Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

MS NOW, Chris Hayes

Every week Chris Hayes asks the big questions that keep him up at night. How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this (all) happening? This podcast starts to answer these questions. Writers, experts, and thinkers who are also trying to get to the bottom of them join Chris to break it all down and help him get a better night’s rest.

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465 episodes
Updated Tuesday

Episodes465

Newest first

Tuesday · 46 min
The 'Broken' U.S. Border with Ken Salazar
There’s no question that Trump’s 2024 win was in large part driven by chaos at the border. He still polls best in this area even as approval rates fall in other areas like inflation. There’s a lot to discuss about why this is the case.  Ken Salazar is a former senator from Colorado, served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2013 and as United States ambassador to Mexico from 2021 to 2025. He’s the author of the newly released book, “Borderlands: My Fight f
July 21 · 53 min
The Betting Craze with Bobby Allyn
It seems like you can bet on anything nowadays and like you can make a wager on practically everything. Examples of the proliferation of this can be seen everywhere from service members betting on insider knowledge, to people making bets on sports games. One of the most mind-blowing aspects of all of this is that companies that dominate the betting space, like Polymarket and Kalshi, are essentially unregulated. Bobby Allyn is a technology correspondent at NPR. He joins WITHpod to discuss the rap
July 14 · 58 min
Soccer as a ‘Universal Language’ with Ayman Mohyeldin
The World Cup is captivating to watch not just for the sports element, but also for the profound global tensions that it highlights. From intense matches between former colonial powers and the nations they once colonized, to heavy concerns about corruption and the treatment of international teams by foreign governments, the games tell a layered geopolitical story. At the same time, fandom also unites. Ayman Mohyeldin is a MS NOW host and avid soccer fan. He joins WITHpod to discuss game highs a
July 7 · 57 min
Strict Scrutiny x WITHpod SCOTUS Review Crossover
Well, it’s that time of the year again when the ladies of Strict Scrutiny join Chris to break down the latest ways in which SCOTUS has taken a sledgehammer to constitutional principles. There's a lot to discuss as the 2025-2026 term was another consequential one. Kate Shaw, Melissa Murray and Leah Litman, co-hosts of Strict Scrutiny, join to break down some of the biggest decisions this most recent term, what re-envisioning the Court could look like and more.
June 30 · 43 min
Andrew Tate’s “Empire of Abuse” with Heidi Blake
There’s so many scandals in this era. And one of the biggest ones has to do with highly controversial brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate who have built massive followings online as right wing anti-feminist, misogynistic and pro-patriarchal influencers. The two, who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and U.K., face multiple legal investigations related to allegations of human trafficking, rape, and organized crime, all of which they strongly deny. There’s a lot to unpack, a lot of which is reported
June 23 · 47 min
The ‘Hellish Cauldron’ of American Politics with Alex Wagner
Well, we just wrapped our special 8-part miniseries “The AI End Game,” and we’re back to regular new episodes of WITHpod. There’s a lot to discuss since the start of the miniseries a few weeks ago. Alex Wagner is an MS NOW senior political analyst and the host of “Runaway Country” on Crooked. She’s also the author “How the Hell with Alex Wagner” on Substack. She joins WITHpod to discuss the real pain everyday Americans are feeling, why she believes the script for an impending Trump political def
June 16 · 49 min
The AI End Game: Is AI Alive? with Michael Pollan
Scientists, philosophers, and artists all agree: consciousness is a unique feeling. And at the same time, one of the world’s most confounding and complex questions remains: what exactly is this feeling? Is it awareness? Is it thoughts? Feelings? Michael Pollan joins WITHpod to share what he’s learned about the force that animates all of us.
June 9 · 55 min
The AI End Game: Boom to Bust? with Ed Zitron
There’s a lot to unpack about the economic effects of artificial intelligence. It’s clear that artificial intelligence is having a moment (to say the least) and that it has a profound impact on global GDP. But is it just a boom that will bust? Ed Zitron, author and host of the “Better Offline” podcast, is deeply worried about the long-term viability of the industry. He points out that AI lacks the basic traits that have been associated with previous software booms. This raises the question: is A
June 2 · 51 min
The AI End Game: Is Your Chatbot Conscious? with David Chalmers
