The DSR Network

On the Thursday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss Mitch McConnell stepping down from GOP leadership, the Supreme Court agreeing to consider Trump’s immunity claims, Putin threatening nuclear war, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The news that Mitch McConnell will step down as GOP senate leader later this year has led many to argue that he was fundamentally a foe of Donald Trump who is no longer welcome in the party of MAGA. But the story is more complicated than that: In crucial ways, McConnell’s own career trajectory helped bring about the descent of our politics into its current disastrous mess. We chatted with Congressional scholar Norman Ornstein, who was among the first to identify McConnell as key to the GOP slide into dysfunction and extremism. He helped us assess McConnell’s real legacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friends don’t let friends drive drunk, and friends don’t let friends support Russia. The increasingly erratic Republican Party has the US’s allies in Europe worried, especially as Russia gains momentum in its assault on Ukraine and Election Day draws near. Rosa Brooks, David Sanger, and Ed Luce join David Rothkopf to break it all down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Wednesday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss plans for Navalny’s funeral on Friday, the results of the Michigan primary, skepticism about a Gaza ceasefire, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In recent days we’ve learned that Stephen Miller is drawing up plans for a shockingly cruel second-term immigration agenda, complete with mass deportations and huge detention camps. Meanwhile, President Biden is set to visit the southern border—and is mulling a new asylum crackdown of his own. We chatted with Jason Houser, a former senior official at U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Biden, who explained how operationally absurd Miller’s fantasies truly are—and why new asylum restrictions are a very bad idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Biden brought an a-team of talent with him to the White House in 2021. Between repairing America’s damaged reputation and adapting to crises in Ukraine and Afghanistan, the administration has had its work cut out for it since day one. Alexander Ward joins David Rothkopf to discuss all this and more in his new book, the “Internationalists.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Tuesday edition of the DSR Daily, we break down the self-immolation of a US airman, Biden’s optimism that a temporary ceasefire could be coming soon, declining attacks by Iranian proxies, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump’s victory over Nikki Haley in the South Carolina GOP primary has sparked another round of punditry about his supposed political dominance. Yet the primaries have revealed his weaknesses with independents, and he clearly fears his legal travails are a major liability that will get worse. So what if Trump is weaker than he appears? We chatted about this with political scientist Julia Azari, co-author of a new piece arguing that the long shadow of his 2016 victory is still badly distorting our understanding of the present and the majority coalition that continues handing him and the MAGA movement defeat after defeat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexander Smirnov has showed us that Russian ‘active measures’ are even more active than we thought. An FBI informant working with Russian intelligence is no small feat, but the extent of the Kremlin’s efforts is even greater. Former CIA officer Alex Finley joins Marc Polymeropoulos to break down how the Russian security threat at home and abroad. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Monday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the resignation of the Palestinian Prime Minister, Biden summoning Congressional leaders to avoid a government shutdown, Hungary ratifying Swedish NATO accession, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For the first time in months, a pair of new polls has found that election-denier Kari Lake is trailing in the Arizona Senate race to the Democratic candidate, Representative Ruben Gallego. But she remains a MAGA celebrity phenomenon who cannot be counted out, making this race highly unpredictable with Independent Sinema Kyrsten Sinema also in the mix. So we chatted with Gallego about how he hopes to defeat Lake and Sinema, why Democrats should level with voters about the border, and what’s really driving the southwest’s evolution in a Democratic direction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: March 2, 2022 British journalist John Sweeney reports from Ukraine's besieged capital. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: February 24, 2022 In the late hours of Wednesday, Vladimir Putin began a war of choice in Ukraine. On Thursday, President Biden detailed a variety of harsh sanctions that the United States, our allies, and partners will place upon Russia for his actions. To make sense of these developments, David Rothkopf spoke with David Sanger of the New York Times, Andrea Kendall-Taylor of the Center for a New American Security, and Joe Cirincione of the Quincy Institute. What comes next for Ukraine? Is Putin a rational actor? What more can the United States do to push back? All these questions and more answered on this episode. Don't miss it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 21st century, we should all know that putting nukes in space is a bad idea. Yet intelligence reports suggest that Russia is attempting to do just that. What does that actually look like, and what are the implications ranging from bad to worse? Experts Laura Grego and David Sanger join Heather Williams and Jon Wolfsthal to discuss all this and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Republican crusade against families continues. The Alabama Supreme Court ruling equating embryos with babies makes clear the fact that they won’t stop any time soon. So what comes next? Norm and Kavita break down the ruling and the political fallout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Friday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss Netanyahu’s plans for a post-war Gaza, the US sanctioning 500 new Russian targets, a measles outbreak in Florida, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fox News and other right wing media are currently engaged in absurdities that are as bad as anything they’ve attempted in recent memory. They are struggling to spin away everything from the collapse of an informant’s claims about President Biden to the GOP’s killing of a border security deal that Republicans themselves demanded. Yet in a darker sense, right wing media is also flourishing. We talked to Matt Gertz of Media Matters, who helped us unravel the tangled web those sources are weaving. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Right-wing Christian extremists want to roll back the clock on your rights. If the Alabama Supreme Court ruling is any indication, they’re succeeding. Legal expert Dahlia Lithwick joins David Rothkopf to discuss the carefully crafted assault on fundamental rights in America, and why the fight isn’t over yet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Thursday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the worsening state of Ukraine’s military shortages, NY Attorney General Letitia James threatening to seize Trump’s properties if he doesn’t pay his fraud penalty, Japan’s soaring stock market, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the question that won’t die among D.C. elites: Should President Biden step aside so another Democrat can run instead? Democrats have engaged in some remarkably public handwringing about Biden’s age that just won’t let up. One Democrat who has insistently sounded the alarm is veteran strategist David Axelrod. So we invited him on the show, where he allowed that an alternative is unlikely—while explaining how Biden can address the issue and why he’s still the favorite against Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The unimaginable human cost of Israel’s invasion of Gaza may be about to rise to unprecedented levels. International organizations agree that a famine is looming as Israel continues to impede foreign aid from entering the area. President of Refugees International Jeremy Konyndyk joins David Rothkopf, Ed Luce, and Rosa Brooks to shed light on the coming crisis, and what can be done to prevent disaster. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Wednesday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the Alabama ruling that says that frozen embryos are children, the US vetoing the security council ceasefire resolution, the EU’s new round of Russia sanctions, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers signed a new set of maps for legislative districts in the state—an important and overlooked victory that came after a long struggle dating back well over a decade. We talked to Greta Neubauer, the 32-year-old Minority Leader of Wisconsin Assembly Democrats, who explained what Democrats did to prevail, why this was such a significant achievement, and how it shows that reviving democracy is a grueling game of inches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alexei Navalny’s influence cannot be overstated, and the impact of his death has sent shockwaves across Russia, and around the world. As Putin’s regime grows bolder by the day, we turn to journalist Julia Ioffe at the Munich Security Conference for her insight into Putin’s Russia, and how the country has continued to transform for the worse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Tuesday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss the US proposing a temporary ceasefire resolution at the UN, Russia withholding the return of Alexei Navalny’s body, Julian Assange’s case returning to court, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The stunning news that Donald Trump has been hit by a $355 million penalty in his civil fraud case in New York deals a big blow to his mystique as master of “the deal.” But Justice Arthur Engoron’s ruling also exposes a deeper undercurrent of scamming that Trump has been surfing on for decades and hopes to ride right back into the White House. We chatted with journalist David Cay Johnston, author of a new piece in The New Republic about the ruling, who helped us plumb the depths of the dark ethos of grift that has driven Trump throughout his career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Monday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover Trump’s colossal fine in the NY fraud case, the ICJ’s hearings on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, Iran’s warnings to it’s proxies, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: 07/08/2022 On this week's episode, we talk about the first, second, ninth, and tenth amendments and for members we talk about disinformation and Twitter. We ground all of our analysis in the words of the Bill of Rights. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: 08/17/2023 With yet another indictment against Donald Trump, his 2024 chances have taken another serious blow. David is joined by the host of the Amicus podcast Dahlia Lithwick and political strategist Simon Rosenberg to analyze how the deluge of legal drama will impact the 2024 race and why the Republicans' problems go beyond Trump. Join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump loves to portray fellow NATO members as free-loaders. In reality, NATO is invaluable for the US and has been since its inception. Former US Ambassador to NATO Douglas Lute joins Heather and Jon to shine a light on the enormous, and increasing, importance of NATO to US interests around the world and how the alliance will continue to evolve in the coming years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Friday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss the death of Alexei Navalny, VP Harris’s trip to the Munich Security Conference, the latest from Rafah, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Donald Trump announced that he wants Republican National Committee chair Ronna McDaniel replaced with a loyalist: Michael Whatley, the head of the North Carolina Republican Party. Behind the jockeying looms a very big story: The Trump-MAGA takeover of the GOP, and the challenges the party faces as it nominates someone facing multiple criminal indictments. We talked to Marc Caputo, a reporter for The Bulwark and author of a great new piece on McDaniel’s ouster, who helped us unravel the mysteries of GOP politics in the MAGA era. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Democrats’ win in the New York special election is yet another example of over performing the polls. So why does this keep happening, and what does it mean for November? Expert Simon Rosenberg is back with David Rothkopf to give us another dose of Hopium and discuss the path forward for a Biden victory. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Thursday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss world leaders warning Israel against a Rafah offensive, US intelligence on Russia’s space-based nuclear weapon program, the UK and Japan slipping into recessions, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Biden needs to win in November. Trump is growing even more unhinged as the election nears, and the danger he represents to America, and the world, grows. Political Strategist Steve Schmidt joins David Rothkopf to break down what the Biden camp needs to do to save democracy come November. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Earlier this week, Democrats executed a remarkable 8-point win in a special House election in suburban Long Island, a race that was all about immigration. Republicans ran millions of dollars in ads on the issue, yet Democrat Tom Suozzi prevailed, flipping the seat of disgraced Republican George Santos. What on earth really happened here? We talked to Mike Bocian, the chief Democratic pollster on this race, who offered a fascinating and detailed glimpse into how his party pulled it off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Johnson and the MAGA Republicans are sacrificing Ukraine at the altar of Trump. The Republicans’ use of Ukraine aid as a political tool has worsened an already dire situation, with only Putin and MAGA standing to benefit. On the heels of his trip to Ukraine, Max Boot joins Rosa Brooks, Kori Schake, Ed Luce, and David Rothkopf to share his first-hand account of the devastation of Russia’s assault — and the incredible bravery of Ukrainians. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the Wednesday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover the Democrat victory in the New York special election, House Republicans impeaching Alejandro Mayorkas, Ukraine’s strike on a Russian warship, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday, in a decisive 70 to 29 vote, the Senate passed a mammoth bill containing $60 billion for Ukraine’s self defense against Russian aggression, as well as $14 billion for Israel. Yet House Speaker Mike Johnson is vowing that the House won’t vote on the measure, in part because MAGA hard-liners are raging against it. We talked to Democratic Congressman Jason Crow of Colorado about what’s really driving the opposition, how Democrats can try to get around it with a “discharge petition,” and whether there’s a genuine pro-Putin faction in the U.S. House of Representatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our Tuesday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss the Senate passing an aid package for Ukraine and Israel, Estonian reports that Russia is preparing for confrontation with the West, new polling on the Biden document probe, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, the freakout among Democrats about President Biden reached its shrillest pitch yet, after a special counsel report exonerated Biden but included combustible claims about Biden’s mental capacities. While many Democrats redoubled calls for the party to entertain alternatives to nominating Biden, confusion and disagreement reigns among them about what precisely to take away from this moment. We talked to Brian Beutler, who regularly criticizes the Democratic Party’s approach to politics on his “Off Message” Substack, to sort through all the noise. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump will throw Europe to the wolves, and he’s said so himself. The former president has said that he would not defend NATO countries in case of a Russian invasion, shocking our European allies. Yet the story has been little more than a footnote in the US news cycle. Journalist Michael Weiss joins Marc Polymeropoulos and David Rothkopf to discuss the profound damage of Trump’s statements and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our Monday edition of the DSR Daily, we discuss the Israeli strikes on Rafah, Trump’s threats to abandon NATO allies in the case of a Russian attack, post-election strife in Pakistan, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Elon Musk has unleashed numerous tweets lately boosting far right personalities and endorsing MAGA tropes holding that migration constitutes a deliberately engineered invasion. He even endorsed a version of “white genocide theory.” Along with his elevation of Tucker Carlson’s interview with Russian president Vladimir Putin, it all amounts to a genuine ideology: Reactionary tech authoritarianism. We discussed this with Gil Duran, author of a New Republic piece called “The Tech Plutocrats Dreaming of a Right Wing San Francisco,” which offers a window into this ugly worldview. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: 07/1/22 On this week's episode, we talk about the end of a monumental Supreme Court term and the explosive testimony of Cassidy Hutchinson before the January 6th committee. We ground all of our analysis in the words of Justice Barrett, Cassidy Hutchinson, and Kelly Shackelford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Original Air Date: 3/29/22 The war in Ukraine has extended into its second month. To make sense of how we got to this point and what comes next David Rothkopf speaks with Ed Luce of the Financial Times, Rosa Brooks of Georgetown University, and Kori Schake of the American Enterprise Institute. Is Macron getting constantly fooled by Putin? How well is the West doing when the Ukrainians continue to fight alone? What impact has the war had on the defense budget moving forward? Find out as we get the original crew back together for a fascinating conversation. Join us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: a Pentagon program is over budget. The Sentinel ICBM program is envisioned as a keystone of the US nuclear triad, but why do we need 400 new missiles? Slate columnist Fred Kaplan and Mackenzie Knight from the Federation of American Scientists join Jon Wolfsthal and Heather Williams to shine a light on the program and why it may, or may not, be necessary. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Supreme Court is finally hearing Trump’s appeal of the Colorado ruling removing him from the ballot. The decision will be massive, but it is not the only legal challenge on Donald Trump’s plate. Norm and Kavita break down the case before the Court, and the state of Trump’s numerous legal battles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On our Friday edition of the DSR Daily, we cover Tucker Carlson’s interview of Putin, the Special Counsel’s report on Biden’s handling of classified documents, the Supreme Court’s Colorado hearing, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Nikki Haley set to make a last stand of sorts in the South Carolina primary later this month, there’s a hidden reason that Donald Trump has been so dominant throughout the GOP nomination process: White evangelicals. Their support for Trump has held through impeachments, scandals, revelations about sexual assault, multiple serious criminal prosecutions, and even an insurrection attempt. We talked to Sarah Posner, a scholar of the religious right, about Trump’s extraordinary hold on these voters—and why it’s changing the Republican Party in insidious, alarming ways. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices