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America is turning 250. And we're throwing a yearlong celebration of the greatest country on Earth. The greatest? Yes. The greatest. We realize that's not a popular thing to say these days. Americans have a way of taking this country for granted: a Gallup poll released earlier this week shows that American pride has reached a new low. And the world at large, which is wealthier and freer than it has ever been in history thanks to American power and largesse, often resents us. We get it. As journalists, we spend most of our time finding problems and exposing them. It's what the job calls for. But if you only focus on the negatives, you get a distorted view of reality. As America hits this milestone birthday, it's worthwhile to take a moment to step back and look closely at where we actually are—and the reality of life in America today compared to other times and places. That reality is pretty spectacular. Could Thomas Jefferson and the men gathered in Philadelphia who wrote down the words that made our world—“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”—ever have imagined what their Declaration of Independence would bring? The Constitution. The end of slavery—and the defeat of Hitler. Astonishing wealth and medical breakthroughs. Silicon Valley. The most powerful military in the world. The moon landing. Hollywood. The Hoover Dam. The Statue of Liberty (a gift from France). Actual liberation (a thing we gave France). Humphrey Bogart and Tom Hanks. Josephine Baker and Beyoncé. Hot dogs. Corn dogs. American Chinese food. American Italian food. The Roosevelts and the Kennedys. The Barrymores and the Fondas. Winston Churchill (his mom was from Brooklyn). The Marshall Plan and Thurgood Marshall. Star Wars. Missile-defense shields. Baseball. Football. The military-industrial complex. Freedom of religion. UFO cults. Television. The internet. The Pill. The Pope. The automobile, the airplane, and AI. Jazz and the blues. The polio vaccine and GLP-1s, the UFC and Dolly Parton. The list goes on because it's really, truly endless. Ours is a country where you can hear 800 languages spoken in Queens, drive two hours and end up among the Amish in Pennsylvania. We are 330 million people, from California to New York Island, gathered together as one. Each of those 330 million will tell you that ours is not a perfect country. But we suspect most of them would agree that their lives would not be possible without it. So for the next 12 months, we're going to toast to our freedoms on the page, on this podcast and in real life. And we're doing it the Free Press way: by delving into all of it—the bad and the good and the great, the strange and the wonderful and the wild. And today—on America's 249th birthday—we're kicking off this yearlong event with none other than Akhil Reed Amar. Akhil has a unique understanding of this country—and our Constitution. Akhil is a Democrat who testified on behalf of Brett Kavanaugh, is a member of The Federalist Society, who is pro-choice but also anti-Roe—and these seeming contradictions make him perfectly suited to answer questions about the political and legal polarization we find ourselves in today. Akhil is a constitutional law professor at Yale and the author of the brilliant book The Words That Made Us: America's Constitutional Conversation, 1760–1840. He also hosts the podcast Amarica's Constitution, and you might recognize his name from his work in The Atlantic. I ask him about the unique history that created our founding document, the state of the country, our political polarization, the American legal system, and what this country means to him. The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What's up, guys? I have a powerhouse episode for you today with Eli Lake—one of the sharpest minds in foreign policy journalism. Eli's a columnist for the Free Press, the host of the Breaking History podcast, and a straight-up expert on everything from intelligence to Middle East geopolitics. If you've ever found yourself wondering what's really behind America's relationship with Israel, Iran's nuclear ambitions, or the complex dance of power in the Middle East—this is the conversation you cannot miss. Today, we're diving deep into the realities nobody talks about: conspiracy theories that just won't die, why alliances in that region are shifting so fast, the truth about proxy wars, and what the future could look like if Iran's regime falls or continues to escalate. Eli breaks down why the intelligence war matters, how successful military operations reshape global power, and what it will actually take for democratic change to happen in places like Iran. SHOWNOTES 00:00 The "Israel Puppeteering" Myth & Its Origins01:46 How US and Israeli Intelligence Stack Up03:36 Technical vs. Human Intelligence—Who Excels and Why04:01 Israel, Iran, and the Nuclear Umbrella Strategy05:16 The Proxy War Web: Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian Influence06:31 October 7th, Retaliation & Demolishing Proxy Networks07:56 Did Iran Really Take the “Next Step” to a Bomb?09:16 What Actually Counts as “Success” Against Iran?10:39 Democratic Uprising: Is Regime Change Possible from Within?12:32 Tech, Starlink, and Empowering the Iranian People14:20 Regime Humiliation & Authoritarian Vulnerability16:06 The Tipping Point for Revolution17:00 Internal Rot in the Iranian Regime FOLLOW ELI LAKETwitter: @EliLakePodcast: Breaking HistoryThe Free Press Columns: thefp.com/author/eli-lake CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code IMPACT at check out Allio Capital: Macro investing for people who want to understand the big picture. Download their app in the App Store or at Google Play, or text my name “TOM” to 511511. iTrust Capital: Use code IMPACTGO when you sign up and fund your account to get a $100 bonus at https://www.itrustcapital.com/tombilyeu SleepMe: Visit https://sleep.me/impact to get your Chilipad and save 20% with code IMPACT. Try it risk-free with their 30-night sleep trial and free shipping. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/impact SKIMS: Shop SKIMS Mens at https://www.skims.com/impact #skimspartner ButcherBox: Ready to level up your meals? Go to https://butcherbox.com/impact to get $20 off your first box and FREE bacon for life with the Bilyeu Box! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Journalist and Free Press founder Bari Weiss joins Jillian to unpack the geopolitical firestorm surrounding Israel—from the war in Gaza to the 12 day war with Iran, and how America's foreign policy is shifting in real time. We dig into why antisemitism is exploding globally—from college campuses to international institutions—and what it reveals about the new moral order shaping the West. Bari breaks down the double standards in media coverage, the erasure of Israeli trauma, and the ideological forces driving a growing hostility toward the Jewish state.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
On June 22, American B-2 bombers dropped hundreds of tons of explosives on three nuclear sites in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Right after President Trump announced that the pilots were out of Iranian air space, the world started to learn the details of Operation Midnight Hammer, the extraordinary American mission to neutralize Iran's nuclear-weapons program. News coverage started immediately—and some of the most incisive and careful analysis appeared outside of the legacy media. Some of the best news coverage in English could be found at the Free Press, the Daily Wire, and the Call Me Back podcast. Rather than bring on the guests who've already offered up their analysis in those venues, we thought it would be valuable to have a series of conversations on dimensions of this war—not only Operation Midnight Hammer, but the last two weeks beginning with the Israeli airstrikes on Iran—that take up some of the deeper, less immediate concerns. War is violent and bloody. But war is also a teacher, and it reveals things about the nations who wage it. “Living Through History: Learning from the Twelve-Day War” is a series of conversations from the Tikvah Podcast at Mosaic and featuring its host, Jonathan Silver. These include a discussion with Rabbi Meir Soloveichik on what the war reveals about providence and Jewish history; with Hussein Aboubakr Mansour about what the war reveals about the clash of civilizations; with the Israeli ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, about what the war reveals about the U.S.- Israel relationship at this moment in Zionist history; and with Victor Davis Hanson about what the war reveals about the American interest. Today you can listen to the first, with Rabbi Soloveichik.
