Scheer Intelligence

Scheer Intelligence

Scheerpost

Scheer Intelligence features thoughtful and provocative conversations with "American Originals" -- people who, through a lifetime of engagement with political issues, offer unique and often surprising perspectives on the day's most important issues.

High-Noon Saturday: Restarting the Gaza Genocide?

High-Noon Saturday: Restarting the Gaza Genocide?

Welcome to another edition of Scheer Intelligence. I’m your host, Robert Scheer, and today marks a significant new chapter for our program as we transition to Scheerpost, where we’ll continue our mission of exploring vital issues with depth and clarity. After nearly a decade of broadcasting through KCRW, we’re excited to bring you more frequent conversations, allowing us to engage with the news as it unfolds.In this inaugural episode under the Scheerpost banner, I’m joined by the esteemed Ray Mc

Feb 12, • 42:46

How Zionism went from protecting Jews to threatening them

How Zionism went from protecting Jews to threatening them

On this final episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast hosted on KCRW but continuing on ScheerPost.com,  host Robert Scheer welcomes Larry Gross, author and Professor Emeritus of Communication at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. The two cover Zionism, specifically through the lens of Gross, who lived in Israel and personally witnessed the country’s evolution from its earlier claim to progressive idealism under its Labor party founders to the brutalizing occupation of

Feb 7, • 1:15:05

It’s all kicking off with China

It’s all kicking off with China

Tariffs, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, electric cars: there is much to be said about the evolving relationship between China and the United States. While Donald Trump’s recent tariffs on the country are just the latest story, it is only a fraction of the news coming out of China that directly affects the U.S. and the future prospect for business and the government. Joining host Robert Scheer from China on this episode of Scheer Intelligence is Geopolitical Economic Report editor-in-ch

Feb 3, • 1:01:55

For once Trump gets it right

For once Trump gets it right

This is the political season to be thankful for small favors of optimism, and in this edition of Scheer Intelligence, host Robert Scheer and guest Joe Lauria, editor of the Consortium News website, are excited to have found a gift of striking significance to what remains of the practice of serious journalism on the internet. It is Donald Trump’s delivery on a promise in his inauguration address that “After years and years of illegal and unconstitutional federal efforts to restrict free expressio

Jan 24, • 56:19

Did Mike Davis get it right in making “The Case for Letting Malibu Burn”?

Did Mike Davis get it right in making “The Case for Letting Malibu Burn”?

The wildfires in Los Angeles county have brought a multitude of difficult and prevailing questions to the forefront of the region as well as the system of capitalism. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast is Jacobin Magazine columnist Ben Burgis to discuss writer Mike Davis and how his book, “The Ecology of Fear: Los Angeles and the Imagination of Disaster,” (February 1998) serves as a kind of prognosis for everything going wrong in Los Angeles today. The

Jan 17, • 52:33

China is not our enemy

China is not our enemy

The American saber-rattling against China has been increasing almost as fast as China’s own development in the past few years. China’s economic prosperity and international influence is undeniable yet American politicians continue to treat their rise as a threat to their global hegemony. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence is Megan Russell, a writer, academic and CODEPINK's China is Not Our Enemy Campaign Coordinator. Scheer is quick to point out the intergeneration

Jan 10, • 1:12:51

Another Christmas on Death Row

Another Christmas on Death Row

*This episode originally aired on December 21, 2018.This is part two of a two-part interview. To listen to part one, click here.In part two of this two-part interview, Death Row inmate Kevin Cooper, once coming within four hours of execution, details how he copes with the daily torment of impending death as his legal team fights to prove his innocence with new exonerating evidence Gov. Jerry Brown has refused to allow to be examined. For the past 33 Christmas holidays, Kevin Cooper has inhabited

Dec 27, 2024 • 32:59

Assassinating the Myths of Healthcare

Assassinating the Myths of Healthcare

Much needed attention has been brought upon the for-profit health insurance industry in the wake of the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Personal stories about people’s tragic experiences involving not only UnitedHealthcare but many other insurance companies have spelled out a deeper issue that resonates across the American political spectrum. Sean Morrow, a journalist and writer for More Perfect Union—a nonprofit newsroom that focuses on working class issues—has gained sign

Dec 20, 2024 • 53:20

UnitedHealthcare CEO assassination exposes divergence of America's justice system

UnitedHealthcare CEO assassination exposes divergence of America's justice system

The assassination of Brian Thompson, the former CEO of UnitedHealthcare insurance company, has prompted a national reckoning of how corporate entities commit crimes on a daily basis and are not only not punished but rewarded for their profit-making prowess. Many point to Luigi Mangione, the alleged assassin, as an example of vigilante justice, murdering someone who is responsible for the deaths of thousands who are denied medical care. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intell

Dec 13, 2024 • 1:04:47

Lena Herzog: You cannot win a nuclear war

Lena Herzog: You cannot win a nuclear war

Though one can debate the reasons, statistics and precedent of nuclear war, what is often left out of the conversation is the reality of it: destruction of the world as a whole. In her new immersive art experience titled, “Any War, Any Enemy,” immersive artist Lena Herzog throws this reality literally right in the faces of viewers. The film can uniquely be experienced via virtual reality as well as a traditional screen and it plainly shows what nuclear war looks like. Herzog begins the film with

Dec 6, 2024 • 1:33:16

Juan Cole: The antidote to Israeli propaganda

Juan Cole: The antidote to Israeli propaganda

Gaza today symbolizes nothing but death, destruction and oppression. Israel’s genocide and scorched earth bombing campaign has not only wiped out its people but the rich history that stretches back thousands of years. Juan Cole, University of Michigan history professor and renowned Middle East historian, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to clearly lay out the history behind Gaza through his newest book, “

Nov 22, 2024 • 1:02:41

Dr. Warren Hern: Abortion in the age of unreason

Dr. Warren Hern: Abortion in the age of unreason

The election came and went, and despite Democrats’ heavy emphasis on abortion rights, the election of Donald Trump makes it clear that the rights of women across the country are in grave danger. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence to spell out this danger and talk about his new book, “Abortion in the Age of Unreason: A Doctor's Account of Caring for Women Before and After Roe v. Wade” is “America's Abortion Doctor” Dr. Warren Hern. Hern possesses vast experience wit

Nov 15, 2024 • 1:03:43

Michael Tracey: Why working class Americans of all races voted for Trump

Michael Tracey: Why working class Americans of all races voted for Trump

Reporting on the election often involves being glued to computer screens dictating the polling numbers around the country and using statistics revolving around race and gender to make assumptions about how the country is politically swaying. Journalist and online host Michael Tracey actually went out to many prominent swing states throughout the election and spoke to various swaths of voters, engaging in what their vote really means and how ordinary Americans view newly appo

Nov 8, 2024 • 1:17:46

These 10 Companies Run Our ‘Democracy’

These 10 Companies Run Our ‘Democracy’

Amidst the hype, excitement and nervousness of the election, the bigger picture of what the United States is and how it operates often gets lost on people. Many think that choosing one or another candidate will significantly alter their future to better represent their values, but in reality there is only one group of people that matter the most: those who Dr. Peter Phillips, professor emeritus at Sonoma State University, calls the “titans of capital.” In his new

Nov 1, 2024 • 54:09

The enviable life of a true American publisher

The enviable life of a true American publisher

Fewer people in the world had access to the personal moments experienced by Steve Wasserman, Heyday Books publisher, former LA Times Book Review editor and former editor at several of the nation’s most prominent book publishing houses. In his latest book, “Tell Me Something, Tell Me Anything, Even If It's a Lie,” he details his close encounters with a handful of some of the most significant people in the 20th century, including Jackie Kennedy, Susan Sontag, Christopher Hitchens, Gore Vidal, Barb

Oct 25, 2024 • 1:04:45

It’s time to get rid of big agriculture

It’s time to get rid of big agriculture

Any urban street in America is guaranteed to be lined with popular fast food chains, the readily available nature of their products being the main attraction, with people barely giving a thought to the process behind getting the food from the farm to the table — or more likely, the take-out box.  Joining host Robert Scheer on this week’s Scheer Intelligence are two people who dedicated their recent film, “Food and Country,” to understanding this process behind food in the United States and how b

Oct 18, 2024 • 40:17

Juan Cole: Where is the Middle East Heading?

Juan Cole: Where is the Middle East Heading?

In the 365 days following the events of Oct. 7, the situation in the Middle East is as complicated as ever. Israel’s genocide in Gaza agonizingly continues, and its invasion of Lebanon and subsequent retaliation at the hands of Hezbollah and Iran has added more fuel to the fire. Tensions are escalating and Middle East expert and writer Juan Cole joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to explain its precedent and what the future may hold. The extremism of the

Oct 11, 2024 • 44:04

Everything your kids won’t learn in school about our democracy: Can parents fill the void?

Everything your kids won’t learn in school about our democracy: Can parents fill the void?

At a time of book bans and the withholding of critically important struggles in our history, our education system has increasingly failed to provide our young with the tools to become engaged citizens in our much celebrated experiment in democracy. This miseducation of the young has been vastly accelerated by the shocking erosion of civic education in the standardized testing that separates winners and losers in the ranking of our meritocracy. This reality has been made painfully obvious to

Oct 4, 2024 • 42:01

How deep does the 'Deep State' go?

How deep does the 'Deep State' go?

In the midst of election season, conversations revolving around the levers of power become more frequent, and in the case of a U.S. presidential election, that often includes debates around the so-called “deep state”. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence, Professors Charles Derber and Yale Magrass discuss their new book, “Who Owns Democracy?: The Real Deep State and the Struggle Over Class and Caste in America.”There are many interpretations of what the 'deep state'

Sep 27, 2024 • 1:09:40

Can Israel decide who qualifies as Jewish?

Can Israel decide who qualifies as Jewish?

The genocide in Gaza has brought the issue of Israel — and what it represents for Jewish people — into the forefront of Jewish communities worldwide. The powerful influence of the Israel lobby on Israel’s image in the United States makes this issue highly contentious and deeply complex. In this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, host Robert Scheer and Lara Friedman, president of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP), a nonprofit dedicated to fostering peace between Israel and Pale

Sep 20, 2024 • 59:35

Richard Silverstein: Israel, ‘The far right extremist state that I can no longer identify with’

Richard Silverstein: Israel, ‘The far right extremist state that I can no longer identify with’

Israel and its lobby today try to conflate the state with Jews around the world, that it speaks for Jews and encompasses the entire diaspora. Richard Silverstein, author and journalist of the Tikun Olam blog, says that this couldn’t be further from the truth. As the genocide in Gaza rages on, along with the killing of Israeli citizens and the mass torture of Palestinians, the support for Israel among Jews, particularly the younger generation, will continue to falter as the state itself plunges d

Sep 13, 2024 • 53:16

The CIA: The world’s first secret empire

The CIA: The world’s first secret empire

The CIA’s destructive role in world politics since the end of World War II as a secret rogue spy agency controlled by unelected intelligence officers has become so ubiquitous that it can be joked about. But behind the jokes lies a far darker reality: the agency's imperial ambitions have fueled a legacy of death and destruction in the name of expanding American power. Hugh Wilford, author and professor of history at California State University Long Beach, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode

Sep 6, 2024 • 1:02:05

The CIA: The world’s first secret empire

The CIA: The world’s first secret empire

The CIA’s destructive role in world politics since the end of World War II as a secret rogue spy agency controlled by unelected intelligence officers has become so ubiquitous that it can be joked about. But behind the jokes lies a far darker reality: the agency's imperial ambitions have fueled a legacy of death and destruction in the name of expanding American power. Hugh Wilford, author and professor of history at California State University Long Beach, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode

Sep 6, 2024 • 1:02:35

The real decision makers will make sure your vote doesn’t challenge the dominance of the U.S. dollar that strangles the world economy

The real decision makers will make sure your vote doesn’t challenge the dominance of the U.S. dollar that strangles the world economy

The “big club” that “you ain’t in,” as George Carlin famously put it, is increasingly visible as the presidential election rolls on toward November. Politicians and the donor class that controls them have made it known to the public that they are not representatives of the majority but rather the small elite minority. Nomi Prins, financial historian, author and former Goldman Sachs managing director, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to describe exactly

Aug 30, 2024 • 46:35

A “meaningful” election where neither candidate condemns U.S.-sponsored genocide?

A “meaningful” election where neither candidate condemns U.S.-sponsored genocide?

It is around that time in an election year where the typical platitudes and ultimatums exclaiming it is “do or die,” “now or never” are being thrown around. The overarching narrative from the past two elections remains the same: the Democrats are not great: they bolster the military industrial complex, make empty promises to working people and maintain sometimes identical policies to their right wing counterparts on issues like immigration … but we must choose them or face the wrath of Donald Tr

Aug 23, 2024 • 1:25:34

“Sly Civility,” A Reagan-appointed radical educator’s heroic effort to save the system from itself

“Sly Civility,” A Reagan-appointed radical educator’s heroic effort to save the system from itself

Those seeking systemic change often aim to radically overhaul the existing structure and directly challenge the rot they see within. Although history has shown this to be successful at times, it is usually extinguished by the powers that be and perhaps more pragmatic approaches could have brought about the sought change. This is the story told by Dr. Donna J. Nicol, an author and academic, about Dr. Claudia Hampton and her journey to preserve affirmative action. Nicol joins Scheer Intelligence

Aug 16, 2024 • 57:37

Modernizing Nuclear War

Modernizing Nuclear War

Seventy-nine years ago, the Truman administration dropped atom bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, instantly killing approximately 100,000 innocent civilians. Host Robert Scheer calls these horrific incidents among the major instances of terror ever committed in human history. Bill Hartung of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft joins Scheer Intelligence to discuss the history and legacy of nuclear weapons in relation to the military industrial complex, as a $2 tri

Aug 9, 2024 • 41:12

Seeking asylum for truth telling

Seeking asylum for truth telling

Any threat to the status quo within the American empire has led to the censorship, jailing and escape of the dissidents brave enough to stand against it. One may think of Edward Snowden’s asylum in Russia or Julian Assange’s refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London as recent examples. However, the history of dissidents fleeing American persecution runs deep. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to discuss his new book, “Flights: Radicals on the Run,” is

Aug 2, 2024 • 40:26

Netanyahu’s speech betrays historic Jewish values

Netanyahu’s speech betrays historic Jewish values

Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress proved to be a testimony of the U.S. government and its politicians’ stance on the genocide in Gaza. With standing ovations, smiling handshakes and overall warm welcome by a large number of Washington politicos, the strength of Israel’s influence in the U.S. is clear. Richard Silverstein, author and journalist of the Tikun Olam blog, which covers the Israeli national security state, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcas

Jul 26, 2024 • 52:59

Never forget Julian Assange

Never forget Julian Assange

Although Julian Assange is free and home in his native Australia, his story and decade-long suffering at the hands of the U.S. government must never be forgotten for the sake of the survival of the First Amendment. In this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, host Robert Scheer is joined by Kevin Gosztola, who runs The Dissenter newsletter and has been reporting on the Assange case and whistleblowers in the U.S. for more than a decade. Together, they underscore the significance of the Ass

Jul 19, 2024 • 53:25

NATO: From Cold War defensive coalition to global military behemoth

NATO: From Cold War defensive coalition to global military behemoth

The 75th anniversary celebrating the creation of NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, creates an opportunity for those in the war machine to double down their commitment to war and for peace advocates to amplify their calls for non-violence. David Swanson, co-founder and executive director of World BEYOND War and long-time peace advocate, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence. Swanson talks about his new book with Medea Benjamin, “NATO: What You Need To Know,”

Jul 12, 2024 • 44:18

The Supreme Court criminalizes being homeless

The Supreme Court criminalizes being homeless

The Supreme Court’s recent decision to allow cities to ban people from sleeping outdoors presents a major shift in the perception of poverty and homelessness in the U.S. and what the Eighth Amendment represents. Clare Pastore, a law professor at the University of Southern California, joins her faculty colleague Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to break down what the decision means and expand on her article published in The Conversation. Pastore explains that the l

Jul 5, 2024 • 54:08

Max Blumenthal: The Washington Post’s attack on The Grayzone

Max Blumenthal: The Washington Post’s attack on The Grayzone

Everyday the Washington Post’s “democracy dies in darkness” grows evermore ironic and detached from the reality of what the publication—and legacy media as a whole—has become. In the latest clash between independent and mainstream press, one of the country’s largest remaining newspapers accused—and then retracted—a claim that The Grayzone had received payments from the Iranian media.

