Politicology

During Hamas’s rampage in Israel last weekend, they kidnapped an estimated 150 people, including women, children, and the elderly. 

Ron Steslow calls Danielle Gilbert, Ph.D. and Assistant Professor of Political Science at Northwestern University (and Liz Gilbert Cohen’s sister), to discuss the Gaza hostage crisis, how hostage taking tactics developed and why this situation is different. 

They discuss Hamas’s vow to use hostages as human shields and what the conditions for hostages might be, and what types of negotiations we may see.

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 and beheading 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.

Read Danielle’s article in Good Authority: https://bit.ly/3ZWkNIf

Learn more about Dr. Gilbert: http://www.danigilbert.com/

Read the Bellingcat guide on maintaining mental hygiene: https://bit.ly/3ZX6d3a

Learn more about Hostage US : https://hostageus.org/

Learn more about the Bring Our Families Home Campaign: https://bit.ly/3FhQN0c

Learn more about the James W. Foley Legacy Foundation: https://bit.ly/3tuAlXQ

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To join Politicology+, visit politicology.com/plus or subscribe in Apple Podcasts.

Israel is still reeling from an unprecedented and gruesome terrorist attack by Hamas last weekend. Over a thousand Israelis, including babies, children and the elderly, have been brutally massacred.

On this weekly roundup, guest host Lucy Caldwell (Board Advisor to the Renew Democracy Initiative and advisor to the Forward Party) and guests Mike Madrid (Lincoln Project cofounder) and Rina Shah (Former Senior Aide on Capitol Hill) reflect on the horrifying news. 

They discuss the morally repugnant pro-Hamas rally in New York City endorsed by the local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America and the Democrats condemning the event. 

They break down President Biden’s address reaffirming U.S. support for Israel and the importance of the U.S. being a global leader in times of crisis.

Next, they look at Republicans scrambling to elect a new Speaker of the House and what happens when performative politics meets a real world crisis

Segments:

(02:27) The terror attacks in Israel

(35:17) The Speaker campaigns

[Politicology+] Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. announces his independent presidential run . 

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 Mike and Rina on Threads: 

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

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

Follow Lucy on X (formerly Twitter):

https://twitter.com/lucymcaldwell

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

NYT—Hamas Leaves Trail of Terror in Israel

CNN—Children found ‘butchered’ in Israeli kibbutz, IDF says, as horror of Hamas’ attacks near border begins to emerge

The Hill—The ghosts of Gaza | The Hill

C-SPAN—President Biden Delivers Remarks on Hamas Attacks on Israel (Video) | Text

WP—Democratic divisions over Israel resurface after ‘cease-fire’ comments - The Washington Post

NYT—U.S. Envoy to NATO Says Aid to Israel Won’t Come at Ukraine’s Expense - The New York Times

Segment 2: 

NYT—Hamas Leaves Trail of Terror in Israel

CNN—Children found ‘butchered’ in Israeli kibbutz, IDF says, as horror of Hamas’ attacks near border begins to emerge

The Hill—The ghosts of Gaza | The Hill

C-SPAN—President Biden Delivers Remarks on Hamas Attacks on Israel (Video) | Text

WP—Democratic divisions over Israel resurface after ‘cease-fire’ comments - The Washington Post

NYT—U.S. Envoy to NATO Says Aid to Israel Won’t Come at Ukraine’s Expense - The New York Times

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ron Steslow calls Hagar Chemali to discuss the brutal terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas in Israel, the massive intelligence failure, how the U.S. and Israel have responded, the reports Iran helped to organize and green light the attack, and why more leaders at  home should be condemning the attacks. 

We’re learning more and more about the atrocities Hamas has committed every hour, including details about the brutal murder and beheading 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 your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time in American history, the Speaker of the House of Representatives was ousted in a vote of no confidence. 

On this weekly roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Mike Madrid (Lincoln Project cofounder) and Scott Tranter (Investor and Advisor to Decision Desk HQ) discuss the Republican infighting, the reforms Matt Gaetz asked for, what it means, and where we go from here . 

Then they break down Robert F. Kennedy Jr. teasing a third party presidential run, who it could help and who it could hurt

Finally, they look at the organized labor stories all over the headlines and what the renewed strength of organized labor could mean for our elections. 