Donald Trump is using his second term to assault free speech and get revenge against his political enemies and others who fail to bow to his magnanimousness.
Coleman Hughes, author of The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America and writer for The Free Press, argues that recent progressive theories about antiracism have looped all the way back to racism. He joins Adaam to discuss the power of language to reveal and distort, the moral confusions of revolutionary activism, the aesthetics of social justice, and how this all relates to Israel's war on Iran.On the agenda:-Coleman's backstory and the march through the institutions (or at least Columbia)-What do you mean, Neo-racism? (Speak plainly!)-Social science versus social redemption-Ta-Nehisi Coates composes mood music (and conceals reality)-What's up in Israel-The West doesn't understand death cultsUncertain Things is hosted and produced by Adaam James Levin-Areddy and Vanessa M. Quirk. For more doomsday thoughts, subscribe to: uncertain.substack.com. Get full access to Uncertain Things at uncertain.substack.com/subscribe
Eli Lake, host of Breaking History and columnist at The Free Press, joins Jonah Goldberg to ruminate upon the the United States' recent strikes on Iran's nuclear program and the wider implications. Were they constitutional? Is regime change next?Plus: Jonah and Eli's thoughts on Bill Buckley and American conservatism.Show Notes:—Eli Lake's Breaking History podcast—Jeane Kirkpatrick on dictatorshipThe Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch's offerings—including Jonah's G-File newsletter, regularly livestreams, and other members-only content—click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
When we last recorded Saturday night, the U.S. had just announced its strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The U.S. had entered the war. The restrainers had seemingly lost. In the following hours, President Donald Trump said the mission was a “spectacular military success.” And Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the program “obliterated” Iran's nuclear sites. But there's much more to that story than meets the eye. As Jay Solomon wrote in our pages: Before the U.S. struck, 16 cargo trucks entered the fortified mountain complex and moved unidentified equipment to another location. Are the sites destroyed or merely damaged? Was enriched uranium smuggled out? It all remains unclear. Now the war is heating up. Israel has expanded its bombing campaign beyond nuclear facilities to hit regime targets. Qatar has closed its airspace. And just as we write this, Iran has reportedly fired toward Qatar and Iraq. It all begs the question: Was the strike on Iran's Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant the end of this war—or just the beginning? And what comes next? To understand the state of the nuclear facilities and the state of the war, we've brought together three of the most well-read experts: Michael Oren, Jay Solomon, and Matti Friedman. Oren is the former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. He served from 2009 to 2013. He is also a former Knesset member. He is the author of many books, including Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israeli Divide. Solomon is an investigative journalist who has covered Iran and the region for decades. He just published an explosive piece for The Free Press titled “Did Iran Just Sneak Out Critical Nuclear Material from Fordow?” And, Friedman is our Jerusalem-based columnist, and the author of four books, including his latest, Who by Fire: Leonard Cohen in the Sinai. He just wrote “After the Bombs: American B-2s Just Changed the Middle East. Now It's Time to Return the Region to the Humans Who Live Here” for our pages. We'll note we recorded this Monday morning, starting around 11 a.m. ET, as a Free Press Live event. To join these, you just need to do one thing—and that's become a Free Press subscriber. Be sure to go to sapirjournal.org/honestly to sign up for your free subscription today! Check out What Could Go Right—available on all major podcast platforms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decisions (MIT Press, 2025) is a devastating account of the decision-making process behind one of the worst American policy failures in a century—the extended closures of public schools during the pandemic. In fascinating and meticulously reported detail, David Zweig shows how some of the most trusted members of society—from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists to eminent health officials—repeatedly made fundamental errors in their assessment and presentation of evidence. As a result, for the first time in modern American history, millions of healthy children did not set foot in a classroom for more than a year.Since the spring of 2020, many students in Europe had been learning in person. Even many peers at home—in private schools, and public schools in mostly “red” states and districts—were in class full time from fall 2020 onward. Whatever inequities that existed among American children before the pandemic, the selective school closures exacerbated them, disproportionately affecting the underprivileged. Deep mental, physical, and academic harms—among them, depression, anxiety, abuse, obesity, plummeting test scores, and rising drop-out rates—were endured for no discernible benefit. As Europe had shown very early, after they had sent kids back to class, there was never any evidence that long-term school closures, nor a host of interventions imposed on students when they were in classrooms, would reduce overall cases or deaths in any meaningful way.The story of American schools during the pandemic serves as a prism through which to approach fundamental questions about why and how individuals, bureaucracies, governments, and societies act as they do in times of crisis and uncertainty. Ultimately, this book is not about COVID; it's about a country ill-equipped to act sensibly under duress. David Zweig is the author of the novel Swimming Inside the Sun and the nonfiction book Invisibles. He has testified twice before Congress as an expert witness on American schools during the pandemic, and his investigative reporting on the pandemic has been cited in numerous congressional letters and a brief to the Supreme Court. Zweig's journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, New York, Wired, The Free Press, The Boston Globe, and, most often, his newsletter, Silent Lunch. He lives with his family in New York State. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/politics-and-polemics
