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The Opinions

The Opinions

The New York Times Opinion 287 Episodes Aug 22, 2026

The Opinions is a podcast from The New York Times Opinion section that helps listeners make sense of the news. Each episode offers analysis and perspective on current events, providing context beyond the headlines. The show aims to clarify complex issues and offer thoughtful commentary.

Episodes

The Right Is Rethinking MAGA. The Left Is Rethinking ‘Woke.’
The Right Is Rethinking MAGA. The Left Is Rethinking ‘Woke.’ Aug 22, 2026 00:42:53 What will the Republican Party become after President Trump? And how can the Democrats rehabilitate their toxic brand? On this episode of “The Opinions,” the Opinion political writer Michelle Cottle teams up with the columnists David French and Jamelle Bouie to dissect party strategy ahead of — and beyond — the midterm elections. Plus, Jamelle divulges the book that fills him with dread. Thoughts?
How Are the Democrats’ Midterm Dreams Shaping Up?
How Are the Democrats’ Midterm Dreams Shaping Up? Aug 15, 2026 00:40:31 With the midterm elections less than three months away, surprising primary results and polling misses are raising questions about the direction of American politics. Are Democrats moving left or becoming more focused on winning? Are both parties growing more extreme? The conservative pollster and Opinion contributing writer Kristen Soltis Anderson joins the Opinion contributors E.J. Dionne Jr. and
A.I. Hype Is Running Into Reality
A.I. Hype Is Running Into Reality Aug 12, 2026 00:41:46 Billions of dollars are flooding into — and out of — artificial intelligence, sparking concerns of a 2008-style economic bubble. The Opinion writer David Wallace-Wells is joined by the Yale economics professor and contributing Opinion writer Natasha Sarin to talk about whether the A.I. hype is exaggerated and if the fears of an impending economic crash-out are valid. Thoughts? Email us at theopini
Hello, Democrats? Are You Listening?
Hello, Democrats? Are You Listening? Aug 8, 2026 00:36:52 Based on the Democratic primary results in Michigan, a big question looms over the party: Can it turn this enthusiasm into a midterm win? The national politics writer Michelle Cottle joins the columnist Jamelle Bouie and the Opinion politics editor Michael Duffy to debrief what happened in Michigan, what Democrats can learn from the tight race and what Abdul El-Sayed’s victory might mean for the m
Have We Turned Personality Into Diagnosis?
Have We Turned Personality Into Diagnosis? Aug 5, 2026 00:38:09 Influencers on social media are sharing content that claims to help followers self-diagnose complex medical conditions ranging from A.D.H.D. to autism. And the data reveals that the effect of self-diagnosis is far-reaching. But what happens when large portions of the population believe they have a condition that medical data doesn’t back up? On “The Opinions,” the culture editor Nadja Spiegelman s
The Working Class Is Fleeing Trump
The Working Class Is Fleeing Trump Aug 1, 2026 00:34:22 What have Democrats learned from this season of primaries so far? “Their voters are so much angrier than I think they realized,” says the Opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie in this week’s politics round table. He joins the Opinion contributors E.J. Dionne Jr. and Robert Siegel to discuss what the primaries portend for the 2026 midterms and beyond. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This e
The Silicon Valley Health Trend Making Doctors Nervous
The Silicon Valley Health Trend Making Doctors Nervous Jul 29, 2026 00:37:20 Americans have spent billions of dollars tracking themselves: their steps, their blood oxygen saturation, their sleep cycles, their glucose levels. Is any of this data making us healthier? That’s the question the Opinion writer David Wallace-Wells poses to Dr. Rachael Bedard, an Opinion contributor and primary care doctor. In this episode, they explore what tracking ourselves, versus the populatio
The New Tactic Trump Thinks Will Rally Voters
The New Tactic Trump Thinks Will Rally Voters Jul 25, 2026 00:40:23 The Iran war isn’t going well for President Trump. The midterms are approaching. What’s a desperate president to do? Turn to Communism. This week the Opinion national politics correspondent Michelle Cottle speaks to the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French on how conservatives — especially Trump — are using Red Scare tactics to their advantage against the Democrats. Thoughts? Email us at theo
Gen Z-ers Are Ditching Sex. They Might Be On to Something.
Gen Z-ers Are Ditching Sex. They Might Be On to Something. Jul 22, 2026 00:43:13 Data shows that Gen Z is in a sex recession. Technology, #MeToo and a growing emphasis on platonic relationships are reshaping how many people think about sex. As anxiety grows over falling birthrates and changing behaviors, Nadja Spiegelman, a Times Opinion culture editor, speaks with the journalists and researchers Carter Sherman and Christine Emba about why this shift might not be such a bad th
The ‘Devil’s Bargain’ at the Heart of American Politics Now
The ‘Devil’s Bargain’ at the Heart of American Politics Now Jul 18, 2026 00:31:25 This week, “The Opinions” politics round table wrestles with the art of political compromise. Did Lindsey Graham ingratiate himself with Donald Trump to protect Ukraine — and was it worth it? Should the Senate confirm Todd Blanche to safeguard the attorney general’s office against someone like Matt Gaetz? Should Democratic leadership compromise with progressive insurgents within the party? The Opi
Is This the Fastest Opinion Shift in American Politics?
Is This the Fastest Opinion Shift in American Politics? Jul 15, 2026 00:32:07 Seventy-one percent of Americans say they don’t want an A.I. data center built close to where they live. Why? In this conversation, the Opinion writer David Wallace-Wells and the contributing writer Robinson Meyer parse the backlash and explore whether the Democratic Party can capitalize on it in the years to come. Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com. This episode of “The Opinions” was p
‘Platner Is Vile.’ McConnell Is Missing. Welcome to American Politics.
‘Platner Is Vile.’ McConnell Is Missing. Welcome to American Politics. Jul 11, 2026 00:45:06 The word of the week for politics is “humiliation.” At least according to the Opinion contributing writer David Wallace-Wells, who joins the Opinion columnist David French and the national politics writer Michelle Cottle on “The Opinions.” This week the trio takes a look at how humiliation factors into President Trump’s failed cease-fire with Iran and the demise of Graham Platner’s candidacy. And,

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