The Bunker – Your daily news Deep Dive

America’s presidents have generally been straight, white, old men. Barack Obama bucked that trend, but the United States is yet to have a woman or a queer person in the White House. In today’s Bunker, Alex Andreou asks Harvard professor, award-winning activist and author of the influential A Queer History of the United States Michael Bronski if the US is, or when it might be, ready for an LGBTQ+ president. 

• “While Pete Buttigieg may break glass ceilings, there may also be backlash against that, in the same way that there was a decade long backlash from the Republicans against Obama getting elected with the ultimate punishment being Trump.” - Michael Bronski

• “We’re at a point in American popular culture where Ru Paul’s Drag Race is one of the most popular tv shows, and we have multiple movies about trans and non-binary people. So Americans can accept this as a part of popular culture, and simultaneously there’s a political backlash." - Michael Bronski

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Written and Presented by Alex Andreou. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Jade Bailey. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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It’s a massive election year, with billions voting worldwide. But will those casting votes do so logically? Has voter psychology changed in recent years? And what can be learned from it? To find out, Jacob Jarvis talks to Dr Sandra Obradovic, associate researcher at the Electoral Psychology Observatory to find out. 

• “Some see voting as something that upholds democracy and connects you with society at large. It is not an individual activity, it’s one that makes you a citizen.” – Dr Sandra Obradovic

• “We’re moving away from this ‘rational actor’ assumption and acknowledging that reasoning and emotions interlink in the context of politics.” – Dr Sandra Obradovic

• “We’re much more distrusting of politicians and political institutions, even within our own camps.” – Dr Sandra Obradovic

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Written and presented by Podmasters managing editor Jacob Jarvis. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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After decades of unprecedented economic growth China’s rise seems to be slowing down. Has the nation’s power reached its peak? What would this mean for the country, and for the rest of the world? Alex Andreou asks Michael Beckley, associate professor of political science at Tufts University and author of Unrivaled: Why America Will Remain the World’s Sole Superpower, in The Bunker.  

• “The U.S. has the power to shape the international system in ways that China can’t match.” – Michael Beckley

• “The failure of China’s zero COVID policy is emblematic of a bigger issue” – Michael Beckley

• “China is at risk of a deflation debt cycle. It’s a fundamentally broken economic model.” – Michael Beckley

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Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Simon Williams. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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The killing of Putin’s high profile rival, Alexei Navalny, has sparked outrage. Will this convince the UK and US to step up their support for Ukraine? Rishi Sunak faces the fallout of his most recent by-election losses – how is he clinging on? Across the pond – Liz Truss will be making an appearance at CPAC, as if Americans didn’t have enough to deal with already. Finally we have the latest on the Israel/Hamas conflict as Netenyahu prepares a ground offensive in Rafah. 

• "We have politicians in this country like Nigel Farage who say that they admire Vladimir Putin. Why?" – Gavin Esler 

• “What kind of person would pay money to listen to Liz Truss?” – Gavin Esler

• "Appointing David Cameron as Foreign Secretary has been one of the best things that Rishi Sunak has done."– Gavin Esler

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Written and presented by Ros Taylor with Gavin Esler. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Biden’s economic and immigration policies are under relentless fire from Trump and Republicans, and his approval ratings are dire – but when you look at the facts, is he really doing so badly? And what does he need to do to convince the American public to re-elect him? Gavin Esler finds out from Molly Jong-Fast,  special correspondent for Vanity Fair and host of the Fast Politics podcast.

Listen to Fast Politics podcast: https://fastpoliticspod.com/ 

• “As much as there’s so much talk about Biden's age, Biden got the last nomination BECAUSE he was old.” – Molly Jong-Fast

• “American political life is so demented and deranged.” – Molly Jong-Fast

• “Why are we talking about immigration? Because the economy has gotten much better … the Republicans have shifted the narrative.” – Molly Jong-Fast

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Written and presented by Gavin Esler. Producer: Chris Jones. Audio production: . Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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The global ‘self-help’ market is worth over £30 billion. And yet, it seems no amount of books, apps or podcasts can fix us: we’re all still as burnt out and broken as ever. In today’s edition, Alex Andreou sits down with psychologist and fatigue specialist, Prof Vincent Deary, to talk about his latest book How We Break: Navigating the Wear and Tear of Living and find out why ‘self help’ isn’t really helping at all. 

