Politicology

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On Tuesday, Democrats and abortion rights advocates scored election victories in Virginia and Ohio

On this weekly roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Mike Madrid (Lincoln Project cofounder) and Lucy Caldwell (Board Advisor to the Renew Democracy Initiative and advisor to the Forward Party) discuss the results of those elections and the New York Times / Siena College Poll that has Trump leading Biden in five of six battleground states.  

Then they discuss the foreign influence campaigns shaping our culture and politics from TikTok to universities. 

Next, they dive into Donald Trump’s plans to hire lawyers who will help him defy the law—even if it won’t hold up in court. 

Segments this week:

(1:44) Elections and the NYT Poll

(28:18) Foreign Influence 

(47:30) Trump preparing to hire lawyers who will help him defy the law

[Politicology+] The third Republican primary debate.

Politicology+ 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.

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Related reading:

Segment 1: 

WP—Exit poll results from Ohio Issue 1 ballot measure on abortion rights - The Washington Post

Axios—Virginia Democrats seize statehouse, dashing Youngkin's hopes for GOP takeover

NYT/Siena college—Cross-Tabs: October 2023 Times/Siena Poll of the 2024 Battlegrounds

NYT—Abortion Rights Fuel Big Democratic Wins, and Hopes for 2024 - The New York Times

NYT—Tuesday Was Great for Democrats. It Doesn’t Change the Outlook for 2024. - The New York Times

Segment 2: 

The Free Press—Is Campus Rage Fueled by Middle Eastern Money? | The Free Press

The Guardian—TikTok is part of China’s cognitive warfare campaign | Nita Farahany | The Guardian

The Economist—Israel is more popular than social-media posts suggest 

Axios—On TikTok, views of pro-Palestine posts far surpass views of pro-Israel posts

Segment 3: 

NYT—If Trump Wins, His Allies Want Lawyers Who Will Bless a More Radical Agenda

Insider—Trump wants to use the DOJ to probe high-profile critics if he wins a second term in 2024, report says

The Dispatch Podcast—Trump Davidians

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Amid the sea of Trump flags outside the Capitol on January 6th, there were signs that read “Jesus is my Savior, Trump is my President.” A group of protestors carried a giant cross as they marched around the Capitol. 

Why were these Christian images on prominent display? 

What role did Charismatic Christianity play in the buildup to the riot at the capitol? 

How is it continuing to shape our politics? 

In this two-part episode, Matthew Taylor (writer and creator of the audio-documentary series “Charismatic Revival Fury: The New Apostolic Reformation” ) joins Ron Steslow to discuss how the non-denominational Charismatic Christianity built to the attack on January 6th and what it will mean going forward. 

Segments to look forward to:

(04:55) Matt’s Background 

(10:42) Why January 6th made him examine this brand of Charismatic Christianity 

(17:00) Why he used “Charismatic Revival Fury”

(21:21) How January 6th intersected with Charismatic Christianity 

(26:19) How independent Charismatic leaders became early Trump supporters

(35:18) Why “Christian Supremacy” is a better than “Christian Nationalism” 

(38:38) How the term “White Christian Nationalism” misses the multi-racial makeup of the movement 

(44:47) The theology that led to an increase in political engagement among Charismatic Christians 

Listen to the full Charismatic Revival Fury series: https://bit.ly/49jqqVb

Follow Ron and Matt on Twitter:

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https://twitter.com/TaylorMatthewD

Email questions and thoughts to [email protected].

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Since Hamas launched their horrific terrorist attacks in Israel, violent antisemitism has spiked across the United States and most visibly on college campuses

On this weekly roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Liz Gilbert Cohen (President of the 2020 Democratic National Convention) and Marc Polymeropoulos (Former CIA Official) discuss how it’s fueling the fracturing of the Democratic party and what it could mean for Democratic politics. 

Then they discuss Iran’s role in the Israel-Hamas war and how our foreign policy failures could further destabilize the region. 

