
Prevail with Greg Olear
On PREVAIL, a weekly interview podcast, the author and columnist Greg Olear discusses politics, world news, history, national security, foreign affairs, organized crime, dirty money, global corruption, and the fight for democracy with authors, journalists, academics, diplomats, researchers, and other expert guests. Every Friday.
Latest episodes

Jun 7, 2024 • 1h 47min
Convictions: The Many Crimes of Donald Trump
This week, Greg Olear shares 34 thoughts on 34 felony counts. Then, there is a reprise of the May 31 episode of “The Five 8,” in which Greg and LB try, and fail, to remember all of Donald’s crimes. Plus: blowing!Subscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhA
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

May 31, 2024 • 1h 33min
Grozny Rules: The Global Disorder Endures (with Jason Pack)
Jason Pack is the Founder of Libya-Analysis LLC, and the co-host of Disorder, a geopolitics podcast co-produced with Goalhanger Podcasts. He is a Senior Analyst for Emerging Challenges at the NATO Defence College Foundation in Rome. In partnership with NDCF, Jason leads a project entitled NATO and the Global Enduring Disorder, which produces a range of content (including the Disorder podcast and series of publications) attempting to sketch out a ‘unified field theory’ of our current era of geopolitics while proposing actionable solutions to our most pressing collective action challenges. His most recent book, Libya and the Global Enduring Disorder (Hurst, Oxford University Press) is a ‘cross-over’ academic book that explores what Libya’s dysfunctional economic structures and its ongoing civil war reveal about our era of 21st-century geopolitics. Jason’s concept – that we no longer inhabit the post-Cold War World, but have entered a new era – the ‘Enduring Disorder’ – was conceived to describe the collective action failures that have come to define international politics.In this discussion, Jason Pack talks to Greg Olear about the death of Raisi in Iran, the situation in Ukraine, Biden’s policy in Gaza, and why a Labor victory in the UK elections would be good for Joe Biden. Plus: a Republican Party game!Listen to the DISORDER podcast:https://linktr.ee/disorderpodMore about jason:https://www.jasonpack.org/Check out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

May 24, 2024 • 45min
Rough Beast: A New Book by Greg Olear
In this special “Rough Beast” book launch episode, the PREVAIL podcast is turned upside-down: Greg Olear is the guest, and the host is his wife, Stephanie St. John Olear. They talk about the new book, confirmation bias, and Biden’s chances of winning in November. Plus: Scar-Jo!
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

May 17, 2024 • 1h 11min
La Politica è Compromesso (with Alessandra, aka Alias Vaughn)
Alessandra is an Italian journalist and political commentator who goes by the pen name Alias Vaughn. She’s been helping me understand the global political landscape—including what’s happening right here in the US—for going on eight years now.In this conversation, Greg Olear interviews Alessandra about her background and her interest in US politics. They discuss JFK’s policy towards South America, with Alessandra sharing her research on the topic; the current political situation in Italy, including the prime minister and her stance on various issues; the public opinion of Trump in Italy; the similarities between Trump and Mussolini, and much more. Plus: a both sides superhero! Follow Alessandra:https://twitter.com/aliasvaughnCheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

May 10, 2024 • 1h 11min
Fetal Personhoodwinked: Christian Right Observations (with Jenny Cohn)
Jenny Cohn is an attorney, election integrity advocate, and political writer whose articles have appeared in the New York Review of Books, Who What Why, The Independent, Salon, and the Bucks County Beacon. She now covers the Christian right at her Substack, the Christian Right Observer Weekly, or CROW.Cohn talks to Greg Olear about her work on election integrity and the Christian right; her new project, the Christian Right Observer Weekly, and the collaboration with researcher Kira Resistance; the influence of Leonard Leo, a fundamentalist Catholic activist, on the Supreme Court; rightwing efforts to make abortion illegal on a federal level, the Christian right's opposition to LGBTQ rights and contraception, and their goal to undo the sexual revolution; the unholy alliance between religious and economic freedom Republicans; and fetal personhood and the right’s coming assault on women’s health. Plus: a little Elvis.Follow Jenny:https://twitter.com/jennycohn1Subscribe to her Substack:https://crownewsletter.substack.com/
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

May 3, 2024 • 1h 15min
Days of Our Lies (with Kimberley Johnson)
Before launching START ME UP, the political interview podcast, Kimberley Johnson—that’s Kimberley with an “e-y”—wrote several books, including “The Virgin Diaries”; maintained a popular blog; and, for ten years, had a recurring role—as a cop!—on a soap opera. She’s an activist and a champion of women’s rights. Her podcast premiered in 2016.In this discussion, Greg Olear and Kimberley Johnson discuss her background as an actress and her transition to podcasting; the TikTok ban, the Supreme Court, and the future of the Democratic Party; concerns about the Supreme Court and the potential impact of abortion rights on the election; the influence of dark money in politics; Trump’s VP pick; Joe Biden's potential legacy, the attacks on Kamala Harris, the importance of voting, and the impact of Trump's criminal trials on the MAGA movement.Follow Kimberley:https://linktr.ee/KimberleyJohnsonListen to her podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/start-me-up-with-kimberley-a-johnson/id1160491947
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

Apr 26, 2024 • 1h 30min
Candidates, Courts & Cartels (with Ethan Bearman)
Ethan Bearman is a multifaceted talent spanning law, technology, politics, and media. He has his own law firm, he has 25 years of business experience and 10 years of media experience. He had his own radio show, and he’s been on networks like CNN, DW, France24, HLN, i24 News, NewsNation, Fox Business, and Fox News, where he’s sparred with the likes of Jenna Ellis. Ethan is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and is admitted to practice in California and the United States District Court, Central District of California. He is a contributor to California State Antitrust & Unfair Competition Law (Matthew Bender 2018). And most recently, he is the legal expert on Really American.In this conversation, Greg Olear and Ethan Bearman discuss the potential ban on TikTok, the issue of free speech, defamation, the role of the media, the housing market, and the impact of conservative policies on the middle class. They also touch on antitrust laws, the Supreme Court, and the upcoming election. Finally, they speculate on the potential impact of the upcoming trial on the MAGA movement and the importance of voter registration and engagement. Plus: dirty laundry disco!“The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread.” – Anatole FranceFollow Ethan:https://twitter.com/EthanBearmanhttps://www.instagram.com/ethanbearman/https://linktr.ee/ethanbearmanReally American:https://www.youtube.com/@ReallyAmerican/videos
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

Apr 19, 2024 • 1h 30min
Like Hell Matt Gaetz is Winning, and Other Tales of Danger Close (with Gal Suburban)
Open source researcher Gal Suburban discusses fifth-generation warfare, anti-democratic influencers, and the dangers posed by charismatic politicians like Matt Gaetz. The conversation emphasizes the need to be vigilant, recognize narrative warfare tactics, and protect democracy from authoritarianism.

Apr 12, 2024 • 1h 14min
Active Learning Feedback Loop, or, Democracy Isn’t a Spectator Sport (with Robbie Harris)
Robbie Harris is a strategic communications and behavior change subject matter expert with over 25 years’ experience working with local influencers, activists, civil society organizations, journalists, and senior stakeholders in Iraq, Syria, Africa, and Central America. She has designed and implemented successful programs for US DoD, DoS and USAID, and UK FCDO and MoD. She’s the co-founder of a small international business; has worked for USAID-OTI; speaks Arabic, Spanish, and English, and has a M.A. in Arab Studies from Georgetown University.In the interview with Greg Olear, Harris discusses her background and how she got into her line of work, which involves strategic communications and behavior change. She shares her experiences working in Iraq and countering ISIS propaganda. The conversation also touches on the legacy of colonialism in the Middle East and its impact on the region today, the situation in Kurdistan, the proxy war in Syria, the refugee camp in Northern Syria, the growing stateless population, and the experience of living in Somalia and Niger. Finally, she shares her advice on messaging to US voters and warns about the potential consequences of a collapse of democracy and of civil war.Prevail is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/greg
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short

Apr 5, 2024 • 1h 32min
Failures of the Reconstruction: The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic (with Manisha Sinha)
In this discussion with Greg Olear, the historian Manisha Sinha discusses her book “The Rise and Fall of the Second American Republic: Reconstruction, 1860-1920.” The book explores the period between the Civil War and World War I, highlighting the importance of Reconstruction in shaping the country. Sinha explains her motivation for writing the book and the significance of the Second American Republic. She also draws parallels between Andrew Johnson and Donald Trump, emphasizing the consequences of showing mercy to Confederates. Sinha delves into the horrors of the first Ku Klux Klan and the violent opposition to Reconstruction. The conversation explores the end of Reconstruction, the Compromise of 1877, the nadir of American democracy, the conquest of the West, and the legacy of Reconstruction. It also delves into the question of how a society can atone for its national sins. Plus: coup right, with Coup-Vite!Manisha Sinha is the James L. and Shirley A. Draper Chair in American History at the University of Connecticut and a leading authority on the history of slavery and abolition and the Civil War and Reconstruction. She was born in India and received her Ph.D from Columbia University where her dissertation was nominated for the Bancroft Prize. She is the author of “The Counterrevolution of Slavery: Politics and Ideology in Antebellum South Carolina,” which was named one of the ten best books on slavery in Politico and featured in The New York Times’ 1619 Project. Her multiple award winning second book “The Slave’s Cause: A History of Abolition” was long listed for the National Book Award for Non Fiction. It was named Editor’s Choice in the New York Times Book Review, book of the week by Times Higher Education to coincide with its UK publication, and one of three great History books of 2016 in Bloomberg News.Follow Manisha:https://twitter.com/ProfMSinhaBuy her book:https://www.amazon.com/Rise-Fall-Second-American-Republic/dp/1631498444/ref=zg_bsnr_g_16244141_sccl_1/140-4528258-4376211?psc=1Prevail is sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/gregSubscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/aboutWould you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short
Make America Great Gatsby Again!https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-great-gatsby-four-sticks-press-centennial-edition/e701221776c88f86?ean=9798985931976&next=tSubscribe to The Five 8:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0BRnRwe7yDZXIaF-QZfvhACheck out ROUGH BEAST, Greg’s new book:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47CMX17ROUGH BEAST is now available as an audiobook:https://www.audible.com/pd/Rough-Beast-Audiobook/B0D8K41S3T Would you like to tell us more about you? http://survey.podtrac.com/start-survey.aspx?pubid=BffJOlI7qQcF&ver=short