To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

You are not the crazy ones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episodes

Harry Litman: The Comey Indictment and the Insurrection Act

October 5, 2025 • 44 mins
Charlie Sykes and former U.S. attorney Harry Litman unpack the escalating legal and constitutional crises of the Trump era. From the unprecedented ICE raid in Chicago to the flimsy indictment of James Comey, Litman explains why these actions strike at the core of the rule of law. The conversation also turns to the looming threat of the Insurrection Act and what it could mean for the future of the American experiment.

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Olivia Troye: The Enemy Within, Shutdowns, and Jane Goodall

October 2, 2025 • 48 mins
Charlie Sykes and Olivia Troye take a journey through the week’s political turmoil — from Trump’s Oval Office trolling and the specter of a third term to the weaponization of ICE and the military’s role in domestic politics. Drawing on Olivia’s firsthand experiences inside the Trump administration, the two discuss how fear and intimidation reshape institutions and the lives of public servants. Amid the gloom, they pause to reflect ...

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Paul Rieckhoff: Grievance, Guns, and Power

September 30, 2025 • 44 mins
Charlie Sykes sits down with Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Independent Veterans of America, for a wide-ranging conversation about America’s mass shooting crisis, the culture of grievance fueling extremism, and the dangerous consolidation of presidential power. Rieckhoff highlights the role of isolation and disconnection among young men, the failures of political leadership, and the urgent need for new role models. It's not all bad new...

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Nicholas Grossman: UN Escalators, NATO, and Free Speech

September 28, 2025 • 55 mins
Charlie Sykes is joined by Nicholas Grossman to unpack another chaotic week in politics and foreign affairs. From Trump’s bizarre UN speech and a mysterious generals’ meeting to the flip-flop on Ukraine and the Comey indictment, they examine what these moments reveal about America’s democratic resilience and vulnerabilities. They also look at how Jimmy Kimmel’s unexpected comeback has sparked a national conversation about free spee...

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David French: Free Speech, Cancel Culture, and the Kimmel Moment

September 25, 2025 • 50 mins
Charlie Sykes welcomes David French back to the podcast to unpack the fallout from Jimmy Kimmel’s viral monologue and Donald Trump’s failed attempt to cancel him. Together they explore why government pressure on speech crosses a bright constitutional line, how cancel culture has backfired across the political spectrum, and why Americans must return to first principles of free expression. The conversation also dives into Trump’s shi...

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Julian Zelizer: Power and Punishment

September 23, 2025 • 38 mins
Charlie Sykes and historian Julian Zelizer take a hard look at a whirlwind week of political intimidation, weaponized investigations, and the GOP’s muted response. Zelizer explains how public commands to the Justice Department, lawsuits used as tools of intimidation, and attacks on the press fit into a broader pattern that risks normalizing authoritarian tactics. The institutions that once restrained excess still matter, but they w...

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Daniel Drezner: Trump 2.0, Free Speech, and Foreign Policy Failures

September 21, 2025 • 40 mins
Charlie Sykes talks with Daniel Drezner, academic dean and distinguished professor at Tufts University’s Fletcher School, to discuss the evolution of Trump from “toddler-in-chief” to something far more troubling. They explore how Trump’s “Pence-proofed” administration is reshaping American democracy, his escalating attacks on the media, and the international fallout from his foreign policy blunders. From strained alliances in Asia ...

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Adam Kinzinger: Free Speech Under Siege

September 18, 2025 • 41 mins
Charlie Sykes is joined by former Congressman Adam Kinzinger to unpack the mounting threats to free speech in America. They examine Donald Trump’s escalating lawsuits, the dangerous conflation of criticism with “hate speech,” and the broader culture of intimidation that chills dissent. Together, they reflect on the lessons of history, the hypocrisy of cancel culture, and why this is a pivotal moment to defend democratic principles....

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Tom Nichols: Into Darkness

September 16, 2025 • 52 mins
Charlie Sykes and Tom Nichols return to “the gloom” for a conversation about political violence, creeping authoritarianism, and the weaponization of tragedy. They explore how figures like Donald Trump and Stephen Miller are openly embracing rhetoric and policies with fascist undertones, while allies and opponents alike struggle to respond. From propaganda to the weakening of America’s “democratic immune system,” the discussion conf...

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Garry Kasparov: Putin, Poland, and the Peril of American Democracy

September 14, 2025 • 45 mins
Former world chess champion and democracy activist Garry Kasparov joins Charlie Sykes to discuss Russia’s escalating war, including the deliberate drone strike on Poland. He warns how Vladimir Putin thrives on testing NATO’s resolve while Donald Trump’s response further weakens Western unity. Kasparov also explains why America’s fragile democratic norms face their most dangerous test yet.

