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
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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