An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decisions (MIT Press, 2025) is a devastating account of the decision-making process behind one of the worst American policy failures in a century—the extended closures of public schools during the pandemic. In fascinating and meticulously reported detail, David Zweig shows how some of the most trusted members of society—from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists to eminent health officials—repeatedly made fundamental errors in their assessment and presentation of evidence. As a result, for the first time in modern American history, millions of healthy children did not set foot in a classroom for more than a year.Since the spring of 2020, many students in Europe had been learning in person. Even many peers at home—in private schools, and public schools in mostly “red” states and districts—were in class full time from fall 2020 onward. Whatever inequities that existed among American children before the pandemic, the selective school closures exacerbated them, disproportionately affecting the underprivileged. Deep mental, physical, and academic harms—among them, depression, anxiety, abuse, obesity, plummeting test scores, and rising drop-out rates—were endured for no discernible benefit. As Europe had shown very early, after they had sent kids back to class, there was never any evidence that long-term school closures, nor a host of interventions imposed on students when they were in classrooms, would reduce overall cases or deaths in any meaningful way.The story of American schools during the pandemic serves as a prism through which to approach fundamental questions about why and how individuals, bureaucracies, governments, and societies act as they do in times of crisis and uncertainty. Ultimately, this book is not about COVID; it's about a country ill-equipped to act sensibly under duress. David Zweig is the author of the novel Swimming Inside the Sun and the nonfiction book Invisibles. He has testified twice before Congress as an expert witness on American schools during the pandemic, and his investigative reporting on the pandemic has been cited in numerous congressional letters and a brief to the Supreme Court. Zweig's journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, New York, Wired, The Free Press, The Boston Globe, and, most often, his newsletter, Silent Lunch. He lives with his family in New York State. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-technology-and-society
On Saturday night at 7:50 pm ET, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. had entered the war against Iran when he posted: “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.” In the minutes after this historic announcement we assembled six of the top experts on this issue: Haviv Rettig Gur, Michael Doran, Mark Dubowitz, Amit Segal, Eli Lake, and Matt Continetti. We discussed it all: what we actually know about the strikes; what it means for Iran's nuclear capabilities, how Iran might respond; why Trump struck now; what this means for the Middle East; and what Trump's national address signalled to the American public, to Israel, and most importantly to Iran. We'll note we recorded this Saturday night starting at 8:30 pm ET as a Free Press live event, and we will be hosting more in days to come. Go to groundnews.com/Honestly to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on today's biggest news stories. Beekeeper's Naturals is offering you an exclusive offer: Go to beekeepersnaturals.com/BARI to get 20% off your order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In today's episode:Trump plants his flags at the White House, something he did at the Winter White House in 2006, controversiallySteve Bannon on the Republican Party as Controlled Opposition and the need to unmask the RINOsTulsi Gabbard and the IC's assessment of NOOKSBari Weiss (of Marc Andreesens-sponsored The Free Press) and her guests want warTucker Carlson permanently ruins Ted CruzTed Cruz identifies as a Christian and America First but is a globalist who doesn't seem to know much about ChristianityBibi calls on Iranians to 'rise up' and Lindsay Graham pushed regime changeBibi suggests that the Bible is the basis for preemptive war by quoting the TalmudBibi says Israel is acting to protect themselves and the whole world from the threats Israeli intel made upIsraeli Defense Minister Katz takes credit on behalf of Israel for taking out SaddamTrump pushes for a dealScott Jennings gets caught in the RINO huntDouglas Murray has been begging for preemptive war since 2012Just Say No to NeoconsDurable ends to forever warsThe Russians warn the US about attacking IranThe apparently low value of the element of surpriseControl over Iran's skies and what that meansTrump demands SURRENDER, but from whom?The Ayatollah says there will be no surrender at goes hard after the "Zionist regime"Trump wants total and complete victorySteve Bannon reminds us that all of these people turned on MAGA in 2021.Connect with Be Reasonable: https://linktr.ee/imyourmoderatorLinks, articles, ideas - follow the info stream at t.me/veryreasonableHear the show when it's released. Become a paid subscriber at imyourmoderator.substack.comVisit the show's sponsors:Diversify your assets into Bitcoin: https://partner.river.com/reasonableDiversify your assets into precious metals: reasonablegold.comJoin the new information infrastructure - get Starlink: https://www.starlink.com/residential?referral=RC-1975306-67744-74Other ways to support the work:ko-fi.com/imyourmoderatorDonate btc via coinbase: 3MEh9J5sRvMfkWd4EWczrFr1iP3DBMcKk5Make life more comfortable: mypillow.com/reasonableMerch site:https://cancelcouture.myspreadshop.com/https://cancelcouture.comFollow the podcast info stream: t.me/veryreasonableYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@imyourmoderatorOther social platforms: Truth Social, Gab, Rumble, or Gettr - @imyourmoderator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Ever since Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion" targeting Iran's nuclear and missile programs, there has been debate inside and outside the White House about how much involvement America should have in the conflict. But the split over intervention isn't just among Republicans and Democrats; it is also among President Trump's base. Social media and traditional news outlets have given this divide a lot of attention, but is the so-called unrest among MAGA overblown? Journalist and Free Press columnist Batya Ungar-Sargon joins the FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition to discuss the debate over U.S. intervention among Trump supporters and the "mainstream media's" coverage of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Of course this weekend’s Big Weekend Pod is all about Israel’s strikes on Iran and whether President Trump should direct the American military to join in the attempt to smash Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs. Hugh’s guests include Jim Geraghty of National Review, AEI’s Matt Continetti (who is also with Commentary and The Free Press), Ben Domenech of the Spectator and Fox News, and Eli Lake of The Free Press – Eli’s new “Breaking History” podcast episode on the Iranian nuclear program is not to be missed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ever since Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion" targeting Iran's nuclear and missile programs, there has been debate inside and outside the White House about how much involvement America should have in the conflict. But the split over intervention isn't just among Republicans and Democrats; it is also among President Trump's base. Social media and traditional news outlets have given this divide a lot of attention, but is the so-called unrest among MAGA overblown? Journalist and Free Press columnist Batya Ungar-Sargon joins the FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition to discuss the debate over U.S. intervention among Trump supporters and the "mainstream media's" coverage of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Host Saeed Khan talks with guests, former Detroit News entertainment writer Jim Mcfarlin, attorneys Steve Fishman, Bill Seikaly and Joel Sklar; community and labor activist Barb Ingalls, veteran journalist Nancy Derringer and Deadline Detroit co-founder Allan Lengel.They talk about: Israel and Iran intensify military strikes: Trump's wimpy ilitary Parade and Nationwide “No Kings” Parade; Detroit News and Free Press to end business ties at end of year; Detroit mayoral candidates exchange vews and barbs in debate; Schmuck of the Week.
