Ben Rhodes was the Deputy National Security Advisor for President Barack Obama.

 

A foreign policy expert, he is the host of ‘Pod Save The World’ and appears on MSNBC. His latest book ‘After the Fall: Being American in the World We've Made’ is a study of the rising tide of global authoritarianism, exploring why democracy did not prevail as expected after the fall of the Soviet Union. 

 

Misha Zelinsky caught up with Ben for a chinwag about his new book, including how the failure to punish bankers responsible for the GFC helped fuel the global rise of authoritarianism, why democracy needs to materially deliver in order for people to believe in it, how an obsession with profits is undermining the fight against the Chinese Communist Party, how democracy itself is becoming a partisan issue in the US, why social media must be regulated, how Joe Biden was right about Afghanistan all along, what Obama is like a person, and how fighting for democracy in America should give confidence to global democratic activists fighting for their own.

 

Be sure to tune in for his 'BBQ' answer which is a lot of fun. Ben also reveals his favourite Australian Prime Minister!

 

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Other show notes:

 

After the Fall: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/609428/after-the-fall-by-ben-rhodes/

Pod Save the World: https://crooked.com/podcast-series/pod-save-the-world/

Ben Rhodes: @brhodes

Misha Zelinsky socials: @mishazelinsky

Diplomates socials: @diplomatesshow

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