American Politics

Real Psycrow

Can anyone recommend any good podcasts on american politics? Looking for some good commentary on what's going on over there.

The Black Oil

I used to listen NPR's It's All Politics with Ken Rudin and Ron Elving until it stopped about a year ago, I think.

Ken is now on the Political Junkie.

I suppose it depends on what you're after. Analysis, or narrative that is in keeping with or challenges your own perceptions. Examples might be Bill Maher's show, and there's also the likes of SOFREP, which though more military focused, invariably dips into political gripes and issues.

Real Psycrow

Hi, thanks for that. I got on the end of Its All Politics, literally 2 episodes and they announced it was ending, I was gutted as I thought it was very good, so I'll give Political Junkie a go.

I'm probably looking for more analysis, but am open to the narrative side too. Who isn't open to hearing their own views reinforced! But I'll happily have them challenged too as long as its evidence based challenging. I'm not sure about SOFREP as I don't really have an interest in the military side of things. But I'll definitely try the first one.

Thanks!

Gonzovision

I'd go for Common Sense by Dan Carlin

Fabio

New Yorker: The Political Scene is a good one. As is the New Yorker: Comment podcast.

"On the Media" is a good one too.

stepinnman

It's all politics was great. A genuine 'West Wing' / 'The thick of it' style insight into American politics by two incredibly well informed, and connected, hosts. I still miss it and haven't really been able to find anything to replace it.

I do listen to Fox News Sunday and Face the Nation, both of which I think are the podcast edit of TV shows. Definitely not as insightful as It's all Politics, but a good way of staying up to date and seeing who the movers and shakers are. Always interesting to juxtapose the two shows as well.

In the interests of balance I have tried listening to a few of the more right wing talk show hosts as well - the Limbaughs of this world - but my 'euro-weeny' sensibilities just can't stick it. Unbearable pomposity!

The Black Oil

I miss It's All Politics as well. Good to know others were listening to it. What I liked about it was the delivery of information with a little irreverence thrown in. Is Face the Nation like Meet the Press? I can't really get into those that are overly partisan as it's mostly narrative/echo chambery.

Real Psycrow

For anyone interested, I just started listening to "So That Happened". Its the Huffington Post's political podcast. Just 2 episodes so far, but I'm really enjoying it. Dare I say it, it might even be better than Political Junkie!

The Black Oil

Noticed that NPR have a 'NPR Politics' podcast. Not sure how long it's been on go, but it uses the same theme as the defunct It's All Politics.

I do miss Ron and Ken together.

stepinnman

The 'new' NPR Politics podcast is only a few weeks old. Ron Elving is one of the contributors but he's kind of like a grown-up at a toddlers party. It seems that the whipper-snappers have reluctantly invited him along for the ride.

I've started listening to Ken Rudin' political junkie again, which is always insightful and displays a genuine depth of knowledge as opposed to simply parrotting what was on the front page of the HUffington Post on any given day!

The Black Oil

Enjoyed hearing Ron again in recent weeks.

Trent Houseboat

Cognitive Dissonance is a weekly news show from a skeptic and atheist point of view.

The Black Oil

Really enjoyed the live episodes from NPR.

K-9

Have started listening to the New Yorker but NPR's weekly updates is what I rely on most. They'll also put out a special one if controversy comes up, so pretty regular then!

Esquire classic is worth subscribing to for articles and commentary about older campaigns, the Kennedy and Bush vs. Dukakis ones were very good.

steve_r

I've been listening to "The Axe Files" by David Axlerod.

He was a senior staffer for Obama and he does a lot of one to one interviews.

The one that got me interested was the Jon Stewart interview. He interviewed Samantha Power soon after. He tends to do a lot of interviews with senior staffers from both sides. These people aren't "names" but they often have huge access and insight.

Arghus

steve_r wrote: »

I've been listening to "The Axe Files" by David Axlerod.

He was a senior staffer for Obama and he does a lot of one to one interviews.

The one that got me interested was the Jon Stewart interview. He interviewed Samantha Power soon after. He tends to do a lot of interviews with senior staffers from both sides. These people aren't "names" but they often have huge access and insight.

Good podcast. I thought he absolutely wiped the floor with Jon Stewart in that episode. It was embarrassing for Stewart at times, when his grandstanding came up against political realism.

steve_r

Axlerod is very grounded alright. A lot of times he comes back to the need to make a difficult decision in a short time period with not all of the information available.

Stewart is a showman, and he will always have the bombast etc that comes with that. If he reined that in and became pragmatic he'd just be boring.

The Black Oil

I enjoyed the live NPR Politics episode, though I wish Ron Elving was there. A shame two of the hosts are moving on.

Great question from the 11 year old...

BoJack Horseman

I've been getting into the "John Batchelor" radio show.

All of the slots are 10-20 mins long & there will be around 8 of these per day so it's easy to pick & chose the topics that seem interesting.

Pedalare Pedalare!

Presidential by The Washington Post was an amazing listen in the run-up to the election. Every episode was a profile of an American president. Some really interesting backstories in it and a good deal of myth-busting. It'd still hold up post-election too