On with Kara Swisher

Latest Episodes:

Higher Prices, Smaller Margins: The Reality of the Restaurant Business in 2026 Nov 12, 2026

Show notes

Restaurants are facing big challenges right now. Rising food costs, labor shortages and affordability issues have made a tough industry even tougher. Still, chefs, servers and restaurateurs are scrappy and resilient.

Kara sits down with a group of her favorite food experts to talk about what it takes to succeed in the restaurant business today. From how restaurateurs are adapting to shifting consumer behavior, to the power of social media and whether food critic reviews still matter, they get at the heart of what happens when a restaurant becomes an essential part of a community.

Susan Feniger is an award-winning veteran chef, cookbook author, entrepreneur and co-owner of Mundo Hospitality Group. She’s also the subject of the documentary "Susan Feniger: Forked" available to stream on Apple and Amazon.

Danny Meyer is the award-winning founder and executive chairman of Union Square Hospitality Group which includes Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern and Manhatta. He’s also the founder of Shake Shack. His new book is called What Could Possibly Go Right? The Essential Journey to Scale and Enduring Culture.

Elazar Sontag is The Washington Post’s food critic. He was nominated for a James Beard Award and named a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient. He's also launching a newsletter called "For the Table."

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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High Stakes with HRC: The “What’s Next?” Episode Nov 11, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to “the podcast from hell.” Last week, Kara and the Secretary broke down what happened during the midterms; this week, they discuss what comes next. They cover Pete Hegseth’s rare press conference as he faces impeachment proceedings. They throw around potential Republican contenders for 2028. And in the wake of the NVIDIA drama, HRC gives listeners an inside look into the kinds of national security risks she monitored as Secretary of State. Plus, High Stakes welcomes its first-ever special guest: the one and only Rachel Maddow.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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What’s Next For AI Regulation After Dems Sweep? Reps. Casar and Liccardo Weigh In Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

As Democrats solidify the size and scope of their House and Senate majorities after Tuesday’s midterm blowout, the party is brainstorming how best to take advantage of its coming Congressional control. One area of focus will be passing AI regulations, an issue with some bipartisan support. But with Trump still in the White House — and warning lawmakers not to “kill the golden goose” — what can the party actually accomplish?

Two Democrats who will be key to getting any AI bill passed are Texas Rep. Greg Casar, who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus and has introduced a series of populist bills aimed at reigning in big tech, and California Rep. Sam Liccardo, whose Bay Area district includes a sliver of Silicon Valley. Kara talks to them about what Democrats should prioritize when it comes to AI legislation, where the party might be able to work with Republicans, and whether Congress can actually get ahead of the technology’s rapid advancement.

Please note: This episode was taped the Wednesday following the midterm elections.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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High Stakes with HRC: The Blue Wave Episode Nov 06, 2026

Show notes

Kara Swisher and Hillary Clinton break down a historic midterm election, in which Democrats won control of both the House and Senate. They discuss the night’s firsts, including the nation’s first Black woman governor, first Muslim senator, and the record number of Democratic women heading to the House. Clinton shares her election-night routine, and the results that surprised her most. Then, the two look ahead to what a Democratic Congress means for the final two years of Trump’s presidency.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Stay Tuned with Preet: Trump’s Midterm Defeat & the Fight Ahead Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

Today, we’re bringing you a new episode of “Stay Tuned with Preet” from CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

A panel joins Preet Bharara to break down the midterm election results: historian Joanne Freeman, The New Yorker staff writer Susan Glasser, and political commentator and author of the Substack publication “To the Contrary,” Charlie Sykes.

They discuss what led to President Trump and the Republican Party’s sweeping defeat, what to expect from Trump in his final two years in office, how Democrats might wield their newfound power in Congress, and the implications for the 2028 presidential election.

Show notes and a transcript of the episode are available on our website.

Watch this episode on our Youtube channel.

Shop Stay Tuned merch and featured books by our guests in our Amazon storefront.

Have a question for Preet? Ask @PreetBharara on BlueSky, or Twitter with the hashtag #AskPreet. Email us at staytuned@cafe.com, or call 833-997-7338 to leave a voicemail.

Stay Tuned with Preet is brought to you by CAFE and the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Kara will be back on Friday with a special episode of “High Stakes” with Hillary Clinton. They’ll unpack what the midterm results mean for the country and for the Trump administration's next two years.

