Crash Course

The podcast explores the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, including the recent attack and underlying factors. They discuss the surprise attack by Hamas and the rise of their nihilistic approach. The podcast also highlights Joe Biden's visit to Israel amidst the conflict and the importance of a strong network and transformative technologies like 5G. They discuss the need for Israel to change their policies, engage other countries, and help the Palestinians succeed to avoid permanent conflict.

Polling – the very inexact science that is the lifeblood of political analysis and guesswork – is very much with us. Built upon a series of queries that asks respondents, essentially, “What do you think about X,” polling aims to make the intangible, concrete. It is the stuff from which predictions are made, the data that fuels a political marketplace aiming to artfully respond to voter’s preferences and priorities. But polling, via its siblings – “focus groups” and “messaging” – also aspires to shape voter’s preferences; to, in the best interpretation, understand and serve them with greater clarity. In the worst interpretation, messaging makes voters more malleable, more easily swayed. Frank Luntz is a political and communications strategist and pollster who has spent most of his career working for Republicans and specializes in leveraging the emotional content of language to win campaigns.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An exploration of the historical foundations and current implications of White Supremacy in America, covering the link between white supremacy and Christianity, prioritizing race over class, the influence of white racism on corporate life, the resurgence of racism in the Trump era, and the challenges and positive changes ahead.

There are no such things as alternative facts. We can disagree about how to interpret facts, but there they remain. Stubborn things. When stubborn people collide with stubborn things – when the likes of Rupert Murdoch assembles a media empire largely designed to embrace and disseminate disinformation – you have the makings of a Crash Course episode. Murdoch, the 92-year-old progenitor of the Fox News miasma, recently retired from his perch atop Fox Corp. and News Corp. Fox is likely to define Murdoch’s legacy – a legacy some of his former executives now reject. Three of them jointly noted in a recent public statement: "We never envisioned, and would not knowingly have enabled, the disinformation machine that, in our opinion, Fox has become.” For his part, Murdoch seems untroubled: “Bury your mistakes,” he likes to say. Molly Jong-Fast is a special correspondent for Vanity Fair and the host of the Fast Politics podcast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have voters, politicos, analysts, and the media focused before with such intensity on a presidential race in the US more than a year before the actual vote? Perhaps. But I’m willing to say: Probably not. The reasons why this race is so magnetic are overt. Trump and Trumpism are in the air. Democracy is on the table. Pivotal policy issues are in play: reproductive rights, immigration, jobs and the economy, health care, public health and public safety, education, national security, the rule of law, and the funding and future shape of the federal government. Social media chews on all of this 24-7. Information – and disinformation – is ubiquitous. Partisanship is at a boiling point and Democrats and Republicans are maneuvering for position. Peggy Collins is the Washington bureau chief of Bloomberg News and a veteran national and local news reporter. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Exploring the renewed tension between Russia and the US, the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and the role of nuclear weapons in the war. Assessing the Biden team's foreign policy conduct and the challenges of multi-theater engagement. The fragility of the international order and the need for American leadership in times of crisis.

Silicon Valley is the centerpiece of a very specific kind of bro culture – a culture that has had a certain winner-take-all mojo over the years, but which may be running its course. To test this thesis, I present you with Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, founders of such landmark companies as Tesla, SpaceX, and Meta (aka Facebook). They are both innovators, admirable risk-takers, and bazillionaires. They’ve also struggled to evolve; to have early, vaunted reputations as wise men correspond with equally wise management and wise decisions as the world around them changed. Kara Swisher is the host of the “On With Kara Swisher” and “Pivot” podcasts, and an editor-at-large at New York magazine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Discussion on the increasing occurrence of climate-related catastrophes worldwide and the urgent need for action. Exploration of the effects of climate change on extreme weather events, such as flooding. Emphasis on the interconnected factors behind floods, heat, and climate change. Brief mention of US Congress and sponsor ads. Highlights challenges and potential solutions in AI. Examination of society's mindset towards climate change and the role of government in addressing it. Exploration of the complexity and economic costs of climate change and necessary investments to mitigate its effects.

Any time Tim O’Brien sees a Republican presidential candidate (other than Donald Trump) on television, he’s reminded that they and their party look like they’re in a hostage video. They are all trapped by Trump, and none of them have convinced Tim that they can escape. Trump's Republican challengers held their first national debate recently, offering an array of pols trying to make a case for themselves and the GOP’s future. Meanwhile, Trump counter-programmed, sitting down with former Fox News propagandist and conspiracy theorist Tucker Carlson. Susan Del Percio is a Republican political strategist and an adviser to a variety of political and corporate campaigns. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The podcast explores the themes and impact of the movie Barbie, delving into art and commerce, gender identity, and corporate conformity. It discusses the financial success of the film and its influence as a cultural icon. The hosts also examine the potential impact of the movie in engaging new audiences and encouraging more stories for women and girls. They analyze the themes of self-acceptance and empathy in the movie, as well as its portrayal of gender expectations and corporate America.