David Chalmers, one of the most preeminent philosophers and researchers in cognitive science, argues that nothing prevents machines from becoming truly conscious. Chalmers, who has studied the mind for decades, points out that there is a real possibility of AI creating a next stage of intelligence that is even capable of redesigning itself. He joins WITHpod to discuss what consciousness is and the possibility of AI systems becoming fully conscious.
May 26 · 53 min
The AI End Game: The Ethics of AI with Timnit Gebru
Timnit Gebru founded the Distributed AI Research Institute after her high-profile exit from Google’s Ethical AI team. She’s been a vocal critic of the systemic lack of diversity in learning models and the need for more inclusion in the space. Her view is that because AI so heavily relies on human input, it largely mirrors pervasive biases inherent in society. What needs to be done to change that? She joins WITHpod to discuss what, in her view, large language models are missing.
May 20 · 30 min
AI and the Public Good with Ezra Klein
We’re sharing a recording of Chris and the New York Times’ Ezra Klein’s discussion at the Center for American Progress 2026 CAP IDEAS conference.
May 19 · 56 min
The AI End Game: Two-Year-Olds vs. AI with Alison Gopnik
Tech billionaires love to claim that artificial intelligence is getting smarter by the day. But according to cognitive scientist and UC Berkeley professor Alison Gopnik, a typical two-year-old routinely outsmarts the most advanced AI models. She joins WITHpod to discuss how children vs. AI learn and why AI, in many cases, still falls behind human capabilities.  
May 12 · 47 min
The AI End Game: How Work is Changing with Ethan Mollick
Ethan Mollick, New York Times bestselling author and professor at Wharton, joins WITHpod to discuss the practical application, adoption, and transformative impact of AI on work.
May 5 · 1 hr 1 min
The AI End Game: Who’s Leading the Way? with Derek Thompson
The unified class project of billionaires is doing to white collar workers what globalization and neoliberalism did to blue collar workers. And artificial intelligence is only exacerbating this trend. Derek Thompson is a contributing writer for The Atlantic, co-author of “Abundance,” and has written extensively about the political power of the wealthy. He joins Chris Hayes to kick off our new special miniseries, The AI End Game: Power, Profit and Progress.
April 30 · 1 min
Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game
We’re excited to announce a new special WITHpod series, "The AI End Game: Power, Profit, and Progress." AI – and coverage of it – is everywhere. But what is artificial intelligence, really, beyond the buzzword? Each week, we’ll be joined by preeminent experts on AI and its effects to help make sense of this revolutionary time in history.
April 28 · 58 min
'Here Where We Live is Our Country' with Molly Crabapple
Author and artist Molly Crabapple joins to discuss her latest New York Times Bestselling book “Here Where We Live is Our Country: The Story of the Jewish Bund."
April 25 · 43 min
All In America with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani
We’re sharing a bonus episode of Chris’ sit-down with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for a special edition of “All In.” In this town hall special, held at the Bronx Children's Museum, they discuss how Mamdani has been able to speak to people on both sides politically, his vision for the city and what it could mean for bigger national ideas.
April 21 · 51 min
Crypto and The Golden Age of Scams with Ben McKenzie
Actor and director Ben McKenzie joins to discuss his new documentary “Everyone is Lying to You for Money.”
April 14 · 51 min
Will Trump & Co. Go After Cuba Next? with Jon Lee Anderson
Jon Lee Anderson, a staff writer at The New Yorker, joins WITHpod to discuss the Trump administration’s threats to Cuba, how the current U.S. relationship with Cuba compares to the past and more.
April 7 · 54 min
Fossil Fuels: A ‘Weapon of War’ with Antonia Juhasz
Investigative journalist Antonia Juhasz joins to discuss the impact the war in Iran is having on oil, why she says fossil fuels are being used as weapons of war and more.

Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

The 'Broken' U.S. Border with Ken Salazar

The Betting Craze with Bobby Allyn

Soccer as a ‘Universal Language’ with Ayman Mohyeldin

Strict Scrutiny x WITHpod SCOTUS Review Crossover

Andrew Tate’s “Empire of Abuse” with Heidi Blake

The ‘Hellish Cauldron’ of American Politics with Alex Wagner

The AI End Game: Is AI Alive? with Michael Pollan

The AI End Game: Boom to Bust? with Ed Zitron

The AI End Game: Is Your Chatbot Conscious? with David Chalmers

The AI End Game: The Ethics of AI with Timnit Gebru

AI and the Public Good with Ezra Klein

The AI End Game: Two-Year-Olds vs. AI with Alison Gopnik

The AI End Game: How Work is Changing with Ethan Mollick

The AI End Game: Who’s Leading the Way? with Derek Thompson

Introducing WITHpod: The AI End Game

'Here Where We Live is Our Country' with Molly Crabapple

All In America with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani

Crypto and The Golden Age of Scams with Ben McKenzie

Will Trump & Co. Go After Cuba Next? with Jon Lee Anderson

Fossil Fuels: A ‘Weapon of War’ with Antonia Juhasz