Shows
A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 141 - Reactions to the second first presidential debateWe stayed up past Ricky's bedtime to discuss our immediate reactions to and takeaways from the debate between former President Trump and Vice-President Harris.
2024-09-111h 01A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 124 - Mental health & the epidemic of loneliness with Dr. Eugene BeresinRicky reflects on being a father, and then we welcome on Dr. Eugene Beresin, a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the Executive Director of the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds to talk about mental health and the rise of loneliness in our society. We discuss why people seem to be increasingly lonely and what we can as family members, friends, mentors, and as a society to make things better.
2024-04-221h 11A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 104 - On CapitalismRicky wanted to zoom out a little bit for this episode and engage in a discussion on how we currently think about capitalism and how capitalism does--or does not--meet the current moment in our economics and in our politics.
2023-10-031h 02A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 96 - Six in Sixty: NATO, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Greece, & SudanWe've got an international version of "six in sixty" this week, as we discuss the takeaways from last week's NATO summit (5:15-17:02), the fallout from the Russian coup (17:02-24:14), the Biden Administration's decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine (24:24-35:57), Israel's military operations in the West Bank (36:03-46:34), the migrant boat that sank off the coast of Greece (46:39-56:41), and the conflicts ravaging Sudan (56:42-1:07:33).
2023-07-191h 10A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 95 - Reflections on the Supreme Court’s ’22-’23 TermWith the Supreme Court's latest term in the books, we spent this week discussing how some of their major decisions will affect American society and politics moving forward. We began by looking at the Court's term from a high level perspective, and then dug into their decision in the Harvard and UNC affirmative action cases (5:52-32:58). We then discussed the fallout from the Court's decision on President Biden's student debt relief plan (33:03-46:54), and concluded by looking at the decisions involving Freedom of Speech and LGBTQ+ rights and voting rights (46:59-1:04:45).
2023-07-121h 08A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 94 - Opportunity & Agency: a conversation with St. Louis Treasurer Adam LayneWe are joined this week by St. Louis Treasurer Adam Layne for a wide-ranging conversation about his path from growing up in Boston, to going to college in Washington D.C., to teaching and then working in and for the city of St. Louis. We also discuss the sometimes competing ideas of opportunity and agency, particularly in the wake of SCOTUS ending affirmative action in higher education, get Adam's thoughts on equity and equality, and hear what he is doing in his role as Treasurer to create more of both in his city.
2023-07-031h 08A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 93 - The things we thought we knew: Juneteenth, reparations, & the idea of a meritocracyThis week we use the celebration of Juneteenth to take a hard look at our history. We discuss and debate the merits of reparations, whether the U.S. is a land of opportunity or oppression or both, and why it is so difficult for us to tell the full story of U.S. history. We conclude by highlighting two Black American figures who may have fallen through the cracks of that story.
2023-06-191h 13A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 92 - LIV-PGA merger, debt ceiling crisis averted, & moreWe discussed the two big stories of the week: the stunning LIV-PGA merger and the deal to raise the debt ceiling.
2023-06-121h 08A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 91 - Academic freedom in higher education with Dr. Bertha MadrasWe are joined this week by Dr. Bertha Madras who is a Professor of Psychobiology at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Madras is one of the founders of the new "Council on Academic Freedom" at Harvard University, which is a faculty-led organization that is devoted to free inquiry, intellectual diversity, and civil discourse. Dr. Madras discusses why she felt like this Council was necessary at Harvard, in particular, and why she thinks protecting academic freedom and freedom of expression at institutions of higher education is so critical, in general.
2023-05-3059 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 90 - Social media & mental health with Wendy-Myrbell NapoleonMay is Mental Health Awareness Month, and, in that spirit, we were joined by graduate student Wendy-Myrbell Napoleon who has been researching the intersection of social media and mental health among adolescents and young adults (5:10-43:05). We used her research as a foundation to have a larger conversation about mental health issues in our society, and she provided some policy recommendations our elected officials should consider to address the growing mental health crisis in our particularly vulnerable populations.
2023-05-231h 05A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 89 - A draft of Republican presidential candidatesWe are joined this week by Nicaela Chinnaswamy and Maureen McInerney for a draft of sixteen potential Republican presidential candidates. We run through the true favorites, the outside contenders, the dark horses and the longshots for the nomination. Fun conversation and a great primer of the 2024 Republican presidential field.
2023-05-151h 05A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 88 - Six in Sixty: Fox, SCOTUS, Debt Ceiling, First Republic, Biden, & GunsWe hit six topics (plus a bonus topic!) that have been in the news lately in (roughly) ten minute segments. We begin by talking about all of the goings-on at Fox News (8:05-22:26), the ethics of the Supreme Court (22:30-32:00), JPMorgan buying First Republic Bank (32:04-43:35), the impending debt ceiling (43:39-55:53), President Biden's re-election campaign (55:58-1:03:10), and recent incidents of gun violence (1:03:14-1:13:05), plus a bonus topic for those of you who stick with us.