Segments to look forward to:

(02:28) McCarthy loses the Speaker’s gavel 

(33:45) Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. flirts with a third party presidential run

[Politicology+] The realignment in working class voters and rising organized labor

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 Will Baude on Advisory Opinions: https://bit.ly/3LN5snH

Listen to William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen on America’s Constitution with Akhil Amar: Part 1: https://apple.co/48IK7W6 | Part 2: https://apple.co/48IKiRg

Check out Hands Off my Rewards: https://handsoffmyrewards.com/

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

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/stranter

https://twitter.com/madrid_mike

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

NYT—Behind Kevin McCarthy’s Extraordinary Downfall as House Speaker - The New York Times

CNN—October 3, 2023 - Kevin McCarthy ousted as Speaker of the House

The Hill—5 takeaways from the ouster of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker | The Hill

NYT—Gaetz’s Ouster of McCarthy Draws Attention to His Ethics Issues - The New York Times

WP—Months of bad blood between McCarthy and Democrats help sink his speakership

Segment 2: 

NYT—Robert Kennedy Jr. Hints Strongly at Third-Party Presidential Bid - The New York Times

Politico—Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s super PAC preps for him to run for president as an Independent - POLITICO

The Dispatch —RFK JR. Could Play Spoiler, but Not for Biden - Chris Stirewalt - The Dispatch

Echelon Insights Verified Voter Omnibus

Nate Silver —RFK Jr. probably won't hurt Biden. He might even help him.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Claire Wardle (co-founder and co-director of the Information Futures Lab, and Professor of the Practice at the Brown School of Public Health) joins Ron Steslow to discuss the challenges( and failures) in improving our information landscape

(02:12) Claire’s background and how it led to her research

(05:52) Why terms like “misinformation,” “disinformation,” and “malinformation” have become less and less useful 

(08:45) How the real world doesn’t fit the framework of “misinformation” and “disinformation”

(10:50) Why we share stories online and how that shapes the information environment

(21:40) The problems that arise from research silos

(25:13) How platforms can include users in content moderation decisions 

(37:07) What role do troll farms actually play in information pollution?

(39:44) How the focus on foreign actors stops researchers, academics, and government officials from reflecting sincerely on their failures

(44:00) Why we share stories online and how that shapes the information environment

(50:28) Improving community-led resistance 

(55:53) How viewing social media users as a product shapes content moderation decisions 

(1:01:30) How AI could impact the information landscape…

Watch Operation InfeKtion from the New York Times: https://bit.ly/3IjJUxo

Read Claire’s piece “Misunderstanding Misinformation”: https://bit.ly/3IlSFa1

Watch the video op-ed where the NYT turned Claire into Adele: https://bit.ly/3MzvNq5

Follow Ron and Claire on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/cward1e

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can Donald Trump use the UAW strike to win over voters in Michigan?

Did anyone need to hear Mike Pence tell a sex joke?

Has a key member of the Senate been compromised by Egypt?

On this weekly roundup, guest host Hagar Chemali (Former spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) and guests Susan Del Percio (MSNBC political analyst and crisis communications expert) and Marc Polymeropoulos (Former CIA Official) dive into all of that and more. 

They break down Donald Trump’s speech outside Detroit and his return to the economic populism that fueled his 2016 campaign. 

Then they turn to the second Republican Presidential debate and the growing rifts in the party over support for Ukraine 

Next, they look at NJ Senator Robert Menendez’s indictment over allegations he aided the Egyptian government in exchange for cash

Finally, they look at bombshell new reporting that Iran orchestrated an information campaign to influence how the West views Tehran

Segments to look forward to:

(02:10) Trump’s Speech and the Republican Debate 

(19:29) The Menendez Indictment 

(42:57) The Iran Experts Initiative 

[Politicology+] The whistleblower testimony alleging the CIA tried to cover up its own assessment that Covid-19 likely came from a lab leak. 

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.

Check out Hagar’s show Oh My World on YouTube: https://www.ohmyworld.tv/

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

https://twitter.com/HagarChemali

https://twitter.com/DelPercioS

https://twitter.com/Mpolymer

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

NYT—Trump Tries to Court Blue-Collar Workers at a Nonunion Factory

WP—Opinion | Vivek Ramaswamy has a China problem — and a Hunter Biden problem

WP—Candidates’ differences on Ukraine reflect stark divide within GOP - The Washington Post

Segment 2: 

SDNY—U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, His Wife, And Three New Jersey Businessmen Charged With Bribery Offenses | United States Department of Justice

NPR—Senate Democrats to Bob Menendez: Resign : NPR

NBC News—Sen. Bob Menendez pleads not guilty to bribery charges as resignation calls grow louder

Just Security—The Ongoing National Security Threats Posed by Senator Bob Menendez

Segment 3: 

Semafor—Inside Iran’s Influence Operation | Semafor

Iran International —Inside Tehran’s Soft War

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Reeves (author of Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It) joins Ron Steslow to discuss his book and the struggles facing boys and men. 

(02:13) Richard’s work and how it led to studying boys and men 

(04:00) The risks if the problems are not addressed 

(07:30) The gendered education gap

(0z8:20) How economic shifts have impacted men

(11:20) Intersectionality in the research on gender 

(30:30) Recognizing these problems as structural and not individual

(34:40) Weighing the biological differences between women and men 

You can order the book here: https://www.brookings.edu/book/of-boys-and-men/

Follow Ron and Richard on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/RichardvReeves

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Reeves (author of Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It) joins Ron Steslow to discuss his book and the struggles facing boys and men. 

(02:04) The toxicity of “toxic masculinity”

(08:00) The “right” at war and the “left” in denial

(13:00) How negative partisanship only increases the problem

(15:00) The differences in funding and institutional support for men and women 

(23:00) Redshirt the boys 

(28:00) The criticism Richard has faced for his writing on boys and men

You can order the book here: https://www.brookings.edu/book/of-boys-and-men/

Follow Ron and Richard on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/RichardvReeves

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While lawmakers argued over the federal budget, our national debt passed $33 trillion dollars this week. 

On this week’s roundup, host Ron Steslow and guests Liam Donovan (Principal at Bracewell LLP), Andy Kroll (Investigative Reporter at ProPublica), and Romina Boccia (Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy at the Cato Institute) discuss why it’s significant and break down the fighting within the Republican party as they argue over a budget. 

Then they break down how the auto worker strike has Joe Biden caught between two key democratic constituencies 

They also discuss the migrant crisis in New York City and how it’s growing rifts in the Democratic party

Finally, they look at Biden’s defiance in the wake of a Federal Appeals Court ruling that said his Administration likely violated the First Amendment and his campaign’s alarming move to combat what it’s calling “political misinformation.”

Segments to look forward to:

(02:40) The Debt and the Budget fight

(31:31) The United Auto Workers Strike

(46:00) New York City Migrant Crisis 

[Politicology+] The Biden 2024 campaign’s alarming move to combat what it’s calling “political misinformation.”

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):

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/LPDonovan

https://twitter.com/AndyKroll

https://twitter.com/RominaBoccia

Related reading:

Segment 1: 

NYT—U.S. National Debt Tops $33 Trillion for First Time

Cato—Don’t Let the Government‐​Shutdown Charade Distract You From the Debt Crisis

Axios—GOP defectors sink McCarthy's push to advance Pentagon funding

NYT—Right-Wing House Republicans Derail Pentagon G.O.P. Bill, Rebuking McCarthy - The New York Times

The Hill—McConnell: Government shutdowns are ‘a loser for Republicans’ | The Hill

Segment 2: 

WP—Biden aides try to quell tension with UAW as Trump plans Detroit trip - The Washington Post

Politico—‘Trump scooped us’: Dems sound alarm on Biden’s handling of the auto worker strike - POLITICO

Politico—Autoworkers lash out at Biden in the UAW president’s hometown - POLITICO

Segment 3: 

NYT—In Escalation, Adams Says Migrant Crisis 'Will Destroy New York City'

WSJ—Why Biden’s Border Policies Aren’t Working - WSJ

WP—Opinion | On immigration, Democrats should admit they are wrong - The Washington Post

NYT—Suing. Heckling. Cursing. N.Y.C. Protests Against Migrants Escalate

NBC—Concern rises in the Biden administration that New York has fumbled its migrant problem, U.S. officials say

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even after historic civil rights progress over the last sixty years, there’s no denying that certain groups of people still face real, serious, and even systemic discrimination.

In pursuit of justice, many well-meaning activists have made identity central to their cause—arguing, for example, that in order to right wrongs, rules and laws must treat people differently, not equally, depending on the groups to which they belong.

Whatever you think of the term “wokeness,” this new ideology has spread like wildfire through academia, journalism, entertainment, governments, and corporations, radically changing politics, policy, and our public discourse.

But what if they have missed the mark?

What if crusading identitarianism is doing more harm than good?

What if it’s actually chipping away at some of the bedrock principles of our liberal democracy?

If we want honest answers, we have to take these ideas seriously.

In this two-part series, host Ron Steslow and Yascha Mounk break down his new book, “The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time.”

In this first episode, they discuss the rapidly changing meanings of words like “woke” and why Yascha coined the term “identity synthesis” to replace it.

They look at the spread of the identity synthesis and how quickly it is changing our politics. 

They dive into the intellectual underpinnings of the identity synthesis and why Yascha decided to write the book now.

Segments to look forward to:

(04:21) Yascha’s background 

(06:50) Why he decided to write this book 

(16:30) Why Yascha uses the term “trap” 

(21:40) The philosophical underpinnings of the “Identity Synthesis” 

Get the book: 

Order a hardcover copy: https://amzn.to/3PKN6pR

Get the audiobook: https://amzn.to/3Ps7CKe

Get it on Kindle: https://amzn.to/3rpAB9B

Follow Ron and Yascha on X (previously Twitter): 

https://twitter.com/RonSteslow

https://twitter.com/Yascha_Mounk

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices