Lever Time

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What’s Hiding In The Paramount Merger Settlement Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 11 other Democratic attorneys general just settled their lawsuit blocking Paramount Skydance’s $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The merger is now set to create one of the world’s largest media companies and put CNN and CBS News under the control of David Ellison, son of billionaire and Trump ally Larry Ellison. Bonta says the settlement is a victory — but what’s really in the deal’s fine print?

Today on Lever Time, Natalie Bettendorf sits down with former FTC Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya and antitrust legal expert Lee Hepner to explore what’s hiding in the merger settlement, why California Gov. Gavin Newsom “chickened out” on the matter, and what it all means for the future of our news and entertainment.

You can read more Lever reporting on the merger here.

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What Tech Oligarchs Gain From AI Doomerism Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

The AI apocalypse is here, but it’s not what you think. Last week, former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon warned online that “the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.”

The fallout sent shockwaves across the country — but how legitimate is Coxon’s warning? Should we fear AI agents going rogue and threatening humanity, or are these safety concerns a cover for something even more ominous on the horizon?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with two of the most astute observers of this situation: tech critic Ed Zitron and Matt Stoller of the American Economic Liberties Project, to discuss why something feels off about this latest wave of AI panic.

Editor’s note: An uncut video of this interview was published earlier this week, exclusively to our paid subscribers. ⁠Upgrade now⁠ to gain full and early access to all The Lever has to offer.

Check out Zitron’s newsletter, Where’s Your Ed At, and his podcast, Better Offline.

Read Stoller’s essay about the recent AI panic and check out his newsletter, BIG.

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Dan Osborn Knows Why Democrats Keep Losing Nebraska Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats almost two to one in Nebraska, and the few elected Democratic politicians in the state overwhelmingly lean conservative. But like the rest of the country, Nebraska is feeling the strain of soaring prices, data center buildouts, and Trump’s tariffs. Is the state ready for a change?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota visits rural Nebraska to meet Dan Osborn, the former union president and political independent who is challenging Sen. Pete Ricketts, the Republican son of a billionaire, for his Senate seat. In a state where “Democrat” is a dirty word, could Osborn’s populist campaign become a blueprint for breaking free from a dysfunctional two-party system?

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How Troy Jackson Can Put Collins' Career On The Chopping Block Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Maine’s Sen. Susan Collins (R) has won five elections in a row, and a Democrat has not won a United States Senate seat in the state since 1988 — but polls suggest Mainers have reached a breaking point. They’re tired of corruption and inaction from establishment politicians in Washington, D.C., and they’re clamoring for change.

Troy Jackson, a fifth-generation logger who spent nearly two decades as a state legislator, says he’s ready to shake things up. After populist insurgent Graham Platner dropped out of the race in July, Maine’s Democratic Party tapped Jackson as its new candidate.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Jackson to ask: why haven’t Democrats won a U.S. Senate seat in Maine in 38 years? Why does Collins keep winning? What’s changed in Maine over the last three decades, and why does he believe he can finally topple the state’s longtime Republican senator?

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The Billionaire Building Democrats’ New Machine Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Earlier this month, a new Democratic machine scored a major victory in Connecticut. First-time congressional candidate Luke Bronin won his Democratic primary by a landslide, ousting 14-term progressive incumbent Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.). Bronin’s win is part of a larger, national push — funded by a secretive hedge fund manager — to elect more establishment-aligned Democrats. Who is this man pouring his millions into the fight?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Lever reporters Katya Schwenk and Luke Goldstein to unmask the man behind the machine. They discuss Schwenk and Goldstein’s recent hit article exploring how one billionaire Democratic donor is attempting to handpick corporate-friendly candidates and crush their most progressive opponents in this year’s midterms.

You can check out more of Katya Schwenk and Luke Goldstein’s reporting here:

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Master Plan S2 E6: Obama’s Kill List Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

This week on Lever Time, we’re featuring our newest episode of Master Plan: The Kingmakers.

In this episode, President Barack Obama vows to restore the rule of law after the War on Terror. But behind closed doors, his administration creates a new secret system that allows the president to decide who lives and who dies.

You can check out the full season of Master Plan: The Kingmakers here.

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This Bernie Organizer Is Coming For A “DeSantis Democrat” Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

Oliver Larkin spent a decade battling the Democratic Party’s campaign machine as an organizer for candidates like Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). Now, in Florida’s Aug. 18 primary, he’s a democratic socialist going up against Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) — who once called himself a “twice-appointed, Ron DeSantis Democrat.”

Moskowitz claims Larkin is running against him “solely on my religion.” He has also vastly outraised Larkin, thanks in part to support from AIPAC affiliates and pro-AI super PACs. But just this week, Larkin’s campaign reached the milestone of raising $1 million without the help of corporate money. Does this mean the insurgent has a shot?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Larkin about the antisemitism allegations, the Democratic Party’s corporate money problem, and why he thinks Democrats keep losing in Florida.

Want comprehensive 2026 midterm coverage? Check out The Lever’s new weekly newsletter, ⁠Midterm Madness⁠, for election updates, analysis, and more.

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Big Money Lost To Abdul El-Sayed. Where Will It Go Next? Aug 06, 2026

Show notes

Michigan just proved that money has its limits in elections. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed beat out establishment sweetheart Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) in what was likely the most expensive Democratic primary in U.S. history.

El-Sayed’s win was a major blow to the super PACs and shadowy nonprofits that spent tens of millions against him, but the story is far from over. AIPAC and its affiliates claimed five other victories around the country this week, and dark money groups are now training their sights on the general election in November.

Today on Lever Time, Natalie Bettendorf speaks with David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, about Abdul El-Sayed’s landmark win in Michigan, the must-watch primary races ahead, and the bizarre new landscape of political campaigns. They discuss the pop-up and shell PACs, billionaire-backed nonprofits, paid influencers pushing political messages, and the surprising lack of federal oversight in the 2026 midterms.

Want comprehensive 2026 midterm coverage? Check out The Lever’s new weekly newsletter, Midterm Madness, for election updates, analysis, and more.

More Lever reporting on AIPAC and the money influencing this year’s midterms:

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He Left The GOP. Now He Has A Warning For Democrats. Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

Reed Galen was raised inside the Republican Party establishment, but in 2016, he left the party and later cofounded The Lincoln Project, an anti-Trump political action committee. Now he has a warning for the Democratic Party.

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota sits down with Galen to learn why the Democrats may be sleepwalking toward a dangerous point of no return.

Check out Reed’s Lever article, "Ignore Your Base, Lose Your Party."

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Francesca Hong Wants To Be America’s First Socialist Governor Jul 21, 2026

Show notes

The Wisconsin Democratic primary for governor has gone haywire. Over the last week, Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out amid a campaign finance scandal, and a candidate who had suspended his campaign, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, rejoined the race — immediately nabbing an influential endorsement from Gov. Tony Evers. Meanwhile, state Rep. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist, has surged in recent polls. Is this last-minute shakeup a coincidence, or part of a concerted effort to keep Hong from securing the nomination?

Today on Lever Time, David Sirota speaks with Hong, the candidate in the middle of it all. They discuss the opposition to her grassroots campaign, why she thinks her politics are better positioned to defeat Republicans, and why she believes the entire debate over “electability” misunderstands this political moment in the United States.

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