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Jonathan Rauch: The Rise of the Woke Right

September 11, 2025 • 47 mins
Charlie Sykes is joined by Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution and The Atlantic for a conversation recorded just as news of the shooting of Charlie Kirk broke. The conversation touches on the rise of political violence, the collapse of civic norms, and the spread of postmodern thinking on the right. Rauch explains how truth is being replaced by narrative, why patrimonialism defines Donald Trump’s style of governance, and ho...

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Garrett Graff: America Tips Into Fascism

September 9, 2025 • 46 mins
Charlie Sykes sits down with historian and journalist Garrett Graff to examine his recent warning that America has entered a dangerous slide toward authoritarianism. From federal occupations of U.S. cities and extrajudicial killings abroad to the intimidation of business leaders and the hollowing out of Congress, Graff argues the guardrails of democracy are collapsing. They talk about whether the nation has already crossed the tipp...

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Paula Kerger: PBS is Not Going Anywhere

September 7, 2025 • 41 mins
Charlie Sykes sits down with Paula Kerger, the longest-serving president and CEO of PBS, to discuss the unprecedented defunding of public broadcasting. Kerger explains how the loss of federal support threatens hundreds of local stations, particularly in rural communities, and why this moment is a critical test for the future of public media. They also discuss the stakes for children’s programming, emergency alerts, and cultural pro...

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Tara Palmeri: A Pivotal Week in the Epstein Cover-up

September 5, 2025 • 38 mins
Tara Palmeri and Charlie Sykes discuss a pivotal week in the Jeffrey Epstein case, as dozens of survivors gathered on Capitol Hill demanding the release of long-secret files. They examine the political maneuvering in Congress, the surprising alliances forming around transparency, and the intense pressure victims face in speaking out.

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David Frum: Trump’s Costly Failures

September 4, 2025 • 47 mins
Charlie Sykes sits down with David Frum of The Atlantic to unpack the mounting costs of Donald Trump’s foreign policy decisions. From alienating India and Australia to emboldening China and Russia, Frum explains how short-sighted vanity and corruption are leaving the United States increasingly isolated. The conversation also covers Trump’s entanglement with the Epstein story, the misuse of tariffs, and the growing risks of authorit...

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Ali Breland: Nick Fuentes and the Far Right’s Rising Influence

August 31, 2025 • 39 mins
Charlie Sykes is joined by Ali Breland of The Atlantic to discuss his recent article, America’s Next Top Racist. They examine how Nick Fuentes has built a devoted following, pushed the GOP further right, and influenced both rhetoric and policy despite his openly racist views. The conversation explores why Fuentes’ rise matters, how mainstream figures have failed to contain him, and what this means for the future of American politic...

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Sarah McLaughlin: Authoritarians in the Academy

August 28, 2025 • 39 mins
Charlie Sykes speaks with Sarah McLaughlin, senior scholar at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, about her new book Authoritarians in the Academy. They explore how foreign governments and domestic pressures alike are eroding free expression on U.S. campuses, from disinviting speakers to surveilling international students. McLaughlin warns that universities face a crisis of values—and that protecting academic freed...

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Zee Cohen-Sanchez: Beating Charlie Kirk at his Own Game

August 26, 2025 • 39 mins
Charlie Sykes sits down with organizer Zee Cohen-Sanchez, founder of National Ground Game, to talk about the fight for young voters on America’s campuses. They dig into why conservative groups like Turning Point USA are outpacing Democrats in building infrastructure and community for Gen Z, and how online influencers from Charlie Kirk to Nick Fuentes are shaping the landscape. The conversation also explores the challenges of progre...

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What Makes You Think They Won’t Come for You?

August 24, 2025 • 31 mins
Charlie Sykes unpacks a week of extraordinary events—from the FBI raid on John Bolton’s home to Trump’s humiliating summit with Vladimir Putin and the alarming expansion of visa surveillance. He warns that these actions aren’t isolated but part of a broader campaign of intimidation and authoritarian drift. Sykes argues that if the government can weaponize its powers against critics and outsiders, it’s only a matter of time before i...

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Chris Cillizza: The Rubber Band Theory

August 21, 2025 • 47 mins
Charlie Sykes sits down with journalist Chris Cillizza to unpack his "rubber band theory" of American democracy and how Trump-era politics may stretch institutions beyond repair. The two also debate Gavin Newsom’s political future, Elon Musk’s latest pivots, and why the Epstein files refuse to fade from the headlines.

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