To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes

You are not the crazy ones.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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223 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes223

Newest first

Yesterday · 51 min
Trump's Banana Republic
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.
Thursday · 43 min
Trump Attacks a Female Journalist. The Press Looks Away.
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.
Tuesday · 50 min
Does Trump Think AI Slop Makes Him Look Tough?
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.
July 25 · 51 min
Trump Tried to Rewire Society. Trump Failed.
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.
July 23 · 57 min
An Administration Without Grown-Ups
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.
July 21 · 39 min
Do Democrats Have a Plan?
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.
July 18 · 41 min
Killing Baby Hitler
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.
July 16 · 46 min
Is Trump Creating the Pretext for Another Coup?
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.
July 14 · 47 min
"Our Democracy Cannot Survive a Presidency for Sale"
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.
July 11 · 54 min
The Bill for Trump’s Vanity Presidency
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.
July 8 · 42 min
Are We at War With Iran Again?
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.
July 7 · 48 min
Is America Capable of Renewal?
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.
July 4 · 48 min
Rerun: How to Be a Dissident
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.
July 2 · 51 min
Corruption. Immigration, Abortion and The Broken Brains of MAGA
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.
June 30 · 47 min
“Trump Is Entering a Dark Season”
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.
June 27 · 52 min
Trump Is Sabotaging the American Idea
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.
June 25 · 47 min
"Trump's Key Policies Are Fundamentally Anti-Libertarian"
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.
June 20 · 50 min
Donald Trump's Megalomania
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.
June 18 · 48 min
Trump’s Deal Is an Abject Surrender
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.
June 16 · 47 min
America Gave Up on Its Own History
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.

To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

Trump's Banana Republic

Trump Attacks a Female Journalist. The Press Looks Away.

Does Trump Think AI Slop Makes Him Look Tough?

Trump Tried to Rewire Society. Trump Failed.

An Administration Without Grown-Ups

Do Democrats Have a Plan?

Killing Baby Hitler

Is Trump Creating the Pretext for Another Coup?

"Our Democracy Cannot Survive a Presidency for Sale"

The Bill for Trump’s Vanity Presidency

Are We at War With Iran Again?

Is America Capable of Renewal?

Rerun: How to Be a Dissident

Corruption. Immigration, Abortion and The Broken Brains of MAGA

“Trump Is Entering a Dark Season”

Trump Is Sabotaging the American Idea

"Trump's Key Policies Are Fundamentally Anti-Libertarian"

Donald Trump's Megalomania

Trump’s Deal Is an Abject Surrender

America Gave Up on Its Own History