The Contrarian Pod
Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen present The Contrarian's unflinching journalism aimed at defending democracy. The podcast offers political and legal analysis, tough interviews, and practical steps for resistance. It is a product of The Contrarian, a news organization focused on truth rather than neutrality.
Episodes
How the ACLU Is Safeguarding Immigrants and Elections
On Coffee with Contrarians, Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen chatted with Mike Zamore, National Director of Policy and Government Affairs at the ACLU. They discussed the ACLU’s new report on Trump’s mass deportation agenda, titled “76 Ways Mass Deportation is Breaking Our Democracy.”They also discussed how the ACLU is working to safeguard mail-in voting against the administration’s potential threats to th
The View From Texas: Winning the Latino Vote and ICE Brutality
On Coffee with Contrarians, special guest hosts Maria Cardona and Juan Proaño took the episode to Texas, and chatted with congressional candidate Johnny Garcia in San Antonio and Representative Ramón Romero Jr. from Fort Worth.They talked about what it will take to win back the Latino vote in Texas, Trump’s campaign stop in San Antonio, and why the latest incidents of ICE brutality are a bipartisa
‘Notes on a Blacklash’ Reflects On Decades of White House Journalism
On Coffee with Contrarians Jen Rubin, Norm Eisen and April Ryan discussed Trump’s abhorrent comments about sacrificing Los Angeles and San Diego in the war with Iran.April also talked about her new book, “Notes on a Blacklash” and reflected on the time a Housing and Urban Development official in the Trump Administration referred to her as “Miss Piggy”You can join Coffee With Contrarians. Live ever
Everything You Knew About Menopause and Estrogen Replacement Is Wrong
Contrarian Editor in chief Jen Rubin sat down with author Jennifer Weiss Wolf. Jennifer is the executive director of the Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center at NYU School of Law and she’s out with a new book: When in Menopause: A User’s Manual and Citizen’s Guide.You might have seen in the news that Congress, and government health agencies are suddenly very interested in menopause and hormone thera
Two Congressional Candidates Fighting for Affordability and Against Corruption
Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson spoke with two candidates hoping to flip tough House seats in the November midterms, Bob Brooks in Pennsylvania and Chaz Molder in Tennessee.Brooks is a firefighter and union leader in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley. He brings a working class perspective that’s a big contrast to incumbent Republican Rep. Ryan Mackenzie.And Chaz Molder is no stranger to winning
Trump’s Illegal Campaign Ad and Senate Races to Watch
On Coffee with Contrarians, Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen chatted with Adrienne Elrod, Democratic political strategist.The trio talked about Trump’s latest commercial, which not only could be the world’s worst campaign ad, but also possibly violates the Hatch Act, and the key Senate races they’re tracking ahead of the November midterms.You can join Coffee With Contrarians. Live every Monday, Wednesday,
‘Third-Country Removals’ Leave Immigrants Facing Unknown Futures
Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson chatted with Sarah Mehta, a deputy director of the ACLU and an expert in immigration policy.They discussed the Trump Administration’s practice of deporting vulnerable asylum seekers to third countries — where they have no cultural ties, no right to long term residence, and could be subject to abuse, or worse illegally sent back to the home counties that they
Which Midterm Governor Races Could Decide the 2028 Election?
On Coffee with Contrarians, Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen chatted with Ben Wikler, a political organizer and the former chair of the Democratic Party of WisconsinThe trio discussed yet another Trump legal L this week: a federal judge’s block on his press ban against MS NOW, POLITICO, and CNN. Then, they dived into all things midterms, Ben’s top races to watch in November and how communities can stand u
Trump’s Threats to Iran and the Upcoming Trump/Xi Meeting
On Coffee with Contrarians earlier today, Jen Rubin and Norm Eisen chatted with Tom Malinowski, Former New Jersey Congressman, speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, and diplomat in the Obama administration.This week is the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, putting foreign policy at the forefront of today’s news. The trio reacted to Trump’s antagonistic address to allies at th
When Will Diesel Prices and Interest Rates Stop Rising?