Segments this week:

(02:24) Rising Antisemitism 

(24:38) Biden takes heat from his own party on Israel 

(53:01) Iran’s role in the Israel-Hamas war

[Politicology+] The Minnesota congressman who’s running to challenge Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination—and the shadow primary to become the nominee if Biden bows out.

Politicology+ 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.

Listen to our conversation with Marc about his book: https://bit.ly/3u0XUI0

Get Marc’s book Clarity in Crisis: https://bit.ly/3MsP7VH

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

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Related reading:

Segment 1: 

The Dispatch—The MAGAfication of the Left - The Dispatch

CNN—Cornell student accused of threatening to kill Jewish students is expected in court today | CNN

NPR—Cornell student arrested in connection with antisemitic threats on New York campus

Reuters—​​US antisemitic incidents up about 400% since Israel-Hamas war began, report says | Reuters

LA Times—Opinion: Nothing has prepared me for the antisemitism I see on college campuses now

Politico—Jewish leaders to Biden officials: ‘We’ve never seen anything like this ever’ - POLITICO

Segment 2: 

Time—https://time.com/6330102/biden-israel-gaza-arab-americans-trump/

NBC—Swing-state Muslim Americans threaten to vote against Biden

[March 2023] Gallup—Democrats' Sympathies in Middle East Shift to Palestinians

Politico—The generational rift that explains Democrats' angst over Israel - POLITICO

JP—​​​​​​​​Hillary Clinton: 'People who call for ceasefire do not understand Hamas' - Israel News - The Jerusalem Post

Segment 3: 

ABC News—Yemen's Houthi rebels claim attacks on Israel, drawing their main sponsor Iran closer to Hamas war - ABC News

Yahoo News—How Biden miscalculated on Iran

Axios—Behind the Curtain: Rattled U.S. government fears wars could spread

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Journalist, Public Speaker and Author Celeste Headlee (@CelesteHeadlee) joins host Ron Steslow (@RonSteslow) to reveal the science and history behind human communication, share keys to unlock deeper conversations, and explain how critical empathy is for our ability to listen and connect. For more information, to contact us, or to contribute to Politicology, visit Politicology.com

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After more than three weeks of chaos, the House of Representatives has elected a new Speaker.

On this weekly roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Katty Kay (veteran reporter and NYT bestselling author) and Susan Del Percio (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert) discuss Speaker Mike Johnson’s rise to take the gavel, the most pressing issues before the House, and putting a bonafide election denier in the Speaker’s chair.

Then they discuss Qatar’s role as an intermediary in hostage negotiations, a financial backer of Hamas, a major ally of the United States, and their quest to buy influence from major U.S. universities. 

[Politicology+] The continuing erosion of support for democracy and data that indicate the appetite for political violence is rising across the spectrum.

Segments this week:

(02:22) Mike Johnson becomes speaker

(31:31) Qatar

[Politicology+] The erosion of support for democracy and increasing willingness to resort to political violence

Politicology+ 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.

Find out more about Katty’s work with Claire Shipman: https://www.kayandshipman.com/

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

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https://twitter.com/KattyKay_

https://twitter.com/DelPercioS

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

Axios—What to know about new House Speaker Mike Johnson

NBC News—GOP speaker nominee Mike Johnson played a key role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election

The Hill—Democrats seize on new Speaker Mike Johnson’s anti-abortion record | The Hill

The Hill—Where House Speaker Mike Johnson stands on Ukraine, Israel | The Hill

Segment 2: 

The Free Press—Qatar’s War for Young American Minds | The Free Press

The Guardian—Yuval Noah Harari backs critique of leftist ‘indifference’ to Hamas atrocities

The Atlantic—The Reckoning That Is Coming for Qatar - The Atlantic

Axios—Behind the Curtain: Rattled U.S. government fears wars could spread

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Dr. Catherine Sanderson, Poler Family Professor, Chair of Psychology at Amherst College and the author of Why We Act: Turning Bystanders Into Moral Rebels joins host Ron Steslow to analyze why Trump was able to exert control on the Republican party, how to recognize leaders who will stand up for what’s right—and what we can do to become moral rebels.