Jun 21, 2024 • 44:19

Dennis Kucinich explains new Automatic Draft Registration legislation being considered by Congress

Dennis Kucinich explains new Automatic Draft Registration legislation being considered by Congress

The last time the United States saw large scale student anti-war protests was in response to the Vietnam War in 1968 and today against the genocide in Gaza. The last time the United States saw automatic draft registration was also during the Vietnam War era and today. Long serving Congressman Dennis Kucinich joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence to break down what the new automatic draft registration provision, which was passed by the House and now under consideration b

Jun 21, 2024 • 33:15

Ron Kovic: ‘A dangerous country: An American elegy’

Ron Kovic: ‘A dangerous country: An American elegy’

Paralysis from the chest down as a result of serving in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War may sound like devastation beyond reconciliation, but for Ron Kovic, it became a transformative and politically enlightening experience. The two-tour veteran amplified his activism a few years after being discharged from the army with honest and insightful writing about what serving in this war was truly like. His best-selling memoir, “Born on the Fourth of July,” was published in 1976 and later was

May 31, 2024 • 43:32

Navigating the deadly maze of the prison industrial complex

Navigating the deadly maze of the prison industrial complex

Being a 140-pound 19 year old, who had not yet had to shave is a daunting time to enter an American prison with a life sentence, especially when the system has no interest in rehabilitating you or helping you reintegrate into society. The greed of the prison industrial complex squeezing slave profits out of imprisoned people through the exploitation of the 13th amendment and the brutal system set up to limit opportunity usually leaves most who walk through the gates hopeless and abandoned.Dorsey

May 24, 2024 • 1:17:38

Guaranteed income: The first step towards guaranteeing human rights in America

Guaranteed income: The first step towards guaranteeing human rights in America

In this episode of Scheer Intelligence, host Robert Scheer is joined by author Natalie Foster, president and co-founder of the Economic Security Project, a network dedicated to advancing a guaranteed income in America and reining in the unprecedented concentration of corporate power.

May 17, 2024 • 43:21

“Never Again” must apply to the the genocide of the Palestinians

“Never Again” must apply to the the genocide of the Palestinians

Jordan Elgrably reminds people of the crucial stories behind those being bombarded daily in Gaza.

May 10, 2024 • 42:32

US traffic of guns turns productive Mexicans into desperate refugees

US traffic of guns turns productive Mexicans into desperate refugees

The solution to Trump's exploitable border crisis is to end the US trafficking of guns for drugs that turns productive Mexicans into desperate refugees.

May 3, 2024 • 45:32

An establishment scholar’s indictment of the West’s ‘blind support for Israel’s slaughter in Gaza’

An establishment scholar’s indictment of the West’s ‘blind support for Israel’s slaughter in Gaza’

The recent missile exchanges between Iran and Israel stirred fears of World War III, and while the action has cooled down, the uncertain path still looms with tension. Esteemed author and Middle East scholar Trita Parsi joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence to discuss what these attacks could mean going forward.

Apr 26, 2024 • 40:12

Ray McGovern: One more presidential briefing with “President Scheer”

Ray McGovern: One more presidential briefing with “President Scheer”

Ray McGovern once again joins host Robert Scheer for a “theatrical” episode of Scheer Intelligence. Scheer plays a stern and uncompromising president receiving an uncomfortable briefing from McGovern on the most pressing issues of the day, from Ukraine to Israel to China.

Apr 19, 2024 • 46:08

Is an American parliament the answer to our rotting democracy?

Is an American parliament the answer to our rotting democracy?

On this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, host Robert Scheer welcomes Maxwell L. Stearns, a constitutional lawyer and professor at the University of Maryland Carey School of Law, to discuss his book, “Parliamentary America: The Least Radical Means of Radically Repairing Our Broken Democracy.”

Apr 12, 2024 • 44:39

It’s a secret only when Uncle Sam says it is

It’s a secret only when Uncle Sam says it is

In light of recent developments in the Julian Assange extradition case, former CIA officer John Kiriakou joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, to delve deeper into the contradictions within the United States government and intelligence agencies regarding the disclosure of classified information and the veil of secrecy they maintain.

Mar 29, 2024 • 45:45

Does Zionism lead to genocide?

Does Zionism lead to genocide?

In this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, host Robert Scheer and The Grayzone editor-in-chief Max Blumenthal contextualize the events of Oct. 7 and afterward in relation to the history of Israel and Palestine.

Mar 22, 2024 • 1:32:32

“The banning of TikTok is an attack on the free market”

“The banning of TikTok is an attack on the free market”

On this episode of Scheer Intelligence, David Greene, the Civil Liberties Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, joins host Robert Scheer to discuss the new bill that would ban the massively popular online social media platform, TikTok, in the U.S. In their conversation, they point out the hypocrisy of singling out one Chinese company for mass data collection, when there’s no evidence that TikTok collects data in any different way, or for any other purpose, than other social media compa

Mar 15, 2024 • 43:24

"LatinoLand": Complex and powerful

"LatinoLand": Complex and powerful

Author Marie Arana, former book editor and columnist for the Washington Post and the inaugural literarydirector of the Library of Congress, joins today’s episode of Scheer Intelligence with host Robert Scheerto discuss her new book, LatinoLand, to answer the question — what does it mean to be Latino? Whilemany know that Latinos often come to America, many forget that they have, in fact, always been inAmerica.

Mar 8, 2024 • 45:19

The immiseration of the American worker is a bipartisan political scam

The immiseration of the American worker is a bipartisan political scam

On this episode of Scheer Intelligence, host Robert Scheer and Les Leopold discuss Leopold’s new book, “Wall Street's War on Workers: How Mass Layoffs and Greed Are Destroying the Working Class and What to Do About It” that describes how both political parties created the economic suffering that Trump feeds on. The critical question the book asks is: Did the nightmare of the world economy have to go this way? Or is it really a failure of capitalism? Or is it a failure of people manipulating capi

Mar 1, 2024 • 56:50

Israel does not speak for Jews like us

Israel does not speak for Jews like us

On this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, Heyday Books publisher and former LA Times book editor Steve Wasserman and host Robert Scheer commit themselves to this conversation as Jews who have experienced these questions firsthand through their families in addition to having explored and reported on this topic throughout their careers.

Feb 9, 2024 • 1:30:49

As Palestinians continue to die, the history of their betrayal by the “Free World” tells us why

As Palestinians continue to die, the history of their betrayal by the “Free World” tells us why

Juan Cole, a renowned history professor at the University of Michigan and expert on the Middle East and South Asia, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to tackle inconvenient truths ignored by the media in the history of Israel and Palestine. This includes the conflation that criticizing the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians is somehow a form of Holocaust denial.

Feb 2, 2024 • 1:01:40

The Un-Oppenheimer: The story of a teenager who sought to save the world

The Un-Oppenheimer: The story of a teenager who sought to save the world

Journalist and filmmaker David Lindorff explores the story of Ted Hall, who, at the age of 18 years old, leaked the secrets of the atomic bomb to the Soviet Union in an attempt to secure a balance in the world’s most dangerous arms race. His book, “Spy for No Country: The Story of Ted Hall, the Teenage Atomic Spy Who May Have Saved the World,” makes the case that due to the courageous work of Hall and fellow Los Alamos scientist Klaus Fuchs, the idea of mutually assured destruction was born and

Feb 2, 2024 • 1:38:52

The kidnaping of the century: How Patty Hearst became a revolutionary

The kidnaping of the century: How Patty Hearst became a revolutionary

One of the biggest stories of the twentieth century, big enough to displace Watergate from the front pages of newspapers nationwide, takes the form of a novel in an attempt to use fiction as a vehicle to expose the truth of this media spectacle. Journalist and author Roger D. Rapoport joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast to discuss the case of Patty Hearst and how Rapoport's new book, “Searching for Patty Hearst,” ventures into fiction in order to reveal th

Jan 19, 2024 • 1:04:34

Ray McGovern: The Imprisonment of the Palestinian People Was Not an Act of God

Ray McGovern: The Imprisonment of the Palestinian People Was Not an Act of God

Israel’s current war on Gaza and the Palestinians draws pessimism and hopelessness, reminding two veterans of its origin in another such war in the region in 1967, The Six Day War, which resulted In Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.  Former CIA analyst Ray McGovern joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence  to dissect the relationship Israel has maintained and exploited ever since that imperial conquest with support of the United States, and how the future of A

Jan 5, 2024 • 59:04

Four Deaths That Shaped Modern American History

Four Deaths That Shaped Modern American History

The 1960s represented a pivotal time in American history, one that embodied vast change and influence in shaping what the country has become. From the Civil Rights movement to the Vietnam War to the moon landing, society was in a period of steadfast innovation, self reflection and self determination. The specter of death, however, could not escape the memory of the time, including the deaths of the millions of civilians and soldiers in Southeast Asia and the thousands of victims of racial violen

Dec 29, 2023 • 47:39

Netanyahu’s Palestinian Genocide Is Also a Betrayal of the Jews

Netanyahu’s Palestinian Genocide Is Also a Betrayal of the Jews

Apart from the death, destruction and suffering bestowed upon the Palestinian people in Gaza by the hands of the Israeli government, an ideological battle is taking place around the world, especially in the United States, where Jewish people face discrimination, prejudice and attacks on their identity by the hands of other Jews.

Dec 22, 2023 • 1:07:15

The Never Ending War on Terror

The Never Ending War on Terror

The revelations of people like Edward Snowden, Julian Assange and John Kiriakou have allowed the world to know about the sly and insidious turn Western governments took following 9/11. From torture programs to mass surveillance to extrajudicial captures and killings, it has become clear how far these governments have poured away their own values and beliefs.

Dec 15, 2023 • 40:04

‘If I was to be buried, I would want that on my stone’

‘If I was to be buried, I would want that on my stone’

Norman Lear, who died this week at the age of 101, visited the KCRW studio in Santa Monica, CA six years ago to sit down and talk with host Robert Scheer in this two-part interview about Lear’s life through his autobiography, “Even This I Get to Experience.” Scheer said of the book:

Dec 8, 2023 • 1:05:43

An Autopsy on Israel’s Historic Assault on the Palestinians

An Autopsy on Israel’s Historic Assault on the Palestinians

This week’s episode of Scheer Intelligence welcomes someone with extraordinary courage and experience not only in Palestine but the Middle East as a whole. Dr. Tarek Loubani, a Kuwait-born, Canada-based Palestinian doctor, who also serves as the medical director at Gila, a global humanitarian healthcare organization, provides an indispensable account of what he knows is Palestine.

Dec 1, 2023 • 1:28:17

Settler Colonialism, Thanksgiving and Gaza

Settler Colonialism, Thanksgiving and Gaza

American historian, writer, professor and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz uses her studies on indigenous peoples’ history and her work with Palestinian diplomats and the United Nations to show how historic “settler colonialism” like in the United States relates to Gaza today. Dunbar-Ortiz makes the case, on this Thanksgiving edition of the Scheer Intelligence podcast, that inherent in that settler colonialism are the various definitions of genocide.

Nov 24, 2023 • 56:43

Humanity Has Failed Gaza

Humanity Has Failed Gaza

Amidst the carnage and political debacle surrounding Gaza and Israel, it can be easy to discuss the conflict with a macro view, where families, hospital workers, UN workers and journalists become statistics and political perspectives dominate. On this episode of the Scheer Intelligence, host Robert Scheer talks to the author of what Scheer claims are “arguably the two most important books that deal with the humanity of the Palestinian people.”

Nov 17, 2023 • 1:09:31

Abortion Pills Go Global

Abortion Pills Go Global

After Ohio’s recent vote to enshrine the right to have an abortion into the state’s constitution, host Robert Scheer dives deeper into one of the underappreciated and underreported aspects of the fight for abortion rights on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast.

Nov 10, 2023 • 35:53

Palestine’s Obituary

Palestine’s Obituary

Historian Juan Cole minces no words in offering a grave and sobering account of the conflict in Palestine and Israel on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast. In a comprehensive reflection of the history and current day situation in the Middle East, Cole uses his expertise as one of the leading historians of the region to paint a picture of the war. He asserts that in all definitions of the words, Israel is actively committing war crimes, like the United States in Iraq, a genocide and

Nov 3, 2023 • 1:06:21

The Palestinians play David to Israel’s Goliath

The Palestinians play David to Israel’s Goliath

“There's no room for complexity in the American media when it comes to Israel and Palestine,” said Robin Andersen, the award-winning author and professor emerita of communication and media studies at Fordham University, to host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast. In the almost three weeks since the October 7th attacks in Israel, the coverage around the war in the Middle East is as alert as ever, except only for one side, Andersen and Scheer discuss. The real and fab

Oct 27, 2023 • 48:50

What About the One State Solution With an Equal Vote for Every Palestinian and Israeli?

What About the One State Solution With an Equal Vote for Every Palestinian and Israeli?

Palestinian American journalist Mnar Adley makes the case for one democratic nation with each Palestinian and Israeli having the equal right to vote on their governance on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast.

Oct 20, 2023 • 59:05

Do Republicans Want Americans to Starve?

Do Republicans Want Americans to Starve?

The topic of feeding those in need doesn’t sound like it should be controversial but the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in the United States is bizarrely under attack by Republicans in the current Congress. Joining host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast is Christopher Bosso to discuss his newest book, “Why SNAP Works: A Political History—and Defense—of the Food Stamp Program.”

Oct 13, 2023 • 35:10

Labor Is Back and Standing Tall

Labor Is Back and Standing Tall

Labor has once again emerged as a hot button issue in the United States, so much so that even the likes of Joe Biden and Donald Trump have been spotted lurking around picket lines and union events popping up across the country. To talk about the rise in the American labor movement, Harold Meyerson, editor at large for The American Prospect, joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of the Scheer Intelligence podcast. Meyerson has a distinguished career reporting on labor issues for multiple publi

Oct 6, 2023 • 43:26

Where Did It All Go Wrong for the Internet?

Where Did It All Go Wrong for the Internet?

The Wild West days of the Internet are over, conclude Scheer Intelligence host Robert Scheer and his guest, The Grayzone founder and editor Max Blumenthal. They recall a time when one could find scorching exposés of anti-establishment news on sites like Salon, with the potential to reach millions of readers, that has evolved into a tightly controlled and intensely surveilled space dominated by a handful of Silicon Valley monopolies. Inconvenient information doesn’t stand a chance and will more o

Sep 29, 2023 • 1:22:47

John Kiriakou: Never Forget America’s Torture Legacy

John Kiriakou: Never Forget America’s Torture Legacy

Torture. It stands as one of the pillars of American exceptionalism. While it was a major part of the war on terror—one worth hundreds of millions of dollars—a selective amnesia allows it to slip through the pages of history. John Kiriakou suffered for attempting to solidify the record on a torture program that the U.S. has excused itself from countless times through Hollywood propaganda, innumerable redactions to official documents and silencing of dissidents.Kiriakou joins host Robert Scheer o

Sep 22, 2023 • 1:33:15

The Four Billionaires Who Want to Control the Universe

The Four Billionaires Who Want to Control the Universe

In Jonathan Taplin’s new book, “The End of Reality: How Four Billionaires are Selling a Fantasy Future of the Metaverse, Mars and Crypto," the internet innovation expert delves into activities of the gang-of-four powerful oligarchs: Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Mark Zuckerberg and Marc Andreesen, breaking down their increasing profits and infinite ambitions to control and influence domestic and global affairs while sending our technology innovation in a profit-driven, dystopian direction, corrupting

Sep 8, 2023 • 47:22

Why is The New York Times Burning Peace Activist Jodie Evans at the Stake

Why is The New York Times Burning Peace Activist Jodie Evans at the Stake

The New York Times has revealed what the future could potentially look like in an impending war with China. Through conjecture and innuendo-filled reporting, America’s “paper of record” went out of its way to attack one of the country’s most fierce peace movement fighters — Code Pink co-founder Jodie Evans.

Sep 1, 2023 • 43:57

The Liberal Darling That Wasn’t: UC Berkeley’s Troubled Past

The Liberal Darling That Wasn’t: UC Berkeley’s Troubled Past

The University of California at Berkeley is widely considered one of the most progressive and historically transformative universities in not only the United States, but the world. This is printed all over pamphlets written for prospective students and talked about endlessly by tour guides giving people the privilege to walk through such a prestigious site. What isn’t discussed, however, is the other side of that history, the one mired by involvement with the military industrial complex, with th

Aug 25, 2023 • 35:37

Junk Science Is Putting Innocent People in Prison

Junk Science Is Putting Innocent People in Prison

The perception of certain types of trial evidence as cutting-edge, foolproof, and reminiscent of Hollywood can inadvertently sway juries into assuming the guilt of countless individuals. Techniques such as bite marks, blood splatter analysis, ballistics evidence, and others appear to present irrefutable indications of involvement in criminal activities. However, concealed within this seemingly conclusive cache of evidence lies a substantial amount of what is known as junk science. This is why Ch

Aug 18, 2023 • 52:39

Veteran CIA Analyst on Russia Ray McGovern Has Never Been More Scared of Nuclear Catastrophe

Veteran CIA Analyst on Russia Ray McGovern Has Never Been More Scared of Nuclear Catastrophe

A retired CIA expert on Russia and rare voice of reason coming from the bowels of the American deep state, Ray McGovern joins host Robert Scheer on another edition of the Scheer Intelligence podcast. With world peace, nuclear weapon prudence and film critique on the agenda, McGovern and Scheer delve into a host of relevant issues stemming from the war in Ukraine and the history behind it. From Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” to CNN's strange truthful broadcast on Ukraine’s counteroffensive, t

Aug 11, 2023 • 1:27:31

The Constitution Still Betrays Women

The Constitution Still Betrays Women

On this episode of Scheer Intelligence, host Robert Scheer is joined by Professor Julie C. Suk, an eminent expert in constitutional law and a professor of law at Fordham University. Together, they delve into the challenges women face in society, which stem from the Constitutional framework despite the century old passage of the 19th amendment that belatedly granted women the right to vote.

Aug 4, 2023 • 46:28

A Story More Provocative Than Oppenheimer?

