Talking Feds

Adam Schiff is Ready to Battle Blanche

For his latest Talking San Diego conversation, Harry sits down with California Senator Adam Schiff. The two start with a close look at the upcoming confirmation battle over would-be Attorney General Todd Blanche. Drawing on their shared background as federal prosecutors, the two discuss what makes Blanche a singularly troubling nominee. The senator then shares his analysis of Blanche's prospects, including his probable reception among critical Republicans. Senator Schiff then lays out tactics for defending the midterms, plans for righting Chief Justice John Roberts’s wrongs—including by packing the bench—and his efforts to protect California from a vengeful Trump. Harry and the senator also cover some slightly lighter fare, including the status of the senator’s comedy career and what life is like inside Trump’s brain, where the senator "lives rent free." This Talking San Diego event was made possible by our venue partner Congregation Beth Israel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Slaughterhouse-Six

It’s our annual Supreme Court term wrap-up. To break down a term marked by juggernaut victories for the conservative legal movement—as well as a few key losses for Trump—Harry is joined by Amy Howe, Dahlia Lithwick, and Steve Vladeck. They break down the biggest cases and spotlight several overlooked decisions with enormous long-term consequences for executive power, immigration, and the structure of the American government itself. Finally, the trio looks ahead to the next term and posits ways to restrain a runaway court. Mentioned in this episode:Amy’s reporting: https://www.scotusblog.com/author/amy-howe/Dahlia’s reporting: https://slate.com/author/dahlia-lithwickSteve’s Substack: https://www.stevevladeck.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Brooks on Trump, AI, and Fixing America

Harry talks with David Brooks about how we can redeem the society that produced an epidemic of loneliness, a shallow public life, and of course, Donald Trump. The two discuss Brooks’s stubborn optimism and the solutions he thinks could turn the tide toward a stronger, more communal America. Brooks lays out his hopes and fears for AI, warning of a society riven not just by income inequality but “cognitive inequality.” And he describes the kind of leader he’d like to see funnel the widespread demands for change that continue to roil American politics.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kick Out Your Tired and Poor

Our latest Contrarian episode comes with the end of the SCOTUS term looming, primaries shaking the Democratic party, and a key court ruling threatening Trump’s slush fund. A pair of Contrarian stalwarts—Maria Cardona and Norm Eisen—join Harry to break it all down. Has the Supreme Court just further broken our immigration system? And what will its final rulings of the term bring? Have mainstream Democrats lost their mojo? And could a new avenue of judicial scrutiny doom Trump’s ugliest self-deal? Mentioned in this episode: The Contrarian: https://www.contrariannews.org/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Murphy on Fighting Trump and Pursuing Happiness

“The fight,” Senator Chris Murphy tells Harry, “shouldn’t just be to get rid of Trump. The fight should be to create a different economy and a different culture.” That’s the message of the senator’s new book—Crisis of the Common Good—which offers a host of provocative ideas for fixing the cracks in our society through which Trump crawled his way to power. After the two look at some of the latest Trump-induced crises, like Iran and the slush fund, Harry digs into the book’s many big ideas. He closes by asking the senator about the steps any American can take toward a happier life and a healthier democracy. Mentioned in this episode: Senator Murphy's book: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374621117/crisisofthecommongood/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices