The Golden Age with Andrew Zucker

On this episode, Andrew is joined by USA Today senior editor Dan Morrison. Dan reveals how Trump’s pattern of construction during his time as a private real estate developer help explain the White House Ballroom build. Dan discusses Trump Tower, the old Commodore Hotel, and the Old Post Office.

Andrew sits down with Amy Gaines McQuade, the producer behind Deep Cover: George Santos to unpack the latest in the fabulist’s wild tale and commutation.  McQuade discusses how he scammed donors, landed a seven-year sentence, and, ultimately, served just a small amount of time. McQuade also discusses what Santos’s future career could look like and whether more prosecutions lie ahead.

Globe and Mail features writer Ian Brown joins host Andrew Zucker to discuss his latest piece, “We Live in a Golden Age of Sycophancy.” Brown discusses global leaders’ use of flattery with Trump, how Canada reacted to the Carney-Trump meeting, and the dangers of bootlicking in business and beyond.

Read Ian’s article:

Emily Baker-White, the author of Every Screen on the Planet, joins host Andrew Zucker to discuss TikTok’s rise and its ties to the Chinese government. Baker-White also reveals why Trump changed his tune about the app, and talks about the proposed deal to sell TikTok’s U.S. arm and what that means for the app’s all-powerful algorithm. 

Get more info about Emily’s new book  "Every Screen on the Planet: The War Over TikTok" - https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324086673

Wall Street Journal reporter Aaron Zitner joins host Andrew Zucker to discuss the rise and beliefs of Doug Wilson, the firebrand Christian nationalist pastor. Wilson’s controversial denomination, the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches, has incredibly incendiary beliefs and recently expanded to D.C. Although tiny, CREC is becoming more popular on the right and Pete Hegseth attends one of CREC’s member churches. So what is Christian nationalism and will Wilson be a force in Republican politics in the years ahead? Zitner answers all of that and more

On this episode, CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig discusses his new book, When You Come at the King: Inside DOJ's Pursuit of the President, from Nixon to Trump. Honig shares stories about Brett Kavanaugh’s involvement in the Ken Starr investigation, how President Grant dealt with investigations into his own presidency, and why Jack Smith couldn’t compete with the timeline Merrick Garland gave him.

After the Jimmy Kimmel Debacle for Trump and the FCC Andrew Zucker Is joined by WSJ reporter Maggie Severns to discuss Brendan Carr’s meteoric career ascent and recent moves at the FCC. The two chat about how Carr thinks about public interest, how he’s expanding the FCC’s mandate, and what his next moves might be at the independent agency.

Andrew Zucker invites Franklin Foer to explore Elon Musk's obsession with Mars, the interdependence of SpaceX and NASA, the role of Starlink in SpaceX's business model, the political dynamics surrounding space exploration, and the evolving role of NASA in the context of privatized space exploration.

Joining Andrew Zucker this week is Kelly Weinersmith to discuss her book on space settlement, exploring the challenges and considerations of human adaptation to space environments. She highlights the motivations of billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in space exploration, the feasibility of settling on Mars versus the Moon, and the implications of international law on space colonization. The conversation concludes with reflections on the future of humanity in space and the pressing questions that remain unanswered.

Check out Kellys Podcast:

https://sites.uci.edu/danielandkelly/

Andrew Zucker is joined this week by Jasper Craven. The confirmation hearing of Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense explores his views on diversity and liberal arts education at military academies like West Point. It also examines the historical tension between civilian professors and military leadership, influenced by Trump’s executive order on military education. The case of Professor Graham Parsons, who faced repercussions for his critical stance on the military’s direction under Hegseth and Trump, is highlighted. The implications for military education and the role of civilian professors are discussed, revealing power dynamics and educational philosophies.

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