The Lawfare Podcast

In this podcast, the hosts discuss the potential impact of generative AI on elections. They explore the alleged harms and potential benefits of generative AI in political ads. The podcast also examines the influence of false ads, repetition, personalization, and bias in shaping voter choice. It raises questions about the absence of federal laws regulating interventions to address alleged harms and proposes policy recommendations for handling the impact of generative AI and political ads on local and state elections. The implications of generative AI on elections and differing views on the role of AI in advancing human rights are also discussed.

Defense analyst Brian Finucane and political commentator Josh Paul discuss U.S. arms transfers to Israel. They talk about the scale and process of these transfers, the legal and policy requirements, and the debate about imposing conditions on military assistance. They also address the potential complicity and liability for war crimes committed with U.S. weapons, the decision-making process on human rights violations, and the importance of following the law and considering actions.

Tiana Epps-Johnson, Executive Director of the Center for Tech and Civic Life, discusses the lawsuits and investigations faced by her organization after assisting in the 2020 presidential election. They explore the financial costs, impact on future elections, and the importance of defending against attacks. The chapter also highlights the Center's work in supporting local election departments and the need for cybersecurity training and adequate funding. Additionally, they discuss the dangers of cyber threats and the 'Delete Me' service for protecting personal information.

CIA General Counsel Caroline Krass, Orin Kerr, and Benjamin Wittes discuss legal questions raised by evolving technologies in intelligence operations. They explore the need for updated legal structures, balancing privacy, security, and innovation. The podcast also covers congressional oversight, challenges of technology and territorial divisions, and the debate on whether companies should have the legal ability to hack back against hackers.

Guests Khaled Elgindy, Natan Sachs, and Sarah Yerkes discuss the opening of the American Embassy in Jerusalem, protests in Gaza, and the international reaction. They also explore the impact on US-European relationship and the origins of the Gaza protests. The podcast touches upon personal data privacy and provides recommendations on protecting personal information online.

The podcast discusses the challenges of disqualifying Trump from the 2024 election under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, including the interplay between Section 3 challenges and Election Law. It explores variation in state election laws and the role of state administrative officials in determining candidates' qualifications. The speakers also delve into the interpretation and application of Section 3 throughout history, as well as the challenges and complexities of disqualifying Trump and the implications for election law.

Samuel Moyn, Professor of Law and History at Harvard University, discusses how warfare has become both more humane and harder to end. He argues that the focus has shifted from preventing war to ending war crimes, with the human rights community sharing culpability. The podcast explores the challenges faced by human rights activists, the rise of the unwilling and/or unable doctrine for intervention, and the paradox of human rights and militarized foreign policy.

Gerald Posner, author of Case Closed, debunks JFK assassination conspiracy theories. Topics include the limits of memory, flawed investigations, influential film JFK, Cuban government involvement, grand conspiracy thinking, and the impact of conspiracy culture on society.

Great documentary filmmaker Errol Morris interviews espionage novelist John le Carré about his complex attitudes towards the Cold War, influence of Kim Philby on his work, similarities between Morris and le Carré as documentarians, and comparison with Graham Greene and Joseph Conrad. Morris also reflects on interview techniques and how he learned to interview a subject without saying anything.

Experts discuss the United States's strength in international politics, examining its military, economic, and technological superiority. They challenge the notion of America's decline and China's rise shifting the balance of power. The podcast explores the outbreak of conflicts, the concept of command of the commons, China's recent actions, and the sustainability of the liberal world order in a post-hegemonic world.