The Political Scene | The New Yorker

I only listen to the Friday Weekly Roundtable. Their hosts are respected, plugged-in journalists who know their stuff. And I mostly agree with their progressive viewpoints. Almost every episode, however, I have a problem with the tone: chuckling and mocking the latest antics of Trump and MAGA. The hosts and guests might call it nervous, not happy chuckling. You may, like me, experience cognitive dissonance: Is it the demise of the republic imminent, or is it all just political wise-cracking, axe-grinding and scoring ratings and points against the “other side”? Trying to be both entertaining (but subversive) like Colbert, as well as informative like The Atlantic, is a difficult balancing act. Like adding a spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down, getting the mix wrong can be a cloying experience.

I really appreciate this podcast, especially the roundtables with Evan Osnos, Jane Mayer and Susan B. Glasser, for helping make sense of American politics. One point of feedback: I don’t love when the New Yorker Radio Hour recycles their episodes and posts them under The Political Scene banner, and vice versa. This seems to happen frequently. I prefer to think of them as separate podcasts, and get a little deflated when I see a new episode is available, only to realize it’s a replay of the same episode on the other show. Otherwise love y’all keep up the good work!!!

Hey guys — Here’s what I would have appreciated in your conversation: — MUCH more emphasis on the role of our information systems. When American is swimming in a sewer of malignant disinformation, it was frustrating that you only referred to this critical phenomenon in passing. A compelling question to at least wonder about is what the election outcome might have been in a pre-social media, pre-podcast, pre-Fox News world? Chris, you’ve apparently written a book on the subject. Is it simply out of despair that we seem powerless to fix our broken information systems that you didn’t address this more directly? — A consideration of president as avatar. They express and embody qualities we want to want to see in ourselves. Qualities too that make us feel connected with our national leader, the most powerful person in the world (“Trump is just like me,” said the voter in NH. He loves McDonald’s — was that the clincher?) The avatar factor was no doubt part of twhy so many voted for Trump as president and voted for Dems down ballot. — A less chummy vibe, and Chris — a little less nervous laughter — would have made made it easier to understand what you were saying, especially when you got more diffuse, more abstract (your “explanation” of neoliberalism). — The one new thought, the one crystallized insight I’m taking away from the episode, was Andrew’s comment about AOC. I’m a conscientious objector to personal social media. That comment has inspired me to sign up for Instagram just to follow AOC’s inside-the-beltway commentary — and to track her evolution as a possible presidential candidate. A bright beacon of possibility during a dark time I look forward to future conversations — hopefully a bit more incisive. ~ Deborah Elizabeth Boldt, Santa Fe, NM

Susan, Evan, and Jane are tops at their knowledge of the political world and the people and forces with in it. It is always enlightening, sometimes entertaining, and sometimes reassuring to hear them banter and expound on complex ongoing issues of the day. Thank you to The New Yorker for sharing these three great minds with us.

I was rather shocked by the ageist remarks made throughout the episode (‘2nd childhood’!). You are at least 30 years behind the current and much more complex view of aging, personality, and decline. This reminds me of the 1970’s when women insisted on a different way of narrating girls’ and women’s experience, pointing out the subtleties and blatant sexism that was right in from t of our eyes. The same applies here: As Dr. Alex Comfort said in the ’70’s - you may not become a man or women, black, white, or otherwise, but if you live long enough you will be discriminated against, re-positioned as not longer mattering because of age. Just wait. Robert Reichlin, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist.

I’m a long time listener and New Yorker subscriber and I was shocked to hear profanity from Susan Glasser in this episode. I listen to the Political Scene for intelligent, articulate and informed commentary. Please, please Ms. Glasser elevate the conversation.