As Zohran Mamdani’s rise reshapes New York politics, is democratic socialism becoming the Democratic Party’s new base? Host Charles Fain Lehman sits down with Reihan Salam, Judge Glock, and John Ketcham to dissect the political and cultural currents pushing the party left—from Instagram primaries and “free stuff” populism to the ideological split between AOC and the Ezra Klein crowd. Along the way, they dig into anti-institutionalism, social media as a news engine, and the strange allure of David Goggins.
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37:49
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37:49
Elon’s America: Can the Billionaire Reboot the Right?
Tech billionaire Elon Musk is testing a new frontier in politics. In this episode, Charles Fain Lehman, Jesse Arm, Rafael Mangual, and Daniel Di Martino explore Musk’s proposed America Party—what it means for the right, why it’s gaining traction across conservative media, and whether it’s more than X posturing. They also tackle the One Big Beautiful Bill—a trillion-dollar effort to rein in spending without touching Social Security or Medicare. Is it serious reform, or just another political stunt? Plus: July Fourth, national identity, and the conservative fight to reclaim America’s founding story.
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41:34
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41:34
“Alligator Alcatraz”: Trump’s Bold Border Plan
Charles Fain Lehman, Neetu Arnold, Judge Glock, and Carolyn Gorman unpack Trump’s border pageantry at “Alligator Alcatraz,” exposing the left’s silence on illegal immigration. They break down the One Big Beautiful Bill, $1 trillion in spending cuts, tax policy in the balance, and a fight for fiscal sanity.
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34:04
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34:04
SCOTUS Decisions: Big Wins, Legal Fights, and Who Belongs on Mount Rushmore
Join Charles Fain Lehman, Ilya Shapiro, John Ketcham, and Renu Mukherjee as they dissect the week’s seismic Supreme Court rulings—nationwide injunctions gutted, free speech battles won, and the ideological fault lines now splitting the bench wide open. They take on Trump’s bold executive swipe at TikTok, expose the social media platforms society could ditch, and throw down their picks for Mount Rushmore—where only true American grit belongs.
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40:07
Zohran Mamdani and the Rise of Hipster Socialism
Zohran Mamdani’s surprise victory has electrified New York’s hard left, and raised serious questions about where the city is heading. In this episode, City Journal’s Rafael Mangual, Nicole Gelinas, Tal Fortgang, and Daniel Di Martino break down how Mamdani won, why moderates failed to unify, and what it means when a socialist backed by “Intifada” slogans becomes the Democratic nominee. They also take a detour to the Hamptons to ask: is it becoming the new Palm Beach?
City Journal is America's premier source of insightful policy analysis, sophisticated cultural commentary, and bold investigations that legacy journalists are too timid to touch. From incisive interviews to lively panel discussions, our podcasts extend CJ's trademark rigor and wit beyond the written page to the dynamic world of streaming audio. Listen today.
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