2023-05-031h 26A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 87 - Fiscal conservatism and the current Republican Party with Jennifer NassourWe are joined this week by Jennifer Nassour, former chairperson of the Massachusetts Republican Party, founder of The Pocketbook Project, and host of the Political Contessa podcast (4:16-39:28). We talk to Jenn about her crusades to get more women into politics and to bring fiscal conservatism back to government, as well as the importance of having a legitimate opposition party for the sake of democracy, among many other topics.
2023-04-2454 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 86 - A pulse check on democracy: India, Israel, Tennessee, and WisconsinOn the heels of President Biden's "Democracy Summit," we discussed the state of democracy globally, specifically in India, Israel, and in the U.S.
2023-04-171h 07A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 85 - Beyond a reasonable doubt?Ricky spent the last two weeks serving on a jury for a murder trial. He had a lot of thoughts on the process, so we talked about it. A bit of a different episode, but one we think is both interesting and valuable.
2023-04-111h 05A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 84 - Reflections on the media, Carter, Trump, and much more with Dan ReaWe are joined this week by legendary tv reporter and radio host Dan Rea (3:00-53:10). We talked to Dan about how media has evolved over the course of his half-century in the business, his reflections on the time he spent with President Carter, his thoughts on President Trump's tenure, his current candidacy, and possible indictment, and many other stories, including an incredible story about Dan fighting for and, ultimately, helping to free a wrongly convicted man.
2023-03-291h 02A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 83 - 20 year anniversary of Iraq War, Trump arrest, Xi in RussiaA fairly momentous week, as we discussed the 20 year anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq (9:59-44:09), the historic impending arrest of former President Trump (44:17-55:03), and Xi Jinping's visit to Russia (55:04-1:04:00).
2023-03-241h 07A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 82 - The first domino?This episode is all about the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank--the second largest bank collapse in U.S. history--and the federal government's response to it. We begin by talking about what we know about the collapse, and then spend much of the episode talking about what we want to know: namely, whether this is an isolated incident brought on by a specific set of circumstances or the sign of something much greater, and much worse, to come.
2023-03-141h 00A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 81 - The Ukraine war at one year with Dan FishmanWith Russia's invasion of Ukraine reaching the one year mark this week, we decided to take stock of where that conflict stands. We discussed the U.S. involvement thus far, the current domestic and global opinions of that involvement, and how the conflict might conclude. We are joined for that discussion by Dan Fishman, the former executive director of the Libertarian Party, the former executive director of People for Liberty, and currently of Let.Live (5:10-1:10:25).
2023-02-271h 27A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 80 - A draft of the most significant dates in U.S. historyWe are back with our third annual Presidents Day Mount Rushmore-style snake draft. We are joined for the draft, once again, by our friends Dan Gonzalez and Joe Webster, and this year we are drafting the most significant dates in U.S. history. A really fun episode for any lovers of U.S. history.
2023-02-201h 49A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 79 - It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s...a balloon?We begin by discussing the big story of the week: the U.S. shooting down the alleged Chinese spy balloon, as well as three other unidentified objects (2:57-25:39). We then share our thoughts on Biden's State of the Union address (25:44-44:11), and reflect on the terribly tragic earthquake in Turkey and Syria (44:19-51:27).
2023-02-1454 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 78 - A conversation with former Massachusetts Governor Jane SwiftWe are joined this week by former Massachusetts Governor Jane Swift (3:03-1:22:03) for a wide-ranging conversation about education, her time in the Massachusetts Senate, as Lieutenant Governor, and, ultimately, as an historic Governor, and what she has been up to since leaving office.
2023-02-061h 34A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 77 - Looking back on JanuaryRicky is back from India, and we have a lot to talk about. We begin by discussing George Santos (9:40-21:50) and then move into the drama surrounding the election of Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House (21:50-34:35). We next talk about the latest in recurring tragedies including gun violence, police brutality, and antisemitism (34:40-51:55) before wrapping up by considering the U.S. reaching its debt ceiling (51:55-59:50) and the U.S. decision to send tanks to Ukraine (59:50-1:08:00).
2023-01-301h 11A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 76 - The changing of the guard with Jacquetta Van ZandtWe are joined this week by Jacquetta Van Zandt (5:50-55:11) to discuss all things Massachusetts politics. Jacquetta is a veteran of many campaigns at the local, state, and federal levels, and currently comments on Massachusetts politics on both her own podcast and on television. We reflect on the past eight years in Massachusetts under the outgoing Baker administration, preview the next four years under the incoming Healey administration, and analyze Mayor Wu's first year as the mayor of Boston, among other topics.
2023-01-091h 09A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 75 - A mile wide and a mile deep: analyzing the economy with Matthew KnychWe kick off 2023 by trying to get a handle on the current state of the economy and trying to figure out where it might head this year. We are joined for that discussion by Matthew Knych (3:44-1:00:53) who provides his knowledge of and experience in the business and housing spaces to our analysis.
2023-01-031h 17A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 74 - The Top Stories of 2022In our final episode of the year, we each give our top five stories that defined 2022.
2022-12-261h 06A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 73 - Unions & the labor movement with Rand WilsonWe are joined this week by Rand Wilson, who has spent forty years working in the labor movement. We discuss how unions and the labor movement have evolved during his time in them and what recent developments in those areas mean. We also discuss how the long fall and recent rise in working class power has affected political dynamics in the United States over the past forty years. Finally, we look ahead to see how the domestic labor movement can intersect with global issues like climate change and immigration to affect positive change in each of these areas.
2022-12-191h 08A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 72 - Six in Sixty: Warnock, Sinema, Primaries, Marriage, Griner, TrumpWith so many subjects worth discussing this week, we went back to our six topics in sixty minutes format where we hit each topic in a (roughly) ten minute segment. Those topics were Senator Warnock's victory in the Georgia runoff election (5:30-15:48), Senator Sinema's change in party affiliation (15:53-23:32), the proposed shakeup in the Democratic Presidential Primary calendar (23:37-35:01), Congress passing the historic Respect for Marriage Bill (35:06-45:52), Brittney Griner's return from captivity (45:57-55:10), and President Trump's latest controversy (55:15-1:01:41).
2022-12-121h 05A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 71 - Protests of and in Qatar, Iran, & ChinaWe begin this week by talking about the World Cup: our favorite storylines of the tournament and the multiple controversies that have surrounded it (5:36-42:26). We then discuss the protests that have roiled Iran (42:33-1:10:25) and China (1:10:34-1:24:50) over the past few weeks and months.
2022-12-051h 28A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 70 - The rises of antisemitism & political violence with Jeffrey RobbinsWe are joined this week by lawyer and Boston Herald columnist Jeffrey Robbins to talk about the dual rises in antisemitism and political violence that we have seen in the United States over the past few years. We begin our conversation with Jeff by talking about the causes and effects of the increasing antisemitism that we've seen (5:06-36:05), then transition into discussing the rise of political violence (36:05-47:30), before briefly getting Jeff's reaction to the midterm elections (47:30-57:30).
2022-11-211h 12A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 69 - A Red...Wedding?We're back to analyze the midterms, where the projected red wave failed to materialize. But is it too early to bury Trumpism? We talk overall takeaways (4:36-22:05), individual winners & losers (22:14-59:46), and then engage in some Massachusetts-centric discussion (59:54:1:11:08).
2022-11-151h 14A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 68 - SCOTUS term overview with Professor Barry McDonaldWe are joined this week by Caruso School of Law (Pepperdine) professor and constitutional law expert Barry McDonald to analyze the Supreme Court's fall docket. The Court is poised to hear a series of major cases this term, and Professor McDonald takes us through five of them: a free speech case (303 Creative LLC v. Elenis), a social media case (Gonzalez v. Google/Twitter v. Taamneh), an affirmative action case (Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard), a voting rights case (Moore v. Harper), and the independent state legislature case (Merrill v. Milligan).
2022-10-311h 00A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 67 - Midterm trends & more with Joan VennochiWe are joined this week by longtime Globe columnist Joan Vennochi to discuss some of the trends we are seeing heading into the midterms with a focus on where the balance between the key issues of abortion and inflation currently stands. We also get Joan's views on a variety of other subjects, including Ukraine, crime, and the T.
2022-10-2455 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 66 - Analyzing the Massachusetts Ballot with Samantha GrossWe are joined this week by Samantha Gross of the Boston Globe to delve into the Massachusetts ballot. Sam gives us an overview of the statewide races in Massachusetts before giving us great insight into the four consequential ballot questions dealing with a "millionaires' tax", dental insurance, liquor licenses, and drivers' licenses for undocumented immigrants (4:42-34:30). We then discuss our opinions on those questions and explain which way we're currently leaning on each (34:38-1:04:13).
2022-10-111h 07A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 65 - Previewing the midterms with Steve KornackiAn episode for political junkies, as we are joined by NBC News political correspondent Steve Kornacki to preview the midterm elections. Steve talks about the larger trends he is seeing, analyzes a number of the Senate races, and even makes a couple of predictions.
2022-10-031h 02A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 64 - The through lines connecting the crises in Puerto Rico, Jackson, and Martha’s VineyardWe talked about three crises this week that may seem disparate on the surface but that we actually feel have several themes connecting them. We start by analyzing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's move to transport migrants from Texas to Martha's Vineyard (4:23-24:39). We then break down the water crisis that has devasted Jackson, Mississippi over the past weeks and months (24:47-43:24) before finishing up by discussing the latest natural disaster to befall Puerto Rico (43:32-54:09).
2022-09-2757 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 63 - In Memoriam: Queen Elizabeth II & Mikhail GorbachevThe world lost two seminal figures in the past two weeks, and so we spent some time discussing the life and legacy of each. We began by discussing Queen Elizabeth II (4:59-28:52) before considering Mikhail Gorbachev (29:00-50:23). We conclude by remembering the heroes and victims of September 11th (50:31-57:55).
2022-09-151h 01A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 62 - Your Government Has Forgiven (Some of) YouIn this week's episode, we talk about President Biden's decision to issue his long-debated executive order to cancel portions of federal student loans (3:33-39:29) before discussing next week's Massachusetts' primaries (39:37-58:19).
2022-08-311h 01A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 61 - A variety pack: al-Zawahiri, Taiwan, Griner, Trump, Dems, KansasIn this week's episode, we run through a bunch of topics that have been in the news recently in ten minute segments. We talk about the U.S. killing of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri (4:56-13:46), Speaker Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan (13:55-24:01), the arrest and incarceration of Brittney Griner (24:10-33:32), the FBI's search of former president Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence (33:41-44:29), Democrats boosting far-right MAGA candidates in Republican primaries (44:38-52:52), and Kansas voters rejecting a proposed state constitutional amendment to roll back abortion rights (53:00-1:03:04).
2022-08-161h 06A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 60 - Dan Fishman on the liberty movement and third parties in a two-party systemWe are joined this week by the Executive Director of People for Liberty, Dan Fishman. Dan tells us about his personal journey to libertarianism, his experience as the Executive Director of the Libertarian Party during Jo Jorgenson's presidential campaign, and his current role as a leader of the liberty movement. We discuss the principles of the liberty movement and what role third parties can play in our current two-party system.
2022-08-081h 34A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 59 - It’s Getting Hot In HereComing off of a heat wave that swept across the northern hemisphere, we decided it would be a good time to talk about climate change. We discussed how the conversation around climate change has evolved over the past two decades, even if action has not followed. We debated whose job it is to take steps to address climate change, considered why it hasn't happened, and analyzed the latest hope for action: the "Inflation Reduction Act."
2022-08-0158 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 58 - Jamie Kirchick on the Hidden History of D.C., the End of Europe and the News MediaWe are joined this week by Jamie Kirchick to talk about his latest book, Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington. We also reflect on his first book, The End of Europe, which he wrote in 2017, and much of which he predicted in it, unfortunately, has come to pass in the past five years. We also talk about the state of the media today compared to the past and how media affects a democracy.
2022-07-131h 00A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 57 - Egregiously Wrong (pt. 2)In part 2 of our SCOTUS-centric episode, we discuss the legitimacy of the Court given everything that has happened this term and over the past decade (2:15-31:10) before breaking down some of the other opinions the Court released this term (31:20-52:30).
2022-07-0755 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 56 - Egregiously Wrong (pt. 1) with Mikaela Louie & Jessica VandervortWe're back this week with a mega episode focused solely on SCOTUS's decision in Dobbs to overturn Roe. We begin by giving our own thoughts on the issue (5:20-50:11) before being joined by two law-school trained friends Mikaela Louie (50:13-1:30:53) and Jessica Vandervort (1:32:14-2:06:18).
2022-07-062h 19A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 55 - On guns (and violence) in the U.S.Given the events of the past several weeks, Ricky felt it was high time to talk about guns, so we do that for the bulk of this episode (27:43-1:07:02). We bookend that talk with discussions on the House January 6th Committee public hearings (0:30-27:36) and the assassination attempt on Justice Kavanaugh (1:07:11-1:21:33).
2022-06-151h 24A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 54 - The Rise of Ron with Austin JacksonWe are joined by Austin Jackson this week to discuss the rise of Ron DeSantis, first as Governor of Florida and then as a national figure. We talk about his legislative record in Florida, how that record has been received both in Florida and nationally, and about the potential for a future run for President.
2022-05-301h 16A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 53 - Problems That PersistIn a rather somber episode, we discuss the mass shooting in Buffalo (5:58-42:30), the U.S.'s role in the continuing war in Ukraine (42:39-1:16:25), and the U.S. hitting a grim COVID milestone (1:16:34-1:32:34).