Ever since Israel launched "Operation Rising Lion" targeting Iran's nuclear and missile programs, there has been debate inside and outside the White House about how much involvement America should have in the conflict. But the split over intervention isn't just among Republicans and Democrats; it is also among President Trump's base. Social media and traditional news outlets have given this divide a lot of attention, but is the so-called unrest among MAGA overblown? Journalist and Free Press columnist Batya Ungar-Sargon joins the FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition to discuss the debate over U.S. intervention among Trump supporters and the "mainstream media's" coverage of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Poslední čtyři roky mě pronásledují Íránské revoluční gardy, píše íránská disidentka Masíh Alínežádová v článku pro americký server Free Press. Poslaly agenty, aby mě unesli z New Yorku, kde žiji. Najaly vrahy, aby mě zabili na americké půdě. Dokonce mě sledovaly až do švýcarského Davosu, odkud mě nakonec museli odvézt z hotelu vrtulníkem. Nebýt ochrany FBI a 21 bezpečných domů, kde jsem v posledních letech bydlela, možná bych už dnes nebyla naživu.Všechny díly podcastu Svět ve 20 minutách můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.
What if everything you thought you knew about race, racism, and social justice was only part of the story? In this explosive episode, Coleman Hughes, (Free Press writer, podcast host of Conversations with Coleman, and author of The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America) joins Mayim and Jonathan for a deep, nuanced discussion about identity, equality, and the role of technology in shaping cultural narratives. From the rise of critical race theory and the decline of race relations post-2013 to the algorithmic outrage fueled by social media, Hughes breaks down the data behind America's polarization and makes the case for true colorblindness. Is DEI making things better or worse? Are inherited trauma and systemic racism scientifically valid concepts? Hughes tackles how identity politics gave rise to Donald Trump, the difference between neo-racism and old-school racism and why he believes we need to talk about race less, not more. Whether you agree or disagree, this is a must-watch for anyone grappling with today's culture wars. Don't miss this thought-provoking dialogue. Conversations with Coleman Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conversations-with-coleman/id1716338488 Coleman Hughes' Book, The End of Race Politics: Arguments for a Colorblind America: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/671726/the-end-of-race-politics-by-coleman-hughes/ BialikBreakdown.comYouTube.com/mayimbialik
The Iranian regime is receiving an education of sorts this week, and while we await President Trump's decision on the extent of America's role in busting up the nuclear site at Fordow, the Free Press's Eli Lake (and host of the Breaking History podcast) returns to educate us on why surgical involvement in Iran fits with the "America First" agenda that voters signed up for last November.Plus, the reunited James, Charles, and Steve talk Skrmetti and Mamdani.- Music from this week's open: The Israeli Air Force has a hit on Iranian State Television
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comBatya is a journalist and author. She's a columnist for The Free Press, a co-host of The Group Chat on 2Way, and the author of two books: Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy, and Second Class: How the Elites Betrayed America's Working Men and Women. Her forthcoming book is about, as she puts it, “why Jews are Democrats and why the left turned on the Jews.”For two clips of our convo — on Trump's class warfare, and deporting non-citizens over speech — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: raised in an Orthodox family; debating issues with her parents and five siblings during Shabbat; spending high school in Israel; same-sex education; the mikveh; how sexual desire is better with limitations; becoming secular for a decade; getting a PhD in English literature; her “accidental” entry into journalism during Hurricane Sandy; the Great Awokening in media; Trump's despicable character; his fickle tariffs; his tax cuts; Congress ceding power to Trump; Biden's tariffs; his investment in factories and infrastructure; his disastrous immigration policy; Batya's evolving views on Trump; marriage equality; Bostock; trans activist ideology; Trump's EO on trans servicemembers; Scott Bessent; the overreach of neoliberalism; Adam Smith; the tax cuts in the BBB; crypto; defunding science at Harvard; gutting USAID; the State Dept's AI surveillance; the 1952 McCarthyite law; Öztürk and Khalil; UNRWA and Gaza; Israel striking Iran; and the possibility of regime change.There were eight clashes over facts in the episode. Chris ran them through Grok, which one presumes would not be too biased against Trump. You can read the eight back-and-forths on the web version of the episode. You should listen and, with these independent sources in mind, decide for yourself on the facts. I think I missed the mark a little a couple of times, but was specifically wrong in assuming that Batya was all in on the war against Iran and always had been. I apologize for that — and for getting a bit too amped up. I should try not to do that when I'm a host and I hope Batya will forgive me. But a vast amount of the chat was nonetheless delightful — and this is a stressful time. Coming up on the Dishcast: Paul Elie on crypto-religion in ‘80s pop culture, Walter Isaacson on Ben Franklin, Tara Zahra on the revolt against globalization after WWI, Thomas Mallon on the AIDS crisis, and Johann Hari turning the tables to interview me. (NS Lyons has indefinitely postponed a pod appearance — and his own substack — because he just accepted an appointment at the State Department; and the Arthur Brooks pod is postponed because of calendar conflicts.) Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
The Iranian regime is receiving an education of sorts this week, and while we await President Trump's decision on the extent of America's role in busting up the nuclear site at Fordow, the Free Press's Eli Lake (and host of the Breaking History podcast) returns to educate us on why surgical involvement in Iran fits […]
Sadanand Dhume, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, on his opinion column piece "Iran’s Nuclear Pursuit and the Pakistani Example" from The Wall Street Journal yesterday and the reason Iran must not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon. Coleman Hughes: What American Students Aren’t Taught About Slavery from The Free Press.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
June 17, 2025 ~ Gary Miles, Editor and Publisher at the Detroit News discusses the end of the joint operating agreement between the Detroit News and Free Press.
June 17, 2025 ~ Trump leaves G7 early over Iran and Israel. Ford launches "Building Together." A number of Michigan Democrats named in Minnesota shooter's manifesto. Recapping last night's debate. What to do about those toll road/DMV scam texts. Detroit News and Free Press end their joint operating agreement and the day's biggest headlines.