On Let’s do Lunch, economist and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress Jared Bernstein answered your burning economics questions with Ernie Tedeschi, Chief Economist at Stripe. Tedeschi is the former Director of Economics at Yale’s Budget Lab, and Former Chief Economist at the White House Council of Economic Advisors under President Joe Biden.The two discussed how the constantly increa
‘Not Trump’ Is Not Enough to Win the Midterms
We have a special edition of the Tea with April Ryan for you today, April took a trip to the annual Congressional Black Caucus conference in DC and chatted with Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL) and Rep. Angie Nixon (D-FL) from the Convention Center.She also had the chance to sit down with Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) to discuss the upcoming midterms and what he wants to see Democrats fight for if they take ov
SCOTUS Protects Mail-In Voting, but the Fight Isn't Over
On the Tea with April Ryan, April chatted with vote.org CEO Andrea Hailey. Vote.org helped 8.3 million people vote in 2024 and lets voters check their registration status, find polling locations, and see what’s on the ballot.April and Andrea talked about the importance of making a concrete plan — and even backup plan — to vote, why 18 year olds are registering to vote in droves, and a recent Supre
The Three Keys to the Midterms: Affordability, Affordability, Affordability
Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson got the chance to sit down with three House candidates who are all fighting to flip swing districts across the midwest: Jake Johnson in Minnesota, Christina Hines in Michigan and Mitchell Berman in Wisconsin.They share strong lived experience in their communities – as a teacher, a prosecutor, and a nurse – that informs their platforms to fight for working cla
The FCC's Failures and Fetterman's RNC Debut
On Coffee with Contrarians earlier this week, editor in chief Jennifer Rubin caught up with independent journalist Jim Acosta.They recapped night one of Trump-a-Palooza and Senator John Fetterman’s (D-PA) cameo at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas, why a voting backup plan is so crucial, and the ongoing destruction of CBS’ “60 Minutes” from within.You can join Coffee with Contrarians, li
Protect Voting Rights, Protect Democracy on October 17th
Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson got the chance to catch up with Ezra Levin. Ezra is the co-founder of Indivisible, one of the leading organizations behind the No Kings events, which have opposed the Trump Administration’s abuses of power through mass peaceful protest and mobilization effortsHe gave us a sneak peak at the next big No Kings action for October 17, a nationwide early voting cam
‘The Economy Is Doing Well, Except for Most of the People in It’
On this week’s Let’s do Lunch, economist and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress Jared Bernstein answered your economics questions with Kyla Scanlon.She’s a contributing columnist for the New York Times opinion page and Foreign Policy, runs her own economics substack which is one of our favorite reads, and is currently working on her second book.They talked about the recent jobs repo
Rep. Angie Nixon Talks McConnell’s Whereabouts, Haitians Losing TPS Status
On the Tea with April Ryan, April chatted with Florida congresswoman Angie Nixon. Angie is running for Senate in the Midterms against MAGA-endorsed Senator Ashley Moody.They discussed seeking justice for Pierre Damas Bel and Haitians who’ve lost legal residency protections under TPS, and Rep. Nixon’s history of fighting Florida’s attempts at undemocratic redistricting through protest.You can join
How Senate Candidate Troy Jackson Is Standing Up for Maine
Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson got the chance to sit down with Troy Jackson. He’s running for Senate in Maine against faux republican moderate Susan Collins, who perpetually voices concern about Trump’s agenda, and then quietly enables it.Troy Jackson may be new to the Maine Senate race, you might remember he got the nomination after Graham Platner was forced out, but he’s been fighting fo
Trump’s Latest L’s in Court and a Guide to Fighting Back
On Coffee with Contrarians, Contrarian publisher Norm Eisen chatted with Skye Perryman, the President and CEO of Democracy Forward.The two updated us on recent court cases they’ve partnered on, the protests at East Potomac golf course, and Skye’s new book! It’s called: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Times, which Hillary Clinton called, “A manual for people who are tired of wringing their hands and
The Legacy of the March on Washington
On the Tea with April Ryan, April chatted with LaTosha Brown, the co-founder of the Black Voters Matter FundThey talked about the bigger meaning of Friday’s March on Washington, the importance of mobilizing Black voters ahead of the midterms.You can join The Tea with April Ryan, live every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30pm ET.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscription helps us bring yo
The Paramount/Warner Bros. Merger Will Harm Vulnerable Communities
On Coffee with Contrarians this morning, Contrarian publisher Norm Eisen chatted with Juan Proaño, the CEO of LULAC. The League of United Latin American Citizens is the largest and oldest Hispanic and Latin-American civil rights organization in the US.Norm and Juan reflected on the iconic Dolly Parton’s life and legacy. Then, the two revealed how the pending merger between Paramount and Warner Bro
Dr. Annie Andrews Wants to Flip South Carolina
After Senator Lindsey Graham’s death in July, his sister Darline Graham was appointed to fill the seat and is now campaigning for a full term.But, after her poor performance during a debate against Republican runoff challenger Rep. Ralph Norman, this Republican stronghold now sits on shaky ground.Dr. Annie Andrews, the Democrat in the race, believes that South Carolinians deserve better than MAGA
Contrarians Fight Trump in Court, and Who is Natalie Harp?
On Coffee with Contrarians this week, Contrarian publisher Norm Eisen spoke with Adam Klasfeld, the Editor in Chief of All Rise News.First, Norm gave us an update on legal cases made possible by all you Contrarians! Then, Norm and Adam discussed Trump’s lavish vanity projects, checked in on Todd Blanche, and wondered what is up with the Natalie Harp situation.You can join us for Coffee with Contra
Dems Are Assembling a Big Tent in Florida
Today on The Contrarian Pod, you’ll hear from two Florida nominees for the statewide ballot who exemplify the Big Tent coalition the Democrats are assembling this November.In an upset last night, democratic socialist candidate Angie Nixon won the nomination for Florida’s Senate seat, beating out Alex Vindman with more than 56% of the vote, Nixon’s win underscores the power of organizing.Nixon talk
Detention Deaths and Shock Gloves: ICE Violence Continues to Escalate
Earlier this week on Coffee with the Contrarians, Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson sat down with special guest Juan Proaño, CEO of LULAC, the League of United Latin American Citizens.They talked about how ICE’s human rights abuses continue to escalate with recent deaths at the Delaney Detention Center in New Jersey, and how Todd Blanche is already a rubber stamp for Trump mere weeks into the
The FDA, RFK, MAHA, and Reality TV
Earlier this month, the Secretary of Health and Human Services unveiled the first episode of a new program “that empowers families to make healthy eating practical, approachable, and affordable,” according to the HHS website.And no, there’s not any roadkill involved. Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson, culture columnist Meredith Blake and editor Meghan Houser discuss RFK’s foray into food medi
How Progressive Economic Policy Can Win Over Voters and the Future of Tariff Refunds
Economist and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress Jared Bernstein is back with Let’s Do Lunch! Jared sat down with Devesh Kodnani, an economist working on his PhD at MIT, where he also works with the Institute for Work and Employment Research. He focuses on how to make jobs good and work better for people.This week, they answered all your questions on progressive economic policy, the
Trump's Many Distractions from the Epstein Files
On Coffee with Contrarians earlier this week, April Ryan chatted with former U.S. Attorney, and friend of the Contrarian, Joyce Vance. They looked at how President Trump is using National Parks Funding for his own personal vanity projects and why, on the 1 year anniversary of the National Guard Deployment to Washington, D.C., we absolutely can't forget about the Epstein Files.You can join Coffee w
Democratic Candidate Jessica Killin Wants to Flip Colorado's 5th District
Jessica Killin is running for Colorado’s 5th district, which encompasses Colorado Springs. Like many in the district, Killin is a military veteran, and she has also served in leadership roles on Capitol Hill and at the White House.She’s up against Republican incumbent Jeff Crank, who Killin argues is more interested in serving Trump than his constituents. We talked about her priorities for the dis
Todd Blanche’s Confirmation Will Cause Irreparable Harm
Last week, The DOJ dismissed its Reflecting Pool “vandalism” case against Olympic Canoeist Davey Hearn. Then, Todd Blanche announced that he officially axed Trump’s $1.8 billion anti-weaponization slush fund, as part of Blanche’s bid to become attorney general.Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson talked about the Administration’s mishandling of these t
What's Next for Todd Blanche's Attorney General Chances
Last week, The DOJ dismissed its Reflecting Pool “vandalism” case against Olympic Canoeist Davey Hearn. Then, Todd Blanche announced that he officially axed Trump’s $1.8 billion anti-weaponization slush fund, as part of Blanche’s bid to become attorney general.Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson talked about the Administration’s mishandling of these t
Epstein Survivors Speak up for Transparency
Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson sat down with Epstein survivors Lara Blume McGee and Sharlene Rochard, about their pursuit for accountability for the Epstein sex trafficking ring. The pair were in D.C. advocating against the attorney general nomination of Todd Blanche whom they accuse of a coverup of the Epstein Files.And, April Ryan chatted with Ashley Etienne [09:39] about her recent op-e
Why Todd Blanche Is Unfit For Attorney General
As of Wednesday afternoon, a Senate judiciary committee vote to advance Todd Blanche’s nomination to become Attorney General is scheduled for Thursday, July 30. Contrarian senior editor Tim Dickinson sat down with Senator Jacky Rosen from Nevada to talk about why Blanche’s mishandling of the release of the Epstein Files and connection to Trump’s $1.776 billion slush fund make him unfit to lead the
Mamdani's Groceries Plan, Tariffs, and Rising Healthcare Costs
On this week’s Let’s Do Lunch, Economist and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Jared Bernstein sat down with with Neale Mahoney. Neale runs the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.They answered questions on private healthcare markets, what factors are driving up the cost of your groceries, and what Trump’s economic harms look like as real numbersYou can catch the Let’
Trump Withdraws NYT Subpoenas and Georgia's Midterm Battle
On The Tea with April Ryan, April caught up with Charles Blow. Charles is a journalist, author, and former New York Times columnistThey talked about Trump walking back his threat to subpoena the Times, how Georgia is raising the stakes for the midterms, and unpacked how Black Americans constantly struggle against political oppression and racially-targeted violence.You can catch the Tea with April
Maggie Haberman on 'Regime Change,' the Definitive Account of Trump's Second Term
On Coffee with Contrarians earlier this week, publisher Norm Eisen chatted with New York Times Politics Reporter Maggie Haberman about her latest book, Regime Change, co-authored with fellow White House reporter Jonathan Swan.Regime Change is an inside look at Trump’s second term, his willingness to use power unlike any other president in American history, and how four years out of office built up
ICE's Shootings in Maine and Texas Aren't Getting Enough Attention
On Coffee with Contrarians earlier this week, I caught up with Juan Proaño and former federal prosecutor Joyce Vance.Juan, you might remember, is the head of LULAC, the nation’s oldest and most important Hispanic civil rights organization. We got on-the-ground ICE updates from Maine and Texas, upcoming elections in Arizona and how DOGE failed us yet again with its cuts in food safety regulation a
Brian Tyler Cohen On His New Book, The Day After
On Coffee with Contrarians earlier this week, our publisher Norm Eisen chatted with Brian Tyler Cohen. He’s the host of the No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen YouTube show and podcast, where he’s chatted with guests like Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and so many more.He’s out with his second book, The Day After, How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World, wh
Renewed Strikes on Iran, June Jobs Report, and AI's Impact on the Workforce
On this week’s Let’s Do Lunch, economist and Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, Jared Bernstein, chatted with Aya Ibrahim. She’s a Senior Fellow for Economic and National Security at the AI Now Institute and a Visiting Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation.After renewed strikes on Iran this week, Jared and Aya discussed their potential impacts on the U.S. domestic economy. They l
What's Next for Dems in Maine's Senate Race?
After Graham Platner’s exit from the Senate race in Maine, Democrats are scrambling to figure out who will face off against Republican incumbent Susan Collins.The upcoming state Convention provides a second chance for Maine voters to make their voices heard — something many Mainers felt they didn’t get the first time around with Platner.Former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart, who now votes in
Todd Blanche’s Upcoming Senate Hearings and ICE Kills a Man on His Way to Work
It’s been a week, and we had a lot to talk through. That’s why we’re bringing you all a special episode today. It’s a double feature!On Thursday’s Coffee with Contrarians, April Ryan got to speak with Maya Wiley. She is the President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. After that, she sat down with Rep. Al Green (D-TX) on The Tea.Assaults on Justice proved to be a recur
DOGE has Destroyed Fair Housing Grants
On Tuesday’s episode of The Tea with April Ryan, April spoke with Lisa Rice, President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance.While discussing the worsening housing affordability crisis, Lisa revealed that DOGE has all but destroyed fair housing grants, jeopardizing the lives of already vulnerable people, all in the name of being “anti-DEI.”The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subsc
Trump Heads to NATO Summit, White Nationalists March on D.C., and World Cup Fever
On Monday’s Coffee with Contrarians, our publisher Norm Eisen chatted with independent journalist and contributor Katie Phang, on everything from the chaotic July 4th celebrations in DC to what happened with Team USA. During their chat, the two previewed Trump’s trip to the NATO summit, analyzed the white nationalist march in Washington, D.C., and discussed the latest in World Cup drama.Coffee wit
America's Legacy: Beacon of Freedom or White Republic?
Ahead of this weekend’s Independence Day celebrations, April Ryan discussed the dichotomy of America with Professor Eddie Glaude, who teaches African American studies and religion at Princeton.The two examined the contradictions between America’s “hope and freedom!” self-proclamations, ‘pull yourself up by the bootstraps’ mentality, and the country’s legacy of racism.Professor Glaude asks, will th
Why SCOTUS Needs Ethics Reform
Yesterday was jam packed with SCOTUS’ final case decisions of the season: trans athletes in sports, campaign finance, and birthright citizenship. To make sense of what exactly these decisions were and their likely implications, April spoke to Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, on The Tea. The Legal Defense Fund is one of the strongest legal organizations in the
How MAGA Weaponizes History and a Historic SCOTUS Win
Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to restrict birthright citizenship is unconstitutional.This means that the court has upheld the 14th amendment and reaffirmed that Trump can’t just take a pen and change the Constitution. Our Publisher Norm Eisen led this litigation alongside the ACLU and was on the steps of SCOTUS when the decisi
SCOTUS' Anti-Immigrant Rulings, Why Trump Derailed Affordable Housing, and Unbiased AI
On the Tea with April Ryan, April sat down with Esosa Osa, the Founder and CEO of Onyx Impact.They looked at the recent SCOTUS ruling allowing Trump to strip Temporary Protected Status from millions of legal immigrants and how Trump derailed a bipartisan bill in Congress that hoped to make housing affordable.Plus, Esosa unveiled the backstory of Onyx Impact’s new digital assistant, Aisha.AI, suppo
Trump's Troubling Health & Mamdani the Kingmaker?
On Coffee with Contrarians, contributor and independent journalist Katie Phang sat down with political pollster, analyst and organizer extraordinaire Simon Rosenberg.They looked at what last night’s primary results in New York could mean for the Midterms, the Senate’s vote on a War Powers Resolution, and Trump’s allegedly deteriorating health.Coffee with Contrarians is live every Monday, Wednesday
MAGA's Latest Scheme to Disrupt the Midterms
Earlier this week, Contrarian Publisher Norm Eisen sat down with former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance on Coffee with Contrarians. They talked about Trump’s reflecting pool disaster, the almost $1.8 billion slush fund, and MAGA’s current plan to disrupt the midterms.Coffee with Contrarians is live every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 9:15 AM ET.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subscript
'We’re Worse Off Than Before Trump Started the War'
Yesterday, Trump and Vance virtually signed an agreement to end the blockade of Iranian ports, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and start 60 days of nuclear negotiations. Contrarian Publisher Norm Eisen sat down with the Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) to talk about the so-called “framework” of a peace deal and Todd Blanche’s nomination as Attorney General.The Contrarian is owned by nobody. Your paid subsc
Inflation Numbers, Oil Prices, Social Security, and the World's First Trillionaire
On this week’s Let’s Do Lunch, economist and Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress Jared Bernstein chatted with Jason Furman, economist and former chair at the Council of Economic Advisers under the Obama administration. Jared and Jason answered all of your burning questions on the economy and went over inflation numbers, oil prices, social security, and the debut of the world’s first tril
Sen. Whitehouse on DHS Funding, Greenland, and more
Greenland, Iceland, whatever Trump is the name of the country has been spared from U.S. invasion — at least for now. What hasn’t been spared is the quickly deteriorating relationships with NATO allies. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jen discuss NATO’s future, Trump’s submissiveness towards Russia, and the Democrats’ dilemma over an impending DHS appropriations bill. The Contrarian is owned
Why Escalating Rhetoric and Abuses of Justice Put Us All At Risk
Traditionally, it’s authoritarian dictators — not democratically elected presidents — who call for the execution of their perceived political enemies. Yet, President Trump claimed six Democratic senators are seditionists and added “DEATH!” to the end of a recent Truth Social post.Senator Chris Coons from Delaware and Jen Rubin talked about why Trump’s escalating rhetoric is a danger, not only to t
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