

Pod Save the World
Crooked Media
“Pod Save America” cohost Tommy Vietor thought foreign policy was boring and complicated until he got the education of a lifetime working for President Obama’s National Security Council. On “Pod Save the World,” he and former deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes break down the latest global developments and bring you behind the scenes with the people who were there. New episodes every Wednesday.
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Subscribe to Friends of the Pod! Your subscription makes Crooked’s work possible and gives you access to ad-free episodes of Pod Save America and Pod Save the World, plus exclusive content and a lively Discord community. Learn more and subscribe at crooked.com/friends or on Apple Podcasts.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 27, 2021 • 1h 10min
Cocaine Hippos
Tommy and Ben discuss the military coup in Sudan, how Boston Celtics center Enes Kanter is making waves in China, Israel’s designation of six Palestinian human rights groups as terrorist organizations, Facebook’s global impact, Trump officials get kickbacks from the Saudis, Russia, climate change and cocaine hippos. Then British Member of Parliament David Lammy joins to discuss the recent murder of a British lawmaker and the danger of online hate speech.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oct 20, 2021 • 1h 20min
We booked a Nobel Prize winner
Tommy and Ben discuss the murder of a British member of parliament, Colin Powell’s legacy, missiles, climate change, the fight against Viktor Orban, kidnappings in Haiti, democracy in Sudan, covid in Brazil, her majesty’s cocktails, why Australia hates Ted Cruz, and wizards. Then Nobel Peace Prize winning journalist Maria Ressa joins to talk about her battles against President Rodrigo Duterte and Facebook. For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oct 13, 2021 • 1h 13min
Ted Lasso with a bone saw
Tommy and Ben talk about why US special forces were on a training mission in Taiwan, the Saudi government buys a soccer team, Biden’s Syria policy, stealing US Navy secrets, a breakthrough in the fight against Malaria, what a $20 million home in Beverly Hills tells us about Afghanistan, Iraq’s election results, Ted Cruz and the far-right in Spain, an Ethiopia update and gift giving in the Trump era.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Oct 6, 2021 • 1h 18min
Decoding the Pandora Papers
Tommy and Ben discuss a new, massive leak of financial documents that expose how billionaires and powerful politicians hide their money, the global impact of Facebook going offline, the CIA sounds the alarm about protecting sources, Biden’s team tries to fix relations with France, news about China and Ethiopia, and then Ben gets an update on the current situation in Afghanistan from activist and senior fellow at the Atlantic Council Sahar Halaimzai.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 29, 2021 • 1h 25min
Jared Kushner is “Rasputin in a slim-fitting suit”
Tommy and Ben talk about the results of the German elections, Senate hearings on Afghanistan, a report about a Trump administration plan to arrest Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, votes on Israel and Yemen on Capitol Hill, an update on Burma, and funny Trump foreign policy stories. Then Washington Post journalist Jason Rezaian joins to talk about his new podcast 544 Days, which details his time being held hostage in Iran’s notorious Evin prison.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 22, 2021 • 1h 21min
France is not amused
Tommy and Ben explain why a security agreement between the US, UK and Australia has enraged the French, the latest on elections in Canada and Russia, the assassination of an Iranian scientist, Biden addresses the UN General Assembly, and the Space Force debuts its dress uniform. Then Senator Chris Murphy joins Ben to discuss the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the urgency for filling critical diplomatic positions that Republicans are blocking.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 15, 2021 • 1h 7min
Who hid the nukes from Trump?
Tommy and Ben talk about the national security news in Bob Woodward’s new book, some rare progress in nuclear talks with Iran, the latest on efforts to get the world vaccinated, why national security jobs are stalled in the Senate and an assessment of the global threat from terrorism, for-profit spyware, and Kim Jong Un’s weight loss. Then CNN’s senior international correspondent Nima Elbagir joins to talk about her reporting on the war in Ethiopia.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 8, 2021 • 1h 27min
20 years after 9/11
Tommy and Ben cover the latest from Afghanistan, right-wing protests in Brazil, a coup in Guinea, bitcoin in El Salvador, Biden’s immigration policy, big elections in Germany, Japan and Canada, and tough times for celebrities in China. Then Ben talks to former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul about the Ukrainian President’s visit to America.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Sep 1, 2021 • 57min
What comes next for Afghanistan
Tommy and Ben talk about the United States ending its war in Afghanistan as both countries navigate what comes next, what a visit from Israel’s prime minister can tell us about the future of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and where things stand with Russia’s opposition movement weeks away from parliamentary elections.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Aug 25, 2021 • 1h 32min
The lessons we should learn from Afghanistan
Tommy and Ben cover the latest news from Afghanistan, including an update on the evacuation efforts, the threat from ISIS, the coming US political fight over refugees, the media coverage of the war and what lessons they hope that the country will learn from it. They also explain why the Vice President’s trip to Asia was temporarily delayed by reports of “Havana Syndrome” in Vietnam, and discuss updates on the earthquake in Haiti. Then Tommy is joined by Ali Latifi, Al Jazeera English’s online correspondent in Kabul, to discuss what life is like in Kabul a little more than a week after the Taliban takeover.For a closed-captioned version of this episode, please visit crooked.com/podsavetheworld. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.


