Radio Atlantic

Latest Episodes:

How Has America Changed Since 1968? Jan 05, 2018

Show notes

As 2018 begins, tensions and tumult in America are high. But before the end of 1968, Conor Friedersdorf reminded us in The Atlantic, "Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy would be assassinated; U.S. troops would suffer their deadliest year yet in Vietnam—and massacre scores of civilians at My Lai; Richard Nixon would be elected president; the Khmer Rouge would form in Cambodia; humans would orbit the moon; Olympic medal winners in Mexico City would raise their fists in a black power salute; President Johnson would sign the Civil Rights Act of 1968; Yale University would announce that it intended to admit women; 2001: A Space Odyssey would premier; and Led Zeppelin would give their first live performance."

What does that turbulent year have to tell us in this tumultuous moment? What forgotten history is worth revisiting? And in the past half-century, where has the nation made progress, and where has it struggled? Conor Friedersdorf joins us to discuss these questions with our hosts.

If you listen to Radio Atlantic, we value your feedback. Please help us out by answering a quick survey. It should only take a few minutes. Just to go www.theatlantic.com/podcastsurvey.

Links

– ”1968 and the Making of Modern America” (Conor Friedersdorf, January 1, 2018)

– ”Put Your Husband in the Kitchen” (Helen Keller, 1932 Issue)

– “Report: Washington” (Elizabeth Drew, April 1968 Issue)

– “Americans' Respect for Police Surges” (Gallup, October 24, 2016)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ideas of the Year, 2017 Edition Dec 22, 2017

Show notes

Every year is impossible to synthesize. Yet 2017 was not just another year. To help us wrangle the chaotic, extraordinary events of the last 12 months into some sort of shape, we posed a question to journalists from across The Atlantic's staff, and to our listeners: What were the ideas of 2017?

In this episode, Jeff and Matt discuss the many different responses to that question we collected, and share their own ideas of the year. Share yours: 202-266-7600. And here's to the year ahead.

If you listen to Radio Atlantic, we value your feedback. Please help us out by answering a quick survey. It should only take a few minutes. Just to go theatlantic.com/podcastsurvey.

Links

–The End of History and the Last Man (Francis Fukuyama, 1992)

–“It's Still Not the End of History” (Timothy Stanley and Alexander Lee, September 1, 2014)

–“This Article Won’t Change Your Mind” (Julie Beck, March 13, 2017)

–“The Challenge of Fighting Mistrust in Science” (Julie Beck, June 24, 2017)

–“Professor Smith Goes to Washington” (Ed Yong, January 25, 2017)

–“The Climate Scientist Who Became a Politician” (Ed Yong, February 2, 2017)

–“Do Scientists Lose Credibility When They Become Political?” (Ed Yong, February 28, 2017)

–“The Movement of #MeToo” (Sophie Gilbert, October 16, 2017)

–“How America Lost Faith in Expertise” (Tom Nichols, Foreign Affairs, March/April 2017 Issue)

–“A Political Opening for Universal Health Care?” (Vann R. Newkirk II, February 14, 2017)

–“The Fight for Health Care Has Always Been About Civil Rights” (Vann R. Newkirk II, June 27, 2017)

–“The Republican Lawmaker Who Secretly Created Reddit’s Women-Hating ‘Red Pill’” (Bonnie Bacarisse, The Daily Beast, April 25, 2017

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Putin, Russia, and the End of History Dec 15, 2017

Show notes

Vladimir Putin just announced, to the surprise of no one, that he will run for reelection as President of Russia. In her January/February 2018 Atlantic cover story, Julia Ioffe writes that Americans misunderstand the man ruling the former Soviet empire: he’s not a master tactician playing three-dimensional chess, he’s a gambler who won big.

"Over the past year, Russian hackers have become the stuff of legend in the United States," Julia writes. "But most Russians don’t recognize the Russia portrayed in this story." What do they see that we don't? How does America look right now from their vantage point? And what does Vladimir Putin ultimately want? Julia joins our hosts, along with Atlantic global editor Kathy Gilsinan, to discuss.

If you listen to Radio Atlantic, we value your feedback. Please help us out by answering a quick survey. It should only take a few minutes. Just to go www.theatlantic.com/podcastsurvey.

Links

– “What Putin Really Wants” (Julia Ioffe, January/February 2018 Issue)

– “Vladimir Putin, Action Man” (Alan Taylor, September 13, 2011)

– “How the Kremlin Tried to Rig the Olympics, and Failed” (Julia Ioffe, December 6, 2017)

– “It Took Two to Make Russian Meddling Effective” (Julia Ioffe, June 23, 2017)

– “Putin’s Inauguration: Satire and Violence” (Julia Ioffe, The New Yorker, May 7, 2012)

– "Why Do They Stay?" (Hilzoy, Obsidian Wings, April 10, 2009)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Manifest Destiny of Mike Pence Dec 08, 2017

Show notes

That Pence is the vice president of the United States is "a loaves-and-fishes miracle," writes McKay Coppins in the latest issue of The Atlantic. It's remarkable enough that "an embattled small-state governor with underwater approval ratings, dismal reelection prospects, and a national reputation in tatters" would be chosen as a presidential running mate at all. But unlikelier still is the fact that Pence, known for his devotion to Christ, would become the most prominent character witness for President Donald Trump.

How did Pence reconcile his deeply held Christian values with his defense of Donald Trump after the revelation of the Access Hollywood recording? Would he support Trump if the presidency were within his own reach? And what do his decisions illuminate about evangelical Christians' attachment to the president? In this conversation, McKay shares what he's learned about Pence from reporting on his stints as governor, radio host, and frat snitch.

Links

– “God’s Plan for Mike Pence” (McKay Coppins, January/February 2018 Issue)

– “The Odds of Impeachment Are Dropping” (Peter Beinart, December 3, 2017)

– “Jared Kushner Responds (Very Briefly) to Flynn's Plea Deal” (Uri Friedman, December 3, 2017)“Should Christian Bakers Be Allowed to Refuse Wedding Cakes to Gays?” (Conor Friedersdorf, February 25, 2014)

– “If Indiana's Religious-Freedom Law Isn't Discriminatory, Why Change It?” (David A. Graham, March 31, 2015)

– Adiós Utopia: Dreams and Deceptions in Cuban Art Since 1950

– “Terry McAuliffe’s Dead-Serious Advice For Democrats: Have Some Fun!” (Ruby Cramer, BuzzFeed News, December 3, 2017)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Great Recession, One Decade Later Dec 01, 2017

Show notes

In December 2007, the U.S. marked the beginning of its longest recession since World War II. Now the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an agency born in the ashes of the nation's economic downturn, is under new leadership that promises big changes. Meanwhile, a tax plan speeding through Congress could have far-reaching effects on the economy, well beyond taxes. On paper, the U.S. economy looks robust. But for whom, and for how long?

This week, Annie Lowrey and Alana Semuels join our hosts to look at what's happened in the decade since the Great Recession, and what's happening now. What lessons have we learned from the crisis? And which are we doomed to repeat?

Links:

- "The Never-Ending Foreclosure" (Alana Semuels, December 1, 2017)

- "The Great Recession Is Still With Us" (Annie Lowrey, December 1, 2017)

- “The GOP Targets America’s Most Loved and Hated Tax Break” (Alana Semuels, November 2, 2017)

- “The U.S. Isn’t Prepared for the Next Recession” (Annie Lowrey, October 31, 2017)

- “Mick Mulvaney Is Pretending Everything's Totally Normal at Work” (Gillian B. White, November 28, 2017)

- “Could a Tax Fix the Gig Economy?” (Alana Semuels, November 6, 2017)

- “Trump Says His Tax Plan Won't Benefit the Rich—He's Exactly Wrong” (Annie Lowrey, September 29, 2017)

- "Could a Memo by Christina Romer Have Saved the Economy?" (John Hudson, February 22, 2012)

- “The Fight Over the CFPB Reveals the Broken State of American Politics” (David A. Graham, November 28, 2017)

- "The Shadow of the Stimulus" (Ross Douthat, February 1, 2009)

- "Return of the Shopping Avenger" (Jeffrey Goldberg, December 1, 2009)

- The Half Has Never Been Told(Edward Baptist)

- The Unwinding (George Packer)

- "The Nutshell Studies" (Katie Mingle, 99 Percent Invisible)

- "The Reason This 'Racist Soap Dispenser' Doesn't Work on Black Skin" (Max Plenke, Mic.com, September 9, 2015)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

John Wayne, Donald Trump, and the American Man Nov 24, 2017

Show notes

For generations, Hollywood has defined what masculinity means in the U.S., with iconic screen figures such as John Wayne. But Wayne's stoic, taciturn image was the product of a complicated relationship with the director John Ford, one that offers different lessons about masculinity and its constraints. As scandals about men and their behavior fill the news, we discuss the legacy of John Wayne and other male screen icons. Our cohosts are joined by Atlantic staff writer Megan Garber and Stephen Metcalf, author of the story "How John Wayne Became a Hollow Masculine Icon."

Links:

- "How John Wayne Became a Hollow Masculine Icon" (Stephen Metcalf, December 2017 Issue)

- "Masculinity Done Well and Poorly" (James Hamblin, September 25, 2017)

- "The End of Men" (Hanna Rosin, July/August 2010 Issue)

- "Angry White Boys" (Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, August 16, 2017)

- "Toxic Masculinity and Murder" (James Hamblin, June 16, 2016)

- "Does Masculinity Need To Be 'Reimagined'?" (Erik Hayden, September 21, 2010)

- "How Hollywood Whitewashed the Old West" (Leah Williams, October 5, 2016)

- "Hollywood Has Ruined Method Acting" (Angelica Jade Bastién, August 11, 2016)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How an American Neo-Nazi Was Made Nov 17, 2017

Show notes

Andrew Anglin spent his formative years flirting with hippie progressivism, then tried his hand at becoming a tribal hunter-gatherer. But he only achieved notoriety after he founded the Daily Stormer, the world's biggest website for neo-Nazis. Anglin and his mob of followers have terrorized people around the world, and their influence has been cited by the perpetrators of fatal violence.

What lessons should be learned from Anglin's radicalization? And what is society's best response to his ideas? Luke O'Brien and Rosie Gray join Jeff and Matt to discuss these questions, and how far-right extremism is evolving.

Links:

- "The Making of an American Nazi" (Luke O'Brien, December 2017)

- "The Lost Boys" (Angela Nagle, December 2017)

- "How 2015 Fueled The Rise Of The Freewheeling, White Nationalist Alt-Movement" (Rosie Gray, BuzzFeed, 12/27/2015)

- "Behind the Internet's Anti-Democracy Movement" (Rosie Gray, 2/10/2017)

- "The Alt-Right's Rebranding Effort Has Failed" (Rosie Gray, 8/13/2017)

- "What Gwen Ifill Knew About Race in America" (Jeffrey Goldberg, 11/18/2016)

- "Joan Didion Doesn't Owe the World Anything" (Megan Garber, 10/29/2017)

- NoSleep Subreddit | Podcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Press and the Election of 2016: One Year Later Nov 10, 2017

Show notes

It’s a year after Donald Trump's upset election victory. Before and after the 2016 election, President Trump referred to journalists as enemies to himself and to the American people. But his victory wasn’t just a success in vilifying the media, it was a success in manipulating it. Trump was a media figure, skilled at drawing attention. And news organizations were unused to being so squarely part of the story.

What lessons have journalists taken from the 2016 campaign and President Trump’s election? What’s changed since then? And what should change going forward? In this episode of Radio Atlantic, Adrienne LaFrance, the editor of TheAtlantic.com, and Yoni Appelbaum, the magazine's politics and policy editor, join Matt and Jeff to look back and look ahead one year after the Trump Era began.

