Join The New Yorker’s writers and editors for reporting, insight, and analysis of the most pressing political issues of our time. On Mondays, David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker, presents conversations and feature stories about current events. On Wednesdays, the senior editor Tyler Foggatt goes deep on a consequential political story via far-reaching interviews with staff writers and outside experts. And, on Fridays, the staff writers Susan B. Glasser, Jane Mayer, and Evan Osnos discuss the latest developments in Washington and beyond, offering an encompassing understanding of this moment in American politics.
Latest episodes
Showing 20 · updated from the feed
A.I. Loses the Popular Vote
#39 trending · News
The New Yorker staff writer and historian Jill Lepore joins Tyler Foggatt for a conversation about how public feeling around artificial intelligence, and the backlash to
Nov 12 46 min
Pete Buttigieg on the Democrats’ Sweep of Congress, and Where They Go from Here
Though Pete Buttigieg, the former Secretary of Transportation and Indiana mayor, wasn’t on the midterms ballot, he campaigned for Democrats across the country in this ele
Nov 9 34 min
The Voters Have Spoken. What Comes Next?
The Washington Roundtable convenes after a historic midterm election—which amounted to a sweeping repudiation of Donald Trump and the Republican Party that the staff writ
Nov 7 44 min
The Democrats’ Big Night and the Repudiation of Donald Trump
The New Yorker’s editor, David Remnick, and the staff writers Vinson Cunningham and Benjamin Wallace-Wells join Tyler Foggatt to discuss the sweeping Democratic victories
Nov 5 36 min
Democrats Might Take Back the House. Then What?
The Maryland congressman Jamie Raskin has been relentlessly challenging the Trump Administration in his role as the ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee. He wa
Nov 2 34 min
The Washington Roundtable Live: The Final Stretch with David Plouffe
The Washington Roundtable is joined onstage at The New Yorker Festival by David Plouffe, the political strategist and the campaign manager for Barack Obama’s historic 200
Oct 31 48 min
Is Donald Trump’s Unpopularity Catching Up with Republicans?
The New Yorker staff writer Jason Zengerle joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss how Republican candidates are responding to Donald Trump’s historically low approval ratings. Th
Oct 28 36 min
Gina Hinojosa Aims to Make Texas Blue Again
The Senate race between James Talarico and Ken Paxton dominates the news out of Texas, but, in the race for governor, a Democratic state legislator is also running neck a
Oct 26 31 min
Rahm Emanuel is “Cautiously Optimistic” About the Democrats’ Midterm Prospects
The Washington Roundtable is joined by Rahm Emanuel, the former White House chief of staff under Barack Obama, for a discussion about the Democratic Party’s odds heading
Oct 24 45 min
Has MAGA Lost Faith in Donald Trump?
A growing portion of the electorate appears to recognize the mayhem President Donald Trump has instigated since returning to the Oval Office. That segment includes some o
Oct 19 33 min
Elon Musk Is Trying to Buy the Midterms, and He Doesn’t Care Who Knows It
The Washington Roundtable is joined by Alex Gibney, the Oscar-winning filmmaker, to discuss his new documentary, “Musk.” Since July, Elon Musk has poured more than a quar
Oct 17 44 min
What’s at Stake in the 2026 Midterms
The New Yorker staff writers Isaac Chotiner and Benjamin Wallace-Wells join Tyler Foggatt to discuss what Democrats might do after the midterms if they win a majority in
Oct 14 35 min
Canada’s Plans for Donald Trump
The economic punishment and threats of aggression that Donald Trump has launched against Canada are so severe that its government has looked at how to prepare for U.S. mi
Oct 12 34 min
Will Donald Trump’s Corruption Matter in November?
The Washington Roundtable weighs in on how Donald Trump’s rampant corruption will play out at the polls. Although conventional wisdom in Washington suggests that graft do
Oct 10 50 min
Why Trump Is Pausing His Crackdown on Salvadoran Immigrants
The New Yorker staff writer Jonathan Blitzer joins Tyler Foggatt to talk about Donald Trump’s decision to delay the cancellation of Temporary Protected Status for Salvado
Oct 8 52 min
An American Journalist Imprisoned as a Spy in Russia
In 2023, Evan Gershkovich was working as a young reporter in Moscow for the Wall Street Journal, when he was arrested by Russian authorities. He was eventually convicted
Oct 6 23 min
Can Europe Still Trust America?
The Washington Roundtable is joined by the Polish Foreign Minister, Radosław Sikorski, to discuss the war in Ukraine and Russia’s brazen tests of the NATO alliance, inclu
Oct 3 35 min
Why Susan Collins Has Lasted So Long
The New Yorker staff writer Emma Green joins Tyler Foggatt to discuss the Senate race in Maine, where the Republican Susan Collins, who has served in the Senate for nearl
Oct 1 47 min
Ari Emanuel on Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Mixing Business with Politics
Ari Emanuel is the executive chairman of W.M.E., one of the biggest talent agencies in Hollywood. He has overseen the careers of Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, Meghan Markl
Sep 28 34 min
The Washington Roundtable Live: Can D.C. Get a Grip on A.I.?
The Washington Roundtable travels to Madison, Wisconsin, for a conversation about the politics of artificial intelligence before a live audience at the Cap Times Idea Fes
Sep 25 56 min
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Where The Political Scene | The New Yorker ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Nov 12, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I normally love this podcast, but I turned off this episode because Jason Zengerle’s characterization of Trump’s rallies was ridiculous. He’s not a doddering elder entitled to fun hobbies, he’s the POTUS holding taxpayer-funded, lie-filled hate fests. Trump uses the dumbest and meanest tactics to validate people’s worst instincts and persecute the vulnerable. Why would this journalist not just tell it like it is? Your readers want intelligence and authenticity, not whatever this episode was.
Saguarocactusflower1 · Oct 2026
Jane Mayer and Evan Osnos are spectacular on this pod, but Susan Glasser needs some media training. She doesn’t know how to ask a simple question without meandering and backtracking and editorializing forever. Rahm Emanuel called her out recently for asking seven questions all at once. She doesn’t this constantly. Her lack of journalistic discipline is the only weak link on an otherwise fantastic show.
jhggeyser · Oct 2026
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.
Refined Taster · Aug 2026
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!!!
Ryanovixh82733$ · Nov 2024
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.
ASP-Paris1964 · Jun 2026
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.
RT Brockmann · Sep 2026
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