
America This Week
Welcome to America This Week, with Matt Taibbi and Walter Kirn, the national news wrap-up so true, we recommend you stow all sharp objects before reading. www.racket.news
Latest episodes

Nov 1, 2024 • 31min
America This Week November 1, 2024: "The Celebrated New York Times Election Week Hit Job"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsThe New York Times teams with David Brock's Media Matters to smash records for editorial mendacity. Plus, Mark Twain's great take on fraud, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County."

Oct 18, 2024 • 31min
America This Week, October 18, 2024: "For Kamala Harris on Fox, Hot Seat or Catbird Seat?"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsKamala Harris does a rare contentious interview, but seemingly not to win over Fox viewers. Why? Also, Walter and Matt discuss "The Catbird Seat," by James Thurber.

Oct 11, 2024 • 31min
America This Week, October 11, 2024: "After the Edit"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsDid something just get broken in a 60 Minutes interview that won't easily be fixed? Walter and Matt discuss. Plus, "After the Ball," by Leo Tolstoy

Oct 4, 2024 • 30min
America This Week, October 4, 2024: "Biden's Hurricane Katrina?"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsElite America responded with sympathy to the revelations of Hurricane Katrina. Is it the same this time? Also, "My First Goose," by Isaac Babel

Sep 27, 2024 • 31min
America This Week, September 27, 2024: "How to Tell a True Nuclear War Story"
A nostalgic dive into the changing vibe of Las Vegas, blending humor with reflections on its past. The conversation shifts to how gambling culture intersects with societal challenges and modern geopolitical issues. It scrutinizes Russia's nuclear strategy, exploring its historical impacts and implications for global tensions. The discussion also critiques the political landscape surrounding Ukraine and questions the media's narrative control, particularly regarding Trump's influence on American perceptions and policies.

Sep 20, 2024 • 31min
America This Week, September 20, 2024: "The Blood of the Apparent Martyrs."
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsDonald Trump and Hillary Clinton combine to move us several steps closer to Walter's prediction of the first drone assassination for a tweet. Plus, "The Blood of the Martyrs," by Stephen Vincent Benét

Sep 13, 2024 • 31min
America This Week, September 13, 2024: "Goodbye, My Rights"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsRemembering 9/11, the architects of the War on Terror, and the state of emergency just renewed this week. Plus, "Goodbye, My Brother" by John Cheever

Sep 6, 2024 • 30min
America This Week, September 6, 2024: "Hall of Political Mirrors"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsWalter calls a scandal. Russiagate is exhumed again. Walter explains weasels, both the human and actual kind. Also, "Sredni Vashtar," by Saki.

Aug 30, 2024 • 30min
America This Week, August 30, 2024: "The Campaign Rebrand"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsUpside-down world keeps spinning as the blues campaign on a border wall. Also, a fascinating inspiration for a pop culture classic: "In Dreams Begin Responsibilities" by Delmore Schwartz

Aug 9, 2024 • 30min
America This Week, August 8, 2024: "100th Episode Special: Oligarchy in the UK"
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.racket.newsSir Keir Starmer goes full Minority Report; White House Misinformation Kids caught talking shop. Plus, "The Egg" by Sherwood Anderson
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