It's the fourth day in the war between Iran and Israel. Many questions hang in the air. Chief among them: Will Israel be able to fulfill its main goal in the war—to end Iran's nuclear program? Will it put troops on the ground to do so, specifically to blow up Iran's most important nuclear site? Or will the U.S. get involved? Will Trump provide the bunker-busting bombs necessary to destroy the facility at Fordow? Will the regime fall—and if so, what will come next? How does this struggle fit into the much, much larger geopolitical conflict between the U.S. and China? So today, I have two experts to break it all down: Niall Ferguson and Dexter Filkins. Niall Ferguson is a historian and Free Press columnist who just wrote in our pages, “Israel's attack restores the credibility of the West.” Dexter Filkins is a longtime foreign correspondent who has reported from Iran. He is a contributor at The New Yorker, has covered this topic for years, and is the author of The Forever War. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, has long focused on Iran's nuclear ambitions and advised multiple U.S. administrations on policy toward Iran. I invited him on Conversations with Coleman to explain the Iran nuclear issue at a deep level. We discussed the science of uranium enrichment, the differing Obama, Trump, and Biden policies on containment, and the history of Iran's nuclear ambitions from the 1979 Revolution to today. Mark laid out the stakes of preventing a nuclear-armed Iran—not just for the United States, but for global stability—and the consequences of getting it wrong. Mark emphasized how the calculation on confronting Iran has changed for Israel since October 7, 2023. While the U.S. has followed a doctrine of de-escalating to de-escalate—favoring diplomacy, economic incentives, and restraint—Israel now believes it must escalate to de-escalate. This conversation was recorded before Israel launched its attack on Iran, striking nuclear facilities, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps military bases, missile launchers, and commanders' residences. It's now more important than ever to understand the context for the articles and commentary that you're going to see over the next weeks and months. Subscribe to The Free Press for all of our ongoing reporting about the conflict at TheFP.com. Go to groundnews.com/coleman to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eli Lake, reporter for The Free Press, host of the "Breaking History" podcast, and contributing editor at Commentary, joined The Guy Benson Show today to discuss the overwhelming (almost biblical) success of Israel's preemptive strikes against Iranian nuclear sites and leadership. Lake explained how former President Trump played a critical behind-the-scenes role in aiding Israel's operation, and pushed back against the fringe voices on the right now calling Trump "Israel's poodle." Lake and Benson also outlined how this conflict could reset the power balance in the Middle East without dragging the U.S. into another nation-building mission, and you can listen to the full interview below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
In the 7 AM hour, Larry O’Connor and Julie Gunlock discussed: WMAL GUEST: JOE DIGENOVA (Legal Analyst & Former U.S. Attorney, District of Columbia) on the 'No Kings' Protests and Trump’s Efforts to Fight Illegal Immigration SUNDAY ON CNN: Sen. Padilla says Noem Should Have Recognized Him WMAL GUEST: ELI LAKE (Columnist, The Free Press) on Fighting Between Israel and Iran Where to find more about WMAL's morning show: Follow Podcasts on Apple, Audible and Spotify Follow WMAL's "O'Connor and Company" on X: @WMALDC, @LarryOConnor, @JGunlock, @PatricePinkfile, and @HeatherHunterDC Facebook: WMALDC and Larry O'Connor Instagram: WMALDC Website: WMAL.com/OConnor-Company Episode: Monday, June 16, 2025 / 7 AM HourSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
As we taped this episode of Honestly, it was 3 a.m. in Israel. Sirens wailed across the country as Iranian missiles rained down on Israeli towns. At the same time, Israel was striking military and nuclear sites inside Iran, and oil fields were aflame. Meanwhile in Washington, reports were emerging of a heated debate inside the White House over whether the U.S. should get involved in the war. It's hard to overstate the magnitude of this story—or how uncertain the outcome is for Israel. There's no one better to help us make sense of this war than Michael Doran—senior fellow and director of the Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East. This has been his story not just for the past few days—for the last decade, no one has written more, and more brilliantly, about Iran's nuclear aspirations and Washington's posture toward Iran than Mike. And he just wrote for The Free Press “The Ultimate Deception: How Trump and Bibi Outfoxed Iran.” We recorded this interview Saturday evening at 6 p.m. as a Free Press subscriber livestream. We're doing more of these given the speed of the news. To attend one live and ask your own questions, become a Free Press subscriber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, I'm joined by Gloria Chou, PR expert and founder of Gloria Chou PR, to break down how Etsy sellers can get massive media coverage—without paying for agencies or ads. Gloria shares how she went from being a U.S. diplomat with zero media contacts to landing press features through her signature CPR pitching method.We dive into practical strategies for getting featured in gift guides, pitching journalists effectively, and using tools like AI and Substack to make DIY PR simple and repeatable. If you're ready to grow your Etsy visibility and credibility, this episode is packed with gold.Be sure to watch Gloria's free masterclass for Etsy sellers and creatives:
The Rich Zeoli Show- Hour 3: 5:05pm- Frannie Block—Reporter for The Free Press—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss her latest article, “Reading, Writing, and Racism: The Three R's of Philly Public Schools.” You can read the full article here: https://www.thefp.com/p/philadelphia-radical-curriculum-racism-israel. 5:20pm- The No Kings protest is expected to occur in numerous cities across the country this Saturday—including Philadelphia. Will District Attorney Larry Krasner prosecute protesters that turn violent? Nope! During a press conference on Thursday, Krasner shamelessly compared President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. 5:40pm- During a news conference on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was berated by Sen. Alex Padilla as she attempted to highlight the Trump Administration's removal of dangerous criminals residing in the U.S. unlawfully. Padilla was so disruptive that he needed to be escorted out of the room by security. 5:45pm- What are Matt's top 3 favorite Martin Scorsese films of all time? Rich and Justin are disgusted by the list…but, sadly, not surprised.
The Rich Zeoli Show- Full Episode (06/12/2025): 3:05pm- On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed joint Congressional resolutions which will block California from enacting its ban on gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035—revoking a federal waiver allowing states to set their own tailpipe emissions standards under the Clean Air Act. Unsurprisingly, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) immediately released a statement announcing California will legally challenge the resolutions: “We are suing to stop this latest illegal action by a President who is a wholly-owned subsidiary of big polluters.” 3:15pm- Want to see the most deranged protester in all of Los Angeles? I think we have found her! The woman—who is carrying a leaf blower—vociferously proclaims that Los Angeles belongs to Mexico and tells Donald Trump to suck a body part that women don't have! Plus, she says that Trump is only interested in deporting illegal migrants so that he can get revenge on Selma Hayek—who she claims rejected Trump's romantic advances. 3:20pm- During a news conference on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was berated by Sen. Alex Padilla as she attempted to highlight the Trump Administration's removal of dangerous criminals residing in the U.S. unlawfully. Padilla was so disruptive that he needed to be escorted out of the room by security. 3:45pm- Sen. Dave McCormick—United States Senator from Pennsylvania—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss Amazon investing $20 billion in rural Pennsylvania for AI infrastructure, anti-ICE riots in Los Angeles, and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 4:05pm- Breaking News: The House of Representatives has passed a recissions package that will claw back billions of dollars in federal funding to NPR and PBS. The package will now head to the Senate. 4:15pm- Who is funding the left's “No Kings” protests? Walmart heiress Christy Walton—the widow of John T. Walton, son of Walmart founder Sam Walton—funded a full-page advertisement in The New York Times promoting a nationwide protest against President Donald Trump's Flag Day celebration in Washington D.C. The New York Post notes that Christy Walton has no role in Walmart's operations but has a net worth of over $19 billion. Rich notes that it's important to remember Walmart and its employees have played absolutely no part in this—and shouldn't be financially punished via a boycott for an heiress's far-left ideology. 4:40pm- The No Kings protest is expected to occur in numerous cities across the country this Saturday—including Philadelphia. Will District Attorney Larry Krasner prosecute protesters that turn violent? Nope! 5:05pm- Frannie Block—Reporter for The Free Press—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss her latest article, “Reading, Writing, and Racism: The Three R's of Philly Public Schools.” You can read the full article here: https://www.thefp.com/p/philadelphia-radical-curriculum-racism-israel. 5:20pm- The No Kings protest is expected to occur in numerous cities across the country this Saturday—including Philadelphia. Will District Attorney Larry Krasner prosecute protesters that turn violent? Nope! During a press conference on Thursday, Krasner shamelessly compared President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler. 5:40pm- During a news conference on Thursday, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was berated by Sen. Alex Padilla as she attempted to highlight the Trump Administration's removal of dangerous criminals residing in the U.S. unlawfully. Padilla was so disruptive that he needed to be escorted out of the room by security. 5:45pm- What are Matt's top 3 favorite Martin Scorsese films of all time? Rich and Justin are disgusted by the list…but, sadly, not surprised. 6:05pm- Daniel Turner— Founder and Executive Director of Power the Future—joins The Rich Zeoli Show to discuss President Donald Trump signing joint Congressional resolutions which will block California from enacting its ban on gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. ...
An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decisions (MIT Press, 2025) is a devastating account of the decision-making process behind one of the worst American policy failures in a century—the extended closures of public schools during the pandemic. In fascinating and meticulously reported detail, David Zweig shows how some of the most trusted members of society—from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists to eminent health officials—repeatedly made fundamental errors in their assessment and presentation of evidence. As a result, for the first time in modern American history, millions of healthy children did not set foot in a classroom for more than a year.Since the spring of 2020, many students in Europe had been learning in person. Even many peers at home—in private schools, and public schools in mostly “red” states and districts—were in class full time from fall 2020 onward. Whatever inequities that existed among American children before the pandemic, the selective school closures exacerbated them, disproportionately affecting the underprivileged. Deep mental, physical, and academic harms—among them, depression, anxiety, abuse, obesity, plummeting test scores, and rising drop-out rates—were endured for no discernible benefit. As Europe had shown very early, after they had sent kids back to class, there was never any evidence that long-term school closures, nor a host of interventions imposed on students when they were in classrooms, would reduce overall cases or deaths in any meaningful way.The story of American schools during the pandemic serves as a prism through which to approach fundamental questions about why and how individuals, bureaucracies, governments, and societies act as they do in times of crisis and uncertainty. Ultimately, this book is not about COVID; it's about a country ill-equipped to act sensibly under duress. David Zweig is the author of the novel Swimming Inside the Sun and the nonfiction book Invisibles. He has testified twice before Congress as an expert witness on American schools during the pandemic, and his investigative reporting on the pandemic has been cited in numerous congressional letters and a brief to the Supreme Court. Zweig's journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, New York, Wired, The Free Press, The Boston Globe, and, most often, his newsletter, Silent Lunch. He lives with his family in New York State. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark discusses the horrific plane crash in India as well as a Democratic Senator being forcibly removed after crashing Kristi Noem's press conference. Mark is then joined by Frannie Block, a reporter for The Free Press who discusses the article, "Reading, Writing and Racism: The Three R's in Philly Schools." He is later joined by Cassie Smedile, a former RNC Spokesperson. She discusses Democrats continued disarray, DNC Chair Ken Martin's leaked phone conversation with David Hogg, as well as why Democrats continue to be on the wrong side of so many issues.
In hour 1 of The Mark Reardon Show, Mark discusses the horrific plane crash in India as well as a Democratic Senator being forcibly removed after crashing Kristi Noem's press conference. Mark is then joined by Frannie Block, a reporter for The Free Press who discusses the article, "Reading, Writing and Racism: The Three R's in Philly Schools." He is later joined by Cassie Smedile, a former RNC Spokesperson. She discusses Democrats continued disarray, DNC Chair Ken Martin's leaked phone conversation with David Hogg, as well as why Democrats continue to be on the wrong side of so many issues. In hour 2, Mark reviews recent audio of Elise Stefanik calling out the New York Governor Kathy Hochul for her poor policy leading to the harming and death of US citizens. Ethan then hosts, "Ethan's News" where he discusses the latest trending entertainment news, this day in history, the random fact of the day, and much more. Mark is then joined by Brad Young, 97.1's Chief Legal Analyst and a Partner with Harris, Fischer and Young. He discusses what powers Trump has to send troops into cities, the Trump administration being told by a judge that they have to release Columbian protestor Khalil, female athletes appealing a landmark NCAA settlement, and the Supreme Court saying a family can sue over wrong house raid. He's later joined by Tim Oldenburg, a St Louis Alderman who discusses millions being spent from the Rams settlement fund to fix up the Dome at the America's Center. In hour 3, Mark is joined by Heather Mac Donald who discusses the rioting and protesting occurring in Los Angeles. Later, Mark is joined by Kenneth Abramowitz, the author of "The Multifront War: Defending America from Political Islam, China, Russia, Pandemics and Racial Strife". He discusses whether or not we should be concerned about Iran. They wrap up the show with the Audio Cut of the Day.
In this segment, Mark is joined by Frannie Block, a reporter for The Free Press who discusses the article, "Reading, Writing and Racism: The Three R's in Philly Schools."
