Politicology

Former federal prosecutor Michael Zeldin joins Ron Steslow to discuss the 4 criminal cases against Trump, his civil fraud trial, Rudy Giuliani's defamation trial, Mark Meadows' case, the question of presidential immunity, and the potential impact of various court decisions on Trump's legal battles.

On this weekly roundup, the wildcards in the 2024 presidential election and how we’re reading the race, and the politics and policy of the border crisis.This week’s panel: Ron SteslowSusan Del Percio  (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert) Lanae Erickson (Senior Vice President for Social Policy, Education, and Politics at Third Way)Frank Sadler (Chief of Staff at Carly Fiorina Enterprises)Segments this week:(02:10) The 2024 Presidential Race(41:28) The border crisis[Politicology+] The  “swatting” hoaxes targeting elected officials, judges, and Special Counsel Jack SmithPoliticology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Send your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/DelPercioSCheck out Third Way: https://www.thirdway.org/Related reading:Segment 1: NYTimes - A Super PAC Forms to Support No Labels - The New York TimesThe Atlantic - Trump’s Lawyer Walked Into a Trap - The AtlanticCNN - Takeaways from the appeals court hearing on Donald Trump’s immunity claims | CNN PoliticsABC News - SCOTUS to consider Trump 14th Amendment ballot disqualification case - ABC NewsAxios - Biden speech: Trump's "lies brought a mob" to D.C. on Jan. 6God Made Trump video Segment 2: CBS News - Pressured by record migrant crossings, White House weighs tough concession in border talks with Congress - CBS NewsCBS News - Americans increasingly see border as crisis, call for tougher measures, CBS News poll findsCNN- A border deal to nowhere? House GOP ready to reject Senate compromise on immigration | CNN PoliticsNY Daily News - Migrants at Floyd Bennett to be evacuated to Brooklyn high school, per Adams' admin orderNY Times - Opinion | Why Biden Must Collide With the Democratic Party on Immigration - The New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. is monitoring more national security threats  than at any point since World War II and last week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin went to the hospital because of complications from a recent survey. But no one told the President for three days. In this episode, Hagar Chemali (Former spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) joins Ron Steslow to discuss Austin’s hospitalization and the delay in telling the White House.Segments to look forward to:(01:45) Ron sets the stage with a rundown of the timeline of Sec. Austin’s hospitalization and when the White House was informed (03:13) Hagar breaks down her initial reaction to the news and the political and media uproar(05:00) The role of the Secretary of Defense in national security and what risks Austin’s absence could have posed(06:43) Hagar provides  an overview of the current national security climate, including the rising tension in the Middle East, the ongoing war in Ukraine, the situation in China and Taiwan and places Austin’s hospitalization in this broader context. (14:11) The standard protocols for handling this situation within government agencies (33:11) Analyzing the political and public relations fallout from the incident, and how it could impact domestic politics and foreign policy Check out Oh My World!: https://www.ohmyworld.tv/Follow Ron and Hagar on Twitter:https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/HagarChemaliEmail questions and thoughts to podcast@politicology.com or leave us a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guests: Ron Steslow (Political commentator and analyst), Liz Gilbert Cohen (Former President of the 2020 Democratic National Convention), Liam Donovan (Principal at Bracewell LLP). Topics include immigration crisis, corruption in Congress, and Biden's pivot to Trump's role in the insurrection.

