SNAFU with Ed Helms Rachel Maddow and ULTRA
Dec 24, 2025
Rachel Maddow, Emmy Award-winning political commentator and host of the podcast Ultra, dives into the chilling details of the 1944 Great Sedition Trial. She reveals why this significant event has faded from public memory and discusses her journey tracing the roots of Holocaust denial in the U.S. Their conversation touches on the recurring themes of right-wing authoritarianism, the power of audio storytelling, and the connection to contemporary events like January 6. Maddow also shares insights on adapting her work into film, emphasizing the importance of transparency and informed citizenry in protecting democracy.
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Forgotten Nazi Collaboration In US Politics
- The Great Sedition Trial of 1944 involved Nazis working with American politicians and was largely forgotten.
- Rachel Maddow's Ultra rescues this hidden history and shows its modern resonance.
Why Important Events Vanish From Memory
- Stories get forgotten partly because winners or victors prefer forgetting painful episodes.
- Those who lose power often fade from public memory, erasing inconvenient history.
Discovery Through Curiosity
- Rachel Maddow stumbled from researching Holocaust denial into discovering the sedition trial story.
- She found the trial was a precursor to later American Holocaust denial networks.