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Courage vs. Capitulation: Lewis and Weisberg on Trump 2.0’s Quiet Heroes and Loud Cowards Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

Authors Michael Lewis and Jacob Weisberg have built careers on writing deeply researched books about the ways human judgement shapes powerful institutions, especially the U.S. government. Their latest books are a study in contrasts. In “Profiles in Cowardice,” Weisberg scrutinizes the people in positions of great power who folded to President Donald Trump’s power grab at the start of his second term. Lewis’s “Blockers” highlights the opposite: the nameless career bureaucrats who tried to defend federal laws and norms in the early days of DOGE.

Kara, Michael and Jacob talk about the ways the second Trump administration has been dramatically different from the first, whether Elon Musk and his DOGE “musk-rats”really intended to cut $2 trillion from the federal budget, and why gutting the civil service left all of us worse off. They also talk about the upcoming midterm elections and how Democrats can work to hold the Trump administration accountable should they win back power in Congress.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Can Elon Musk Buy His Way Out of a Reckoning? Oct 29, 2026

Show notes

With less than a week to go until Election Day, Elon Musk is once again at the center of American politics. The world's richest man has poured nearly half a billion dollars into the midterms to stave off Democratic gains. Meanwhile, Republican and Democratic lawmakers have called for an investigation following revelations that Musk restricted Ukraine’s access to Starlink. And last week, Musk threatened Kara with jail time on X after she said he could face investigations if Democrats return to power.

Kara brings together a panel of experts to unpack the business interests behind Musk’s political bets: why he's spending big on the Texas Senate race, what’s driving a potential Tesla–SpaceX merger and whether a post-election reckoning could bring accountability and check his power.

Kirsten Grind is an investigative business reporter at The New York Times covering Silicon Valley and tech executives, including Elon Musk. Catherine Rampell is the Economics Editor for The Bulwark and an MSNOW contributor. Faiz Siddiqui is a tech reporter at The Washington Post and author of the book Hubris Maximus: The Shattering of Elon Musk.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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High Stakes with HRC: The Midterms Prep Episode Oct 28, 2026

Show notes

Welcome back to another episode of High Stakes, a limited series from Kara Swisher and co-host Hillary Clinton. It’s the last week before the midterms. Kara and Hillary hone in on the nation’s tightest deadlocks and most consequential House, Senate, and gubernatorial races. The Secretary touches on what it feels like to experience the pre-midterm week from the other side of the ballot. The two discuss final hail-marys in the mis- and disinformation space leading up to the vote…and remember Pizzagate.

Remember: vote! Also: Happy birthday, Ma’am.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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Reed Hastings on Hollywood’s Future, Netflix’s Shakeup and Knowing When to Leave Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

After nearly 30 years building Netflix – from its humble beginnings as a DVD-by-mail outfit to a streaming service powerhouse – co-founder and former chairman Reed Hastings fully walked away from the company when he stepped down from the board of directors this past June. His departure came at a tumultuous time in Hollywood and at Netflix itself. On top of the fallout from its failed bid to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, Netflix has also been struggling with stagnating engagement and slowing revenue growth, prompting a big C-Suite shakeup and a mass layoff earlier this month.

Speaking at the Masters of Scale Summit in San Francisco, Kara and Reed talk about Netflix’s future and why he thinks making better content is the key to turning its fortunes around. They also talk about why Reed remains bullish on AI’s future, especially when it comes to education.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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From ‘Trump Curious’ to ‘Trump Furious’: Inside the Midterm Odds Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

With just under two weeks until the midterms, Democrats have reason for cautious optimism. Analysts at the Cook Political Report project the party could flip the House. The Senate, meanwhile, has swung from Republican confidence earlier this year to a jump ball, and the Democratic party is also poised to regain a majority of governorships for the first time since 2010. But voters have been burned by polls before.

Kara sits down with a panel of experts to talk about whether a “blue wave” is coming, or if a lack of enthusiasm from GOP voters will result in a “red undertow.” They also discuss the impact of prediction markets and the affordability crisis on voters’ decision making, how Gen Z is thinking about all political parties and what the midterms could signal for 2028.

Kristen Soltis Anderson is a Republican pollster, founding partner of Echelon Insights and focus group moderator for The New York Times Opinion section’s America in Focus series. She’s also the author of "The Selfie Vote: Where Millennials Are Leading America (and How Republicans Can Keep Up)." David Wasserman is a senior editor and elections analyst for the non-partisan Cook Political Report with Amy Walter. Terrance Woodbury is a Democratic pollster and president and founding partner of HIT Strategies, a research firm specializing in young voters and voters of color.

Questions? Comments? Email us at on@voxmedia.com or find us on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and Bluesky @onwithkaraswisher.

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