A Story More Provocative Than Oppenheimer?

The world has somehow reached a moment where the use of nuclear weapons has possibly never been closer and the interest in nuclear weapons has possibly never been higher. With the release of Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” a compelling dialogue emerges concerning the utilization of nuclear weapons, as the biopic delves into the life of the father of the atomic bomb and his profound doubts about the barbaric weapon he unleashed on the world. An even more captivating narrative about dissent amo

Jul 28, 2023 • 46:30

The NSA Is It’s Own Worst Enemy

The NSA Is It’s Own Worst Enemy

There has been no journalist that has been more effective in penetrating the self-serving secrecy of the NSA and the security state than James Bamford, the Emmy-nominated filmmaker and best-selling author. He joins host Robert Scheer on this episode of Scheer Intelligence to discuss his latest book, Spyfail: Foreign Spies, Moles, Saboteurs, and the Collapse of America's Counterintelligence. While Bamford has engaged in his share of muckraking on the NSA in his previous works, his new book focuse

Jul 21, 2023 • 1:12:51

Decriminalizing Being Human

Decriminalizing Being Human

Despite the United States accounting for around 5% of the world’s population, it houses nearly a quarter of the world’s prison population. This often discussed metric begins to make sense when examining the major cities like Los Angeles, New York and others, where things like poverty and mental illness are often considered “crimes.” Host Robert Scheer digs into this phenomenon in Los Angeles on this week’s episode of Scheer Intelligence with Melissa Camacho, a senior staff attorney at the ACLU o

Jul 21, 2023 • 43:17

The Era of Nukes and No Diplomacy: “Crossing a Rubicon to Armageddon”

The Era of Nukes and No Diplomacy: “Crossing a Rubicon to Armageddon”

The Doomsday Clock continues to tick toward nuclear war, but at its fastest pace ever. Professor Jackson Lears, a former naval officer serving on a U.S cruiser carrying tactical nuclear weapons, considers the current moment more frightening than at any time during the Cold War. Then, there was intense alarm for the fate of the earth and the survival of the human race. Today, rather than diplomacy or negotiation, talk revolves around new weapons shipments, disappointment in U

Jul 7, 2023 • 1:10:59

Ray McGovern: Russia’s ‘Coup’ Is Actually Biden’s Disaster

Ray McGovern: Russia’s ‘Coup’ Is Actually Biden’s Disaster

Understanding foreign policy in Russia is complicated. Over the past weekend, the media said Russia was undergoing a coup and then they weren’t. The leader of the Wagner Group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was a brutal military figure, then suddenly a liberator of Putin’s hold on Russia. These entanglements in narratives require an impartial judge, someone who can make sense of it for the way it is. After years of doing this on a daily basis for the president of the United States, Ray McGovern joins host

Jun 30, 2023 • 1:31:52

Norman Solomon: Bipartisan Obsession with War

Norman Solomon: Bipartisan Obsession with War

In War Made Invisible, journalist Norman Solomon explains that Biden is as guilty as Trump in ushering a potential nuclear holocaust.

Jun 23, 2023 • 51:41

The Century Long War on Cannabis Is a War on Science

The Century Long War on Cannabis Is a War on Science

Harvard physician Peter Grinspoon fights back against years of war on youth and communities of color.

Jun 23, 2023 • 51:44

You Sure You Want to Eat That Sentient Being?

You Sure You Want to Eat That Sentient Being?

Peter Singer knows it is difficult to make a lonely stand against the mega corporate food processing machine. To make meaningful changes to diet, to care more about where food comes from and to consider the vast laundry list of problems that comes with the international food industry requires a great deal of attention to detail and resourcefulness. Singer, through his persuasive and forgiving prose, makes it easier for folks to get in the know about what a trip to the supermarket really entails.

Jun 9, 2023 • 43:17

In American Prisons, You’re Nothing More Than a Number

In American Prisons, You’re Nothing More Than a Number

Often overlooked, ignored and damned, the cycle that throws people in the prison system and spits them out is a calamitous yet integral part of the American experience. People who find themselves at the short end of the stick—usually poor, uneducated and of a minority race—find themselves worse off, excommunicated from society and filled with more trauma and neglect. Keri Blakinger was not poor, was highly educated and white, yet found herself in the same spot and was treated in the same cold an

Jun 2, 2023 • 48:25

The China Dragon Roars Back Whether the US Likes It or Not

The China Dragon Roars Back Whether the US Likes It or Not

The Western world, in the midst of being primed for a war with China, often has a limited understanding of who this supposed enemy is. Is it a communist force ready to challenge the U.S.’s capitalist and hegemonic structure? Is it an economic ally providing an indispensable factory floor for our corporate interests? Or is it somehow a combination of both? Joining host Robert Scheer this week on Scheer Intelligence is Suisheng Zhao, professor and director of Center for China-U.S. Cooperation at t

May 26, 2023 • 1:18:05

Even at Ground Zero of the Climate Crisis Denial Remains the Norm

Even at Ground Zero of the Climate Crisis Denial Remains the Norm

It is so easy for people to throw trash on the floor, waste food and water and engage in endless consumerism without being truly connected with the Earth around them. Without witnessing a first hand account of the destruction to the natural environment from the persistently damaging habits of society, there is little incentive to change. The scary and all encompassing problems of climate change will devastate the planet indiscriminately regardless, and it is because of this that writer, editor a

May 19, 2023 • 32:27

The Teapot Dome scandal: When democracy worked to hold the fat cats accountable

The Teapot Dome scandal: When democracy worked to hold the fat cats accountable

Over 100 years ago, the United States had corrupt politicians who could actually be prosecuted  for their crimes in gaming the economy.  As mythical as it may seem, the history of a small band of radical and gutsy senators who were willing to put it all on the line for justice can serve as inspiration for those who have only ever seen their political representatives bought and paid for. In Crooked: The Roaring '20s Tale of a Corrupt Attorney General, a Crusading Senator, and the Birth of the Ame

May 19, 2023 • 41:03

Interpreting for the U.S. Army of the Deaf

Interpreting for the U.S. Army of the Deaf

It has been almost two years since the distressing scenes of packed airports, people chasing after departing U.S. aircraft and the Taliban emerging on top were witnessed with the withdrawal of U.S. military forces from Afghanistan. Amidst the commotion and confusion, what was certain was the fear within one type of Afghan citizen, the interpreters of the American military. Without them, U.S. forces would have been an army of the deaf, engaging in pivotal and deadly operations in a country thousa

Apr 28, 2023 • 1:00:26

Is Tik Tok a U.S. Deep State front?

Is Tik Tok a U.S. Deep State front?

Alan MacLeod’s reporting on the influx of former government employees at TikTok, Meta, Twitter and other social media companies helps define the scope of the U.S. censorship regime.

Apr 21, 2023 • 1:02:32

It's Called the American Dream Because You Have To Be Asleep to Believe It

It's Called the American Dream Because You Have To Be Asleep to Believe It

A thorough dissection of America’s capitalist mythology reveals the sham to which lots of people continue to subscribe, despite growing nationwide suffering.

Apr 14, 2023 • 49:29

Iran 1953: The Birthplace of Western Backed Coups

Iran 1953: The Birthplace of Western Backed Coups

The story of a U.S. backed coup destabilizing a country for the benefit of Western capitalist interests is one so often repeated that each instance is a sort of classic novel in the dystopian series from the 20th century on. The tale of the Iranian coup in 1953 is indeed a classic, as it was the first of its kind. With its share of infamous characters—mainly the CIA and British MI6—as well as its lasting impact on the region, its citizenry and the world, the coup in ‘53 proved to be a monumental

Apr 7, 2023 • 54:18

America’s Slavery-Ridden Origin Story: Facing the Uncomfortable Reality

America’s Slavery-Ridden Origin Story: Facing the Uncomfortable Reality

Writer Dionne Ford dives deep into her ancestry and confronts the complexities of being a Black woman in America with the blood of both the enslaved and the enslaver.

Mar 31, 2023 • 56:02

Private Opulence and Public Squalor in the US

Private Opulence and Public Squalor in the US

The Federal Reserve is not working for the people but for wealthy individuals and corporations that can afford to have a say in the rules.

Mar 24, 2023 • 1:01:33

It’s China’s Turn To Give Peace a Chance

It’s China’s Turn To Give Peace a Chance

A major shift in global relations has recently transpired. To some in America, it may look like the second coming of the Evil Empire. To much of the rest of the world, it’s a welcome chance for a renewed multipolar order, where the sovereign desires of nations are respected and new collaborations can be established. The deal brokered between Iran and Saudi Arabia, brought together by China, to restore diplomatic relations, is a clear example of that. The 20-year anniversary

Mar 17, 2023 • 45:31

Looking at the skeletons inside the NFL’s closet

Looking at the skeletons inside the NFL’s closet

Renowned sports journalist Dave Zirin talks about his latest documentary, which explores the unjust, unfair and deeply racist history of the NFL coupled with its commitment to nationalism, militarism and corporatism.

Mar 10, 2023 • 46:25

The Nightmare Espionage Act That is Killing Julian Assange and the First Amendment

The Nightmare Espionage Act That is Killing Julian Assange and the First Amendment

The use of the century old Espionage Act in the Julian Assange case continues to set the chilling precedent of a bleak future in American journalism, a precedent that endangers even those outside US borders.

Mar 3, 2023 • 57:30

Ray McGovern: The Last Chance to Avoid World War III?

Ray McGovern: The Last Chance to Avoid World War III?

After a year of war and carnage in Ukraine, the fighting continues, and there are no signs of it slowing down. In fact, military budgets have increased, the weapons shipments have multiplied and the number of countries involved has reached world war levels. In a time of conflicting narratives, misinformation and rampant propaganda, history proves to be one of the few sources of wisdom left to predict and caution what the future holds.

Feb 24, 2023 • 1:25:09

The US Is Sending Its Worst Down to Mexico

The US Is Sending Its Worst Down to Mexico

Violent drug cartels often dominate headlines about Mexico but the Ayotzinapa case reveals a more sinister involvement from the US side of the border.

Feb 17, 2023 • 35:11

The Birthplace of Dystopian America

The Birthplace of Dystopian America

Cop City Atlanta is a privately funded, local community surveillance campus that has already taken the life of one protestor as a harbinger of the police state on the horizon.

Feb 10, 2023 • 1:06:25

Nuclear War Imminent?

Nuclear War Imminent?

Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel William J. Astore who served in the nuclear missile command fears the end of human life through nuclear war is more likely than in the Cold War era.

Feb 3, 2023 • 53:28

Jane Olson: Storytelling Exposes Humanity

Jane Olson: Storytelling Exposes Humanity

Numbers and facts only tell half the story of some of the world’s most horrendous circumstances.

Jan 27, 2023 • 40:17

Ex-CIA Agent John Kiriakou: The Deep State’s Attack on Dissent Beginning With MLK

Ex-CIA Agent John Kiriakou: The Deep State’s Attack on Dissent Beginning With MLK

The FBI, CIA, NSA and other agencies have historically exploited their power but their limits appear boundless in the modern age.

Jan 20, 2023 • 36:52

Israel Fascist?

Israel Fascist?

Israel’s sharp turn to the extreme right has startled American Jews.

Jan 13, 2023 • 34:42

Dr. Warren Hern: Humans are a metastasizing cancer terminating all life on the planet

Dr. Warren Hern: Humans are a metastasizing cancer terminating all life on the planet

Physician and anthropology scholar Dr. Warren Hern delves into some of the most upsetting aspects of human behavior as a fatal threat to all life on earth in the near future.

Jan 6, 2023 • 44:46

Fact-Checking Jesus

Fact-Checking Jesus

The Rev. Madison Shockley discusses the historical, political and controversial misconceptions of the Christmas story.

Dec 23, 2022 • 45:56

You know gay rights are mainstream when Biden picks up the Rainbow flag

You know gay rights are mainstream when Biden picks up the Rainbow flag

Larry Gross, author of the LGBTQ civil rights treatise, “Up From Invisibility,” honors the achievement of the new same-sex marriage law with only feint appreciation for the president who signed the bill.

Dec 16, 2022 • 34:37

Who’s crazy, you or your nation?

Who’s crazy, you or your nation?

Dr. Gabor Maté’s new book strips back the realities of the neoliberal system that has been plaguing the health of US and the world citizens.

Dec 9, 2022 • 44:04

Peace Candidate Matthew Hoh: War is a cancel culture

Peace Candidate Matthew Hoh: War is a cancel culture

How Democrats, their pro-war Republican cohorts and the media canceled the U.S. Senate campaign of ex Marine and US foreign policy official Matthew Hoh.

Dec 2, 2022 • 1:17:40

The US spends almost as much on healthcare as the rest of the world combined and has one of the worst outcomes

The US spends almost as much on healthcare as the rest of the world combined and has one of the worst outcomes

Esteemed physician Dr. Stephen Bezruchka explains why spending the most in the midst of inequality and flawed politics produces an unhealthy prognosis.

Nov 25, 2022 • 45:42

Joel Beinin: Israel’s Elections Spell More of the Same for the Country, Only With an Even Uglier Face

Joel Beinin: Israel’s Elections Spell More of the Same for the Country, Only With an Even Uglier Face

Historian Joel Beinin uses his personal experiences to paint a picture of Israel, past and present, as a country and an idea.

Nov 18, 2022 • 52:06

Highly regarded poet Javier Zamora tells the riveting story of his hellish nine-week journey as a nine-year old child

Highly regarded poet Javier Zamora tells the riveting story of his hellish nine-week journey as a nine-year old child

In this week's Scheer Intelligence interview, as in his New York Times bestselling book, ​“Solito: A Memoir,” ​celebrated poet ​Javier Zamora​ ​cuts through the nasty dehumanization about undocumented immigrants with the focused memory of his perilous journey as a child refugee attempting to join his family under the most vulnerable of circumstances. With their lives overturned by the U.S.-sponsored war in El Salvador, Zamora's parents had found refuge in California, but it took eight years and

Nov 11, 2022 • 46:10

Is Elon Musk the best or the worst for Twitter?

Is Elon Musk the best or the worst for Twitter?

Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) Legal Director Corynne McSherry discusses with host Robert Scheer the internet control issues raised by Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter and what may lie ahead for it and other social media giants.

Nov 4, 2022 • 37:44

Is Dennis Kucinich the last Democrat for peace?

Is Dennis Kucinich the last Democrat for peace?

For 16 years the former Democrat congressman from Cleveland advocated for peaceful alternatives to the madness of war, but now members of his party in Congress are permitted only the voice of the warmonger.

Oct 28, 2022 • 34:54

How the Federal Reserve and allied central bankers wrote the obituary for competitive capitalism

How the Federal Reserve and allied central bankers wrote the obituary for competitive capitalism

Former Goldman Sachs managing director Nomi Prins exposes the role of the Federal Reserve and other western central banks in creating a world economy for the superrich while enabling the impoverishment of much of the world’s population

Oct 21, 2022 • 36:33

Eduardo Carreon: Adopting the mindset of the oppressor

Eduardo Carreon: Adopting the mindset of the oppressor

Indigenous Los Angeles psychology graduate student Eduardo Carreon analyzes the mindset of disgraced former LA City Council leader, a Latina whose racist bile scorned Black and gay colleagues and others, including indigenous members of her own Latinx community.

Oct 14, 2022 • 46:25

Fake journalism is only the first draft of fake history

Fake journalism is only the first draft of fake history

35-year teaching veteran Jim Mamer explores the uncomfortable areas of history most schools fail to teach and what it means about the state of the world today.

Oct 7, 2022 • 44:11

Zachary Karabell: China Is not the enemy - it is America’s indispensable economic ally

Zachary Karabell: China Is not the enemy - it is America’s indispensable economic ally

Author Zachary Karabell pleads that despite the militaristic noise, China and the U.S. share an economic dependency that would rupture the domestic economy of both nations if severed.

Sep 30, 2022 • 39:36

Biden’s peace for Afghanistan is a humanitarian disaster

Biden’s peace for Afghanistan is a humanitarian disaster

The U.S. withdrew its troops and with them all humanitarian aid while freezing Afghanistan’s foreign reserves, leading to mass deprivation for Afghanistan’s innocent civilian population.

Sep 23, 2022 • 39:56

A Somali boy’s escape from Somalia’s harrowing genocide leads him to his dream paradise—and the brutality of American racism.

A Somali boy’s escape from Somalia’s harrowing genocide leads him to his dream paradise—and the brutality of American racism.

On this week’s Scheer Intelligence, Boyah Farah, a young refugee from Somalia’s hellish civil war describes his family’s narrow escape from death and their arrival in the placid suburbs of Boston. But life was more a nightmare than the dream he had imagined.

Sep 16, 2022 • 46:35

Russian and western leaders squandered Mikhail Gorbachev’s legacy. Now we’re all paying the price.

Russian and western leaders squandered Mikhail Gorbachev’s legacy. Now we’re all paying the price.

Katrina vanden Heuvel, editorial director and publisher of The Nation, remembers the Russian leader—whom she called a friend—as a committed pro-peace thinker, on this week’s “Scheer Intelligence.”

Sep 9, 2022 • 42:35

What killed America’s peace movement?

What killed America’s peace movement?

CODEPINK founders Medea Benjamin and Jodie Evans are rare voices of conscience confronting the bipartisan warmongers.

Sep 2, 2022 • 40:08

The terrifying research nuclear powers don’t want you to see

The terrifying research nuclear powers don’t want you to see

Climate scientist Alan Robock, one of the authors of a groundbreaking Nature Food paper on the little-discussed impacts of nuclear war, talks to Robert Scheer about his work.

Aug 26, 2022 • 39:12

The menace that is Amazon and Walmart

The menace that is Amazon and Walmart

Columbia Law School professor Kathryn Judge talks to Robert Scheer about the exploitation of monster behemoth retail companies revealed in her new book “Direct.”

Aug 19, 2022 • 33:44

That time the KKK tried to kill Paul Robeson

That time the KKK tried to kill Paul Robeson

Joel Whitney, the author of “Finks,” joins Robert Scheer to discuss a little-told episode in the socialist actor and singer’s life and why it’s seemingly been erased from our collective memory.

Aug 5, 2022 • 34:30

Katie Halper: ‘Trump broke liberals’ brains’

Katie Halper: ‘Trump broke liberals’ brains’

The comedian and host of two popular progressive podcasts offers her take on why the American left keeps getting things wrong.

Jul 29, 2022 • 39:19

Fist bumping the dictator we pretend to love

Fist bumping the dictator we pretend to love

Former Mideast CIA operative John Kiriakou discusses his recent trip covering Biden in Saudi Arabia and what he’s learned about America’s “special relationship” with the country.

Jul 22, 2022 • 47:22

Saving broke and broken America, one town at a time.

Saving broke and broken America, one town at a time.

Michelle Wilde Anderson speaks to Robert Scheer about how four working class towns struggling with poverty and broke governments still managed to progress.

Jul 15, 2022 • 40:17

Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic, author of “Born on the Fourth of July” and subject of Oliver Stone’s iconic Vietnam War film, will mark his 76 th birthday watching a war that portends the end of civilization

Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic, author of “Born on the Fourth of July” and subject of Oliver Stone’s iconic Vietnam War film, will mark his 76 th birthday watching a war that portends the end of civilization

At a time when the war that could end civilization escalates, peace activist Ron Kovic marks his July 4 birthday sounding the alarm about the true costs of war, a sentiment shared by his girlfriend of 16 years, TerriAnn Ferren.

Jul 1, 2022 • 44:43

Has America lost the key to democracy?

Has America lost the key to democracy?

The authors of “Let’s Agree to Disagree” offer a guide to fostering critical thinking and dialogue in a society that seems to have forgotten how to engage in either.

Jun 24, 2022 • 36:42

Craig McNamara reveals the truth behind the lies of his father, Robert McNamara

Craig McNamara reveals the truth behind the lies of his father, Robert McNamara

The author of “Because Our Fathers Lied” lays bare agonizing truths about America his father helped to shape.

Jun 17, 2022 • 44:03

Ralph Nader: Is there any hope left for Democrats?

Ralph Nader: Is there any hope left for Democrats?

The former presidential candidate speaks to “Scheer Intelligence” host Robert Scheer about the shreds of democracy left in America.

Jun 10, 2022 • 42:57

Can the U.S. handle a multi-polar world?

Can the U.S. handle a multi-polar world?

A veteran foreign correspondent returns from three decades covering the rise of the East to grapple with an America that is more dangerously parochial than ever.

Jun 3, 2022 • 56:28

Immigrants are still building America, no matter what our lawmakers say

Immigrants are still building America, no matter what our lawmakers say

A new book documents the extent to which American prosperity is founded on immigration—and raises questions about how we treat immigrants today.

May 27, 2022 • 33:55

It’s scoundrel time in the good ol’ USA

It’s scoundrel time in the good ol’ USA

Critics of the West’s role in the Ukraine war, such as CIA veterans Ray McGovern and John Kiriakou, are being ostracized from the American media landscape.

May 20, 2022 • 53:26

Will the Ukraine war end without destroying all life on the planet?

Will the Ukraine war end without destroying all life on the planet?

Veteran award-winning journalists Patrick Cockburn and Robert Scheer, who met in  Moscow in 1987 when Mikhail Gorbachev optimistically promised peace, now fear a descent into nuclear war hell.

May 13, 2022 • 41:51

No such thing as dissent in the age of big tech

No such thing as dissent in the age of big tech

Lifelong journalist Joe Lauria joins Robert Scheer to discuss how companies like PayPal, YouTube and Facebook are quashing non-stream reporting and opinions on Ukraine.

May 6, 2022 • 50:40

The American women and children we all conveniently forget

The American women and children we all conveniently forget

Jorja Leap joins Robert Scheer to discuss the plight of women who have been incarcerated and their struggles to reenter society.

Apr 29, 2022 • 39:10

Putin is already using his nuclear weapons

Putin is already using his nuclear weapons

Pentagon whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg argues the Russian president may not be deploying his nukes but is using them effectively as a threat.

Apr 22, 2022 • 1:04:55

American dissent on Ukraine is dying in darkness

American dissent on Ukraine is dying in darkness

When it came to the Ukraine conflict, Professor Michael J. Brenner did what he’s done his whole life: question American foreign policy. This time the backlash was vitriolic.

Apr 15, 2022 • 59:17

Sanctions on Russia may overturn the world economy as we know it

Sanctions on Russia may overturn the world economy as we know it

Economic expert Ellen Brown talks to Robert Scheer about the financial revolution Vladimir Putin has started and what the global economic future could look like as a result.

Apr 8, 2022 • 38:45

Biden denies CIA torture victims their day in court

Biden denies CIA torture victims their day in court

CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou comments on the legal case of five Guantanamo Bay torture victims and what its outcome could say about the US.

Apr 1, 2022 • 45:23

What you really need to know about the threat of nuclear war

What you really need to know about the threat of nuclear war

For decades after the Cold War ended, the threat of nuclear war seemed to fade into the global background. Climate change took center stage as the existential crisis of our time, and it seemed for a few brief years that treaties and diplomacy, however flawed, had led nuclear powers to set aside the possibility of using nuclear weapons again. (To date, it is only the U.S. that has detonated nuclear weapons—both in Japan—and it continues to be the country with the largest nuclear arsenal by far.)

Mar 25, 2022 • 59:17

The man who turned America’s economy into a literal casino

The man who turned America’s economy into a literal casino

Mary Childs, the co-host of NPR’s “Planet Money,” joins Robert Scheer to discuss her new book, “The Bond King.”

Mar 18, 2022 • 41:33

What role has the US played in the Ukraine crisis?

What role has the US played in the Ukraine crisis?

As Russia’s attack on Ukraine wages on, and Ukrainian civilians die daily, the fog of war has seemingly been clouding more nuanced analysis in the United States, argues “Scheer Intelligence” host Robert Scheer. To get more perspective on the historical context of the current conflict, Scheer invites former CIA analyst Ray McGovern to discuss the role the U.S. and NATO have played in Ukraine. McGovern has long been an outspoken critic of what he’s coined as the American Military-Industrial-Congre

Mar 11, 2022 • 54:01

Chairman Greg Sarris on the reincarnation of the American Indian

Chairman Greg Sarris on the reincarnation of the American Indian

Greg Sarris, Tribal Chairman of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, explores the urgent need for an American future rooted in indigenous knowledge.

Mar 4, 2022 • 35:50

A  “deep moral rot" is at the heart of the Navy SEALs

A “deep moral rot" is at the heart of the Navy SEALs

Journalist Matthew Cole joins Robert Scheer to discuss his hard-hitting book, “Code Over Country,” about SEAL Team 6, the most celebrated unit in the Navy SEALs elite special forces unit.

Feb 25, 2022 • 47:46

Is It too late to protect our privacy in the internet age?

Is It too late to protect our privacy in the internet age?

Leading privacy lawyer Neil Richards joins Robert Scheer to discuss his new book “Why Privacy Matters” and whether we can still claw back some control over our personal data.

Feb 18, 2022 • 44:16

American exceptionalism is on deadly display in Ukraine

American exceptionalism is on deadly display in Ukraine

Oliver Stone, creator of the Showtime documentary series “The Putin Diaries,” speaks to Robert Scheer about the escalating crisis in Ukraine.

Feb 11, 2022 • 44:29

America gets Islam all wrong. Muslim Americans pay the price

America gets Islam all wrong. Muslim Americans pay the price

Middle East expert Juan Cole talks about lesser known peaceful Muslim movements and how the U.S. maligns a Muslims at home and abroad.

Feb 4, 2022 • 36:45

Michael Ratner was a revolutionary lawyer unlike any other

Michael Ratner was a revolutionary lawyer unlike any other

The late human rights lawyer took on some of the most important cases of our time, including defending Guantanamo Bay detainees and representing WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

Jan 28, 2022 • 47:09

Meet the real Hunter S. Thompson, one of the most distinctive American voices of the past century

Meet the real Hunter S. Thompson, one of the most distinctive American voices of the past century

Peter Richardson joins Robert Scheer to discuss his latest book, “Savage Journey,” on the legendary Gonzo journalist.

Jan 14, 2022 • 43:00

Remembering Joan Didion, a "singular" California writer and a "helluva lot of fun"

Remembering Joan Didion, a "singular" California writer and a "helluva lot of fun"

On this week’s “Scheer Intelligence,” Wasserman joins host Robert Scheer to talk about the larger-than-life writer they both greatly admired, but also the flesh-and-bones woman they both knew personally: Joan Didion.

Dec 31, 2021 • 35:03

A come to Jesus sermon from the Rev. Chris Hedges

A come to Jesus sermon from the Rev. Chris Hedges

During another pandemic holiday season when everyone could use a little faith, the Pulitzer prize-winning journalist talks to Robert Scheer about putting Christ back into Christmas.

Dec 24, 2021 • 34:02

This whistleblower is a decades-long thorn in the U.S. government’s side

This whistleblower is a decades-long thorn in the U.S. government’s side

Joseph Carson has spent most of his career as a federal employee challenging everything from the country’s nuclear weapons program to its whistleblower adjudication infrastructure.

Dec 17, 2021 • 1:03:11

Obed Silva’s memoir delivers a transborder story as universal as love and loss

Obed Silva’s memoir delivers a transborder story as universal as love and loss

The Mexican-American author opens the wounds his father inflicted in a eulogistic debut that is as much about the U.S.-Mexico border as it is about healing.

Dec 10, 2021 • 48:11

It’s time to free Leonard Peltier, America’s longest serving political Prisoner

It’s time to free Leonard Peltier, America’s longest serving political Prisoner

The Native American activist’s attorney Kevin Sharp tells Robert Scheer why Peltier’s imprisonment is one of the worst miscarriages of justice this country has ever seen.

Dec 3, 2021 • 1:00:16

California’s grim genocidal past implicates the University of California

California’s grim genocidal past implicates the University of California

Tony Platt’s recently re-released book, “Grave Matters” digs into the Golden State’s dark history of not only massacring Indigenous Peoples, but later desecrating their graves and excavating their remains without their descendants' consent.

Nov 19, 2021 • 42:31

New indictments expose Democrats’ Russiagate obsession as a historic hoax.

New indictments expose Democrats’ Russiagate obsession as a historic hoax.

Aaron Maté joins Robert Scheer to discuss the damning new Justice Department evidence that the Hillary Clinton campaign conspired to finance and promote the totally fraudulent “Steele dossier.”

Nov 12, 2021 • 1:01:52

Why did a jury of seven US military officers blast the CIA for “torture performed by the most abusive regimes in modern history”?

Why did a jury of seven US military officers blast the CIA for “torture performed by the most abusive regimes in modern history”?

Torture victim Majid Khan’s lawyer J. Wells Dixon joins Robert Scheer to discuss his client’s shocking testimony about the CIA’s so-called “enhanced interrogation tactics.”

Nov 5, 2021 • 42:12

Daniel Hale and America’s unending persecution of whistleblowers

Daniel Hale and America’s unending persecution of whistleblowers

John Kiriakou joins Robert Scheer to discuss the plight of the whistleblower, sentenced to 45 months in prison for revealing how often drone strikes kill civilians.

Oct 29, 2021 • 45:45

God “caged” in Jersey

God “caged” in Jersey

Chris Hedges on his 10 years as a teacher and pupil creating theater in the U.S. prison plantation system.

Oct 22, 2021 • 43:03

The brave boys who helped end the Vietnam War

The brave boys who helped end the Vietnam War

Documentary filmmaker Judith Ehrlich joins Robert Scheer on this week’s “Scheer Intelligence” to discuss “The Boys Who Said No,” a documentary about the Vietnam War draft resisters.

Oct 15, 2021 • 33:31

Is America’s view of ‘evil’ Russia merely projection?

Is America’s view of ‘evil’ Russia merely projection?

Joseph Weisberg, a former CIA officer and the creator of the TV show “The Americans,” joins Robert Scheer to examine common misconceptions about the Cold War.

Oct 8, 2021 • 57:00

War is a multi-trillion-dollar racket and the Pentagon knows it

War is a multi-trillion-dollar racket and the Pentagon knows it

Andrew Cockburn brilliantly documents the motivations behind the U.S. military’s war lust in his new book, “Spoils of War.”

Oct 1, 2021 • 43:24

The British-American lie that started 30 years of carnage in the Middle East

The British-American lie that started 30 years of carnage in the Middle East

Journalist Stephen Davis documents in detail the lead up, cover up and aftermath of a 1990 hostage crisis that few recall.

Sep 24, 2021 • 37:58

A traitor to torture

A traitor to torture

In this week’s installment of Scheer Intelligence, host Robert Scheer hears from Kiriakou the inside story of how the the program started as part of a cynical power struggle between the CIA and FBI, why torture does not save lives or secure better intelligence, and how, while the program was started under Republican President George W. Bush, it was a top appointee of President Obama, himself a key architect of the torture program, who chose to prosecute him five years after his interviews with A

Sep 10, 2021 • 1:04:19

Paradoxical past, present and future of China's "socialist market"

Paradoxical past, present and future of China's "socialist market"

In this week's Scheer Intelligence podcast, host Robert Scheer discusses the paradoxical past, present and future of China's "socialist market" economic model with Nathan Gardels, author of "It Is No Longer Glorious to Get Rich in China," published this week by Noema, a magazine of the Berggruen Institute.

Sep 3, 2021 • 43:55

America’s war machine refuses to let Afghanistan go

America’s war machine refuses to let Afghanistan go

Maj. Danny Sjursen weighs in on the U.S. exit from Afghanistan and Gen. David Petraeus’ dangerously false narrative about our country’s longest war.

Aug 27, 2021 • 37:44

Democrats’ destruction of America’s welfare system is coming back to haunt them

Democrats’ destruction of America’s welfare system is coming back to haunt them

Peter Edelman examines how Americans are still tormented by the specter of President Bill Clinton’s worst domestic policy failure.

Aug 20, 2021 • 40:49

Prisons are an enabler of America’s obscene wealth

Prisons are an enabler of America’s obscene wealth

Prisoner-turned-journalist Eddie Conway talks about how the immorally cheap labor of those caught in the prison industrial complex is the shame of the U.S. economy.

Aug 13, 2021 • 58:23

Christianity is the linchpin in America’s war machine

Christianity is the linchpin in America’s war machine

Dr. Kelly Denton-Borhaug, a professor of religious studies, examines how Christian rhetoric is used to justify endless wars and the “moral injury” they inflict.

Aug 6, 2021 • 38:56

The West is keeping the COVID-19 pandemic from ending

The West is keeping the COVID-19 pandemic from ending

Activist Achal Prabhala speaks to Robert Scheer about the wealthy countries’ reluctance to end global vaccine apartheid.

Jul 30, 2021 • 51:43

The man who exposed Pegasus long before mainstream media

The man who exposed Pegasus long before mainstream media

Journalist Richard Silverstein has been sounding the alarm bells about the private surveillance spyware sold by Israel’s NSO for years.

Jul 23, 2021 • 34:24

Something’s rotten in the science of food

Something’s rotten in the science of food

Marion Nestle’s book “Unsavory Truths” contains shocking revelations about how the science that influences what we eat is corrupted by corporate interests.

Jul 16, 2021 • 43:02

Julian Assange’s father and brother on the public and personal urgency of his case

Julian Assange’s father and brother on the public and personal urgency of his case

John and Gabriel Shipton talk to Robert Scheer about the WikiLeaks founder’s grueling struggle to be freed from a London prison as the Biden administration demands his extradition.

Jul 2, 2021 • 44:10

What has Silicon Valley done to our food?

What has Silicon Valley done to our food?

In a new book, journalist Larissa Zimberoff examines how companies have changed the way we eat in the name of climate change without always considering their products’ health impacts.

Jun 25, 2021 • 41:18

The second American Revolution: A work in progress

The second American Revolution: A work in progress

The second American Revolution: A work in progress

Jun 18, 2021 • 1:00:39

Has Silicon Valley made it impossible for us to listen?

Has Silicon Valley made it impossible for us to listen?

Ximena Vengoechea wants to teach us how to listen again with her new book “Listen Like You Mean It,” but is that even possible in a capitalist world?

Jun 11, 2021 • 35:29

Dennis Kucinich: From sleeping in a car as a kid to 16 years in Congress

Dennis Kucinich: From sleeping in a car as a kid to 16 years in Congress

The former Congress member talks to Robert Scheer about his life and the dramatic events surrounding his political rise, as told in his new book “The Division of Light and Power.”

Jun 4, 2021 • 53:39

The Women Warriors Who Stopped the American War in Vietnam

The Women Warriors Who Stopped the American War in Vietnam

Sherry Buchanan, author of “On the Ho Chi Minh Trail,” discusses what she learned about the Vietnam War from the Vietnamese women who survived its frontlines.

May 28, 2021 • 41:50

A former CIA mideast expert’s view of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis

A former CIA mideast expert’s view of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis

John Kiriakou, a CIA torture whistleblower, offers expert insight into Israel’s most recent attacks on the Palestinian territories on this week’s “Scheer Intelligence”

May 21, 2021 • 58:27

The Russian bounty story is a deadly example of fake news

The Russian bounty story is a deadly example of fake news

Maj. Danny Sjursen weighs in on U.S. intelligence agencies’ recent admission that a report that the Taliban had been paid by Russia to kill Americans is most likely false.

May 14, 2021 • 38:14

The Ruling Class’ Revenge Against Julian Assange

The Ruling Class’ Revenge Against Julian Assange

Pulitzer Prize-winner Chris Hedges joins Robert Scheer to discuss the WikiLeaks founder’s plight as he languishes in a British prison.

May 7, 2021 • 37:09

Whatever Happened to Americans’ Moral Compass?

Whatever Happened to Americans’ Moral Compass?

Journalist and anti-war activist David Harris speaks to Robert Scheer about his resistence to America’s genocide in Vietnam and his education in federal prison.

Apr 30, 2021 • 43:16

Black Lives Matter: “When We Fight, We Win”

Black Lives Matter: “When We Fight, We Win”

As the jury was deliberating its verdict in George Floyd’s murder by former police officer Derek Chauvin, BLM co-founder Melina Abdullah spoke with Robert Scheer about the movement’s enormous impact and the work that remains.

Apr 23, 2021 • 48:44

Capitalism Killed the Rock-and-Roll Star

Capitalism Killed the Rock-and-Roll Star

Jonathan Taplin joins Robert Scheer to discuss his new memoir about the time he spent among rock-and-roll royalty like Bob Dylan and Janis Joplin.

Apr 16, 2021 • 53:39

“Moffie” links white supremacy and homophobia as macho perversions

“Moffie” links white supremacy and homophobia as macho perversions

Writer-director Oliver Hermanus discusses his new film and the complex history of his native South Africa on this week’s “Scheer Intelligence.”

Apr 9, 2021 • 47:31

What Is It About the Democrats’ Love of War?

What Is It About the Democrats’ Love of War?

Maj. Danny Sjursen, ret. discusses Biden’s stalling on Trump’s commitment to end the US-Afghanistan war.

Apr 2, 2021 • 45:28

The Cartoon is Dead: Long Live the Cartoonist

The Cartoon is Dead: Long Live the Cartoonist

Political cartoonist Mr. Fish joins Robert Scheer to talk about the death of his art form and his most recent book, “Nobody Left.”

Mar 26, 2021 • 53:50

Ralph Nader: Democrats Ushered in an Era of Corporate Fascism

Ralph Nader: Democrats Ushered in an Era of Corporate Fascism

The consumer advocate, author and former presidential candidate, refuses to mince words about Democrats and their corporate bedfellows in a new interview with Robert Scheer.

Mar 19, 2021 • 1:08:50

Israel Has Always Been A Contradiction

Israel Has Always Been A Contradiction

Larry Gross, who grew up in Israel shortly after it was founded, talks about the racism he witnessed in the young nation long before it occupied the West Bank and Gaza.

Mar 12, 2021 • 47:42

The Human Cost of America’s Addiction to Cheap Goods

The Human Cost of America’s Addiction to Cheap Goods

Investigative journalist Amelia Pang joins Robert Scheer to discuss the story of a Chinese prisoner at the heart of her gripping new book, “Made in China.”

Mar 5, 2021 • 43:49

In conversation with Lawrence Ferlinghetti

In conversation with Lawrence Ferlinghetti

In a special Scheer Intelligence from a March 2019 conversation,  Robert Scheer talks with his lifelong friend and legendary poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, who passed recently in San Francisco at the age of 101. The two discuss a host of topics, including the importance of not selling out and the founding of San Francisco’s landmark City Lights bookshop, where Scheer worked as a young man.

Feb 26, 2021 • 36:50

Israel's apartheid pandemic

Israel's apartheid pandemic

Middle East scholar Juan Cole joins Robert Scheer to discuss what the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Feb 19, 2021 • 52:15

Is Hollywood finally breaking free of toxic gender stereotypes?

Is Hollywood finally breaking free of toxic gender stereotypes?

Films like “Palmer,” released on Apple+ in late January, are redefining how global audiences understand gender constructs in previously unthinkable ways.

Feb 12, 2021 • 40:39

The Egregious Price America Exacts for Integrity

The Egregious Price America Exacts for Integrity

Joel Whitney joins Robert Scheer to talk about the lives of poets George and Mary Oppen, two admirable Americans persecuted for their leftist ideals.

Feb 5, 2021 • 44:04

The FBI’s Crusade Against MLK Was Darker Than You Think

The FBI’s Crusade Against MLK Was Darker Than You Think

Director Sam Pollard did a deep dive into the FBI’s surveillance of MLK under the leadership of J. Edgar Hoover in his documentary “MLK / FBI,” released by IFC Films earlier this month. Listen to the full conversation between Pollard and Scheer as they discuss the implications of that question, as well as address the highly controversial summaries of the FBI’s MLK surveillance tapes discovered by King’s Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, David J. Garrow in 2019.

Jan 29, 2021 • 46:51

Jimmy Carter’s Foreign Policy Record Reveals Both Hope and Cynicism (Part 2)

Jimmy Carter’s Foreign Policy Record Reveals Both Hope and Cynicism (Part 2)

In the second part of the “Scheer Intelligence” interview with Jonathan Alter, the author of “His Very Best” examines the former president’s mixed foreign policy record.

Jan 22, 2021 • 59:57

Jimmy Carter's Lifelong Efforts to Atone for White America's Sins (Part 1)

Jimmy Carter's Lifelong Efforts to Atone for White America's Sins (Part 1)

Raised in privilege amidst the barbarism of segregation, the oft-maligned president eventually embraced the New South liberalism that just swept his native Georgia’s election.

Jan 15, 2021 • 52:25

Death by UFO at Heaven’s Gate:  A Dark Fable for Christmas

Death by UFO at Heaven’s Gate: A Dark Fable for Christmas

Clay Tweel’s HBO Max documentary on the New Age “cult of cults” that claimed dozens of lives raises powerful questions about the checkered histories of various religions.

Dec 25, 2020 • 45:46

How Reagan paved the way for Trump

How Reagan paved the way for Trump

Matt Tyrnauer, director of the devastating Showtime documentary blockbuster “The Reagans,” reveals how Donald Trump was the logical heir to the Reagan Revolution beginning with his plagiarism of the Gipper’s “Make America Great Again” slogan and ending with the abysmal failure to confront a medical pandemic.

Dec 18, 2020 • 52:03

What Aaron Sorkin Got Wrong in ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’

What Aaron Sorkin Got Wrong in ‘The Trial of the Chicago 7’

Historian Jon Wiener, who wrote “Conspiracy in the Streets” on the subject of the Netflix film, sets the record straight on this week’s “Scheer Intelligence.”

Dec 11, 2020 • 37:53

How the Democratic Party Became a Vehicle of Aristocracy

How the Democratic Party Became a Vehicle of Aristocracy

In the second part of a two-part interview, Thomas Frank explores how anti-populism made liberals comfortable with plutocracy.

Dec 4, 2020 • 42:39

Benjamin Madley and a California Genocide

Benjamin Madley and a California Genocide

Robert Scheer sits down with professor and author Benjamin Madley to talk about a little known part of California's history.

Nov 27, 2020 • 34:32

Don’t Believe Anything You Were Told About Populism

Don’t Believe Anything You Were Told About Populism

Thomas Frank examines the history of American populism, and how it was distorted by Democrats and co-opted by Republicans.

Nov 20, 2020 • 55:53

The Real Reason the Blue Wave Never Materialized

The Real Reason the Blue Wave Never Materialized

Dennis Kucinich, former Ohio congressman and mayor of Cleveland, weighs in on what the Democratic Party keeps getting wrong.

Nov 13, 2020 • 49:55

The Only Meaningful Way to Save American Journalism

The Only Meaningful Way to Save American Journalism

Publicly-funded media models make a lot of Americans nervous, but Victor Pickard argues it may be the only way to repair our tattered democracy.

Nov 6, 2020 • 52:24

Tracing America’s Brutal Imperialist History Through Its Military Bases

Tracing America’s Brutal Imperialist History Through Its Military Bases

Political anthropologist David Vine argues that the most visible evidence of the country’s global empire are the thousands of military installations it has around the world.

Oct 30, 2020 • 46:37

America’s Prized Legal System Only Works for the Rich

America’s Prized Legal System Only Works for the Rich

Attorney Ronald Goldfarb offers a scathing indictment of American law and lawyers in his new book, The Price of Justice.

Oct 23, 2020 • 55:00

Big Oil weaponized our judicial system against an attorney and the Indigenous people he represented

Big Oil weaponized our judicial system against an attorney and the Indigenous people he represented

The epic battle by Steve Donziger to get Chevron to pay a $9.5 billion judgment he won in 2011 for its “mass industrial poisoning” of Indigenous Amazonian tribes in Ecuador has left him under house arrest for 13 months, disbarred, with a lien on his home, frozen bank  accounts, $32 million in legal fees and no way to make a living.  The judgment has not yet been paid.

Oct 16, 2020 • 57:38

Wrestling Back Privacy From the Jaws of Big Tech

Wrestling Back Privacy From the Jaws of Big Tech

James Steyer is taking on Mark Zuckerberg and other tech barons and he wants to empower the rest of us to do the same.

Oct 9, 2020 • 46:28

The Socialist Lesson Bernie Sanders Left Out of His Message

The Socialist Lesson Bernie Sanders Left Out of His Message

Rabbi Michael Lerner, a lifelong progressive, talks about his new book and what he found lacking in the Democratic Socialist’s presidential campaign.

Oct 2, 2020 • 44:29

How Today’s Uprisings Compare to the 1960s Rebellions

How Today’s Uprisings Compare to the 1960s Rebellions

The movements of the sixties, which are captured in detail in Mike Davis and Jon Wiener’s new book Set the Night on Fire, are seen as wildly successful. Is it possible Black Lives Matter will be even more significant?

Sep 18, 2020 • 1:03:31

Trump Is the Sweaty Armpit of Monopoly Capitalism

Trump Is the Sweaty Armpit of Monopoly Capitalism

Journalist David Dayen examines how the greatest danger to our American society doesn’t come from the White House, but from a few obscenely powerful corporations.

Sep 11, 2020 • 53:26

The Devastating 1918 “Spanish Flu” Was Exported from the United States, But Don’t Call it the Kansas Virus.

The Devastating 1918 “Spanish Flu” Was Exported from the United States, But Don’t Call it the Kansas Virus.

“The Great Influenza” author John Barry gave us a warning 16 years ago that is extremely relevant to today’s Covid-19 pandemic: It is always fatal to allow politics to trump science.

Sep 4, 2020 • 48:46

Attacks on the Post Office Aim to Destroy American Democracy

Attacks on the Post Office Aim to Destroy American Democracy

Communications scholar Mark Lloyd explains how the USPS, which is enshrined in the Constitution, became a political battleground.

Aug 28, 2020 • 53:45

Something’s Rotten in the Corporate States of America

Something’s Rotten in the Corporate States of America

A new book by Barbara Freese explores eight stories about the unfettered corporate greed that has corrupted modern society and led to an astounding loss of life.

Aug 21, 2020 • 35:37

Questioning Corporate Media’s Thirst for Scandal in the Age of #MeToo

Questioning Corporate Media’s Thirst for Scandal in the Age of #MeToo

Journalist JoAnn Wypijewski’s latest book, “What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About #MeToo: Essays on Sex, Authority and the Mess of Life” issues a blistering challenge to “scandal media,” which she dismisses as a distorted Cliff Notes version of reality.

Aug 14, 2020 • 1:12:22

How Brooklyn Turned Bernie Sanders Into a Democratic Socialist

How Brooklyn Turned Bernie Sanders Into a Democratic Socialist

In his new book, Theodore Hamm examines the New York figures and policies that inspired Sanders to become a champion of working class Americans.

Aug 7, 2020 • 45:57

Are Russia and the US Actually Different When It Comes to Meddling in Foreign Elections?

Are Russia and the US Actually Different When It Comes to Meddling in Foreign Elections?

In “Rigged,” historian David Shimer documents both countries attempts to manipulate democracies abroad — and comes to some questionable conclusions

Jul 31, 2020 • 1:06:56

The Unbearable Violence of Being American

The Unbearable Violence of Being American

Oliver Stone and Maj. Danny Sjursen frame their nation’s past and present in the context of the imperialist U.S. wars that stole their youth.

Jul 24, 2020 • 1:14:06

A new book by the cartoonist the cops didn’t let get away

A new book by the cartoonist the cops didn’t let get away

The former L.A. Times cartoonist thought he was protected by freedom of the press until his own newspaper came after him for a blog post about LAPD abuses.

Jul 17, 2020 • 58:11

The Price of Ignoring the Ferguson Uprising

The Price of Ignoring the Ferguson Uprising

Throughout the uprisings inspired by the killings of Eric Garner, Breonna Taylor, Freddie Gray and so many other Black victims, white leaders refused to learn from Black Lives Matter, a group inspired by the police killing of Trayvon Martin, 17, in 2012 and catalyzed by the killing of Michael Brown.

Jul 10, 2020 • 45:08

The Great Con of American Patriotism

The Great Con of American Patriotism

In conversation with Robert Scheer, Ron Kovic and Maj. Danny Sjursen examine their roles in our nation's bloody trajectory since the Vietnam War.

Jul 3, 2020 • 35:58

For Many Young People, Socialism Is as American as Apple Pie

For Many Young People, Socialism Is as American as Apple Pie

Bernie Sanders may never make it to the White House, but, just when we need them most, socialists like “Bigger than Bernie” co-author Meagan Day have picked up his torch.

Jun 26, 2020 • 39:22

The Powerful Past, Present and Future of Black Lives Matter

The Powerful Past, Present and Future of Black Lives Matter

As BLM protests sweep the globe, the movement’s co-founder Melina Abdullah talks about its roots and her hopes for the coming years.

Jun 19, 2020 • 45:12

The Cynical Forces Behind America’s Forever Wars

The Cynical Forces Behind America’s Forever Wars

Journalist Patrick Cockburn examines the disastrous inevitability of America’s failures in the Middle East as the region continues to reel from decades of U.S.-sponsored turmoil.

Jun 12, 2020 • 43:50

Harnessing Humor to Unveil America’s Ugliest Truths

Harnessing Humor to Unveil America’s Ugliest Truths

Political comedian Lee Camp wants to dismantle systems of oppression with a molotov cocktail filled with facts and some good old fashioned laughter.

Jun 5, 2020 • 1:09:56

The ‘Mass Murder Program’ Behind America’s Rise to Power

The ‘Mass Murder Program’ Behind America’s Rise to Power

In a new book, journalist Vincent Bevins traces the Cold War massacres in Asia and Latin America that still define global political dynamics today.

May 29, 2020 • 1:04:36

A Global Look at the Virus That Upended the World

A Global Look at the Virus That Upended the World

The series “Decoding Covid-19” offers a hopeful account of the international cooperation that has stemmed from the unprecedented crisis.

May 22, 2020 • 35:19

Big Banks Got the Sweetest Deal From the Covid-19 Bailouts

Big Banks Got the Sweetest Deal From the Covid-19 Bailouts

Banking expert Nomi Prins explains why Congress’ stimulus bill has been a boon for Wall Street and not the small businesses that need it most.

May 15, 2020 • 49:26

Does Medicare for All Await Us at the End of This Viral Massacre?

Does Medicare for All Await Us at the End of This Viral Massacre?

Dr. Margaret Flowers predicts how the coronavirus pandemic will impact the ongoing struggle for universal health care in the U.S.

May 8, 2020 • 45:51

Coronavirus Proves Capitalism Has Always Been a Lie

Coronavirus Proves Capitalism Has Always Been a Lie

Economist Ellen Brown sheds light on the intricacies of an economic system that is being unmasked by the government’s pandemic response.

May 1, 2020 • 1:06:43

Governments Are Using Coronavirus to Usher in a New Era of Mass Surveillance

Governments Are Using Coronavirus to Usher in a New Era of Mass Surveillance

States all over the world are ramping up surveillance, as people seemingly willingly give up whatever civil liberties they have left in the name of safety.

Apr 24, 2020 • 37:19

The Power and Pain of Being Asian American During the Coronavirus Crisis

The Power and Pain of Being Asian American During the Coronavirus Crisis

As we all battle the deadly pandemic, Asian Americans like Hollywood producer Janet Yang are also facing an onslaught of racism.

Apr 17, 2020 • 49:22

Coronavirus has already transformed America, for better and for worse

Coronavirus has already transformed America, for better and for worse

In a special edition of “Scheer Intelligence,” host Robert Scheer becomes the guest as filmmaker Stephen French asks for the journalist’s take on the unprecedented crisis.

Apr 10, 2020 • 49:03

Even the ICC Can’t Rein in American Exceptionalism

Even the ICC Can’t Rein in American Exceptionalism

The U.S. response to the international criminal court’s decision to permit an investigation into the Afghanistan War highlights the profound danger America poses to the world.

Apr 3, 2020 • 1:00:14

The Afghanistan War Turned Americans Into ‘Good Germans’

The Afghanistan War Turned Americans Into ‘Good Germans’

A combat veteran reflects on the moral impact America’s longest war has had on its own people.

Mar 13, 2020 • 1:00:11

Bernie Sanders Is Trying to Save the Democratic Party From Itself

Bernie Sanders Is Trying to Save the Democratic Party From Itself

The class war that gave rise to Sanders’ campaign is the fault of a long line of corporate Democrats like Joe Biden, and voters know it.

Mar 6, 2020 • 47:39

Julian Bond Was a Radical Long Before MLK

Julian Bond Was a Radical Long Before MLK

The lifelong activist often adopted radical positions on a number of issues, including war and the environment, a new book reveals.

Feb 28, 2020 • 48:46

The CIA’s Complicity in Modern Global Atrocities Revealed

The CIA’s Complicity in Modern Global Atrocities Revealed

Intelligence expert William Binney discusses the revelation that a widely used encryption service has been in CIA hands for decades.

Feb 21, 2020 • 45:17

The Clinton Machine Will Do Anything to Stop Bernie

The Clinton Machine Will Do Anything to Stop Bernie

It’s not just Sanders that the Democratic establishment is frightened of, it’s the powerful working class movement he’s helped build.

Feb 7, 2020 • 1:06:05

Dennis Kucinich: The Democratic Party Has No Soul

Dennis Kucinich: The Democratic Party Has No Soul

As tensions between the left and right wings of the Democratic Party continue to rise, the former Congress member offers an insider’s take on the party.

Jan 31, 2020 • 41:42

The Greatest Threat to the Prison Industrial Complex

The Greatest Threat to the Prison Industrial Complex

A new PBS documentary provides insight into a prison initiative that is fighting recidivism with an unlikely tool.

Jan 24, 2020 • 1:02:55

Noam Chomsky Makes the Case for the Lesser of Two Evils

Noam Chomsky Makes the Case for the Lesser of Two Evils

In the second part of an engrossing interview, the renowned thinker explains his criticisms of Israel and his take on U.S. electoral politics.

Jan 17, 2020 • 41:32

Noam Chomsky: America Has Built a Global Dystopia

Noam Chomsky: America Has Built a Global Dystopia

In the first installment of a remarkable two-part interview, the two left-wing public intellectuals meet for the first time to discuss world politics.

Jan 10, 2020 • 44:46

The Bipartisan Profiteers Who Demolished the American Dream

The Bipartisan Profiteers Who Demolished the American Dream

When it comes to the U.S. housing crisis, the blame from the wholesale swindling of the American people lies on all ends of the political spectrum.

Dec 13, 2019 • 46:56

The Plot to Discredit and Destroy Julian Assange

The Plot to Discredit and Destroy Julian Assange

Several nations have played a role in the WikiLeaks publisher’s demise as corporate media stands idly by.

Dec 6, 2019 • 41:52

America’s Darkest Secrets Are Laid Bare in ‘The Report’

America’s Darkest Secrets Are Laid Bare in ‘The Report’

A new film about the CIA torture report brings to life the brutal reality of the crimes the agency committed post-9/11.

Nov 29, 2019 • 49:02

The stain on America’s collective soul that will not wash away

The stain on America’s collective soul that will not wash away

Although the extent of our lawless detention program in Guantanamo Bay is something many Americans know little about, it affects us all.

Nov 22, 2019 • 54:43

The center cannot hold off climate catastrophe

The center cannot hold off climate catastrophe

Experts worldwide are trying to tackle climate change with radical proposals, but one thinker is advocating for a more moderate approach.

Nov 8, 2019 • 42:47

There is no Donald J. Trump without William F. Buckley

There is no Donald J. Trump without William F. Buckley

An in-depth look at a debate between James Baldwin and Buckley reveals ever-relevant truths about racism in modern America.

Nov 1, 2019 • 52:44

The drug trade isn’t just killing people, it’s killing the planet

The drug trade isn’t just killing people, it’s killing the planet

A gripping documentary documents the surprising role drug cartels and illegal traffickers are playing in the looming extinction of a rare whale.

Oct 25, 2019 • 39:47

We’re having the wrong conversation about mental health

We’re having the wrong conversation about mental health

Two of the most urgent crises facing Americans---mental health and homelessness---are inextricably linked. The failure to see this has only made things worse.

Oct 18, 2019 • 46:27

The Man Who Created a President From Beyond the Grave

The Man Who Created a President From Beyond the Grave

A bone-chilling documentary about Roy Cohn, Donald Trump’s mentor, reveals the all-American evil that brought us modern-day politics.

Oct 11, 2019 • 46:12

The extraordinary film that will change your mind about refugees

The extraordinary film that will change your mind about refugees

“Midnight Traveler” tells the harrowing story of Afghani director Hassan Fazili and his family’s displacement as filmed on their cell phones.

Oct 4, 2019 • 47:42

There’s Only One Superpower Left and It’s Not America

There’s Only One Superpower Left and It’s Not America

In a world in which global opinion reigns, public diplomacy rooted in nationalism and propaganda will not save us from pressing crises.

Sep 27, 2019 • 42:42

America Keeps Getting China All Wrong

America Keeps Getting China All Wrong

The two international giants are linked in inextricable ways, and yet Americans’ understanding of China consistently lacks nuance.

Sep 20, 2019 • 45:16

The solution to homelessness is staring us all in the face

The solution to homelessness is staring us all in the face

People like Becky Dennison are working to address to one of America’s most urgent crises with a straightforward approach.

Sep 13, 2019 • 42:49

The Most Consequential Whistleblower Who Wasn't

The Most Consequential Whistleblower Who Wasn't

In the run-up to the Iraq War, Katharine Gun, the subject of the film “Official Secrets,” nearly changed the course of history with one corageous decision.

Sep 6, 2019 • 41:48

White Supremacy Is as American as Apple Pie

White Supremacy Is as American as Apple Pie

A documentary about a black woman’s reunion with relatives who have been passing as white gets to the heart of one of the nation’s founding wounds.

Aug 30, 2019 • 38:55

The Latest Victim in the Crucifixion of Julian Assange

The Latest Victim in the Crucifixion of Julian Assange

The mysterious arrest of a Swedish data privacy activist with links to the WikiLeaks founder raises important questions about government surveillance.

Aug 23, 2019 • 52:02

Democracy Dies Without Alternative Media

Democracy Dies Without Alternative Media

Where would America be without the muckraking journalists and the publications that champion their work?

Aug 16, 2019 • 43:28

Is Trump Building a White Ethnostate?

Is Trump Building a White Ethnostate?

Author and University of Michigan professor Alexandra Minna Stern traces the origins of America's burgeoning white nationalist movement.

Aug 9, 2019 • 43:00

America Has Gulags In Its Own Backyard

America Has Gulags In Its Own Backyard

In a groundbreaking series, Shoshana Walter reveals the work camps operating all over the country under the guise of rehab centers.

Aug 2, 2019 • 32:41

We Could Solve the Israel-Palestine Conflict Tomorrow

We Could Solve the Israel-Palestine Conflict Tomorrow

Filmmakers Abby Martin and Mike Prysner discuss the war crimes being committed in Gaza and how a resolution could be reached in the Middle East.

Jul 26, 2019 • 51:09

New Low in Greed: Care Home Operators Rake in Millions, Pay Workers $2 an Hour for 24/7 shifts

New Low in Greed: Care Home Operators Rake in Millions, Pay Workers $2 an Hour for 24/7 shifts

A new investigative report uncovers rampant exploitation of caregivers at residential care homes across the nation, many of them poor immigrants who work for a pittance around the clock with no days off, often sleeping on floors, couches, or in garages while the care home owners get rich, breaking several labor laws.

Jul 19, 2019 • 43:27

The Media Is Complicit in Julian Assange’s Torture

The Media Is Complicit in Julian Assange’s Torture

A United Nations expert finds the WikiLeaks founder has been subjected to psychological torture, and media around the globe played a part.

Jul 12, 2019 • 45:27

The Homegrown Crisis California Refuses to Own

The Homegrown Crisis California Refuses to Own

One of the wealthiest and most liberal states in America has created a humanitarian emergency that only those who caused it can truly fix.

Jul 5, 2019 • 41:07

The Sordid Story Behind the Mass Extinction of Languages

The Sordid Story Behind the Mass Extinction of Languages

Languages along with the world views they contain are dying out at an alarming rate. Sadly, this is by no means an accident, argues Lena Herzog.

Jun 28, 2019 • 45:50

Elon Musk Is Gaslighting America

Elon Musk Is Gaslighting America

Journalist Will Evans exposed Tesla’s flagrant labor violations, but all the company’s founder did was shrug him off and cry "fake news."

Jun 21, 2019 • 34:06

The Lies Liberals Tell Themselves About the Second Amendment

The Lies Liberals Tell Themselves About the Second Amendment

A deep-seated denial of the racist, colonial roots of gun rights in the U.S. underlies the left’s flawed approach to domestic arms control.

Jun 14, 2019 • 41:19

Can We Learn Anything From Our Forever Wars?

Can We Learn Anything From Our Forever Wars?

In a brutally honest exit interview, recently retired U.S. Army Maj. Danny Sjursen opens up about his 18 years as a witness to the carnage of America’s forever wars.

Jun 7, 2019 • 34:43

Did the Left Get Zionism and Israel Totally Wrong?

Did the Left Get Zionism and Israel Totally Wrong?

Susie Linfield traces the history behind what she views as a leftist abandonment of Zionism by Jewish intellectuals such as Noam Chomsky and Hannah Arendt.

May 31, 2019 • 38:08

The Americanization of Popular Culture Should Terrify Us All

The Americanization of Popular Culture Should Terrify Us All

Hollywood's triumph in the global culture wars is a serious cause for concern at a time in which conglomerates and uniformity reign, argues French scholar Violaine Roussel.

May 24, 2019 • 35:47

Has Freedom of the Press Become a Convenient Illusion?

Has Freedom of the Press Become a Convenient Illusion?

In a bold statement, a leading dean of journalism argues that in abandoning Julian Assange, the mainstream media have abandoned the First Amendment.

May 17, 2019 • 45:20

Silicon Valley doesn’t give a damn about Earth’s imminent demise

Silicon Valley doesn’t give a damn about Earth’s imminent demise

Bill McKibben, the “world’s best green journalist” says it may be too late to save the planet, but that doesn’t seem to keep tech barons and the rest of the uber-rich up at night.

May 10, 2019 • 38:47

Can We Trust Billionaires to Save Democracy?

Can We Trust Billionaires to Save Democracy?

Billionaire Nicolas Berggruen’s plan to revamp democracy and put capital in the hands of the people has one glaring blindspot.

May 3, 2019 • 39:56

Julian Assange Is Being Used as a Smokescreen

Julian Assange Is Being Used as a Smokescreen

The U.S. government’s attack on the WikiLeaks founder covers up a menacing assault on the First Amendment, argues journalist Bruce Shapiro.

Apr 26, 2019 • 40:37

The Destruction of Palestinians Will Be Israel’s Undoing

The Destruction of Palestinians Will Be Israel’s Undoing

The great majority of Israel’s problems would be solved if the nation were able to establish lasting peace with its neighbors, says journalist and filmmaker Mariam Shahin.

Apr 19, 2019 • 48:40

Is Life After Prison Possible?

Is Life After Prison Possible?

After finding herself abandoned by society after leaving prison, Susan Burton became the aid she and so many others in her position needed.

Apr 12, 2019 • 30:38

This Is the Only Way White Supremacists Lose

This Is the Only Way White Supremacists Lose

The victory against “the white supremacist, patriarchal, heteronormative capitalists” will be won in our courtrooms, our streets and our classrooms through vigorous, relentless resistance, according to Black Lives Matter co-founder Melina Abdullah.

Apr 5, 2019 • 33:02

The Liberal Betrayal of America’s Most Vulnerable

The Liberal Betrayal of America’s Most Vulnerable

Mass incarceration, one of our greatest shames, was established by Republicans and Democrats who demonized large parts of American society.

Mar 29, 2019 • 40:52

The U.S. Deserves Its Own Nuremberg Trials

The U.S. Deserves Its Own Nuremberg Trials

Nazi Germany’s crimes and the U.S. War on Terror may not be so different in the eyes of international law.

Mar 22, 2019 • 36:48

Hollywood’s Love Affair With Racism

Hollywood’s Love Affair With Racism

When it comes to matters of race, the entertainment industry fails its increasingly diverse audience, time and again.

Mar 15, 2019 • 38:35

Liberals Are Digging Their Own Grave With Russiagate

Liberals Are Digging Their Own Grave With Russiagate

Two Russia experts discuss how the Washington establishment's virulent anti-Kremlin sentiment affects domestic and foreign policy as well as media narratives.

Mar 8, 2019 • 40:16

The Uncomfortable Truth About Journalism’s Good Ol’ Days

The Uncomfortable Truth About Journalism’s Good Ol’ Days

Los Angeles Times reporter Patt Morrison and Truthdig Editor in Chief Robert Scheer point out a surprising fact about journalism through the ages.

Mar 1, 2019 • 36:23

Growing Up Among the Great American Rebels of the 60s

Growing Up Among the Great American Rebels of the 60s

Tosh Berman, the son of the artist Wallace Berman, describes his childhood surrounded by the revolutionary artists of the Beat movement.

Feb 22, 2019 • 33:42

The Power of Living in Service to the Oppressed

The Power of Living in Service to the Oppressed

The story of Tom Catena, a doctor who risks his life daily to proffer medical care in an African war zone, is as remarkable as it is inspiring.

Feb 15, 2019 • 36:34

The Great Con of American Patriotism

The Great Con of American Patriotism

In conversation with Robert Scheer, Ron Kovic and Maj. Danny Sjursen examine their roles in our nation's bloody trajectory since the Vietnam War.

Feb 8, 2019 • 35:58

The Border Story Our Leaders Don’t Want You to Hear

The Border Story Our Leaders Don’t Want You to Hear

Life, replete with its ups and downs, goes on in U.S. and Mexican border communities despite the political calamity unfolding around them.

Feb 1, 2019 • 31:23

The Illegal CIA Operation That Brought Us 9/11

The Illegal CIA Operation That Brought Us 9/11

Was it conspiracy or idiocy that led to the failure of U.S. intelligence agencies to detect and prevent the 2001 terror attacks?

Jan 25, 2019 • 38:03

The West Has Islam Dangerously Wrong

The West Has Islam Dangerously Wrong

University of Michigan professor and author Juan Cole explores our biggest misconceptions about the world's second-largest religion.

Jan 18, 2019 • 32:07

The Opioid Crisis: Made in the USA

The Opioid Crisis: Made in the USA

Writer Chris McGreal and host Robert Scheer zero in on the book American Overdose: The Opioid Tragedy in Three Acts in this week’s episode of Scheer Intelligence. McGreal, the book’s author and a correspondent for The Guardian and other news sources, discuss how the opioid addiction crisis is largely an American epidemic.

Jan 11, 2019 • 35:21

How Corporate Corruption Fuels Terrorism – and Why It Goes Unpunished

How Corporate Corruption Fuels Terrorism – and Why It Goes Unpunished

Here’s a pop quiz: How long has corporate corruption existed? Answer: As long as corporations as we know them have been in business. Thanks to journalist David Montero’s meticulously sourced survey, Kickback: Exposing the Global Corporate Bribery Network, the consumer public now has access to a wealth of details about the astonishingly shady antics in which multinationals have been engaging since the retro-imperialist heyday of the British East India Company. And this malignant strain of corpora

Jan 4, 2019 • 34:32

The ‘Highest Danger of the Cold War’ Isn’t Behind Us

The ‘Highest Danger of the Cold War’ Isn’t Behind Us

The odds were stacked against the two authors of “The Kremlinologist: Llewellyn E. Thompson, America’s Man in Cold War Moscow” when it came to treating their subject with anything resembling journalistic precision or objectivity. That’s primarily because they resembled their subject a little too closely -- in addition to being the book’s co-writers, Jenny and Sherry Thompson are also Llewellyn Thompson’s daughters.

Dec 28, 2018 • 34:50

Another Christmas on Death Row

Another Christmas on Death Row

This is part two of a two-part interview. To listen to part one, click here.

Dec 21, 2018 • 32:59

Is California About to Execute an Innocent Man?

Is California About to Execute an Innocent Man?

In part one of a two-part interview, 33-year death row inmate Kevin Cooper—also an artist of exhibited works and a published author—describes his fight to prove his innocence of a heinous murder and asks why Gov. Brown refuses testing that could prove his innocence, identify the real killer and prove he was framed.

Dec 14, 2018 • 36:20

Wall Street's Corruption Runs Deeper Than You Can Fathom

Wall Street's Corruption Runs Deeper Than You Can Fathom

"Noncompliant" author Carmen Segarra sounds off on Goldman Sachs, deregulation and the dangerous ways our culture rewards bad behavior.

Dec 7, 2018 • 36:12

The Center Is Not Holding, and Trump Is Our Proof

The Center Is Not Holding, and Trump Is Our Proof

Digital DNA co-author Jonathan Aronson on the "hollowing out" of American workers and the elected officials that claim to represent them.

Nov 30, 2018 • 33:57

The Future of the Planet Looks Like 'WALL-E'

The Future of the Planet Looks Like 'WALL-E'

Dianna Cohen of the Plastics Pollution Coalition reveals how our dependence on the material threatens the health of future generations.

Nov 23, 2018 • 30:10

The Biggest Threat to Free Speech No One Is Talking About

The Biggest Threat to Free Speech No One Is Talking About

FAIR co-founder Jeff Cohen dissects the midterm elections, the failures of the mainstream media and the future of the Democratic Party.

Nov 16, 2018 • 35:01

An Urgent Call for Humanity in the Age of Trump

An Urgent Call for Humanity in the Age of Trump

Filmmaker Alexandria Bombach discusses her new documentary, "On Her Shoulders," and the challenges of telling Nadia Murad survivor's story and the Yazidi people.

Nov 9, 2018 • 28:56

We're in a New Age of McCarthyism

We're in a New Age of McCarthyism

Comedian Lee Camp explores the legacy of Lenny Bruce, big tech's capacity to strangle independent media and the freedom of working for a network like RT America.

Nov 2, 2018 • 28:03

Who Loves War?  You Guessed Wrong

Who Loves War? You Guessed Wrong

Lyle Jeremy Rubin, a five-year marine veteran of the war in Afghanistan, member of About Face: Veterans Against the War, and PhD candidate in history has developed considerable authority and wisdom to speak on US foreign policy, truth about war veterans, and the role liberal and progressive media celebrities play as “cheerleaders” of the “forever war” the United States seems unwilling to end.  Rubin and Scheer talk about the relationship of war-fighting, patriotism and the American people. About

Oct 26, 2018 • 31:40

Spying in LA

Spying in LA

Has the CIA taken over local policing? Activist Jamie Garcia discusses how technologies launched by the CIA, NSA and the Pentagon to spy on terrorists are radically altering crime-fighting  in Los Angeles and local communities in a “predictive policing” program that ends up targeting black and brown communities.

Oct 19, 2018 • 32:40

NAFTA 2.0, Trump Got It Right?

NAFTA 2.0, Trump Got It Right?

Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch and a 25-year veteran of congressional trade battles, discusses NAFTA 2.0, the Trump Administration’s newly negotiated trade agreement between Mexico, Canada and the United States that, improbable as it may seem, could actually give Mexican workers a living wage and end corporate control of trade courts.

Oct 12, 2018 • 37:24

America the Great and Its Fascist Reality

America the Great and Its Fascist Reality

Jason Stanley, Professor of Philosophy at Yale University, discusses his latest book, How Fascism Works, the Politics of Us and Them, and why the United States is especially vulnerable to certain elemental features of fascist policies. Our history with actual fake news, patriotism, racism, and the lack of a true liberal democracy has led us to the rise of Trump, Stanley asserts.

Oct 5, 2018 • 31:23

Justice and Liberty for Some

Justice and Liberty for Some

California’s only elected public defender Jeff Adachi, of the City and County of San Francisco, discusses why he opposes California’s new bail reform bill, his views on  preventive detention, immigration, and how the Japanese internment camps led him to a career as a public defender.

Sep 28, 2018 • 30:31

Outgrowing Men: Jane Fonda’s Rebuke of Male Hegemony in Life and Politics

Outgrowing Men: Jane Fonda’s Rebuke of Male Hegemony in Life and Politics

Film veteran Susan Lacy discusses her latest documentary, Jane Fonda in Five Acts. Lacy stresses that celebrated actress and political activist Fonda has been shaped by four “acts —the four men in her life—her father and actor Henry Fonda, and husbands, film director Roger Vadim, political activist Tom Hayden and media mogul Ted Turner. The last act is Fonda’s alone, on her lifelong journey to personal liberation.

Sep 21, 2018 • 28:57

Silicon billionaires are the lethal monkey on the back of the American public

Silicon billionaires are the lethal monkey on the back of the American public

Author Anand Giridharadas discusses the distorted libertarian ideology that they use to subvert the American experiment in democracy. They have done so by denying the legitimacy of government intervention into the economy on the side of fairness and justice, including decent working conditions, fair wages, regulation of the economy, and the right to form unions to represent them and fight for their interests.

Sep 14, 2018 • 33:03

Bill Clinton Enabled Trumps Immigration Policy

Bill Clinton Enabled Trumps Immigration Policy

Helen Sklar, immigration attorney for more than 33 years, discusses the basis of the immigration family separation under Trump and how former President Clinton laid the groundwork for this.

Sep 7, 2018 • 31:21

American Middle Class: The Rise of the Precariat

American Middle Class: The Rise of the Precariat

Alissa Quart discusses her latest book, Squeezed, on living in a middle-class that is being crumpled by meritocracy and converted into what Quart terms the “Precariat,” which Scheer describes as “people who think they’re in the middle class, and they have the education, very often they find themselves living paycheck to paycheck.”

Aug 31, 2018 • 30:39

ReKognition: The Face Of Surveillance, Useful or Dangerous?

ReKognition: The Face Of Surveillance, Useful or Dangerous?

Jacob Snow discusses Amazon’s Rekognition program, which is being promoted for use at the state and federal level to use facial recognition to fight crime.

Aug 24, 2018 • 29:30

Zeiad Abbas: 'God is not a real estate agent'

Zeiad Abbas: 'God is not a real estate agent'

Journalist and filmmaker Zeiad Abbas, a Palestinian refugee, describes living conditions of Palestinians under the state of Israel, which he calls “ethnic cleansing,” and discusses a toxic water crisis in Gaza and more.

Aug 17, 2018 • 33:43

The Rise and Fall of Women Moviemakers in Hollywood

The Rise and Fall of Women Moviemakers in Hollywood

Hollywood historian, film critic and writer Carrie Rickey discusses the lack of women behind the cameras in Hollywood; it wasn’t always so.

Aug 10, 2018 • 29:24

Generation Wealth: The Loss of the Self

Generation Wealth: The Loss of the Self

A deep look at how the accumulation of money has become the greatest goal, even at the peril of the self.

Aug 3, 2018 • 30:32

Nick Goldberg: Veteran Journalist and Editor

Nick Goldberg: Veteran Journalist and Editor

Nick Goldberg, the editorial page editor of the Los Angeles Times, discusses print journalism, its financing, and the challenges it faces.

Jul 27, 2018 • 31:31

Seymour Hersh: Reporter

Seymour Hersh: Reporter

The Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist assesses his career reporting on some of most significant stories of the past 50 years.

Jul 20, 2018 • 37:58

Howard Bryant: The Heritage

Howard Bryant: The Heritage

The sports journalist discusses his new book on the conflicted progress of black athletes.

Jul 13, 2018 • 34:44

Kimberley Reed and John S. Adams: Dark Money

Kimberley Reed and John S. Adams: Dark Money

The documentary director and Montana journalist discuss their film about how so-called dark money entered politics in the big sky state.

Jul 6, 2018 • 34:36

Nomi Prins: Collusion

Nomi Prins: Collusion

The former Wall Street banker turned journalist and author returns to Scheer Intelligence to critique the actions of international central banks.

Jun 29, 2018 • 33:03

Jennifer Rothman: The Right of Publicity

Jennifer Rothman: The Right of Publicity

The Loyola Law professor discusses her new book about the history and evolution of the right of publicity.

Jun 22, 2018 • 33:46

Eon McLeary and Manuel Ruiz: The Work

Eon McLeary and Manuel Ruiz: The Work

The documentary filmmaker and a former prisoner discuss the film about a group therapy program in one of the most infamous prisons in the United States.

Jun 15, 2018 • 30:52

Nate Cardozo: A Golden Age of Surveillance

Nate Cardozo: A Golden Age of Surveillance

The attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation discusses the fight for privacy online.

Jun 8, 2018 • 32:40

Sara Driver: 'Boom for Real'

Sara Driver: 'Boom for Real'

The independent film director discusses her documentary about the early career of the late artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

May 31, 2018 • 33:16

Wim Wenders: A Man of His Word

Wim Wenders: A Man of His Word

The Oscar nominated director discusses his documentary about the current pope.

May 25, 2018 • 31:32

Adam Winkler: We The Corporations

Adam Winkler: We The Corporations

The UCLA Law professor discusses his newest book about the rights of corporations.

May 18, 2018 • 34:17

Sasha Abramsky: Jumping at Shadows

Sasha Abramsky: Jumping at Shadows

The journalist and professor discusses his latest book about how fear has contributed to demagoguery.

May 11, 2018 • 33:29

Betsy West and Julie Cohen: RBG

Betsy West and Julie Cohen: RBG

The documentary filmmakers discuss their film “RBG” on the life and career of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

May 4, 2018 • 32:21

Kenneth A. Carlson: The Heart of Nuba

Kenneth A. Carlson: The Heart of Nuba

The documentary filmmaker discusses his new film about a heroic doctor in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan.

Apr 27, 2018 • 32:37

John Densmore: The Legacy of The Doors

John Densmore: The Legacy of The Doors

The drummer for The Doors discusses being in the iconic band and staying true to his beliefs.

Apr 20, 2018 • 32:11

Norman G. Finkelstein: Martyrs in Gaza

Norman G. Finkelstein: Martyrs in Gaza

The author discusses his new book about the plight of Palestinians in Gaza.

Apr 13, 2018 • 32:32

John Kiriakou: The Wrong Direction for the CIA

John Kiriakou: The Wrong Direction for the CIA

On his return visit to the podcast, the former CIA counterterrorism official and whistleblower discusses his opposition to the nominee for the head of the agency.

Apr 6, 2018 • 34:51

Dwayne Booth: And Then The World Blew Up

Dwayne Booth: And Then The World Blew Up

The political cartoonist known as Mr. Fish discusses the history of his art form and the struggle to keep the industry alive.

Mar 30, 2018 • 32:50

Dissent is Patriotic

Dissent is Patriotic

Short Description: The active duty Army Officer discusses his time as a soldier and his critical views on the US Military.

Mar 23, 2018 • 32:46

Greg Campbell: Hondros

Greg Campbell: Hondros

The journalist and filmmaker discusses his documentary about the late photojournalist Chris Hondros.

Mar 16, 2018 • 33:05

Alice Waters: Coming to My Senses (Part 2)

Alice Waters: Coming to My Senses (Part 2)

The legendary chef and proponent of the slow food movement discusses her iconic Berkeley restaurant and her involvement in the Edible Schoolyard Project.

Mar 9, 2018 • 32:42

Alice Waters: Coming to My Senses (Part 1)

Alice Waters: Coming to My Senses (Part 1)

The legendary chef and proponent of the slow food movement discusses her influences and her newest book.

Mar 1, 2018 • 30:12

Debra Deanne Olson: The Honorable Culbert Levy Olson

Debra Deanne Olson: The Honorable Culbert Levy Olson

The granddaughter of one of California’s most progressive governors discusses his life and political career.

Feb 23, 2018 • 33:19

Dustin Lance Black: From Milk to Marriage Equality

Dustin Lance Black: From Milk to Marriage Equality

The Academy Award winning writer speaks about making the film Milk and his subsequent activism.

Feb 16, 2018 • 40:17

David Cay Johnston: It’s Even Worse Than You Think

David Cay Johnston: It’s Even Worse Than You Think

The Pulitzer Prize winning journalist discusses his new book on the first year of the Trump Administration.

Feb 9, 2018 • 31:48

Andrea J. Ritchie: Invisible No More

Andrea J. Ritchie: Invisible No More

The attorney and author discusses her new book about law enforcement’s assault on women of color.

Feb 2, 2018 • 34:05

Trita Parsi: Losing an enemy

Trita Parsi: Losing an enemy

The founder and president of the National Iranian American Council talks about the United States’ resistance to normalizing relations with Iran.

Jan 26, 2018 • 32:53

Mary Murphy: Change Happens When Women are in Power

Mary Murphy: Change Happens When Women are in Power

The journalism professor and media expert discusses the sexual harassment scandal in Hollywood.

Jan 19, 2018 • 33:59

Peter Edelman: Not a Crime to be Poor (part two)

Peter Edelman: Not a Crime to be Poor (part two)

The Georgetown Law professor and director of the Georgetown Center for Poverty and Inequality talks about his most recent book.

Jan 12, 2018 • 31:48

Peter Edelman: Not a crime to be poor (part one)

Peter Edelman: Not a crime to be poor (part one)

The Georgetown Law professor and director of the Georgetown Center on Poverty and Inequality talks about how the criminal justice system continues the cycle of poverty in America.

Jan 5, 2018 • 29:01

Steven J. Ross: Hitler in Los Angeles

Steven J. Ross: Hitler in Los Angeles

The history professor discusses his new book about a small group of civilians in Los Angeles in the 1930s and 40s who helped fight Nazis in America.

Dec 22, 2017 • 33:39

Bryan Buckley: The Pirates of Somalia

Bryan Buckley: The Pirates of Somalia

The director discusses his new film about the true story of a young journalist who embedded himself with Somali pirates.

Dec 15, 2017 • 31:33

Jere Van Dyk: The Trade

Jere Van Dyk: The Trade

The author discusses his time in Afghanistan both as a reporter and as a hostage.

Dec 8, 2017 • 33:05

Peter Nicks: The Force

Peter Nicks: The Force

The documentary filmmaker discusses his new film The Force, about the Oakland Police Department.

Dec 1, 2017 • 32:15

Tiana Alexandra-Silliphant: The General and Me

Tiana Alexandra-Silliphant: The General and Me

The documentary filmmaker discusses her film about Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap.

Nov 17, 2017 • 31:29

Peter Kornbluh: Transparency is essential

Peter Kornbluh: Transparency is essential

The senior analyst at the National Security Archive discusses the need for transparency of government documents.

Nov 10, 2017 • 33:25

Daniel Ellsberg: The Doomsday Machine

Daniel Ellsberg: The Doomsday Machine

The former military analyst talks about why he leaked the Pentagon Papers and why there aren’t more whistleblowers today.

Nov 3, 2017 • 37:07

Erwin Chemerinsky: Free Speech on Campus

Erwin Chemerinsky: Free Speech on Campus

The Dean of Berkeley's Law School discusses his new book and the limitations of the First Amendment.

Oct 27, 2017 • 32:59

Viet Thanh Nguyen: The Sympathizer

Viet Thanh Nguyen: The Sympathizer

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author discusses his acclaimed novel and the legacy of the Vietnam War.

Oct 20, 2017 • 31:52

Brett Morgen: Jane

Brett Morgen: Jane

The filmmaker discusses his most recent film about primatologist Jane Goodall.

Oct 13, 2017 • 31:55

Norman Lear: A 'bleeding heart conservative,' (part 2)

Norman Lear: A 'bleeding heart conservative,' (part 2)

The 95-year-old television icon talks about politics and mortality. [Contains mature language.]

Oct 6, 2017 • 31:28

Norman Lear: A lifetime of changing TV and its audience (part 1)

Norman Lear: A lifetime of changing TV and its audience (part 1)

The 95-year-old television icon talks about his time in the military and his shows' biggest controversies. [Contains mature language]

Sep 29, 2017 • 36:11

James Cromwell: The consequences of doing nothing

James Cromwell: The consequences of doing nothing

The Oscar-nominated actor discusses his social activism.

Sep 22, 2017 • 32:57

Dolores Huerta: A tireless voice for workers

Dolores Huerta: A tireless voice for workers

The 87-year-old labor icon discusses her life and career as well as a new film about her.

Sep 15, 2017 • 32:28

Scott Hamilton Kennedy: Food Evolution

Scott Hamilton Kennedy: Food Evolution

The documentary filmmaker discusses his new film about genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the organic food industry.

Sep 8, 2017 • 34:05

William J. Perry: The real risk of nuclear war

William J. Perry: The real risk of nuclear war

The former Secretary of Defense discusses the current nuclear threats the world faces and how we got to this point.

Sep 1, 2017 • 35:42

Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis: Whose Streets?

Sabaah Folayan and Damon Davis: Whose Streets?

The documentary filmmakers discuss their film about the Ferguson, Missouri protests after the police shooting of an unarmed black teenager in 2014.

Aug 25, 2017 • 33:22

Sarah Pillsbury: Breakthrough films and Liberty Hill

Sarah Pillsbury: Breakthrough films and Liberty Hill

The film producer discusses her career in entertainment and her Los Angeles foundation.

Aug 18, 2017 • 30:54

Jonathan Taplin: Move Fast and Break Things

Jonathan Taplin: Move Fast and Break Things

The professor and music industry insider discusses the downside of the tech industry's rise.

Aug 11, 2017 • 37:47

Robert Rosenthal: Embracing new forms of journalistic storytelling

Robert Rosenthal: Embracing new forms of journalistic storytelling

The executive director of the Center for Investigative Reporting discusses new ways to reach more people.

Aug 4, 2017 • 33:00

Hamilton Fish: Breathing fresh life into journalism

Hamilton Fish: Breathing fresh life into journalism

The publisher of the New Republic discusses the changing landscape of the fourth estate.