• “No two people break in the same way.”  – Vincent Deary

• “People are being broken not by themselves but by the world and environments around them.”  – Vincent Deary

Buy Vincent Deary’s book How We Break: Navigating the Wear and Tear of Living  through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

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Written and presented by Alex Andreou. Producer: Liam Tait. Production Assistant: Adam Wright. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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It's often said that politics is showbiz for ugly people. So why has parliament produced so many sex scandals? Today in this special Valentine’s Day edition of The Bunker, Andrew Harrison sits down with sex historian and host of Betwixt the Sheets, Kate Lister to rifle through Westminster’s dirty laundry and find out why so many politicians are entangled in sex scandals.

• “When you’re a politician, opportunities for sex come around more often.”  – Kate Lister

• “It's such a strange life. You have to be exemplary in everything you do. Is it any wonder that every once in a while they do something stupid?”  – Kate Lister

• “I think we are becoming more tolerant of affairs. Is it any of our business?”  – Kate Lister

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Written and presented by Andrew Harrison. Producer: Liam Tait. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson’s two-hour sit down with Vladimir Putin has grabbed headlines worldwide. But can we really learn anything from it? Jacob Jarvis talks to Ian Garner, a historian of Russian culture and the author of Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth, to discuss how to interpret the interview – and what the Russian leader really should have been asked.  

• “Putin’s character was on display – he does tend to be very patronising. He’ll openly mock people for asking what he deems to be stupid questions.” – Ian Garner

• “When Putin is talking about the past he’s not talking about a literal interpretation of events in the way we would expect. It is all about myth.” – Ian Garner

Buy Z Generation: Into the Heart of Russia’s Fascist Youth [LINK: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/13277/9781787389281] through our affiliate bookshop and you’ll help fund The Bunker by earning us a small commission for every sale. Bookshop.org’s fees help support independent bookshops too.

www.patreon.com/bunkercast 

Written and presented by Podmasters managing editor Jacob Jarvis. Produced by: Eliza Davis Beard. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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Benjamin Netanyahu’s power is faltering. From losing international support, to the charges of fraud and bribery that he’s facing – pressure is mounting on the Israeli leader. So how much power does he have left and could this rift with President Biden be the final nail in the coffin? Chris Jones is joined by Politico’s senior foreign affairs correspondent Nahal Toosi, who recently wrote: The US Is Dealing With an Israeli Leader Who’s Losing Control.

Nahal Toosi’s Politico column: https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/01/08/netanyahu-israeli-leader-losing-control-00134146  

• “Just being prime minister is not enough to protect him from having to stand trial.” – Nahal Toosi

• “Netanyahu is using the ICJ ruling to support his position, creating an ‘us versus them’ narrative.” – Nahal Toosi

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Written and presented by Chris Jones. Producer: Eliza Davis and Chris Jones. Beard. Audio production: Robin Leeburn. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Music by Kenny Dickinson. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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This week: By-elections will prove yet another test for Sunak – but things aren’t smooth sailing for Labour either. Plus, updates as Israel strikes Rafah – what will this mean for the conflict? And, Trump latest as he delivers controversial comments on Russia. Alex Andreou joins Jacob Jarvis to tee up the week ahead. 

• “The level of defeat in these by-elections matters” – Alex Andreou

• “Michael Gove defending you feels like one of the four horsemen of the Tory apocalypse” – Alex Andreou 

•“There is a balance to be struck between being cautious and being unambitious” – Alex Andreou 

• “There must be an international intervention now – it is enough.” – Alex Andreou 

Support us on Patreon:

www.patreon.com/bunkercast 

Written and presented by Jacob Jarvis with Alex Andreou. Audio editor: Jade Bailey. Managing editor: Jacob Jarvis. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production.

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