to any adult in the world who is trying to accomplish anything useful or constructive?Tune in to find out! Thanks for listening,Claire and the Cosmopolitan Globalists

From Claire—We think this is our best Cosmopolicast yet.Do you remember Adam Garfinkle's debate with Vivek about China, the 7th Fleet, and the future of US power? We brought Adam on the podcast to discuss this, and Henry Hill joined us. Is Chinese global hegemony inevitable? Vivek says yes. Adam says no. Who's right?We ask what the Chinese regime is really all about: Is it Marxist? Leninist? Maoist? Neo-totalitarian? Revanchist? Nationalist? Imperialist? How well does the West understand China? How well does China understand the West? What does China want? When does China want it? What should we do about it? Who would win a war for Taiwan? What would happen if the US didn't fight—or lost? Is the US overreacting?Thanks for listening,Claire and the Cosmopolitan GlobalistsDownload the episode

Grab a coffee and get really comfortable for this absolutely fascinating account of Putin and his regime. I'm chatting with Prof Mark Galeotti takes us through various aspects of Putin's regime, his thinking and how he conducts his affairs. How do the Russians view him? What are his designs on the West? Spy stories, anecdotes on various key players in Putin's inner circle and much more.  Jacopo Iacoboni, investigative journalist at La Stampa, reveals new info on Russian designs and operations in Italy under the Conte 1 & 2 governments. Prof Galeotti is the director of the consultancy firm Mayak Intelligence and his curriculum denotes his life long experience in the field. His book - We need to talk about Putin: How the West gets him wrong- is gripping and gives us deep understanding of Putin and the regime. Please check out his website - In Moscow's Shadows- for his articles and podcast. My warmest thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese and Bensound for the pod music. We sincerely hope you enjoy the episode!Thanks for listening,MoDownload the episode

Welcome to the Cosmopartycast...We marvel at the weirdness of China's recent diplomatic self-sabotage. We drink. We ask what Macron's thinking about Russia. We wonder just who actually believes it. Does he? We gossip about Germany. We gossip about the Atlantic Council. We wander around looking for popcorn. We ask if the United States is really so broke that it should sacrifice Estonia. We miss smoking.Vivek Kelkar weighs in from Mumbai. Jon Nighswander from Vienna. Rachel Motte from Houston. Owen Lewis from Alberta. Akshaya Jose from Paris—me, too, of course. Toomas Hendrik Ilves from Estonia. (We don't know where in Estonia he is, exactly, but we understand it involves a promising herd of moose.) Monique Camarra, as usual, runs the Cosmopolicast out of Siena.Check out the Cosmopolitan Globalist publication on Substack.Thanks for listening!Claire and the Cosmopolicasters

Grab a coffee and listen in on my chat with the Hon Carlo Calenda, founder of the Italian party Azione. He was Minister of Economic Development in the Renze and Gentiloni governments, the Italian Representative at the EU and now an MEP at the European Parliament. Based on his experience and what he's seeing today, Hon Calenda has been very vocal against the populist wave in Italian politics. He wrote about what ails Italy in his books- Monsters and How to Defeat Them & Savage Horizons. It turns out these 'monsters' aren't just present in Italy- they represent what must be addressed in our modern democracies.We also talked about the EU and its relations with China, Russia and Canada and what needs to happen in the EU for it to be a strong partner in the Transatlantic relationship. Many thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese who provided much needed help in the preparation of the pod. We really hope you enjoy the pod and thanks for listening!Monique

Buckle up!The authors of the Cosmopolitan Globalists' blueprint for ending the pandemic joined to howl in frustration with the world's inability to do the obvious and end the pandemic. We're beside ourselves. Claire and Monique are, anyway. Robert's clearly at the end of his rope. Rachel is composed. Owen and Jon sound just fine.From Vienna: Jon Nighswander. From Houston: Rachel Motte. From Paris, Claire Berlinski. From Canada: Owen Lewis. From Colorado (and one day, from Mars): Robert Zubrin. Hosted, again, by Monique in Siena.Many thanks for listening in!The Cosmopolitan Globalists

Welcome to the very first episode of the The Cosmopolicast! From Claire: Here we discuss everything that's wrong with journalism, why it's become so awful, and how the Cosmopolitan Globalist proposes to fix it. Do you hate the media? Do you wonder why you had to suffer through 260,000,000 stories (we counted) about Harry and Meghan, but didn't see a single analysis of Britain's new defense and foreign policy blueprint? Well, we explain.Over the weekend, Monique Camarra—our Cosmopolitan Globalist in Siena—recorded the inaugural episode of the Cosmopolicast and is hosting it here for the time being.We figured it would be incomprehensible if all 68 of us were on at the same time, so in this episode it's me, Vivek, and Jon Nighswander—or “Vienna Jon,” for those of you who have trouble telling all the Jons apart. In future episodes, we'll introduce you to everyone else—but not at once, obviously.We hope you enjoy it, and thanks for listening in!Claire & The Cosmopolitan Globalistsps...If you're interested in finding out more about The Cosmopolitan Globalists, check it out!

Grab a coffee! I'm chatting with Dave Troy on the armed assault on the Capitol, and it's absolutely fascinating.Who were the key figures implicated and connected to Jan 6th and what motivated them?  Listen in as Dave shares his knowledge on the cultural, geo-political and economic underpinnings surrounding the Insurrection of Jan 6th. We also dive into various historical events linked to the murkey world of intelligence operations from World War 2 to the present. There's still so much that needs to be investigated, but this is definitely a start.Many thanks to CTP's senior researcher Davide Cortese for all his help in preparation for this pod and to Bensound for the background music.Thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee or get those trainers on!This is a great listen: my chat with Prof Scott Lucas of EA Worldview & Deep Dive Politics- World Unfiltered pods. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken gave a speech on the direction and objectives of American foreign policy and Scott and I look to see how this could possibly play out on the ground. Our discussion is divided into two parts. Part 1 Scott provides an overall mapping of the document at first and then looks at possible avenues of action in terms of Iran and the Middle East as opposed to US foreign policy in these areas in the past.In Part 2, Scott and I discuss the same but with a view to Russia, in light of the recent sanctions levelled at Russian officials and entities and what the document is saying for US relations with China. In the end, we also chat about CPAC or T-PAC. Heartfelt thanks to Scott for taking time from his busy schedule to chat with us and Davide Cortese, CTP senior researcher for all his help on analysis for the pod. To you all...my warm thanks for listening in every week,Mops...If you're looking for a fab place to get away once you can, please check out our friends' place right here in gorgeous Tuscan hillside- The Lazy Olive.  I can't wait to be able to visit Malcolm & Daniela and just enjoy their company & a great glass of wine. 

Grab a coffee or get those trainers on!This is a great listen: my chat with Prof Scott Lucas of EA Worldview & Deep Dive Politics- World Unfiltered pods.Secretary of State Anthony Blinken gave a speech on the direction and objectives of American foreign policy and Scott and I look to see how this could possibly play out on the ground.Our discussion is divided into two parts. Part 1 Scott provides an overall mapping of the document at first and then looks at possible avenues of action in terms of Iran and the Middle East as opposed to US foreign policy in these areas in the past.In Part 2, Scott and I discuss the same but with a view to Russia, in light of the recent sanctions levelled at Russian officials and entities and what the document is saying for US relations with China. In the end, we also chat about CPAC or T-PAC.Heartfelt thanks to Scott for taking time from his busy schedule to chat with us and Davide Cortese, CTP senior researcher for all his help on analysis for the pod.To you all...my warm thanks for listening in every week,Mops...If you're looking for a fab place to get away once you can, please check out our friends' place right here in gorgeous Tuscan hillside- The Lazy Olive.  I can't wait to be able to visit Malcolm & Daniela and just enjoy their company & a great glass of wine. 

You won't want to miss this! What a pleasure it was to speak with MEP Sophie in't Veld of the Renew Europe Group on her ideas of addressing imbalances in the EU, but she doesn't stop there: we touch on foreign relations and the importance of giving the EU the tools it needs to be a geo-political force in the world. MEP in't Veld is passionate about her love for the EU, the European project and of its history. She brought up issues that I hadn't ever taken into consideration. She said at a certain point: 'We can do this!' So find out why.You can check out CTP Notes for some extra information about this pod. Many thanks to the CTP team- Davide and Rebecca- for helping me put this pod together and to Bensound for the music in the background.Thanks for listening!

Grab a coffee!Listen in on my chat with Prof Ruth Ben-Ghiat on her fabulous book, 'Strongmen: How they rise, How they succeed, How they fail.' Based on her  studies spanning 100 years authoritarianism around the world and Italian Fascism, authoritarianism & propaganda, Prof Ben-Ghiat could see the signs of authoritarianism in Trump. While we all thought he would become 'presidential', she was warning Americans on where he was taking the US.Our talk goes deep into the characteristics of the authoritarian Strongman: his strengths and weaknesses and final objectives of violence and subjugation. Listen in to find out what's up next for Trump and the GOP.  Check out CTP Notes dedicated to Strongmen on Substack for extra info.Thank yous to Davide and Rebecca for their help on putting the pod together, and to Bensound for the music in the background.Warm thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a drink for this one! It's hot!!!  I'm thrilled to be talking with Olga Lautman, expert on Russia, Ukraine & Eastern Europe, on Russian influence in the States and Europe, and what the imprisonment of Navalny means to Putin and his power. It's a super intriguing chat: we weave our way through the current GOP, Putin, his tactics & objectives as well as how much he has been impactful on Trump, America and the UK. Olga also gives us an assessment of what is happening inside Russia today and how Covid has impacted Putin and why citizens have taken to the streets in protest.My thanks for Olga for coming on and giving us her expert insights, and Davide & Rebecca for helping me prepare for the chat.Many thanks to Bensound for the musical background.For more background info on the pod, please read CTP Notes: they'll take you through all the issues discussed in the pod.Thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee! It's time to relax with my chat with Pierpaolo from Chicago. We hash out the Trump's Second Impeachment Trial and some of the consequences of not having convicted Trump, and what may happen in the future with the GOP. We're both livid, so listener beware. Pierpaolo also tells us what a bad boy he's been that Twitter had to put him in jail. He's still a bit mystery about it.A huge round of applause for CTP's Senior researcher Davide Cortese and a warm welcome to CTP's new Junior researcher Rebecca Bello.Thanks to Bensound for the music.As always...my warmest thank you for listening!Mo

What a fabulous chat with Renew Democracy Initiative's executive director, Uriel Epshtein! Since 2017, RDI has been active in promoting liberal democracy and its ideals through a variety of events and information campaigns. So go take a look and remember that this is another part of our on-going series: the Tools of Democracy.  In this episode Uriel and I talk about the tenets of democracy, the threats that we're dealing with and some suggestions on how to face the fact that our societies are now riven by polarisation, tribalism and the need for more cooperation at home and abroad. So lots to chew on and consider.  On Feb 15, RDI is hosting the first ever Renew Democracy Virtual Rally, which will see the participation of an array of exciting democracy defenders including LTC (Ret.) Alex Vindman, Garry Kasparov, Preet Bharara, Miles Taylor (NYT Anonymous), Evan Mawarire, and Fmr. Rep. Barbara Comstock.As always my warm thanks to CTP's senior researcher, Davide Cortese.And thanks to Bensound for providing the music.My heartfelt thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee! Time to take notes!I'm thrilled to be talking with Marco Cappato, Director of the Luca Coscioni Association, on the basics of democracy, the tools that are available to us, and his views on a number of other issues, including how we should be facing future challenges through an international effort. Check out the Luca Coscioni Association website for more information on the battles Marco and his team are carrying forward, And have a look at EUMANS, the European citizens' movement for sustainability and democracy launched by Marco. Also check out CTP Notes edition covering this podcast and my talk with Uriel Epshtein and Samantha Kutner. This is a 3-part series looking at various aspects of democracy: the tools of democracy as citizens, but also what happens when democracy breaks down. Particular thanks to Davide Cortese, CTP's senior research on information about Marco Cappato and to Bensound for the background music.Thanks for listening!Mo

Grab a coffee!Getting into the Indy Ref with MP Alyn Smith! Why is the SNP leading in the polls? What does the a second indy ref mean for Scotland and its place in the world? Also, the origins of Brexit, good governance, his experience as an EU MEP, and the future challenges of climate chaos.  An absolutely riveting chat!For some background information on MP Alyn and the issues surrounding independence for Scotland, have a look at CTP Notes on SubstackMany thanks to Davide Cortese, CTP's senior researcher and to Bensound for the musical accompaniment. Feel free to comment on Twitter @MoniqueCamarra or write to us:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee! It's time to talk about the populist wave with Prof Daniele Albertazzi at the University of Birmingham, director of the Populism in Action  Project. We'll be covering it all: what distinguishes populist parties from mainstream parties, how do populists attract voters, and why are mainstream parties losing ground. Is populism really here to stay?Many thanks to Davide Cortese, senior researcher,. Many thanks to Bensound for the musical accompaniment.Feel free to subscribe to CTP Notes on Substack : Is populism here to stay? Leave a comment on Twitter @MoniqueCamarra,  DMs are open, or at our email:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comThanks for tuning in!Mo

Hold on to your seats! I'm chatting with Brent Allpress about his past investigations for the doc 'People You May Know' and his current investigations into the post-election period to the Jan 6 insurrection. Who was involved? And who was involved behind the scenes? Absolutely incredible!Revealing information on the Council for National Policy and its impact on key moments of the Trump Presidency right up to Jan 6th. and a look at some new findings from the murky world of the influence industry. You'll find some background info into today pod at CTP Notes:https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/p/investigating-the-coupA special shout out and thanks  to CTP's senior researcher, Davide Cortese.Thanks to Bensound for the musical accompaniment. Don't be shy! Feel free to comment @MoniqueCamarra on  Twitter or write to us:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comThanks for listening,Mo

Grab a coffee and get ready as I take the deep dive with Dr Emma Briant into the dark world of the global influence industry. Are we doing enough to address the power of the industry? What is its impact? Dr Briant has been investigating the network of companies that make up the influence industry since well before the Cambridge Analytica scandal and continues to dig into its reach today. Her work and testimony has been fundamental to investigations in the US and the UK and formed the basis of the Emmy-Nominated documentary 'The Great Hack;'  While Brent Allpress was the chief investigator, Dr Briant collaborated on the documentary 'People You May Know' (directors Katharina Gellein Viken & Dr Charles Kriel), a shocking investigation into how apps were used to gather information from Christian communities in order to target persuadable voters for the Trump 2020 and GOP campaigns. She offers suggestions on how we can deal with the influence industry: the way forward involves policy-makers and citizens in an effort to protect our democratic states. For some extra info on Dr Briant and her work, have a look at CTP Notes: https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/p/ca-propaganda-op-dirty-oilMany thanks to Davide Cortese, senior researcher at CTP!CTP thanks Bensound for the musical accompaniment. 

Grab a coffee and let's welcome Pierpaolo back on the pod. Listen in as we unpack what is on everyone's mind: what it an organised attempted coup? What will be the consequences? We'll also be looking at the articles of impeachment and what they refer to. What evidence can Congress bring to the case?Thanks to Davide Cortese, senior researcher, for all his help and forensic analysis.Thanks to Bensound for the show music. Please subscribe to our CTP Notes: you'll find extra info on the issues we face in the pod.https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/p/georgia-latest-senate-showdownIt's always a pleasure to hear from you: don't be shy! Contact me @MoniqueCamarra on Twitter, on CTP Notes comment section, and at our email: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee! This is a hot episode in conversation with Prof Scott Lucas as we take the deep dive into the events in Washington DC, the Attempted Coup, fallout and reflections on the new EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Lots to chew on here. Don't forget to check out Prof Lucas's EA Worldview on all the latest about international affairs. NEW: CTP Notes! please subscribe to the new notes on the podcast for extra information on the podcast topics.  It's free and informative..https://moniquecamarra.substack.com/Cheers for now!

Grab a coffee and listen in to a super-packed episode with Prof Scott Lucas (Uni Birmingham, EA Worldview) as we chat about Brexit, future challenges and hotspots, and we even threw in Trump's failures in domestic and foreign policy because we were having so much fun. What should the US and EU do in terms of the challenges posed by Putin, Erdogan and Xi? What's going on inside Iran? What has Trump left behind as he leaves the White House? Many thanks to Davide Cortese for all the research he brought to this episode and to Bensound for the musical accompaniment. For suggestions, comments and questions: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee and listen in as the Hon Lia Quartapelle and I chat about the fight for free and fair elections in Belarus, her views on Trump's White House, future challenges in foreign policy, the EU Magnitsky Act and regaining trust in politics. Hon Quartapelle is an MP in the Chamber of Deputies in Italy where she represents her party on the Foreign Affairs Committee, and she is also active in at the European Commission on various committees dedicated to foreign policy and human rights.Senior Researcher: Davide CorteseWe'd love to hear from you with your comments, suggestions and questions at:coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee and get ready for an in-depth look at the radical right with Professor Anne Nelson as we talk about her investigative work, Shadow Network: Media, Money and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right.  If you know nothing about this, you should; it's a world that is rarely talked about publically and the Shadow Network wants to keep it that way. We also touch on: Trump's administration, the Covid crisis, the new Biden administration, Anne's up-coming projects and a little surprise.Make sure you see, 'People You May Know ' as well (Dr Kriel, Anne Nelson, and senior researcher Dr Emma Briant).Contact us with suggestions, questions and comments at: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comCheck out the show notes on all bibliographical refs and many thanks to senior researcher for some great finds. Senior Researcher: Davide CorteseMany thanks to Bensound for the musical accompaniment. 

Grab a coffee! Forbes put her on the list of the 30 most influential Italians and find out why.My special guest today is Giulia Pastorella, cybersecurity expert, politician and so much more and listen in to her Brexit experience, learn about the various issues and debates in the big tech world as well as some tips about how we can be active participants in politics.We could have talked for hours! There  are so many issues to expand on. For now, Giulia has given us food for thought and insights. Questions, suggestions, comments: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comPlease look up her webpage for articles and info on Giulia: http://www.giuliapastorella.eu/chi-sono/

Grab a coffee and relax! We're catching up with Pierpaolo on the new Biden Administration, the election results, legal battles and Trump's coup attempt and the question of Trump pardoning himself. Next week, our  fabulous guest will be: Giulia Pastorella, cybersecurity and data, big tech expert, politician, mountaineer and marathoner. Please see the show notes for an extensive bibliography and for notes on the initial stats on the Biden coalition and the make up of Trump voters. We couldn't go into exhaustive detail, but the notes will give you more info. Please read Amy Gardner, "20 days of fantasy and failure: Inside Trump's quest to overturn the election," Washington Post, Nov 29, 2020. It's a chilling account of what has happened in the past days and we recorded the pod before this article came out. A warm welcome and thank you to Davide Cortese who has now come on board as senior researcher at CTP. Questions, suggestions, comments: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.com

Grab a coffee and enjoy! Unpacking Italian populism with the foremost expert on the 5 Stars and author of 'The Experiment' and 'The Execution':journalist  Jacopo Iacoboni. Who are the 5 Stars, Lega and PM Conte? Mr Iacoboni takes us through the back streets of these political parties, who their strange bedfellows are on an international scale, and what is happening now, especially with the election of Joe Biden as President of the US.  If you're in the dark on them, their origins and reach have a listen! Revealing andecdotes, documentation and analysis.: simply eye-opening.The show notes are now available: please check them out for Mr Iacoboni's work and others that served as the basis for our chat.Questions, suggestions, comments: coffeetalkpolitics@gmail.comThanks to Bensound for the musical accompaniment.

Grab a coffee and relax! We're over the moon! Here's our post-election take: celebrations, state of the race nation-wide and the Senate, our faves from the election coverage, Biden's campaign and polling and the electoral fraud absurdities. Up-coming: I'll be unpacking the election in terms of stats on voters and the electoral fraud narrative Trump and his loyalists are pushing, and what is happening with President Elect Biden's Transition Team. Special thanks to Umberto for the opening clip. 

Grab a coffee! For years, the Christian Nationalist along with  industrial interests have sought to influence American politics. They found their window of opportunity with Trump. I take you through the CNP and the Dominionists and their aims, their goal: to establish a theocracy in the United States. As the election is upon us, this may be 'enlightening.'Many thanks to the seminal work done by Dr Kriel, Anne Nelson, and Brent Allpress and so many others to bring this to our knowledge.  The merits are theirs.

Grab a coffee! Pierpaolo and I are hashing out pre-election stats and info. We're covering Covid and most importantly the Biden and Trump campaigns in this finishing stretch. There's so much at stake and liitle time left. Many thanks to Bensound: get your downloadable royalty free music from Bensound. 

Grab a coffee and relax! A fun chat with Pierpaolo from Chicago., who is keeping us up to date on the latest election news there. We hash out Trump's latest absurdities, the up-coming Presidential debate, Trump's disasterous handling of the Covid crisis and much more. Pierpaolo also tells us about going to vote for the first time! Check out the show notes for references to the books we've mentioned during the episode. 

Grab a coffee and relax! How difficult is it for us to break away from our own preconceived ideas and convictions? Listen in for the story of Alison and Don and how they changed their minds. Stories of great courage and heart. I hope they touch you as they did me. If you would like to read the full text of their stories, please check out the show notes where you'll find the links to the articles.

Grab a coffee and relax! The long voter lines in Georgia were shocking. But if you've been paying attention, voter suppression has been in the works for quite some time. Listen in to find out about direct and indirect voter suppression and what Trump is doing to suppress the vote: dark ads, targeted racial ads, and much more. In the last bit, I'll be touching on what you can do to prepare for Nov. 3rd: what to do should there be a coup.Just in: Texas Judge reversed Governor's effort to decrease drop off boxes: the Judge said this would increase risk of voters to Covid-19 and ordered the Governor to provide drop off boxes. Other organisations for citizens wanting to protect the vote: Protect the Results and Frontline.

Grab a coffee! This is a new segment: I'm in conversation with Pierpaolo from Chicago, giving us a bird's eye view on what is happening on the ground. Meet Pierpaolo as we discuss issues surrounding the election: Dems and Trumpers in Chicago. He'll be meeting me every week before the election and then afterwards as well. Thanks to Pierpaolo for all his insights!

Season 2 is off and running! Grab a coffee and relax!Covid has hit the White House and while most are taken with the details of Trump's TV reality Presidency and condition, I'll be looking at what is real and what we need to keep our eye on: his criminal handling of the pandemic, his tax return data and what message he was sending out during the TV Debate with Biden.Are you tired of Trump's drama and setting the agenda? I am and I'll tell you why.*Errata Corrige: Fred Guttenberg's article was published in Newsweek, September 4, 2020 and not in The Washington Post. Check out the Show Notes for bibliographical notes. 

Grab a coffee! It's time to wrap up Season 1: I'll be reviewing a bit of what I touched on in Season 1, but also talk about what has been revealed this week by Woodward and Eban and the latest up-date on Belarus. A special message to all those celebrating Rosh Hashana at this turning point in our shared human history.A little tribute in the beginning to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and her life work dedicated to gender rights. Tune in for the start of Season Two, which will begin in the first week of October with a special surprise interview. Season Two takes us right up to the Presidential Elections and beyond, the outcome of the Brexit negotiations and the outcome of the Italian referendum and much more. The bibliography will be available soon. 

Grab a coffee! I'll be giving you an up-date Belarus and the fight for democracy there. I'll touch on some exciting research on the efficacy of peaceful protest as set out by Erica Chenoweth. Then keep listening because we'll continue our journey into the far-right militia groups and white power groups and the threat they pose to American security. To end, my reflections on the communication strategies of the Trump White House: seems like they're similiar to the Leninist and Surkov tactics and strategies. Many thanks to the 3.5% group that open the door to Chenoweith's research!Check out the show notes for the bibliography if you'd like to read more.

Grab a coffee! This is a doozer. Blind Rage is the first part of a 2-part series that takes you into the world of the far-right extremists vigilante and militias in the US and around the world based on a wide range of sources. What ideology is at the base of their world-wide movement, which has jumped from the internet to the real world? I'll also be giving you an up-date on the protests in Belarus right at the beginning.  The bibliography is now available. Thanks for all your comments and questions and if you have others, write to me at: monique.camarra@gmail.com

Grab a coffee! Have you ever had something you've wanted to get off your chest? Today's flash pod is a little unusual. Given the state of the American elections thus far and the repercussions these elections could have, I send this heartfelt message to my American brothers and sisters. At the end, something a little special from Italy.In the works: comparing the DNC and RNC Convention messages, Who is Steve Bannon, and the Genesis and tactics of Russian disinformation warfare. A warm thank you to all listeners who are sending in their comments and questions.If you would like to contact me via Twitter or Instagram, you'll find the link on my Buzzsprout website or you can contact me via email: monique.camarra@gmail.com

Grab a coffee and relax! I'll be looking at the latest developments in Belarus and the question is: will it transition to democracy; is this a democratic breakthrough as Michael McFaul would say? Or will Russia intervene to give Lukashenko a helping hand. What is the role of EU and the US in this scenario? It's an exciting moment for the citizens of Belarus. The situation on the ground is certainly fluid and I'll be keeping you up-to-date on what's happening.The bibliography will be available shortly.If you would like to drop me an email: monique.camarra@gmail.com or follow me or DM me on Twitter or Instagram.

Grab a coffee! Sit tight as we run through events in Belarus, Russia and the US. Will a new democratic state emerge from the protests in Belarus? A glance at the Russian vaccine and a short intro to one of the world's most egnimatic leaders, as well as Trump's gaming the mail-in ballot issue. We'll finish with a breath of fresh air: Kamala Harris, Joe Biden's VP pick. Up-date: Today- Trump is still going on about mail-in voting; please remember that both he and the First Lady will be voting by mail. Lots to get through, so have a seat and relax.If you would like to drop me an email: monique.camarra@gmail.com or follow me or DM me on Twitter or Instagram.Check out the selected bibliography at the end of the transcript. 

Buckle up everyone! It's time to join the Resistance. Listen in on this special Flash Pod that I have dedicated to my sister: the Trump campaign is in trouble for various reasons, so find out what those are, what we Trump resisters can be do to push forward and what we should be keeping our eye on. Keep safe...wear your mask! Cheers!

Grab a coffee because you'll need one as I take you through the world of QAnon, explain who they are, what they believe and how they have moved in the mainstream, and what effects they have on society. We seem to be surrounded by disinformation and conspiracy theories: what can we do?Please check out the show notes for information on the sources I have consulted; it is by no means a complete list and if you would like more information, please reach out.UP-DATE: Donald Trump Jr.'s Twitter account has been temporarily suspended after retweeting a misleading video about "the suppression of hydroxychloroquine by Dr. Fauci." I was going to be talking about this video as part of the disinformation campaign around Covid. This is just one of many. 

Grab a coffee and relax! Today's focus is a short up-date on what's happening in Portland and the Wall of Moms groups that have stepped in to protect the protestors and I'll be looking at the devastating Russia Report released yesterday by the Intelligence and Security Committe of Parliament in the UK. Has the UK become Putin's next best friend? Did the Russians tamper with the EU Referendum in 2016. Listen in as I get through the findings of the Russia Report.I'm watching footage from Portland right now and it looks like a war zone...they're gassing the protestors. 

Grab a coffee and relax! Listen in to my top 5 picks of video and audio clips from the news and politics this week. It's been shocking, frustrating, inspirational and much more.  I haven't included clips from the protests in Russia and Eastern Russia, but I'm keeping my eye on them as they unfold.