2022-05-181h 35A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 52 - Elon’s Twitter Takeover; Election Season in the U.S. & EuropeWe're back to talk about Elon taking over Twitter and what it means for the platform, for free speech, and for Elon himself (11:20-34:02). We then spend some time on one of our favorite recurring topics: examining the current state of the Republican party as we head into primary season here in the United States. We pair that discussion with the results of recent elections in Europe, including those in France and Hungary to see if there are any common transatlantic trends we can see (34:10-1:13:11).
2022-05-111h 16A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 51 - Unionization, Immigration, and UkraineWe're back to talk about a bunch of things that have been in the news over the past couple of weeks including the first unionization of an Amazon facility (14:12-31:05), immigration being back in the headlines (31:06-52:39), and the latest developments in Ukraine (52:48-1:06:40).
2022-04-251h 10A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 50 - Sports, Money, & Global PoliticsThis week we use the Roman Abramovich/Chelsea/Russia/UK saga as a jumping off point to delve a little more deeply into how global politics have increasingly become intertwined with sports in our increasingly interconnected world. How do we, as fans and global citizens, reckon with the influx of money into our teams and leagues from sources who the West generally doesn't think are good? And, do we, as the West, really have the moral authority to judge who is and isn't good? And, even if we do have that authority, how should we want to handle cases...2022-03-301h 02A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 49 - The Ukraine Is Not WeakThis week we finally discuss the situation in Ukraine. We look at what is currently happening on the ground, wonder about Putin's endgame, and talk about how the situation is playing out here in the United States. In a bit of a role-reversal, Ricky forces us to think about the current prevailing narrative in the United States and how this conflict might be benefitting the Biden Administration, while Brendan defends the prevailing narrative and how the Biden Administration has handled the conflict thus far.
2022-03-141h 19A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 48 - Let’s Go to MoWe are joined this week by Maureen "Mo" McInerney from the Women's Public Leadership Network to talk about the work that she does to support women in politics. We talk about Mo's personal journey into politics, why we need more women in all levels of government, unique challenges that women face in the political arena, and much more.
2022-03-071h 21A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 47 - A Draft of the Most Influential Non-presidential 20th Century AmericansWe brought back our friends Dan Gonzalez and Joe Webster for our second annual snake draft. This year, we did a four round draft of the most influential non-presidential 20th century Americans. Chaos and controversy ensued.
2022-02-211h 53A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 46 - Affirmative Action in the NFL, college admissions, and the Supreme CourtWe finally sit down to talk about three somewhat related events of the past few weeks: Brian Flores filing a lawsuit against the NFL alleging discriminatory hiring practices, Justice Breyer's retirement and President Biden's promise to nominate a Black woman to the Court, and the Court deciding to hear the affirmative action cases against Harvard and North Carolina.
2022-02-161h 14A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 45 - Talking Mandates with Matthew KnychWe are joined by Matthew Knych this week to talk vaccines and vaccine mandates. We discuss the two SCOTUS decisions on the Biden Administration's mandates, as well the philosophy behind the government mandating vaccinations in general, and the new vaccination requirements in Boston (2:55-1:01:49).
2022-01-241h 14A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 44 - A Year LaterThis episode is all about reflecting on the events of January 6, 2021 and everything that has transpired since that day. We begin by talking about President Biden's decision to go after former President Trump in his Capitol Hill speech, and discuss whether former President Trump is the cause or the effect of larger issues in our country (0:35-36:25). We then debate the Democrats' decision to use the anniversary of January 6th to re-energize their push for voting rights legislation (36:48-1:07:51).
2022-01-101h 11A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 43 - The Top Stories of 2021We close out 2021 by looking back at some of the stories that defined the year. At the end of the episode, we make the transition into the new year by predicting what stories might define 2022.
2022-01-031h 13A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 42 - Aerial Wars, Accountability, & Moral AuthorityIn this episode, we discuss the New York Times report that detailed the human toll of the aerial war the United States has conducted in the Middle East over the past decade (0:30-39:31). We then debate whether everyone's favorite senator signaling the demise of Biden's Build Back Better Bill is an indication of a failing democracy (39:58-1:02:11). Finally, we conclude by touching on inflation, omicron, and the conviction of the police officer who killed Daunte Wright in Minneapolis (1:02:31-1:23:58).
2021-12-281h 27A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 41 - Global Rivals 1A & 1BWe have some real debate this week about developments in China and Russia and how the United States has responded to each (6:17-58:05). We then return to Massachusetts politics to analyze the effect of Governor Baker not seeking a third term (58:20-1:19:42), before concluding by discussing the tragic school shooting in Michigan and the life and times of Senator Bob Dole (1:19:57-1:35:25).
2021-12-131h 38A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 40 - American Justice(?)After a busy week in our court system, we talk the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, the Ahmaud Arbery verdict, and several other verdicts that came out this week. Ultimately, we discuss how much faith we have in our justice system and whether the verdicts this week strengthened or weakened our faith in that system.