An Abundance of Caution: American Schools, the Virus, and a Story of Bad Decisions (MIT Press, 2025) is a devastating account of the decision-making process behind one of the worst American policy failures in a century—the extended closures of public schools during the pandemic. In fascinating and meticulously reported detail, David Zweig shows how some of the most trusted members of society—from Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists to eminent health officials—repeatedly made fundamental errors in their assessment and presentation of evidence. As a result, for the first time in modern American history, millions of healthy children did not set foot in a classroom for more than a year.Since the spring of 2020, many students in Europe had been learning in person. Even many peers at home—in private schools, and public schools in mostly “red” states and districts—were in class full time from fall 2020 onward. Whatever inequities that existed among American children before the pandemic, the selective school closures exacerbated them, disproportionately affecting the underprivileged. Deep mental, physical, and academic harms—among them, depression, anxiety, abuse, obesity, plummeting test scores, and rising drop-out rates—were endured for no discernible benefit. As Europe had shown very early, after they had sent kids back to class, there was never any evidence that long-term school closures, nor a host of interventions imposed on students when they were in classrooms, would reduce overall cases or deaths in any meaningful way.The story of American schools during the pandemic serves as a prism through which to approach fundamental questions about why and how individuals, bureaucracies, governments, and societies act as they do in times of crisis and uncertainty. Ultimately, this book is not about COVID; it's about a country ill-equipped to act sensibly under duress. David Zweig is the author of the novel Swimming Inside the Sun and the nonfiction book Invisibles. He has testified twice before Congress as an expert witness on American schools during the pandemic, and his investigative reporting on the pandemic has been cited in numerous congressional letters and a brief to the Supreme Court. Zweig's journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, New York, Wired, The Free Press, The Boston Globe, and, most often, his newsletter, Silent Lunch. He lives with his family in New York State. Caleb Zakarin is editor of the New Books Network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies
Terry Mattingly of Rational Sheep Rational Sheep Pop Goes Religion: Faith in Popular Culture GetReligion.org The post A Column in The Free Press “How the Democrats Lost Men Like Me” – Terry Mattingly, 6/11/25 (1621) first appeared on Issues, Etc..
I am proud to announce that I have relaunched my podcast, Conversations with Coleman, with The Free Press. My first guest is none other than Bari Weiss, who talks to me about the recent surge in antisemitism, what it means to speak out in a time when doing so can come at a cost, and how walking away from The New York Times has helped shape The Free Press. Join us as we also cover Trump, God, and the future of our democracy. It's a conversation you won't want to miss. Ground News: Go to groundnews.com/coleman to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On April 13, 2025, an arsonist set fire to the residence of the governor of Pennsylvania. When apprehended, he told law-enforcement officers that he did so using Molotov cocktails. The attack took place just hours after the governor, an American Jew, and his Jewish family, had concluded their Passover seder. The next month, a far-left activist murdered two members of the Israeli embassy staff in the name of Palestine, having gone to a Jewish venue hosting a Jewish event in order to hunt down and kill Jewish people. Not long after, on May 28, a Michigan man was apprehended outside of a Jewish preschool, after threatening Jewish parents and children. It was later discovered that he had attempted to acquire firearms and had planned to kill members of the school. Then there was the most recent news. On June 1, an Egyptian national came to a solidarity walk for Israeli hostages in Boulder, Colorado. There, he threw Molotov cocktails and used a homemade flamethrower in order to burn the attendees. While hurling the explosives, he was recorded yelling “Free Palestine,” and other like phrases. A new season of violence has descended upon the Jews of America. Or, perhaps, one ought to say that a new season of violence has descended upon America with the Jews as its central of target, revealing for all to see the dangers of domestic terrorism. The historian and analyst of anti-Semitism Jeffrey Herf, professor emeritus at the University of Maryland, joins Jonathan Silver to discuss this spike in domestic terrorism. It is his contention that the phenomenon has an antecedent in the 1960s radical movements that, then as now, transformed leftist ideas into violent action. The slogan “globalize the intifada,” has been a hallmark of campus and leftist protest since October 7, but it has slipped the bounds of speech and resulted in violence, with deadly results. Drawing on the work of the writer Paul Berman, Herf goes on to argue that if history is any guide, violence against Jews is likely to increase. He laid this out in an article he published in the Free Press just hours after the Boulder attack.
In the past few weeks, Qatar has been all over the news with flashy headlines of a $400 million luxury jet that the country gifted to President Donald Trump. It symbolized their opulence and eagerness to please the U.S. But 40 years ago, Qatar was a country with a gross domestic product (GDP) of a few billion dollars. Since the 19th century, it has been run by the Al Thani family, which can trace its roots in the region back thousands of years. Qatar was long considered a backwater. The main industries were fishing and pearls. It was impoverished for the vast majority of its history. Its royal family was dwarfed by rivals in Saudi Arabia. Then everything changed. It turned out that the largest liquified natural gas field was sitting just off the coast of Qatar. And with the help of American energy giants like ExxonMobil, Qatar began exporting LNG in 1997. In a few decades, Qatar's GDP grew exponentially. Today it's over $200 billion. Qatar hosts the main air base for American forces in the Middle East. It hosted the World Cup in 2022. And it's embarking on a series of business and military deals with the U.S.—earmarked at $1.2 trillion. There are a lot of petro-states in the region. Some, like Saudi Arabia, exceed Qatar's wealth by hundreds of billions. But what Qatar has chosen to do with its money—morality aside—is farsighted. Qatar has chosen to focus a huge amount of money and resources on influence. In the past 15 years, Qatar has developed a sophisticated apparatus to embed itself into American society in a way that would shock most Americans. They've done it by investing in our politicians, universities, newsrooms, think tanks, lobbying firms, and corporations—all on an unprecedented scale. In all, the tiny Gulf nation has spent almost $100 billion to establish this influence. So what's the problem? Well, Qatar's push to buy influence has made their connection to the Muslim Brotherhood ever more alarming and apparent. Frannie Block and Jay Solomon published a massive investigative report on Qatar's seismic influence strategy for The Free Press. It's called “How Qatar Bought America.” Today on Honestly, I ask Jay and Frannie how Qatar built this ecosystem, what they want in return, and what it has already gotten them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet passionately make out at Knicks playoff game (Page Six) (23:16)Solo Taylor Swift breaks cover for NYC dinner at her go-to spot (Page Six) (30:00)Sydney Sweeney Teams Up with Dr. Squatch to Release a Bar of Soap Made From Her Bathwater (PEOPLE)Victoria Beckham ‘ruined' son Brooklyn and Nicola Peltz's wedding with wild move (Page Six) (1:08:23)Julie Chrisley spotted for first time since prison release — with shocking new look (Page Six) (1:14:07)Queenie and Weenie of The Week (1:19:56)The Toast with Jackie (@JackieOshry) and Suzy Weiss of The Free Press (@suzyweiss)The Toast with Jackie (@JackieOshry) and Claudia Oshry (@girlwithnojob) Lean InThe Camper and The Counselor by Jackie OshryMerchThe Toast PatreonGirl With No Job by Claudia OshrySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Lesley Stahl, a linchpin of CBS News, began at the network in 1971, covering major events such as Watergate, and for many years has been a correspondent on “60 Minutes.” But right now it's a perilous time for CBS News, which has been sued by Donald Trump for twenty billion dollars over the editing of a “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris during the 2024 Presidential campaign. Its owner, Paramount, seems likely to settle, and corporate pressure on journalists at CBS has been so intense that Bill Owens, the executive producer of “60 Minutes,” and Wendy McMahon, the head of CBS News, resigned in protest. Owens's departure was “a punch in the stomach,” Stahl tells David Remnick in a recent interview, “one of those punches where you almost can't breathe.” And far worse could happen in a settlement with Trump, which would compromise the integrity of the premier investigative program on broadcast news. “I'm already beginning to think about mourning, grieving,” Stahl says. “I know there's going to be a settlement. . . . And then we will hopefully still be around, turning a new page, and finding out what that new page is going to look like.” Although she describes herself as “Pollyannaish,” Stahl acknowledges that she is “pessimistic about the future for all press today. . . . The public has lost faith in us as an institution. So we're in very dark times.”
