Shows
The New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 26 - In Absence of Jewish Chocolate w/ Sabri SundosI am joined by my friend Sabri for a wide-ranging conversation about his life in art, music, Palestine advocacy and a little bit of good old New Yorker Political Scene shenanigans. Check out his deal on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabri/?hl=enAnd get a copy of his book here: https://www.aventuresltd.com/shop/p/sabri-sundos-generations-removed-bloomAs always, thanks for tuning in.
2025-12-1951 min
The New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 25 - Zohran's Victory w/ Gino RaidyRuss talks to his pal and fellow soldier in Zohran's canvassing army Gino Raidy about Mamdani's big victory, what made it happen and what it means for the U.S. and for the world. Check out Gino's writing, videos and podcasts at his Substack Gino's BlogAs well as on social media:https://www.instagram.com/ginoraidyhttps://x.com/GinoRaidy
2025-11-0756 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 24 - Talking Zohran with the "Was Tun?" PodcastI was on the German podcast Was Tun? with Inken Behrmann and Valentin Ihßen talking about the Zohran campaign in the final stretch of the NYC mayor's race. It was such a great conversation I thought I'd post it here as well so you can all get your Russ fill while the getting is good. Check them out, especially if you sprechen sie Deutsch: https://linktr.ee/wastun?utm_source=linktree_profile_shareEnjoy!
2025-11-031h 03The New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 23 - Russia Russia RussiaSusan Glasser interviews her old pal Fiona Hill, who you might remember because she's the former national security official with an English accent who testified against Trump during his first impeachment trial. The New Yorker Political Scene appears to be on a summer hiatus, so they've apparently pre-recorded this and other interviews to roll out around their favorite subjects while Glasser, Evan Osnos and Jane Mayer soak up the sun at their respective beach homes.
2025-07-1616 min
The New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 22 - How Zohran Won and What Happens Now?Russ goes over how Zohran won and what happens now in the New York City mayors race
2025-07-0343 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEP. 21 - "Where Is The Iran-Israel Conflict Headed?"The hosts of the political scene explore the motivations behind Israel's decision to launch strikes on Iran's nuclear sites and how Iran and the U.S. might respond. We also travel back in time to 2023 to hear the crew's reflections on the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2023 to see any possible indication that the lessons they have learned from covering that atrocity are making their way into their contemporary analysis of U.S. foreign policy (don't get your hopes up).
2025-06-2435 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 20 - "Biden, Trump and the Challenges of Covering an Aging President"It's been a minute, and I've been busy, but this week's episode of the New Yorker Political Scene was just too crazy to not get in on.
2025-05-2224 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 19 - "Donald Trump Returns. What Now?"Russ breaks down the NYPS's analysis of Trump's victory, AKA Kamala Harris' stunning loss.
2024-11-1337 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 18 What is Wrong with Us? (w/ Tomos Lewis)My friend Tomos Lewis joins me to discuss the election and it's relationship with journalism. A stranger in a strange land, this intrepid Welshman is in Wisconsin, trying to explain our presidential election to listeners of the BBC's Welsh service and of Monocle radio.You can keep up with Tom's goings on on Elon Musk's app X:https://x.com/tomosdlewisAs well as on Monocle Radio: https://monocle.com/radio/shows/the-monocle-daily/Welsh speakers can also see and hear his reporting on the BBC's Welsh Language Service.
2024-11-041h 02The New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 17 - "What Billionaires See in Donald Trump"The hosts of the political scene delve in to Susan Glasser's latest article about the small group of billionaires pouring large sums of money into Donald Trump's campaign.
2024-10-2527 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 16 - Evan Osnos on the Forefront of KamalalalogyRuss covers the past two weeks of NYPS episodes + David Remnick's interview with Evan Osnos about Harris on the New Yorker Radio Hour. It had seemed that the NYPS hosts were sort of phoning it in these past couple of months, but they are finally back with some real humdingers. Did you know Kamala Harris was a Brahmin? As in, India's caste system. Find out that and more about Osnos' hagiography of Harris.
2024-10-1743 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 15 - What is Lebanon? (w/ Dalal Mawad)Russ has an in-depth conversation with his good friend, the Lebanese journalist Dalal Mawad. He also follows up on Ta Nehisi Coates' goings on, including an unhinged "interview" by CBS anchor Tony Dekoupil which you can watch in its entirety here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgWt-QcPYMo&ab_channel=CBSMorningsBut most importantly, Dalal and Russ get into Lebanon's political system, it's modern history and previous and present wars between Hezbollah and Israel. This is Dalal's recent article about martyred Hezbollah fighters and the mothers they leave behind: https://newlinesmag...
2024-10-031h 16The New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 14 "How to Get Under a Strongman's Skin, with George Conway"Russ checks in on the Israel discourse, touching on the return of Ta-Nehisi Coates as well as CNN's smearing of Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib over completely invented accusations of antisemitism. He then gets to the Political Scene's episode on the debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, featuring surprisingly pedestrian analysis from former Mr. Kellyanne Conway, George Conway.
2024-09-2643 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 13 "Will Harris Get Trump to Self-Destruct at the Debate?"Russ digs into Dana Bash and why pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted her recent book event. Spoiler: it's not because of antisemitism. Then Russ gives a quick look at the NYPS's preview of Tuesday's presidential debate.
