S4 E10: CIA Debriefing (with Kristin Wood)What is the CIA, exactly? What is its mission? How is it structured? What’s it REALLY like to work there? Greg Olear talks to Kristin Wood, a former CIA analyst, about the CIA, her experiences briefing Dick Cheney on the morning of 9/11, how the agency changed after the WTC attacks, special saddles and boxes of cash in Tashkent, and the challenges posed by Trump. Plus: a song for Arizona.Follow Kristin:https://twitter.com/KristinWood_ICGrist Mill Exchange:https://www.gristmillexchange.com/story/Sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/gregSubscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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

After sharing his thoughts about Election Day and Merrick Garland, Greg Olear talks to Vince Scafaria, the CEO of DotAlign and an evangelist for pro-social capitalism, about neoliberal economics, Republican financial myths, Social Security, the future of decentralized internet, surveillance capitalism, Russia, China, goldbugs, and more. Plus: a new low-cost service for political candidates.Follow Vince:https://twitter.com/scafariaHis essay:https://prosocialcapitalism.com/author/scafaria/Positive Sum Networks:https://www.positivesum.net/Everything else:https://scafaria.com/guest-on-prevail-with-greg-olear-c722d8a715e7Sponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/gregSubscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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

After sharing his thoughts about Liz Truss, King Charles III, and Hugh Grant, Greg Olear talks to Katherine Stewart, author of “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism,” about the organizational structure of the Christian nationalist movement, why Evangelicals love Trump, Leonard Leo, Ralph Drollinger, Seven Mountains Dominionism, and how to top the fascist takeover. Plus: a song about Elmo.Follow Katherine:https://twitter.com/kathsstewartVisit her website:https://katherinestewart.me/Buy her book:https://www.amazon.com/Power-Worshippers-Dangerous-Religious-Nationalism/dp/1635573432Subscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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

Greg Olear talks to his friend Aja Raden, author of STONED and THE TRUTH ABOUT LIES, about the new diamond industry documentary “Nothing Lasts Forever,” the Bitcoin bubble bursting, anti-Semitism as an indicator of Fascism, oligarchs, and the future of Vladimir Putin. Plus: an apocalyptic new film.Follow Aja:https://twitter.com/AjaRadenBuy her books:https://www.amazon.com/Aja-Raden/e/B013SJLVJI/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1The trailer for “Nothing Lasts Forever:”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHIGGdxZe64Subscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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

After sharing his thoughts about Liz Truss, King Charles III, and Hugh Grant, Greg Olear interviews Hal Weitzman, executive director for intellectual capital at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, about his new book, “What’s the Matter With Delaware?” (Short answer: a lot.) Plus: bare-naked ladies and money.Follow Hal:https://twitter.com/HalWeitzmanBuy his book:https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691180007/whats-the-matter-with-delawareWatch his book trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msOdeQX21j4&t=1sSponsored by BetterHelp. Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/greg Subscribe 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

After sharing his thoughts about Putin’s new atrocities in Ukraine, Kanye West, Roger Waters, Elon Musk, and the poltroonish quitter Ben Sasse, Greg Olear talks to his friend, the documentary filmmaker Melissa Peltier, about her new film, “The Game is Up: Disillusioned Trump Voters Tell Their Stories.” Plus: the clash inside the country’s richest man.Follow Melissa:https://twitter.com/MelissaJPeltierWatch “The Game is Up:”https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/B0B6SVXWLX/ref=atv_dp_share_cu_rAbout the film:https://thegameisupmovie.com/Subscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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

In her first three weeks as prime minister, Liz Truss presided over the death of both the queen and the economy. What’s going on in Britain? Why is the pound cratering? Is Truss really as inept as she appears? Greg Olear talks to Arthur Snell, the former British diplomat and “Doomsday Watch” podcaster, about the situation in the U.K., as well as Arthur’s new book, “How Britain Broke the World.” Plus: a new slasher film from Netflix.Follow Arthur:https://twitter.com/SnellArthurSubscribe to “Doomsday Watch:”https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/doomsday-watch-with-arthur-snell/id1593634121Buy “How Britain Broke the World:”https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/books/How-Britain-Broke-the-World/Arthur-Snell/9781912454600Subscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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

Amanda Moore spent almost a year infiltrating the MAGA movement. Working undercover, she attended numerous events, including the November and December DC rallies and January 6. She was finally caught in September 2021. She tells Greg Olear her remarkable story. Plus: Les Deplorables.Follow Amanda Moore:https://twitter.com/noturtlesoup17Her Substack:https://noturtlesoup17.substack.com/Her Link Tree:https://linktr.ee/noturtlesoup17About her:https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2022/02/amanda-moore-undercover-maga/Subscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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

Greg Olear talks to Kimberly Kay Hoang, a professor at the University of Chicago and the author of “Spiderweb Capitalism: How Global Elites Exploit Frontier Markets,” about her field work as an ethnographer, the difference between high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, the similarities between high-net-worth individuals and sex workers, the concept of “playing in the gray,” tax havens offshore and otherwise, the psychology of gambling with enormous stakes, and how Prada makes the best handbags. Plus: a new airline in Florida.Follow Kimberly Kay Hoang:https://twitter.com/kimberlykhoangBuy “Spiderweb Capitalism:”https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691229119/spiderweb-capitalismBuy “Dealing in Desire: Asian Ascendancy, Western Decline, and the Hidden Currencies of Global Sex Work:”https://www.amazon.com/Dealing-Desire-Ascendancy-Western-Currencies/dp/0520275578Her website:https://www.kimberlykayhoang.com/ Subscribe 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

Greg Olear welcomes back Ukraine expert Victor Rud, chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs for the Ukrainian American Bar Association, to discuss common misconceptions about Ukrainian history, Russia’s long-standing aims in the country, America’s “strategic slide,” Putin’s brazen violation of international order, and how credibility of will establishes deterence. Plus: a new moving company.Subscribe to the PREVAIL newsletter:https://gregolear.substack.com/about Subscribe 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