Home Podcasts Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast
Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

MS NOW, Chris Hayes 456 Episodes Aug 18, 2026

Every week Chris Hayes asks the big questions that keep him up at night. How do we make sense of this unprecedented moment in world history? Why is this (all) happening? This podcast starts to answer these questions. Writers, experts, and thinkers who are also trying to get to the bottom of them join Chris to break it all down and help him get a better night’s rest.

Episodes

How to Stop Dictators with Zack Beauchamp
How to Stop Dictators with Zack Beauchamp Aug 18, 2026 01:06:10 We’re now in the second year of Donald Trump’s second term. And there’s a lot to be concerned about as it relates to the future of American democracy. How can everyday people push back against authoritarianism and antidemocratic forces? Zack Beauchamp is a senior correspondent at Vox. He’s also the author of “The Reactionary Spirit,” a book about this topic. Beauchamp joins WITHpod to discuss Demo
Fossil Fuels: A ‘Weapon of War’ with Antonia Juhasz
Fossil Fuels: A ‘Weapon of War’ with Antonia Juhasz Aug 11, 2026 00:54:27 There’s a lot to unpack about the risk of a historic global oil supply shock amid the U.S. war with Iran. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and other regions continues to drive fuel hoarding, panic buying and a marked rise in costs. Meanwhile, significant hurdles continue to impede efforts to transition to more green energy. Antonia Juhasz is an investigative journalist specializing in energy, a
Where Do EVs Go From Here? with Patrick George
Where Do EVs Go From Here? with Patrick George Aug 4, 2026 00:53:44 This was the first summer that Chris and his family took their annual road trip in an electric vehicle through the Midwest. It was doable, but not without some challenges. Where are we with regards to EVs in the U.S. and where do we go from here? Patrick George is the Detroit Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal. He joins WITHpod to discuss the logistics, policy and infrastructure hurdles that
The 'Broken' U.S. Border with Ken Salazar
The 'Broken' U.S. Border with Ken Salazar Jul 28, 2026 00:46:45 There’s no question that Trump’s 2024 win was in large part driven by chaos at the border. He still polls best in this area even as approval rates fall in other areas like inflation. There’s a lot to discuss about why this is the case. Ken Salazar is a former senator from Colorado, served as U.S. Secretary of the Interior in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2013 and as United States ambassado
The Betting Craze with Bobby Allyn
The Betting Craze with Bobby Allyn Jul 21, 2026 00:53:45 It seems like you can bet on anything nowadays and like you can make a wager on practically everything. Examples of the proliferation of this can be seen everywhere from service members betting on insider knowledge, to people making bets on sports games. One of the most mind-blowing aspects of all of this is that companies that dominate the betting space, like Polymarket and Kalshi, are essentiall
Soccer as a ‘Universal Language’ with Ayman Mohyeldin
Soccer as a ‘Universal Language’ with Ayman Mohyeldin Jul 14, 2026 00:58:04 The World Cup is captivating to watch not just for the sports element, but also for the profound global tensions that it highlights. From intense matches between former colonial powers and the nations they once colonized, to heavy concerns about corruption and the treatment of international teams by foreign governments, the games tell a layered geopolitical story. At the same time, fandom also uni
Strict Scrutiny x WITHpod SCOTUS Review Crossover
Strict Scrutiny x WITHpod SCOTUS Review Crossover Jul 7, 2026 00:57:41 Well, it’s that time of the year again when the ladies of Strict Scrutiny join Chris to break down the latest ways in which SCOTUS has taken a sledgehammer to constitutional principles. There's a lot to discuss as the 2025-2026 term was another consequential one. Kate Shaw, Melissa Murray and Leah Litman, co-hosts of Strict Scrutiny, join to break down some of the biggest decisions this most recen
Andrew Tate’s “Empire of Abuse” with Heidi Blake
Andrew Tate’s “Empire of Abuse” with Heidi Blake Jun 30, 2026 00:43:44 There’s so many scandals in this era. And one of the biggest ones has to do with highly controversial brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate who have built massive followings online as right wing anti-feminist, misogynistic and pro-patriarchal influencers. The two, who hold dual citizenship in the U.S. and U.K., face multiple legal investigations related to allegations of human trafficking, rape, and or
The ‘Hellish Cauldron’ of American Politics with Alex Wagner
The ‘Hellish Cauldron’ of American Politics with Alex Wagner Jun 23, 2026 00:47:34 Well, we just wrapped our special 8-part miniseries “The AI End Game,” and we’re back to regular new episodes of WITHpod. There’s a lot to discuss since the start of the miniseries a few weeks ago. Alex Wagner is an MS NOW senior political analyst and the host of “Runaway Country” on Crooked. She’s also the author “How the Hell with Alex Wagner” on Substack. She joins WITHpod to discuss the real p
The AI End Game: Is AI Alive? with Michael Pollan
The AI End Game: Is AI Alive? with Michael Pollan Jun 16, 2026 00:49:40 Scientists, philosophers, and artists all agree: consciousness is a unique feeling. And at the same time, one of the world’s most confounding and complex questions remains: what exactly is this feeling? Is it awareness? Is it thoughts? Feelings? Michael Pollan joins WITHpod to share what he’s learned about the force that animates all of us. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to
The AI End Game: Boom to Bust? with Ed Zitron
The AI End Game: Boom to Bust? with Ed Zitron Jun 9, 2026 00:55:23 There’s a lot to unpack about the economic effects of artificial intelligence. It’s clear that artificial intelligence is having a moment (to say the least) and that it has a profound impact on global GDP. But is it just a boom that will bust? Ed Zitron, author and host of the “Better Offline” podcast, is deeply worried about the long-term viability of the industry. He points out that AI lacks the
The AI End Game: Is Your Chatbot Conscious? with David Chalmers
The AI End Game: Is Your Chatbot Conscious? with David Chalmers Jun 2, 2026 00:51:48 David Chalmers, one of the most preeminent philosophers and researchers in cognitive science, argues that nothing prevents machines from becoming truly conscious. Chalmers, who has studied the mind for decades, points out that there is a real possibility of AI creating a next stage of intelligence that is even capable of redesigning itself. He joins WITHpod to discuss what consciousness is and the

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