2021-11-291h 09A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 39 - Red (the off-year election version)We begin this episode by reflecting on the results from last week's elections and debate whether they were expected or if they are a harbinger of things to come (4:34-49:22). We then talk about the BFD that is BIF (49:37-1:11:46) before concluding with a couple of rememberences.
2021-11-151h 26A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 38 - A New Day in BostonOn November 2, 2021, Boston will elect its first female mayor. In this episode, we take a closer look at the two candidates, Michelle Wu and Annissa Essaibi George. We discuss the backgrounds of the two candidates, their proposed policies, and what the election of either would tell us about the future of Boston.
2021-10-291h 05A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 37 - The Forest and the TreesWe begin by discussing the fallout from the leaking of Jon Gruden's emails, and we zoom out to look at what his emails say about structural, systemic issues within the NFL and society at large (0:30-29:27). We then zoom in on a few incidents involving China, Taiwan, and the United States to see if there is potentially something bigger brewing (29:55-51:01).
2021-10-1954 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 36 - Hitting the CeilingAfter a month off, we are back to discuss the debt ceiling and all the machinations surrounding it (0:30-29:51), before touching on the fallouts from the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal and the January 6th House Investigation Committee (30:09-50:48).
2021-10-1254 min
Kirchick's KornerKirchick's Korner Episode 9: Ricky Ghoshroy and Brendan Kelly of "A Gentlemen's Disagreement"Ricky Ghoshroy has been working in the energy space for nearly a decade, primarily focused on the deployment of smart grid technologies. He recently completed his MBA from Boston College and is currently a Data Center Energy Analyst for a large technology company.Brendan Kelly is a former middle school teacher in Boston who is currently a second year law student at Suffolk Law School.Together, they form the podcast "A Gentlemen's Disagreement," a political podcast bringing together perspectives from the center-right and the center-left of the political spectrum.2021-08-3049 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 35 - Mandates, Mental Health, and Music with Brian ScullyWe, rather reluctantly, wade back into the Covid conversation in this week's episode where we are joined by musician Brian Scully. Scully shares with us how Covid and all of the accompanying restrictions over the past eighteen months have affected his family and his career. We also debate the responses from our leaders at the local, state, and national levels from March of 2020 through today.
2021-08-271h 42A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 34 - Afghanistan: The Graveyard of Empires with Captain Colin Murphy20 years, $2 trillion dollars, and countless lives. The toll of America's longest war is difficult to quantify, and perhaps even harder to swallow given its inglorious ending. On this week's episode, we get a Marine's perspective on the war in Afghanistan as Marine Corps veteran Captain Colin Murphy joins us for a discussion on what we gained, what we lost, and, hopefully, what we learned over these past two decades in conflict.
2021-08-231h 14A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 33 - Ask What Your Government Should Be Doing For YouWe begin this week by recapping some of the major storylines from the first week of the Olympics (0:30-25:23) before having a discussion specifically about neoliberalism, more generally about how the economic policy pendulum has swung back and forth in the U.S. over the past century, and more generally, still, about what we think government should be doing for its citizens (25:47-1:09:33).
2021-08-041h 12A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 32 - Tokyo RiskWith the 2020 Summer Olympics finally starting this week, we spent this episode discussing all things Olympics, including whether the Games should be taking place at all (0:30-22:25), our favorite events, and some U.S. athletes to keep an eye on in these Games (22:41-40:32). We conclude by reminiscing about some of our favorite all-time Olympic memories and debating U.S. participation in the 2022 Beijing Games (40:43-1:01:12).
2021-07-221h 04A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 31 - Ranked Choice Voting Faces Its Biggest TestWe spend the first segment of this episode diving into the NYC Mayoral Race and discuss everything that was on the ballot in that race, including the candidates themselves, crime and the police, and ranked choice voting (0:30-26:34). We then hit on a variety of different topics including the revival of bipartisanship with the infrastructure agreement, the conclusion of the Supreme Court's term, and the newfound ability for college athletes to get paid (26:50-56:17).
2021-07-0959 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 30 - The Things We Never LearnedThis week we discuss Juneteenth (0:30-19:28), the Tulsa Massacre and Critical Race Theory (19:46-44:50), and then we close by profiling two, perhaps lesser known, Black Americans (45:44-1:03-:39).
2021-06-191h 07A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 29 - Filibustering BipartisanshipWe begin this week's episode by considering some listener feedback we received about last week's Israel-Palestine discussion (0:30-27:12). We then spend some time discussing the state of bipartisanship in D.C. through the lenses of the filibuster, infrastructure, and voting rights (27:30-51:26). We wrap up by analyzing Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from the French Open, what it says about the mental health of athletes, and what it means for their relationship with the media who cover them (51:44-1:07:00).
2021-06-111h 10A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 28 - What is Jerusalem worth? Nothing. Everything.We (try to) tackle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict this week. We begin by discussing the history of the region (0:30-24:02) before analyzing the conflict that has engulfed the region over the past couple of weeks (24:14-49:05). We then spend some time looking at the role the United States plays in the region and the reaction to the current conflict here in the U.S. (49:49-1:21:06), before wrapping up by talking about antisemitism (1:21:23-1:27:26).
2021-05-281h 30A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 27 - On the Census 2020, the purging of the GOP, and new guidelines from the CDCWe start this episode by analyzing the initial census data recently released by the government (0:30-34:44), then we spend some time examining Liz Cheney's last stand in the GOP leadership (34:57-53:41), before considering the latest CDC guidelines and reflecting on the NBA's Hall of Fame class that was inducted this past weekend (53:54-1:08:46).
2021-05-181h 12A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 26 - Policing in the United States with Salome Kassini and Ratko AleksisWith policing still making headlines over the past couple of weeks, we spend this episode thinking about policing in the United States from a couple of different perspectives. We are joined first by Salome Kassini (3:11-33:31) and then by Ratko Aleksis (34:05-1:45:03) who give us their unique perspectives on the big picture role of policing in this country and on several particular incidents, including the Derek Chauvin verdict and the killings of Adam Toledo, Daunte Wright, and Ma'Khia Bryant, before we try to weave together all of our different perspectives into some kind of coherent takeaway (1:45:30-1:53:31).
2021-05-031h 56A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 25 - The Pullout That Was PromisedWe start this week's episode by reacting and responding to some listener thoughts on the Georgia election laws before going deep into the U.S. dealings with Afghanistan and Iran. We stay overseas to finish up by discussing the rapid rise and fall of the Super League this week.
0:30-28:43 Georgia Election Law Mailbag
29:09-1:12:51 U.S. Foreign Policy in the Middle East
1:13:16-1:30:05 European Super League
2021-04-251h 33A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 24 - The Mayor, the T, and Nicaela ChinnaswamyIn this Boston/Massachusetts-centric episode, we discuss the current and future states of the T and give an overview of Boston's burgeoning mayoral race before talking to the newest elected member of the Republican State Committee, Nicaela Chinnaswamy, about her decision to enter politics and the wild story of her race for the RSC.
0:30-21:55 - The T
22:21-47:02 - Boston Mayoral Race
47:23-1:25:23 - Interview with Nicaela Chinnaswamy
2021-04-161h 28A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 23 - America's Pastime Confronts America's PresentIn this week's episode we try to separate the wheat from the chaff with what's going on in Georgia. We bookend that discussion with a preliminary analysis of the proposed infrastructure bill and a look at where we stand in our collective fight against the coronavirus.
0:30-26:01 - Infrastructure
26:13-1:01:01 - Georgia Voting Law & MLB All Star
1:01:20-1:18:41 - Vaccinations & Variants
2021-04-111h 22A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 22 - The Best Laid PlansIn a week where President Biden thought he was going to be able to take a victory lap touting the passage of the latest COVID relief bill, he, instead, was confronted with two mass shootings and a rising crisis on our southern border.
3:42-33:05 Immigration
33:20-1:28:32 Gun Control, anti-Asian discrimination, and U.S. exceptionalism
2021-03-291h 31A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 21 - Think Left & Think Right & Think Low & Think HighOh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!
This week we discuss the latest Covid Relief Bill, before we are joined by Jeff Kirchick, friend and author, to discuss his new book, Authentic Selling, and get his thoughts on cancel culture.
0:30-17:34 Covid Relief Bill
17:46-59:17 Interview with Jeff
59:26-1:06:30 Evolution of cancel culture
2021-03-151h 09A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 20 - Voting Rights & GOP FightsIn this week's episode we dive into the voting rights battles that are being fought in both the national and state legislatures across the country. We are then joined by Vincent Cortellessa to talk about Trump's return to national politics at CPAC and where the future of the Republican Party lies.
0:30-23:10 H.R. 1 & voting rights
23:21-1:06:35 Interview with Vince
1:06:48-1:11:27 Economic populism spectrum
2021-03-081h 14A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 19 - The Weather Messed with TexasWe're back to current events in this episode, as we touch on our takeaways from the second impeachment trial of President Trump, the behavior of Governor Cuomo and Senator Cruz, and the confirmation hearing of Neera Tanden. We finish the episode by taking a deep dive into the situation in Texas.
0:21-41:56 -- Trump, Cuomo, Cruz, Tanden
42:10-1:16:06 -- Texas Disaster
2021-02-241h 20A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 18 -- The Presidential DraftWe do something a little different in this episode, as we are joined by two of our best friends to engage in a Presidential "draft" in honor of Presidents Day. In the draft, we each select four Presidents to make up our respective Mount Rushmores.
*This version has Ricky's first overall pick in it, which was accidentally omitted from the previously uploaded version.*
2021-02-161h 27A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 18 - The Presidential DraftWe do something a little different in this episode, as we are joined by two of our best friends to engage in a Presidential "draft" in honor of Presidents Day. In the draft, we each select four Presidents to make up our respective Mount Rushmores.
2021-02-151h 25A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 17 - A Week of GamblingThis week we saw Republicans gamble on keeping the tent as big as possible and Democrats gamble their version of unity doesn't need Republican support.
0:23-31:33 Marjorie Taylor Greene & Liz Cheney
31:50-48:24 Fox News Defamation Lawsuit
42:42-1:10:40 Covid Relief Package
2021-02-091h 15A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 16 - The Show Goes OnIn this week's episode Brendan goes after the Biden Administration while Ricky goes in on Wall Street. And both of us go in on the media.
0:21-31:31 The first weeks of the Biden Administration
31:53-1:21:57 The Robinhood/Gamestop Fiasco
2021-02-011h 26A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 15 - A New DayWe kick off Season Two by reflecting upon how the podcast has gone thus far before we welcome our first guest, Oliver Starnes, to the program. We conclude by looking ahead to our hopes for the Biden Administration.
0:51-8:55 State of the podcast
9:11-49:47 Interview with Ollie
50:05-1:06:25 Hopes for the Biden Administration
2021-01-261h 12A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 14 - American Carnage, Four Years LaterIn this time of transition, we do our best to try to gain some perspective on the four years of the Trump Presidency. We discuss our feelings watching his rise in 2016, analyze his successes and failures in the first three years of his term, before grappling with where he has left the country over the course of this last year.
2021-01-201h 23A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 13 - This is AmericaIn this episode, we recap and react to all of the events that transpired on 1.6.21. This is America, sometimes for better, sometimes for worse.
2021-01-121h 29A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 12 - Not Going QuietlyIn our first episode of 2021, we look at the President's whirlwind performance over the past few weeks and discuss where that performance leaves the party of Lincoln moving forward.
2021-01-061h 11A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 11 - The Biggest Stories of 2020In our last episode of 2020, we list and delve into the biggest political stories of this wild and crazy year.
2020-12-221h 02A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 10 - Do We Deserve to Kill?After a couple of weeks away, we recap some of the developments in the President's challenge to the Election and the President-Elect's Cabinet selections, before diving back into the revived stimulus talks. We conclude by discussing and debating the death penalty in the United States.
2020-12-141h 12A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 9 - Getting the Band Back TogetherThis week we wrap up our coronavirus discussion before moving on to the Presidential transition that actually seems to be getting underway, at least in some corners. We finish by taking a look at the team that President-Elect Biden is putting together, which is starting to feel awfully familiar...
2020-11-251h 07A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 8 - In the Time of CoronaThis week we have a sprawling discussion on some of the governmental, societal, and individual factors that have contributed to the United States' response to Covid-19, before checking back in on where we stand with the election results.
2020-11-181h 03A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 7 - The AftermathWith the dust yet to (completely) settle, we sat down for a free-flowing hot-take session on everything that election week has brought us.
2020-11-091h 08A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 6 - The Home StretchWe share some final thoughts before the election, discuss the confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett, the history of court packing and a host of other non-controversial topics.
2020-11-011h 15A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 5 - On the BallotThis week we're taking a deeper look at some of the questions on the Massachusetts Ballot for the November 2020 election, and what our understanding (or lack thereof) means for not only us, but democracy in general.
0:34-18:10 Question 1
18:25-40:56 Question 2
41:14-54:30 Federal Elections2020-10-2258 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementTrailer - A Gentlemen's DisagreementHow our podcast came to be.
2020-10-2205 minA Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 4 - The "Presidential" "Debate"This week we do our best to review the first presidential debate, which unfortunately was not really a debate and certainly not presidential.
0:58 -17:43 Debate Tone
18:10-46:32 Debate Substance
46:32-59:24 Where do we go from here2020-10-061h 03A Gentlemen’s DisagreementEpisode 3 - A Higher CourtThis week we delve into Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and legacy before pivoting to the current conversation around the supreme court vacancy. We round out our discussion by touching on some of the broader issues surrounding the decision not to pursue criminal charges against the officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor.
0:33-20:42 RBG life and legacy
21:08-47:42 SC fight to come
48:12-1:01:13 Breonna Taylor
1:01:29-1:04:48 Presidential Race
2020-09-281h 06