2024-09-1022 min
The New Yorker Political Scene SceneHAPPY LABOR DAYPREVIEW OF MICHAEL & US EPISODE FEATURING RUSS: https://soundcloud.com/michael-and-us/preview-555-the-love-guru-w-russ-finkelstein?si=14d2e1e11c9e40738b72e19744a7dfc7&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharingWATCH LOOKING FOR LOVE ON VIMEO: https://vimeo.com/248504253?share=copyWTF IS "LABOR DAY" ANYWAY? https://www.npr.org/2022/04/30/1095729592/what-is-may-day-history
2024-09-0202 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 12 "Kamala Harris' "Different Kind of 'Hope' Campaign""Russ breaks down the NYPSS breakdown of this year's DNC, with discussion of Kamala Harris, the sad state of affairs for the Palestinian cause, the Obamas and more. Russ also talks about the New Yorker's release of photos from the 2005 Haditha Massacre in Iraq.
2024-08-2927 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 11 "What the Harris Campaign Needs to Win, with James Carville and Paul Begala" (w/ Will Sloan)Russ is joined by a very special guest, the inimitable Will Sloan. Russ and Will reminisce about their days at Columbia Journalism School before breaking down the New Yorker Political Scene's breakdown of the 1993 documentary The War Room by D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus. The film took audiences behind the scenes of Bill Clinton's successful 1992 presidential campaign, which gave rise to the media careers of people whose repugnant political views continue to plague us to this day. People like George Stephanopoulos, Paul Begala and James Carville. The NYPS braintrust is joined on their episode by Begala and Carville...
2024-08-201h 05The New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 10 "The Harris-Walz Reboot" Russ discusses the New Yorker Political Scene's take on the momentum behind the Harris campaign, as well as the role that the Gaza is likely to have it.
2024-08-1421 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 9 "Decoding the "Compelling" Attack Ads of the 2024 Campaign"This week's episode analyzes the New Yorker Political Scene's reaction to the U.S. - Russia - Europe prisoner exchange, as well as the Harris campaign's messaging strategy. In addition to the regular NYPS hosts, we also hear from Jennifer Lawless, who is a professor of politics and public policy at the University of Virginia. We also get into the time machine to see the parallels between this race and those of Dukakis in '88 and Clinton in '92. Good times!
2024-08-0826 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 8 "Special Episode: Biden Passes the Torch" & "Could Kamala Harris Be a Trump-Level Cultural Phenomenon?"Russ breaks down the New Yorker Political Scene's ongoing hagiography of Joe Biden, and gets into questions about how Harris is rhetorically navigating the subject of Israel.
2024-07-3122 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 7 "Trump's Triumphant R.N.C. and Biden's Dilemma" (w/ Norman Finkelstein)Russ goes back to his podcasting roots to check in with his dad (who he used to host a podcast with) to get his thoughts on the R.N.C. and the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Russ and Norm go over the New Yorker Political Scene's take on the convention and on the Trump candidacy.
2024-07-2328 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 6 "What Does Biden’s Disastrous Debate Mean for Democrats?"I go over the NYPS's post-debate analysis, and it's a doozie. Lot's of good gems and nuggets about Joe Biden, the Democratic Party and who is responsible for the disaster that was the debate. Lots of good nuggets and gems for all the Political Scene heads out there, as well as my take on the SCOTUS presidential immunity ruling.
2024-07-0229 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 5 "What to Expect from the Biden-Trump Debate, with the Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin"The New Yorker Political Scene hosts give a preview of what to expect out of Thursday's presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Bottom line: they are all dreading this debate because they wouldn't know what fun was even if God allowed them be dolphins for a day. They have on Doris Kearns Goodwin to talk about her experiences adjacent to the John F. Kennedy campaign and specifically how he approached his debate with Richard Nixon, which was the first ever televised presidential debate. Doris hopes to hear a substantive, thoughtful debate where the candidates get their policy...
2024-06-2423 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 4 "Hunter Biden’s Conviction and Trump’s Risk to the Justice Department in 2024"The hosts of the political scene get into Hunter Biden's conviction on felony gun charges. Over the course of their conversation, Jane Mayer makes a stunning revelation: that she knows Hunter Biden personally because their daughters went to school together and rowed on the crew team. Lovely. And Evan Osnos talks about a conversation he had with a wealthy Republican donor and the threat he thinks Trump actually poses to the republic.
2024-06-1923 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 3 "A G.O.P. Strategist on the Republican Voters Who Could Abandon Trump"The NYPS ladies have a chat with conservative lobbyist / activist / strategist Sarah Longwell who gives Dems advice Biden's reelection campaign.
2024-06-1125 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 2 "A “Stunningly Decisive” End to Donald Trump’s Trial"Russ breaks down the Political Scene's discussion of Donald Trump's historic conviction
2024-06-0416 minThe New Yorker Political Scene SceneEp. 1 - "Why Vladimir Putin’s Family Is Learning Mandarin"This week, Susan Glasser, Jane Mayer and Evan Osnos discuss foreign affairs and how they aren't (???) playing a big enough role in the 2024 presidential campaigns.
2024-05-2849 min