Michele Gelfand (Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a Professor of Psychology by Courtesy at Stanford University) joins host Ron Steslow to discuss culture, social norms, and her book Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Cultures Wire Our World (01:46) Why she decided to study culture (04:34) What are tight and loose cultures(06:12) Why tight and loose cultures evolve(10:38) The tradeoffs between tight and loose and how different cultures responded to the Covid pandemic(16:19) Tightness-looseness and willingness to change(19:57) Red and Blue vs Tight and Loose (30:36) Tightening around core values, even in loose cultures(34:56) Real and manufactured threats (44:15) How we we can put this framework into action You should read Rule Makers, Rule Breakers: https://amzn.to/3Qy8DQcTo unlock exclusive content, visit: https://politicology.com/plusFollow Michele and Ron on Twitter:https://twitter.com/MicheleJGelfandhttps://twitter.com/RonSteslow Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To join Politicology+, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.On Monday, Egypt proposed a plan for a long-term ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.On this weekly roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Lucy Caldwell (Board Advisor to the Renew Democracy Initiative  and advisor to the Forward Party) and Zack Czajkowski (Principal at Title Fight) discuss Hamas rejecting the plan and the bias in media coverage about the war. Then they dive into the plagiarism allegations levied against Harvard President Claudine GayNext, they discuss the debate around Section 3 of the 14th Amendment and Donald Trump’s eligibility to be president Segments this week:(02:06) Israel-Hamas(12:30) Harvard Plagiarism Allegations(35:06) Trump’s Ballot Eligibility[Politicology+] Your Phone Is Listening to Every Word You SayPoliticology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Send your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/lucymcaldwellhttps://twitter.com/ZackCzTo learn more about the 14th Amendment argument, listen to these great deep dives on Yale Professor Akhil Amar’s podcast:Amarica's Constitution: The Two Experts on Section Three - Special Guests William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on Apple PodcastsAmarica's Constitution: The Two Experts, Part Two - Special Guests William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on Apple Podcasts‎Amarica's Constitution: An Officer and a President on Apple Podcasts‎Amarica's Constitution: 2 Experts, 3 Courts, Section 3, Part 3 - Special Guests William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on Apple Podcasts‎Amarica's Constitution: The World Turns to Section ThreeRelated reading:Segment 1: TIME - Egypt Proposes Ceasefire Amid One of the Deadliest Israeli Airstrikes Yet to Hit Gaza StripReuters - Hamas, Islamic Jihad reject Gaza gov. overhaul for permanent ceasefire, Egyptian sources say | ReutersIsrael National News - New York Times headline falsely claims Gaza war has most Arab deaths in 40 yearsNYT - Opinion | I Am Gaza City’s Mayor. Our Lives and Culture Are in Rubble. - The New York TimesJP - NYT criticized for running op-ed by Hamas-appointed Gaza mayor - The Jerusalem PostSegment 2: NYT - Harvard Finds More Instances of ‘Duplicative Language’ in Claudine Gay’s Work - The New York TimesWP - Opinion | Harvard’s president, Claudine Gay, should resign now - The Washington PostNYT - Opinion | Why Harvard’s Claudine Gay Should Go - The New York TimesJewish Insider - Harvard controversy casts spotlight on Penny Pritzker, former Obama official atop university boardSegment 3: CNN - Michigan Supreme Court rejects ‘insurrectionist ban’ case and keeps Trump on 2024 primary ballot | CNN PoliticsPolitico - Michigan Supreme Court allows Trump to appear on 2024 primary ballot - POLITICO Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the full and ad-free version of this episode, subscribe to Politicology+ at https://politicology.com/plusIn our digital age, people have grown to see social media platforms as mere tools and applications. Marcus Collins, the award-winning marketer, former digital strategist for Beyoncé, and author of "For The Culture", argues otherwise. Join host Ron Steslow as he sits down with Marcus to unravel the deep-seated influence of culture on social media and our daily choices.Marcus elaborates on his assertion that "social media is people" and why understanding this fundamental idea changes our approach to digital platforms. He also delves into the crucial role of culture in hyperpolarization and how it weaves into the fabric of our society.Segments to look forward to:(01:20) How Marcus came to study culture: "I feel like I'm at my best when I'm helping people realize the best version of themselves…”(04:26) The connection between marketing and psychology(08:42) The importance of purpose in advertising: "Start with what you believe and when you start with what you believe people who see the world the way you do go, 'Finally, someone said it. That's my person.'”(17:02) The influence of culture on consumer choice(20:40) The connection between culture and politics(24:00) Case study: How Patagonia leveraged culture to build their brandYou Should Read For the Culture: https://amzn.to/3QjLDaHCheck out Predictably Rational by Dan Ariely: https://amzn.to/3rPeWHLFollow Ron and Marcus on X (Twitter):https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/marctothec Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hagar Chemali, Susan Del Percio, and Ron Steslow discuss Former New York Times Opinion Editor James Bennet’s scathing analysis of The New York Times and their illiberal bias in The EconomistRelated reading:The Economist - When the New York Times lost its wayhttps://www.economist.com/1843/2023/12/14/when-the-new-york-times-lost-its-wayJudith Miller -I used to work for the New York Times. Former editor is right about paper becoming a 'culture of intolerance'https://judithmiller.com/27403/new-york-times-intolerance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To join Politicology+, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.On Tuesday, the Colorado State Supreme Court ruled Donald Trump is eligible to be on the ballot in the state. On this weekly roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Hagar Chemali and Susan Del Percio discuss the ruling and how it will impact the political landscape. Then they dive into the negotiations over border security, immigration reform and foreign military aid for Ukraine, Israel, and TaiwanNext, they discuss the alarming levels of Holocaust denialism among younger Americans and the antisemitism in public schools.Segments this week:(03:30) Colorado Supreme Court Case(25:00) Border security and foreign military aid (46:10) Alarming levels of Holocaust denialism[Politicology+] Former New York Times Opinion Editor James Bennet’s scathing analysis of The New York Times and their illiberal biasPoliticology+ is our private, ad-free version of this podcast, with subscriber-only episodes, strategy, and analysis. To join us there, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.Send your questions to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(202) 455-4558‬Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/HagarChemalihttps://twitter.com/DelPercioSTo learn more about the 14th Amendment argument, listen to these great deep dives on Yale Professor Akhil Amar’s podcast:Amarica's Constitution: The Two Experts on Section Three - Special Guests William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on Apple PodcastsAmarica's Constitution: The Two Experts, Part Two - Special Guests William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on Apple Podcasts‎Amarica's Constitution: An Officer and a President on Apple Podcasts‎Amarica's Constitution: 2 Experts, 3 Courts, Section 3, Part 3 - Special Guests William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on Apple PodcastsRelated reading:Segment 1: CBS News - Colorado Supreme Court rules Trump is disqualified from presidency for Jan. 6 riot - CBS NewsThe Hill - Dan Patrick suggests taking Biden off ballot in Texas | The HillAxios - Landmark Trump ruling gives Supreme Court an unexpected New Year's agendaAxios - Congress erupts after court disqualifies Trump from Colorado ballotSegment 2: NYT - Congress Abandons Ukraine Aid Until Next Year as Border Talks Continue - The New York TimesWP - Opinion: A border deal can save Ukraine, aid Israel and Taiwan, and help BidenWP - Opinion | A deal on Ukraine and immigration would show that the center can hold - The Washington PostThe Hill - Border Patrol says surge in border crossings is overwhelming its resources | The HillNBC News - Xi warned Biden during summit that Beijing will reunify Taiwan with ChinaSegment 3: The Economist - One in five young Americans thinks the Holocaust is a mythFP - How U.S. Public Schools Teach Antisemitism | The Free Press Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the last few months, there’s been a stark change in tone from some of Ukraine’s biggest supporters—there’s a growing pessimism that Ukraine can take back their land from the Russian invaders and win the war.In this insightful episode, host Ron Steslow invites Molly McKew, an expert on Russian influence and information warfare, to discuss the ongoing Ukraine conflict. As we approach nearly 700 days since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, this episode delves into the war's current state, the changing narratives, and the strategic implications for global democracy.Segments to look forward to:(01:27) Understanding the current state of the war(06:50) The change in attitudes toward Ukraine(11:10) The delay in ramping up production capacity for munitions (15:20) What do the  numbers of  “military capacity” losses  actually mean? (19:05) Ukraine’s counteroffensive (25:05) The need for a change in military strategy (30:13) The domestic political implications if Ukraine doesn’t win(39:00) What Ukraine needs to do to win and what we need to do to help them(49:10) Whether a negotiated settlement is feasible Follow Ron and Molly  on X:https://twitter.com/RonSteslowhttps://twitter.com/MollyMcKewEmail questions and thoughts to podcast@politicology.com. Can you leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts? It’s a big help 🙏 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices