To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

Recent episodes

1. Trump's Banana Republic from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Aug 1, 202651 min

   New York Times Opinion writer David French joins Charlie to discuss Trump's unprecedented corruption, the Todd Blanche Attorney General nomination now in limbo, and Anthony Fauci's Senate hearing. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2. Trump Attacks a Female Journalist. The Press Looks Away. from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 30, 202643 min

   Tara Palmeri, host of The Tara Palmeri Show and author of the newsletter "The Red Letter," joins Charlie to unpack Trump's attack on Kaitlan Collins at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Todd Blanche's role in the Epstein cover-up, and Lindsey Graham's fraught legacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3. Does Trump Think AI Slop Makes Him Look Tough? from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 28, 202650 min

   Nicholas Grossman, editor of Arc Digital and professor of international relations at the University of Illinois, joins Charlie to discuss Trump's frenzied posting of AI slop about Iran, the bizarre White House Correspondents' Dinner, and the global implications of the newly announced Saudi nuclear deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4. Trump Tried to Rewire Society. Trump Failed. from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 25, 202651 min

   Jonathan Rauch is a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and a contributing writer at The Atlantic . In this episode, he joins Charlie to explain how the "postmodern right" thinks it can manipulate reality, how Trump's people thought they could change civil society — and why all of this is failing. They also discuss the continuing casualties from the war with Iran, Trump's obsession with numbers, and Lindsey Graham's legacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

5. An Administration Without Grown-Ups from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 23, 202657 min

   In this special solo episode, Charlie answers your questions about the latest crisis in US-Canada relations, Jay Clayton's confirmation hearing, and the US-Saudi nuclear deal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6. Do Democrats Have a Plan? from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 21, 202639 min

   Ben Wikler served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin for six years. In this episode he joins Charlie to talk about his new book This Is the Plan: How to End America's Meltdown and Save Democracy. Inevitably, they also talk a lot about Wisconsin politics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7. Killing Baby Hitler from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 18, 202641 min

   Michael Tomasky is the editor of The New Republic and author of a new book titled Killing Baby Hitler. It's part sci-fi thriller, part satire and even though it takes place in the future and the past, it tells us a lot about the present. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

8. Is Trump Creating the Pretext for Another Coup? from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 16, 202646 min

   On today’s episode, Charlie welcomes back friend of the show and former US Representative, Adam Kinzinger. The two discuss Graham’s passing and his legacy in relation to Trump, Trump’s mysterious upcoming broadcast on Thursday and the latest on the Iran War. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

9. "Our Democracy Cannot Survive a Presidency for Sale" from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

   Jul 14, 202647 min

   Justin Wolfers is a professor of economics at the University of Michigan and author of the Platypus Economics Substack. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss the economic and political implications of current global events, AI advancements, and Trump's corruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10. The Bill for Trump’s Vanity Presidency from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jul 11, 202654 min

    Atlantic writer Tom Nichols joins Charlie to discuss the Maine Senate election fiasco, Trump's antics at the NATO summit, and the Administration looking for a plan C in Iran. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

11. Are We at War With Iran Again? from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jul 8, 202642 min

    Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling served as commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe during the Obama administration. He's also the author of “If I Don’t Return: A Father’s Wartime Journal.” In this episode, he and Charlie discuss the conflict with Iran, Trump insulting our NATO allies, Ukraine's struggles, and Pete Hegseth's unusual leadership style. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

12. Is America Capable of Renewal? from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jul 7, 202648 min

    Legal analyst and Talking Feds host Harry Litman joins Charlie to talk about the state of American democracy 250 years after independence, recent Supreme Court decisions and their implications, and Trump's unparalleled corruption. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13. Rerun: How to Be a Dissident from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jul 4, 202648 min

    For the 4th July we're re-running Charlie's conversation with Gal Beckerman, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the book, “How to Be a Dissident.” The two walk through Gal’s book which outlines the simple but difficult steps anyone can take to avoid falling mistakenly in line with a political system that’s going off the rails. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

14. Corruption. Immigration, Abortion and The Broken Brains of MAGA from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jul 2, 202651 min

    On today’s episode of “To the Contrary,” Charlie welcomes back journalist and author of “The Red Letter,” Tara Palmeri. They discuss Trump’s obsession with image leading up to the 4th of July holiday, immigration and Palmeri’s recent interview with Congresswoman, Kat Cammack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15. “Trump Is Entering a Dark Season” from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jun 30, 202647 min

    Peter Wehner, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, joins Charlie to talk about Trump's recent Supreme Court wins and losses, Trump's state fair fiasco, and the consequences of cultural degradation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

16. Trump Is Sabotaging the American Idea from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jun 27, 202652 min

    Jamil Smith is a columnist at The Guardian and a lecturer at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss what America's upcoming 250th birthday means to them, the latest Supreme Court decisions and their implications, and Trump's obsession with voter suppression. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

17. "Trump's Key Policies Are Fundamentally Anti-Libertarian" from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jun 25, 202647 min

    Peter Suderman is the features editor for Reason, a free market libertarian magazine. In this episode he joins Charlie to discuss the decline of libertarian influence in the Republican Party, the relationship between government power and corporate influence, and the rise of progressive candidates following the recent elections in New York. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

18. Donald Trump's Megalomania from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jun 20, 202650 min

    Sofia Kinzinger was a WH staffer under Trump during his first term. In this episode, she talks to Charlie about what it was like, and about her journey and political awakening. They also discuss JD Vance's book launch and the future of the Republican Party. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

19. Trump’s Deal Is an Abject Surrender from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jun 18, 202648 min

    Ed Luce from the Financial Times joins Charlie to discuss the deal with Iran, the Netanyahu-Trump fallout, and Elon Musk's obsession with Britain. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20. America Gave Up on Its Own History from To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

    Jun 16, 202647 min

    Yoni Appelbaum, historian and deputy executive editor at The Atlantic , joins Charlie to go over what we know — and don't know — about the deal with Iran and what it all means for US interests in the region. They also discuss Appelbaum's latest article, in which he argues that the US has lost the ability to agree on a shared national story and, as a result, has largely stopped trying to tell one — in schools, universities, and public life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.