OPINION
If you haven’t spent time exploring the expanding world of podcasts, I suggest you do so. You can get the news in real time, or close to it, with smart analysis from trustworthy sources.
I have mostly turned off TV news. I catch a few favorite shows periodically, but I turn to YouTube with an array of choices to fit my time and mood. I am amazed at how dedicated these podcasters are to bringing truth to their audiences in light of how little they are paid compared to what they could (and did) command in mainstream media. The shows are different and reflect the personalities of the hosts who can be quite creative.
Who are my go-to’s? Well, it depends. I love what Don Lemon is doing. He is unleashed and spent last weekend trekking around Chicago and bringing the conflict between ICE, police and protesters to the viewer in real time. It was fascinating. You didn’t see any of this on legacy media. Each day, he does a live broadcast at 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pacific Time. Lemon is a pro who built up his credentials on CNN for years.
I also love watching Jim Acosta, another trusted CNN alum. He spends time on long form interviews and he can now express his opinion without media overlords. Acosta covered the first Trump administration and his perspective is priceless.
If you have time to listen to one person each day, make that Heather Cox Richardson. She is a renown historian who puts what is happening into historical context. Richardson broadcasts nearly every day.
I am hooked on former Republican political operatives and opinion writers who are Never Trumpers. These include Tim Miller, Sarah Longwell, Jonathan V. Last, Bill Kristol, and Mona Charen at The Bulwark as well as Rick Wilson and Stuart Stevens at The Lincoln Project. These are the ones who bucked their party, ended friendships and have firmly stood on the side of preserving Democracy. They have a moral compass.
The biggest of them all is MeidasTouch. Founded by three brothers during COVID, led by attorney Ben Meiselas, this format is hard hitting opinion and news updates. New material is dropped all day and night long. Occasionally they will go live for important news. This is the only “liberal” podcast that breaks the top ten in viewers on YouTube. I check in every day.
Other notable mentions that I peruse regularly include Pod Save America, with former Obama staffers, Harry Litman for legal analysis, media mainstays Charlie Sykes and Steve Schmidt, Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway to find out what the Silicon Valley oligarchs are up to, and I really enjoy Keith Edwards for quick updates and Trae Crowder for humor. There are others, which I will list below. You will figure out what appeals to you once you view their content.
How best to watch? I subscribe to YouTube. I pay a monthly fee because I detest commercials and am willing to fork over cash to eliminate them. There are commercials embedded into many podcasts because they’ve got to pay their bills. Simply hit “subscribe” and you will get a menu of those you follow. A blue dot will appear when there is new content. A red dot indicates that the podcast is live. You can upvote and comment, follow comments of other viewers and otherwise engage.
You can also follow podcasts on Substack, Spotify, Apple and other platforms but I find YouTube to be the easiest to access.
Here is my tip — check in on these podcast during No Kings weekend. You will get more information than you will find on regular TV.
These are the podcasts that are in my “subscriber” menu. I’m sure you will find others and I welcome you to share them with me. The podcast landscape is fluid and my hat is off to everyone who works hard to bring us news and commentary in this evolving format.
MeidasTouch
The Bulwark
Heather Cox Richardson
Pod Save America
The Lincoln Project
Don Lemon
Jim Acosta
Keith Edwards
Talking Feds with Harry Litman
Lincoln Square
Democracy Docket
The Warning with Steve Schmidt
Rick Wilson’s Against All Enemies
The Mark Thompson Show
Legal AF
To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
The Contrarian
Terry Moran
Simon Rosenberg
Thom Hartman
Al Franken
Politicon
Democracy Now!
Secular Talk
Katie Phang
The Ezra Klein Show
Christine Amanpour Presents: The Ex-Files
Pivot with Kara Swisher and Scott Galloway
The Joy Reid Show
Assembly Required with Stacey Abrams
Keith Olberman
Fast Politics with Molly Jang-Fast
Stay Tuned with Preet Bharara
Trae Crowder
The Enemy from Within
Katie Couric
This Is Gavin Newsome