Jamie Raskin on How to Fight Trump—John Nichols on the Dems After Platner Jamie Raskin on How to Fight Trump—John Nichols on the Dems After Platner
Representative Raskin lays out a strategy for the House, and The Nation’s Nichols talks about the Senate races, including Maine.
Jul 8, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
What Trump Lost (and Won) With the Supremes What Trump Lost (and Won) With the Supremes
David Cole breaks down the Supreme Court’s latest rulings, while Amy Wilentz explains what the end of Temporary Protected Status means for Haitian immigrants.
Jul 1, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Norm Eisen: Fighting Trump’s Threats to Voting— Plus Protest Success Stories Norm Eisen: Fighting Trump’s Threats to Voting— Plus Protest Success Stories
On this episode of Start Making Sense, the attorney who founded Democracy Defenders
talks about election protection, and John Nichols reports on this week’s Republican defeats.
Jun 24, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Why Harvard Won’t Settle—Plus, the Struggles of Supermarket Workers Why Harvard Won’t Settle—Plus, the Struggles of Supermarket Workers
On this episode of Start Making Sense, Randall Kennedy analyzes Harvard v. Trump, and Ann Larson explains work behind the grocery store checkstand.
Jun 17, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Primary Elections From LA to Maine—Plus AI “Poetry” Primary Elections From LA to Maine—Plus AI “Poetry”
On this episode of Start Making Sense, Harold Meyerson analyzes recent primaries, and Katha Pollitt tests AI’s ability to write poetry.
Jun 10, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
The Dems After Tuesday’s Primaries, plus Elmore Leonard’s Bad Guys The Dems After Tuesday’s Primaries, plus Elmore Leonard’s Bad Guys
John Nichols analyzes this week’s primary results in California and elsewhere, and, from the archives, Elmore Leonard talks about where his characters and plots came from.
Jun 3, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Stopping Trump’s Slush Fund—Plus, the Transformations of Bill Gates Stopping Trump’s Slush Fund—Plus, the Transformations of Bill Gates
Rob Weissman of Public Citizen explains some of the key lawsuits challenging Trump, and Ben Tarnoff traces Bill Gates from software to philanthropy to the world of Jeffrey Epstein...
May 27, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Winning State Legislatures and Winning Midterm Elections Winning State Legislatures and Winning Midterm Elections
On this episode of Start Making Sense, Daniel Squadron argues that state governments provide the key check on Trump, and John Nichols reviews the political landscape.
May 20, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Democrats After the Voting Rights Act—Plus, Jewish Anti-Zionism Democrats After the Voting Rights Act—Plus, Jewish Anti-Zionism
On this episode of Start Making Sense, Harold Meyerson argues Democrats remain likely to win the House in November, and Adam Hochschild talks about the Bund in prewar Europe.
May 13, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener
Election Protection in the Midterms—Plus Racism and Antisemitism in the 1940s and ’50s Election Protection in the Midterms—Plus Racism and Antisemitism in the 1940s and ’50s
On this episode of Start Making Sense, Ian Bassin of Protect Democracy talks about preparations for voting in November, and historian Steven J. Ross discusses the far right post-W...
May 6, 2026 / Podcast / Jon Wiener