The Realignment

Exploring the American right's history of sympathizing with foreign dictators, comparing it to the left's past relationships with communist regimes. Analyzing the complexities of authoritarian regimes, cautioning against idealizing them. Delving into the U.S.-Russia relationship post-Soviet Union, the evolution of Republican foreign policy, and Trump's foreign policy actions.

Politico reporter Alexander Ward discusses the origins and differences in Biden's internationalist foreign policy versus Trump's nationalists, focusing on key events like China, Kabul, and Ukraine. The podcast delves into how foreign policy influences election outcomes, the evolution of Democratic Party foreign policy towards self-interest, and the challenges faced by the Biden administration in navigating chaos and normalcy in politics.

Saagar & Marshall discuss the Apple Vision Pro, OpenAI's Sora AI video generation product, impact on Hollywood, critique of Zuckerberg's Oculus Quest 2 video, and skepticism towards rapid tech advancements like self-driving cars.

Joining The Realignment, Sarah Scoles, author of Countdown: The Blinding Future of Nuclear Weapons, discusses the modern nuclear weapons landscape, efforts to modernize America's vintage nuclear stockpile, and prospects for the nuclear status-quo, proliferation, and abolishment. She also explores the generational relationship with nuclear weapons and the role of nuclear weapons in preventing large-scale wars.

Jeffrey Rosen, President & CEO of the National Constitution Center, discusses how the founders' education and reading habits influenced American leadership. Topics include Greek and Roman philosophy, the decline of reading, the power of self-teaching, education programs, and the influence of classical writers on virtue and the founders.

Benn Steil, author of The World That Wasn't: Henry Wallace and the Fate of the American Century, discusses the origins of the Cold War and postwar U.S. foreign policy through the career of Henry Wallace. They explore the what-if scenario of Wallace becoming president and how it could have avoided the Cold War. They also touch on the mistakes of the United States in the early Cold War and the importance of questioning conventional wisdom in determining America's role in the world.

Naval power expert Jerry Hendrix discusses the challenges faced by the US Navy in Asia, the importance of understanding the Navy's proper context, the significance of aircraft carriers in naval operations, the role of drones in military warfare, lack of focus on industrial capacity, and the historical shift of the United States from land power to sea power.

Jonathan Blitzer, author of Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis, discusses the Central American origins of the border crisis, the state of the asylum system, and why administrations have struggled to address the issue. The podcast also explores changing migration patterns, historical context of asylum policies, the impact of bussing asylum seekers, the challenges of shutting down the border, and the global impact of immigration issues.

Nicholas Dirks, former Chancellor of UC Berkeley, discusses the challenges and criticisms facing higher education, including free speech, rising costs, and administrative bloat. They explore the role of universities in providing education and access, rethinking credentials, and the debate over the SAT in college admissions. They also touch on the challenges faced by UC Berkeley and the concept of safety in universities.

Saagar and Marshall discuss the GOP Primary in South Carolina, mass layoffs in the media industry, the Texas border standoff, and answer audience questions.