Jul 28, 2017 • 35:07

Brian Knappenberger: Nobody Speak

Brian Knappenberger: Nobody Speak

The documentary filmmaker discusses his latest film about the end of Gawker and the billionaire who helped bring it down.

Jul 21, 2017 • 33:49

Danny Goldberg: In Search of the Lost Chord

Danny Goldberg: In Search of the Lost Chord

The music industry insider discusses his new book about the summer of love and the changing business of music.

Jul 14, 2017 • 34:00

Melvin A. Goodman: A truth-teller at the CIA

Melvin A. Goodman: A truth-teller at the CIA

CIA insider Melvin A. Goodman discusses his new book and restarting a constructive dialogue with Russia.

Jul 7, 2017 • 32:56

Rebecca Carroll: Writing as a way to figure things out

Rebecca Carroll: Writing as a way to figure things out

The columnist and author discusses how writing has been integral to her life after growing up as a black girl adopted by a white family.

Jun 30, 2017 • 32:40

James Forman, Jr.: Locking up Our Own

James Forman, Jr.: Locking up Our Own

Professor and former public defender James Forman, Jr. discusses his new book about the mass incarceration of black men.

Jun 23, 2017 • 34:47

Peter Moskowitz: Gentrification is killing cities

Peter Moskowitz: Gentrification is killing cities

The journalist and writer talks about the downside of gentrification.

Jun 16, 2017 • 33:06

Mark Lloyd: Communications are Essential to a Democracy

Mark Lloyd: Communications are Essential to a Democracy

The professor and former broadcaster discusses the current obstacles to communications in the United States.

Jun 9, 2017 • 34:09

Laboni Hoq: A voice for the rights of the undocumented

Laboni Hoq: A voice for the rights of the undocumented

The civil rights attorney talks about advocating for immigrants.

Jun 2, 2017 • 31:31

John Scheinfeld: Chasing Trane

John Scheinfeld: Chasing Trane

The documentary filmmaker discusses his latest film about jazz icon John Coltrane.

May 26, 2017 • 36:12

Laura Poitras: A filmmaker who takes risks

Laura Poitras: A filmmaker who takes risks

The Oscar-winning documentarian discusses her new film Risk, about Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

May 19, 2017 • 30:45

Oliver Stone: A controversial and provocative original (Part 2)

Oliver Stone: A controversial and provocative original (Part 2)

The Oscar-winning director discusses taking on wall street through film and American foreign policy.This conversation includes adult language.

May 12, 2017 • 28:29

Oliver Stone: A controversial and provocative original (Part I)

Oliver Stone: A controversial and provocative original (Part I)

The Oscar-winning director discusses his unique take on history through his films. [Contains adult language]

May 5, 2017 • 36:33

Ray McGovern: Faulty intelligence

Ray McGovern: Faulty intelligence

The former CIA analyst discusses his time in the agency and how he believes intelligence was used to wrongly justify wars.

Apr 28, 2017 • 42:13

Cullen Hoback: What Lies Upstream

Cullen Hoback: What Lies Upstream

The documentary filmmaker discusses digital privacy and his latest film about the safety of drinking water.

Apr 21, 2017 • 31:31

Dr. Paul Song: Obamacare is not the progressive answer

Dr. Paul Song: Obamacare is not the progressive answer

The healthcare reform advocate discusses where the Affordable Care Act falls short and what can be done.

Apr 14, 2017 • 32:17

Bill Blum: Bill Clinton laid the groundwork for Trump

Bill Blum: Bill Clinton laid the groundwork for Trump

The attorney and author talks about how the Clinton administration played a role in Trump's current immigration policies.

Apr 7, 2017 • 34:04

Victor Narro: Undocumented immigrants living in fear

Victor Narro: Undocumented immigrants living in fear

The immigration and labor attorney discusses the trauma of being an undocumented immigrant right now.

Mar 31, 2017 • 32:05

Boyah J. Farah: A voice for refugees

Boyah J. Farah: A voice for refugees

The Somali-born American writer discusses his early life in the war-torn country and becoming an American.

Mar 24, 2017 • 35:38

Joel Whitney: The CIA's Cold War literary influence

Joel Whitney: The CIA's Cold War literary influence

The author of Finks: How the CIA Tricked the World’s Best Writers discusses how the spy agency used its own form of propaganda through highly respected magazines to counter the rise in communism around the world.

Mar 17, 2017 • 33:39

Lewis Wallace: Is objectivity dead?

Lewis Wallace: Is objectivity dead?

The former Marketplace reporter discusses his controversial blog post about neutrality in the Trump era.

Mar 10, 2017 • 31:34

Edward Sorel: A lifetime curiosity about Mary Astor

Edward Sorel: A lifetime curiosity about Mary Astor

The illustrator and author discusses his recent book, Mary Astor’s Purple Diary: The Great American Sex Scandal of 1936. [EXPLICIT LANGUAGE]

Mar 3, 2017 • 32:16

Juan Cole: Be wary of strongmen in the US and abroad

Juan Cole: Be wary of strongmen in the US and abroad

The history professor and essayist talks about Islamophobia and foreign relations under President Trump.

Feb 24, 2017 • 34:36

Judy Woodruff: The perfect time to be a journalist

Judy Woodruff: The perfect time to be a journalist

The award-winning journalist talks about women in the press and the next generation of the media.

Feb 17, 2017 • 32:39

Geoff Cowan: An aggressive press is essential

Geoff Cowan: An aggressive press is essential

Professor Geoff Cowan discusses the need for a strong press and opposition during the Trump presidency.

Feb 10, 2017 • 31:43

Steve Wasserman: The future of books

Steve Wasserman: The future of books

Heyday Books' Steve Wasserman talks about why books are more important now than ever.

Feb 3, 2017 • 33:07

Willie Nelson: A Long Story (Part II)

Willie Nelson: A Long Story (Part II)

Robert Scheer continues his discussion about music, life, and America with legendary musician Willie Nelson. (EXPLICIT LANGUAGE)

Jan 27, 2017 • 35:28

Willie Nelson: A Long Story (Part I)

Willie Nelson: A Long Story (Part I)

Robert Scheer sits down with legendary musician Willie Nelson to talk about what makes him an "American Original."

Jan 20, 2017 • 38:43

Sergei Plekhanov: A new chapter with Russia

Sergei Plekhanov: A new chapter with Russia

Robert Scheer sits down with Professor Sergei Plekhanov to discuss the United States' future ties with Russia under President-elect Donald Trump.

Jan 13, 2017 • 34:10

Lawrence Ferlinghetti: A champion for the Beats

Lawrence Ferlinghetti: A champion for the Beats

Robert Scheer sits down with Lawrence Ferlinghetti, poet and co-founder of famed City Lights Bookstore to talk about his life and work publishing writers of the Beat Generation.

Jan 6, 2017 • 35:56

Janet Yang: A groundbreaking producer

Janet Yang: A groundbreaking producer

Robert Scheer sits down with Hollywood producer Janet Yang to discuss her connection to China and how it has influenced her career in filmmaking.

Dec 23, 2016 • 32:09

Zev Yaroslavsky: A pragmatic Los Angeles politician

Zev Yaroslavsky: A pragmatic Los Angeles politician

Robert Scheer sits down with longtime Californian politician Zev Yaroslavsky to discuss his decades-long career and his take on the presidential election.

Dec 16, 2016 • 32:16

Richard Reeves: A timely history of internment in America

Richard Reeves: A timely history of internment in America

Robert Scheer sits down with journalist Richard Reeves to discuss Donald Trump's rise and what we can learn from the past.

Dec 9, 2016 • 33:53

Blase Bonpane: A priest who defied the church

Blase Bonpane: A priest who defied the church

Robert Scheer sits down with priest Blase Bonpane to discuss his career working for peace in Central America and his conflicted relationship with the Catholic Church.

Dec 2, 2016 • 32:38

Johann Hari: Chasing the scream

Johann Hari: Chasing the scream

Robert Scheer sits down with journalist Johann Hari to discuss what he has discovered about addiction and the war on drugs.

Nov 25, 2016 • 33:19

Kali Nicole Gross: Dissecting a startling crime

Kali Nicole Gross: Dissecting a startling crime

Robert Scheer sits down with Author Kali Nicole Gross to discuss her new book  Hannah Mary Tabbs and the Disembodied Torso.

Nov 18, 2016 • 32:12

Kshama Sawant: Bringing socialism to Seattle

Kshama Sawant: Bringing socialism to Seattle

Robert Scheer sits down with Seattle City Councilwoman Kshama Sawant to discuss the changing face of socialism in this country.

Nov 11, 2016 • 35:25

Lizbeth Mateo: An immigration activist using herself as an example

Lizbeth Mateo: An immigration activist using herself as an example

In this week’s Scheer Intelligence, Robert Scheer sits down with immigration rights activist Lizbeth Mateo to discuss what should be done for immigrants and her own status.

Nov 4, 2016 • 33:19

Amy Trask: A powerful woman in the world of football

Amy Trask: A powerful woman in the world of football

Robert Scheer sits down with former Oakland Raiders CEO Amy Trask to discuss her experience as a female executive in a male-dominated field.

Oct 28, 2016 • 32:35

David Dayen: The untold stories of the mortgage crisis

David Dayen: The untold stories of the mortgage crisis

Robert Scheer sits down with writer David Dayen to discuss the fallout from the housing crisis.

Oct 21, 2016 • 32:52

Petros Papadakis: The joy and danger of college football

Petros Papadakis: The joy and danger of college football

Robert Scheer sits down with sports broadcaster and former college football player Petros Papadakis to discuss the lure of the sport for young players.

Oct 14, 2016 • 31:55

Misty K. Snow: An historic Senate nominee

Misty K. Snow: An historic Senate nominee

Robert Scheer sits down with Utah Democratic Senate nominee Misty K Snow to discuss her unlikely candidacy.

Oct 7, 2016 • 32:12

Gary Tyler: Cast the First Stone

Gary Tyler: Cast the First Stone

Robert Scheer sits down with Gary Tyler to discuss his decades wrongly imprisoned and a film about the play he directed while in prison.

Sep 30, 2016 • 31:37

David Cay Johnston: The Making of Donald Trump

David Cay Johnston: The Making of Donald Trump

Robert Scheer sits down with award-winning journalist and author David Cay Johnston to discuss the GOP presidential candidate.

Sep 23, 2016 • 35:27

Matt Welch: reason and the libertarian

Matt Welch: reason and the libertarian

Robert Scheer sits down with journalist and libertarian Matt Welch to discuss the party's growth during this election campaign.

Sep 16, 2016 • 32:07

Mike Farrell: Putting an end to the death penalty

Mike Farrell: Putting an end to the death penalty

Robert Scheer sits down with actor and activist Mike Farrell to discuss his involvement in the anti death penalty movement.

Sep 2, 2016 • 32:13

Chris Hedges: A voice against collective narcissism

Chris Hedges: A voice against collective narcissism

Robert Scheer sits down with journalist and author Chris Hedges to discuss Hedges' career and influences.

Aug 19, 2016 • 34:21

Benjamin Madley and a California Genocide

Benjamin Madley and a California Genocide

Robert Scheer sits down with professor and author Benjamin Madley to talk about a little known part of California's history.

Aug 5, 2016 • 34:32

John Burton and California Democrats

John Burton and California Democrats

Robert Scheer sits down with former congressman and current head of the California Democratic Party, John Burton.

Jul 22, 2016 • 32:24

Larry Gross and the Formation of the Gay Community

Larry Gross and the Formation of the Gay Community

In this week’s Scheer Intelligence, Robert Scheer sits down with author and academic Larry Gross to discuss how once “invisible” closeted gay men and women eventually formed a powerful community over the middle and late 20th century.

Jul 7, 2016 • 34:50

Barbara Williams and “The Hope in Leaving”

Barbara Williams and “The Hope in Leaving”

In this week’s Scheer Intelligence, Robert Scheer sits down with actress, singer, and writer Barbara Williams to discuss her new memoir.

Jun 24, 2016 • 31:13

Anthony Davis and the Repercussions of a Football Career

Anthony Davis and the Repercussions of a Football Career

Robert Scheer sits down with famed USC and pro football player Anthony Davis and USC dean Jeremy Rosenberg to discuss how brain trauma from years of playing football forever changed Davis' life.

Jun 10, 2016 • 34:46

Sandy Tolan: Children of the Stone

Sandy Tolan: Children of the Stone

Robert Scheer sits down with journalism professor Sandy Tolan to discuss his new book about the creation of a music school for children in the West Bank.

May 27, 2016 • 34:13

Jodie Evans: A Codepink Disrupter

Jodie Evans: A Codepink Disrupter

Robert Scheer sits down with activist Jodie Evans to discuss her organization's efforts to move the United States away from military conflict as well as the origins of her activism.

May 13, 2016 • 34:12

Eddie Conway: Making Real News after Prison

Eddie Conway: Making Real News after Prison

Robert Scheer sits down with former Black Panther Marshall "Eddie" Conway to talk about Conway's decades in jail for a crime he didn't commit and what he has done since being released.

Apr 29, 2016 • 35:31

Jason Leopold and the Power of FOIA

Jason Leopold and the Power of FOIA

Robert Scheer sits down with journalist Jason Leopold to discuss how he has used the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) again and again to obtain previously undisclosed government documents.

Apr 15, 2016 • 35:46

Madison Shockley and the Meanings of Christianity

Madison Shockley and the Meanings of Christianity

Robert Scheer sits down with Reverend Madison Shockley to discuss his family's history with racism as well as his views on what is means to be Christian today.

Apr 1, 2016 • 36:29

Thomas Frank and the New "Liberal"

Thomas Frank and the New "Liberal"

Robert Scheer sits down with writer Thomas Frank to discuss his new book about the changing face of liberals.

Mar 18, 2016 • 36:11

William Binney: Blowing the Whistle on the NSA.

William Binney: Blowing the Whistle on the NSA.

Robert Scheer sits down with former National Security Agency official turned whistle-blower William Binney to discuss the fight between Apple and the US government over access to Americans' cell phone data and why he believes there can be too much intelligence.

Mar 11, 2016 • 33:29

D. Watkins and 'The Beast Side'

D. Watkins and 'The Beast Side'

Robert Scheer sits down with author, professor and activist D. Watkins to discuss his book about life in Baltimore and why he has chosen to stay in the struggling city.

Mar 4, 2016 • 35:09

Ron Kovic and the Continuing Struggle for Veterans

Ron Kovic and the Continuing Struggle for Veterans

Robert Scheer sits down with Vietnam veteran, author and peace activist Ron Kovic to discuss what has changed and what hasn’t since Kovic’s time in combat.

Feb 19, 2016 • 33:20

Nomi Prins and the Washington/Wall Street Connection

Nomi Prins and the Washington/Wall Street Connection

Robert Scheer discusses the culture of Wall Street and its influence on government with author, journalist and former investment banker Nomi Prins.

Feb 12, 2016 • 35:19

Jill Stein, the Green Party and the 2016 Election

Jill Stein, the Green Party and the 2016 Election

Robert Scheer sits down with potential Green party presidential candidate, Jill Stein, to discuss her plans and why she thinks the Green Party is more relevant than ever.

Feb 5, 2016 • 34:02

Ralph Nader: Consumer Advocate and Voice against Corporate Power

Ralph Nader: Consumer Advocate and Voice against Corporate Power

Robert Scheer sits down with author, lawyer and five-time presidential candidate, Ralph Nader, to discuss the current political climate and assess Nader's legacy.

Jan 22, 2016 • 33:44

Tom Dine: A Half-Century Advocating for Israel and Peace in the Middle East

Tom Dine: A Half-Century Advocating for Israel and Peace in the Middle East

This week, Robert Scheer sits down with Tom Dine, currently the senior policy advisor at Israel Policy Forum, but is best know as the head of AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee), a powerful pro-Israel lobbying organization from 1980-1993.

Jan 8, 2016 • 37:26

The Hunting Ground: Sexual Assault on Campus

The Hunting Ground: Sexual Assault on Campus

Robert Scheer discusses the documentary film The Hunting Ground with its director, Kirby Dick, and producer, Amy Ziering.

Dec 25, 2015 • 30:08

John Kiriakou: A Whistleblower on Torture

John Kiriakou: A Whistleblower on Torture

Robert Scheer sits down with former CIA agent and torture whistleblower John Kiriakou.

Dec 11, 2015 • 39:34

Dennis Kucinich: An Unpredictable American Original

Dennis Kucinich: An Unpredictable American Original

Robert Scheer sits down with long-time friend and former eight-term Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich to talk about their friendship and how Kucinich’s considers himself  a non-ideological pragmatist.

Nov 27, 2015 • 32:06

David Talbot and Uncovering the Secret American Government

David Talbot and Uncovering the Secret American Government

Robert Scheer speaks with David Talbot, the founder of Salon.com and author of several books to discuss the legacy of former CIA head Allen Dulles in post-World War II America and his impact on both foreign and domestic policy.

Nov 13, 2015 • 35:05

John Dean and the Abuse of Power

John Dean and the Abuse of Power

Robert Scheer sits down with John Dean, former White House Counsel under Richard Nixon and now outspoken critic of the Republican Party. Dean, who famously said during the Watergate scandal that there is a "cancer on the presidency," offers his take on the misuse of power under the guise of national security both during Nixon’s presidency and today.

Oct 30, 2015 • 33:35

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