Introduction

Today, we’re sharing an episode of the podcast Deconstructed, from our friends over at The Intercept, an award-winning investigative news organization.

When Bernie Sanders launched his first presidential campaign in 2015, the political world could not have been more different than how it is today. His run set in motion a movement — or, really, a series of movements that clashed and blended over the ensuing years, reshaping both the Democratic Party and the country.

In this episode of Deconstructed, host Ryan Grim narrates an excerpt of his new book, The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution. Throughout the narrative, the team at Deconstructed has spliced in with interviews, speeches, and newscasts, turning it into an audio documentary. 

The first episode takes you inside the first Sanders campaign, and explores the tension between the right wing of the Democratic Party and Sanders’s “political revolution.” 

Part two, which will be published next week, looks back at the historical forces that pushed members of the Squad into politics — and the spotlight.

If you like Lever Time, be sure to check out Deconstructed on all podcast platforms and subscribe.

Links:

• The Squad: AOC and the Hope of a Political Revolution (Macmillan, 2023)

A transcript of this episode is available here.