Catherine Sanderson Twitter: @SandersonSpeaks 

Ron Steslow Twitter: @RonSteslow

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In the two weeks since Hamas began their terrorist attacks in Israel, many people around the globe have, stunningly, taken to the streets to cheer on the assault.

Ron Steslow calls Yascha Mounk (Author of The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time), to explain the people cheering Hamas on, the identity synthesis that is driving their action, the failure of major news organizations pushing out Hamas’s press releases, and the elite institutions that have chosen deafening silence in this moment.

Note: We’re learning more and more about the atrocities Hamas has committed and about the events of the war every day. We may not know the full extent of the terrorist attacks for some time. To keep up to date on breaking news, check trusted news sources like the Associated Press and other newswire services.

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Against a backdrop of American and Israeli flags, President Joe Biden told Israel that as long as the United States stands, Israel will never be alone. 

On this weekly roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Mike Madrid (Lincoln Project cofounder) and Matt Bennett (Executive Vice President for Public Affairs at Third Way) discuss the Biden’s trip, Hamas’s lie that Israel bombed a hospital, the major news sources, including the New York Times that published Hamas’s lie, and the information war

Then they break down the House GOP’s struggle to find a new Speaker. After we recorded, the House Republican conference scrapped their plan to install Patrick McHenry as an interim Speaker.

Segments this week:

(02:04) Biden’s trip to Israel 

(38:40) The Speaker election drags on 

[Politicology+] The Donald Trump legal battle that’s flying under the radar—and that could keep him off the ballot in 2024. 

Politicology+ 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.

Follow this week’s panel on X (formerly Twitter):

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Follow Mike on Threads: 

https://www.threads.net/@mykemadrid

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

AP—President Biden wraps up his visit to wartime Israel with a warning against being 'consumed' by rage

White House —Remarks by President Biden on the October 7th Terrorist Attacks and the Resilience of the State of Israel and its People: TEXT | VIDEO

The Free Press—When the Misinformation Comes From Inside the House | The Free Press

Axios—Gaza hospital blast: Initial U.S. intel assessment is Israel "not responsible"

Segment 2: 

CNN—Jim Jordan loses second vote for House speaker amid steep GOP opposition | CNN Politics

Axios—Bipartisan talks gain steam as Jim Jordan struggles with speaker vote

Jake Sherman—NEW -- HOW HOUSE DEMS THINK ABOUT EMPOWERING SPEAKER PRO TEM 

Axios—GOP scrambles for escape hatch as Jim Jordan falls short again

Politico—Jim Jordan’s allies tried strong-arming his GOP critics. It backfired. - POLITICO

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Hamas’s attack on Israel has heightened concerns about safety and security for Jewish people around the globe. 

Ron Steslow calls Michael Masters, National Director and CEO of the Secure Community Network, to discuss the threats to Jewish communities in the United States and what organizations and individuals can do to increase their safety

We’re learning more and more about the atrocities Hamas has committed every hour, including confirmation from the Israeli government details about the brutal murder of babies. We may not know the full extent of their barbarism for some time. To keep up to date on breaking news, check trusted news sources like the Associated Press and other newswire services.

Learn more about United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/

Learn more about NATAL: https://www.afnatal.org/

Learn more about the Secure Community Network: https://www.securecommunitynetwork.org/

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The Internet is awash in horrifying images and videos coming from inside Israel and Gaza. 

Ron Steslow calls Catherine Sanderson, Ph.D. (Poler Family Professor and chair of the psychology department at Amherst College), to discuss what you can do to mind your mental health when consuming disturbing media.

Note: We’re learning more and more about the atrocities Hamas has committed and about the events of the war every hour, including the blast at the hospital Catherine talked about during this call. We may not know the full extent of the terrorist attacks for some time. To keep up to date on breaking news, check trusted news sources like the Associated Press and other newswire services.

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