Conversations with Coleman is where deep thinkers and curious minds meet for sharp, surprising, and unfiltered chats. Hosted by Coleman Hughes, writer, thinker, and guy who asks the questions other people dodge - this podcast isn't about debating. It's about discovery. Politics, philosophy, race, culture, science: it's all fair game. If you're done with hot takes and hungry for real-talk, come join the conversation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In 2023 and 2024, there were many things that were unsayable. Perhaps the most unsayable—at least in legacy media circles—was that the President of the United States was not capable of being president, because he was no longer mentally fit. Those people who did break the taboo—who dared to notice Biden's countless gaffes, his stiff gait, those who recognized the reality of old age, including Special Counsel Robert Hur—were written off or smeared. Videos of the president—clips of Biden tripping or misspeaking—were rebranded by The New York Times as “cheap fakes.” People were told to disbelieve their eyes and ears. It's now the spring of 2025. Trump is the president. Biden dropped out. And now the unsayable things are being said—most dramatically in Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson's new book, Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again. Tapper, of CNN, and Thompson, of Axios, interviewed more than 200 people for this book, which illuminates Biden's mental decline, his enablers, and how the country was effectively run by committee in the midst of his clear cognitive impairment. For those of us who thought it was bad—it was actually much worse than anyone could have imagined. Alex and Jake have chosen to call the effort to hide Biden's decline a “cover-up.” Those are choice words from two mainstream media insiders, invoking memories of Watergate and Iran-Contra. And the cover-up they are referring to is that of the Biden family and the close circle of advisers around them, many of whom are still delusional about Biden's state. But cover-up might be the word that many Americans would use to describe the press's coverage of Biden. How did ordinary people see more than people with White House press passes? And, what does it all say about human nature, transparency, and groupthink? This is a really illuminating conversation about presidential power, the lengths some will go to keep it, and how the media failed to report the story of a lifetime. Header 6: The Free Press earns a commission from any purchases made through all book links in this article. Go to groundnews.com/Honestly to get 40% off the unlimited access Vantage plan and unlock world-wide perspectives on today's biggest news stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
PREVIEW: COLLEAGUE JAY SOLOMON OF THE FREE PRESS REPORTS THAT DOHA PASSES AROUND CASH TO POLITICIANS FROM ALL SIDES--SOME SURPRISING. MORE LATER. 1904 DOHA
Michael Anton—newly dubbed “MAGA's Machiavelli”—gets a profile in The Free Press and some well-deserved recognition. Well-read, well-spoken, and well-dressed, Anton has done more than many realize to shape U.S. policies and political thought in the Trump Era. Meanwhile, Trump seems to sour on Putin and takes flak from some for not catching wise on Putin. But will he suffer any political consequences? Closer to home, Elon Musk throws in the towel on DOGE in light of a spending bill passed by the House. This week, the hosts discuss the trajectory of a former/fellow Claremonster, Russia, and runaway federal spending. Plus: tech and media recommendations!
Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26, were staffers at the Israeli Embassy. They had just planned a trip for Sarah to meet Yaron's parents. He had recently bought an engagement ring. Then on Wednesday night, they were murdered outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. The suspect, 31-year-old Elias Rodriguez, told police: “I did it for Palestine. I did it for Gaza.” Since its founding, The Free Press has reported on the rise of this kind of radicalism and a culture that has embraced violence as a means of expression, that has lost hold of the difference between life and death. Today, Bari reflects on the climate we now find ourselves in—and the deafening silence from mainstream media and pop culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Megyn Kelly is joined by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson, co-authors of "Original Sin," to discuss their new book, the revelations about Biden's cognitive decline and the cover-up by those around him, the way they each covered the story at the time, Tapper's viral interview with Lara Trump from 2020, whether the media was part of the cover-up, what Tapper was thinking behind-the-scenes at the June Biden debate meltdown, the criticism of the book and reaction to it from the left and right, and more. Then Batya Ungar-Sargon, The Free Press columnist, joins to discuss how top Dems and the entire establishment was involved in the outrageous Biden cover-up, why most of the corporate media was involved as well, and more. Tapper and Thompson- http://www.originalsinbook.com/Ungar-Sargon- https://www.amazon.com/Second-Class-Betrayed-Americas-Working/dp/1641773618 Select Quote: Get the right life insurance for YOU, for LESS at https://www.SelectQuote.com/MEGYNTax Network USA: Call 1-800-958-1000 or visit https://TNUSA.com/MEGYN to speak with a strategist for FREE todayGrand Canyon University: https://GCU.edu120Life: Go to https://120Life.com and use code MK to save 15%Follow The Megyn Kelly Show on all social platforms:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/MegynKellyTwitter: http://Twitter.com/MegynKellyShowInstagram: http://Instagram.com/MegynKellyShowFacebook: http://Facebook.com/MegynKellyShow Find out more information at: https://www.devilmaycaremedia.com/megynkellyshow