Links:

- "How Trump Diagnosed American Politics" (Andy Kroll, Nov 7, 2016)

- "Zuckerberg 2020?" (Adrienne LaFrance, Jan 19, 2017)

- 'We Thought You'd Like to Look Back on This Post from 1 Year Ago’ (Julie Beck, Nov 8, 2017)

- The Atlantic Interview

- "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" (as interpreted by Jon Batiste)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Khizr Khan on What Patriotism Requires Nov 03, 2017

Show notes

Since the 2016 election heightened America's deep political divides, the mantle of patriotism has become fodder for a bitter tug-of-war. Is it patriotic to leak a presidential secret? To voice dissent during a national rite? Should a general running the White House be deferred to or defied?

In this episode, Atlantic journalists Krishnadev Calamur and Sigal Samuel talk with Khizr Khan, the Gold Star father whose stirring speech at the 2016 Democratic National Convention touched off a famous feud with the President-to-be, about what sacrifice means to him, and why America is worth it. We also hear from a couple veterans who offer their own perspectives on patriotism and military service.

To share thoughts, feedback, and questions on the show, leave us a voicemail with your contact info: (202) 266-7600.

Links:

- "The Anguish of John Kelly" (David Graham, 10/19/2017)

- "Kneeling for Life and Liberty Is Patriotic" (Conor Friedersdorf, 9/25/2017)

- "Why Cede the Flag to Donald Trump?" (David Frum, 9/24/2017)

- "The Tragedy of the American Military" (James Fallows, January/February 2015)

- "Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory" (Radio Atlantic, episode one)

- "My Parents' Country, in the Grip of the Shabab" (The New York Times Sunday Review)

- "Look at Tiny Baby Hank" (Vlogbrothers)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reporting on Open Secrets, with Jodi Kantor and Katie Benner Oct 27, 2017

Show notes

Allegations of sexual harassment (and more) by powerful men in numerous industries have been leading news reports across America. On-the-record accounts of disturbing behavior are proliferating. Several leaders of prominent companies have been forced out of their positions. Does this represent a lasting shift in attitudes toward scandalous conduct, or will the public's interest in these matters subside? Is this a tipping point, in other words, or a flash point?

The journalism of Jodi Kantor, Katie Benner, and their colleagues at The New York Times has been a major catalyst for putting this issue at the top of the national agenda. Kantor and her reporting partner Megan Twohey shared a byline on the October 5 investigation revealing three decades of sexual harassment allegations against Harvey Weinstein. As a technology reporter based in Silicon Valley, Benner has chronicled numerous reports of predatory behavior by investors, founders, and other influential figures in the tech industry. In this episode of Radio Atlantic, Kantor and Benner join Alex and Matt to discuss what they've discovered in their reporting, and where they think it will lead.

Links:

- "Harvey Weinstein Paid Off Sexual Harassment Accusers for Decades" (Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, The New York Times, 10/5/2017)

- "How the Harvey Weinstein Story Has Unfolded" (Daniel Victor, The New York Times, 10/18/2017)

- "Women in Tech Speak Frankly on Culture of Harassment" (Katie Benner, The New York Times, 6/30/2017)

- "'It Was a Frat House': Inside the Sex Scandal That Toppled SoFi's C.E.O." (Katie Benner and Nathaniel Popper, The New York Times) | SoFi's response

- “The ‘Harvey Effect’ Takes Down Leon Wieseltier’s Magazine” (Adrienne LaFrance, The Atlantic, 10/24/2017)

- "Harvey Weinstein and the Economics of Consent" (Brit Marling, The Atlantic, 10/23/2017)

- "Girl at a Bar" (Saturday Night Live)

- Startup, especially seasons two and four

- The Burning Girl (Claire Messud)

- The Color of Law(Richard Rothstein)

- Uncivil

- Scene on Radio: Seeing White

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected