Deep State Radio

Today’s pod tackles a subject of profound importance: The sheer, inexplicable weirdness of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. There’s Representative Matt Gaetz’s bizarre speech, in which his face was so taut that one Republican derided him as an “AI sex doll.” There are all the ugly “Mass Deportations Now!” signs, the cultish rituals in which attendees treated Trump as their MAGA God King, and much, much more. We talked to Ron Filipkowski, who closely tracks the right wing as the head of Meidas Touch News. He helped us find meaning underneath all the ugliness and insanity. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the Republican National Convention approaches its end, more calls for Joe Biden to step down from the election have sprung up in the media. What possibilities are there for replacing Biden? And how is the RNC shaping the Trump campaign? Pete Dominick and Nell Scovell join David Rothkopf to talk potential Democratic heroes and MAGA celebrities - from Kamala Harris and JD Vance to Hulk Hogan and Jon Stewart - and much, much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Thursday edition of the DSR daily, we cover Biden's changing reception to calls for him to step down, European leaders discussing migration and Ukraine at a UK Summit, Jack Smith's formal appeal of Trump's classified documents case dismissal, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surprise, surprise: The Republican convention is turning into a festival of media bashing. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene did something that deserves special attention: After fielding a question about J.D. Vance that displeased her, Greene erupted, repeatedly dressing down the reporter in strikingly vicious terms. Arizona senate candidate Kari Lake, meanwhile, used her convention speech to similarly smear the press. All this is a bad omen: If Donald Trump wins the election, the assault on the press is going to shift into authoritarian overdrive. We talked to Media Matters senior fellow Matt Gertz, who explains why a Trump crackdown on the press could get alarmingly far. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the Republican National Convention in full-swing, all eyes are on Donald Trump and running mate JD Vance. What do the decadent celebrations of the RNC tell us about Trump’s appeal? How will a pro-Putin running mate in JD Vance affect Trump’s foreign policy? David Rothkopf is joined by Rosa Brooks, Ed Luce, and Tom Nichols to analyze the current state of the Trump campaign and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR daily for July 17, we cover President Biden’s consideration of Supreme Court reform, the guilty verdict in Senator Menendez’s corruption trial, an Iranian plot to assassinate Trump, and more. We also welcome our new co-host, Minnah Stein! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now that Ohio Senator J.D. Vance is Donald Trump’s running mate, everyone is combing through his old quotes, and a striking one has surfaced: in 2016, Vance warned that Trump threatened to take the white working class to a “very dark place.” In short, Vance once understood that MAGA ideology, at its core, is really, really toxic. And that’s a big political vulnerability. We talked to Sarah Longwell, the pollster and prominent Never Trumper, about how the Vance pick will showcase the worst aspects of MAGA throughout this race and how Democrats can try to use that to win swing voters. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From an attempted assassination to the Republican National Convention, much has changed the direction of Trump’s campaign in the past few days. Norm and Kavita are back to discuss the shooting in Pennsylvania, the announcement of JD Vance as Trump’s running mate, and Trump’s ongoing legal issues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

November’s election is an existential threat to our justice system. With Judge Cannon’s decision to dismiss Trump’s documents case and the Supreme Court's ruling on immunity, the power of the Presidency has grown to an unsustainable level. The Trump-Vance administration would be certain to put that power to the test. Barb McQuade joins David Rothkopf to break down the latest news and why the stakes could not be higher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Tuesday edition of the DSR daily, we cover the announcement of J.D. Vance as Trump’s VP candidate, Israel allowing in more UN equipment, the defection of a high-ranking North Korean diplomat, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the days after the horrific effort to assassinate Donald Trump, MAGA figures have widely sought to exploit this moment of national crisis, by arguing that Democrats invited or even encouraged the shooting. The leading proponent of this absurd claim is Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, and on Tuesday, Trump announced that Vance will be his running mate. We talked to Alex Shephard, a senior editor at The New Republic and author of a great new piece on this new MAGA agitprop, about why the Vance pick—and other assorted signs—suggest that the politics around the shooting are going to get a lot more poisonous. Listen to this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original air date: April 22, 2024 With conflicts raging in Ukraine, Gaza, and beyond, the job of covering conflict and national security is more important than ever. But how do journalists provide accurate and reliable coverage? CNN national security correspondent Kylie Atwood joins Marc Polymeropoulos to discuss the unique challenges of our current national security climate and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mollie Katzen, of Moosewood fame, is this week’s guest. Marissa and Mollie discuss the political situation and future of democracy in the U.S., but, as you might expect, the conversation turns to the power of food, more specifically how to make ourselves feel better these days. If you’ve found yourself struggling with the news, this episode is a must-listen. Bread and butter, anyone? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Monday edition of the DSR daily, we discuss Biden’s calls for unity after an assassination attempt of Donald Trump, Israel’s latest strikes on Gaza, French struggles to form a government, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At the time of this recording, we know little about the attempt to assassinate Donald Trump. He was hit in the ear, but thankfully doesn’t appear seriously injured. The 20-year-old gunman has been identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks. He was registered as a Republican but donated $15 to a progressive group in January 2021, and we know nothing of his motive. Political violence is absolutely unacceptable no matter who is targeted. So for now we will focus on the bigger picture: We talked to Zack Beauchamp, author of a new book called The Reactionary Spirit and a piece for Vox called: “America is not ready for what comes next,” about whether this horror will lead to an escalation and what it says that American society is again at this point. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: July 27, 2023 It’s hot here in DC, but we’re not alone. Norm and Kavita talk climate change and what the administration can do to combat disinformation to change the conversation around climate. Additionally, we discuss what the Democrats can and should be doing to stop Governor Abbott’s abhorrent policies at the border. For all this and more, tune in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: July 26, 2023 The United States and Israel have long had a “special relationship.” Yet with the Netanyahu government’s latest assault on Israeli democracy, that relationship is under more strain than ever. Former Israeli diplomat Alon Pinkas and independent journalist and author Emily Tamkin join David Rothkopf to break down the future of US-Israel relations and how the Biden administration can maintain a long-time partnership while protecting democratic values.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is there a silver lining to the AI cloud? With so much talk of the doom and gloom of the AI age, we’ve lost sight of the potential benefits of such a tectonic shift in technology. Michael Strain joins David Rothkopf to share why he’s an AI optimist and why its benefits have been minimized in the mainstream discourse. This material is distributed by TRG Advisory Services, LLC on behalf of the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in the U.S.. Additional information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, DC. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the DSR daily for Friday, we cover the main takeaways from President Biden’s news conference, Orban’s visit with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, 500 pound bombs being sent to Israel, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Iran has a new President, but will it avert a nuclear standoff with the west and Israel? The election of a “reformist" president long seemed a far-fetched possibility. However, the death of conservative President Ebrahim Raisi in May and the election of reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian this month has shifted the political landscape and now presents numerous questions for the future of Iranian foreign policy. Ali Baez joins Heather Williams and Jon Wolfsthal to discuss the results of the election, pathways for reform, and the implications of a new government on the global stage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices