Best Chris Lehmann Podcasts (2025)

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The Deep Politics of the Government Shutdown w/ Chris Lehmann 37:02

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3d ago37:02

37:02

Donald Trump has plunged the nation into another government shutdown. I spoke with my Nation colleague Chris Lehmann about the larger political stakes. We take up Trump’s shifting rhetoric, which has started with false and racist claims about undocumented immigrants receiving benefits and now seems to be about gloating over austerity. We also take …

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Who Are the Shooters? w/ Ken Klippenstein 41:59

10d ago41:59

41:59

The United States continues to be roiled by political violence, with the recent shooting at an ICE facility in Dallas coming hot on the heels of the assassination of Charlie Kirk and a school shooting in Colorado committed by a neo-Nazi. Some of the best reporting on these events has been done by Ken Klippenstein for his Substack. I spoke with Ken …

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What Bari Weiss Is Really Up To w/ David Klion 42:12

17d ago42:12

42:12

Bari Weiss, founder and editor of The Free Press, has often been profiled in the media, but usually in a superficial way that focuses on her personality and disputes with fellow journalists. She is currently on the cusp of great power, reportedly working on a deal to sell The Free Press and take a senior position at CBS. David Klion, Nation columni…

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The Failures of the Foreign Policy Elite w/ Matt Duss 40:13

24d ago40:13

40:13

Matt Duss, vice-president of the Center for International Policy, wrote an excellent review for The Nation of Bob Woodward’s book War, which is a celebration of Joe Biden as a foreign policy sage. Duss is rightly skeptical of the book. We discuss Biden’s actual record on Ukraine and especially Gaza. Matt’s essay on this topic for Foreign Policy is …

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Dark Money Invades Social Media w/ Taylor Lorenz 41:11

1M ago41:11

41:11

On August 27, journalist Taylor Lorenz reported for Wired on a dark-money project funded by anonymous Democratic Party donors to shape social media. Her article documented that, "In a private group chat in June, dozens of Democratic political influencers discussed whether to take advantage of an enticing opportunity. They were being offered $8,000 …

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Preparing for the Next War on Iran w/ Trita Parsi 39:08

1M ago39:08

39:08

The Iran-Israel conflict in June was terrifying but brief: it lasted 12 days. But that war is not over. Trita Parsi, vice president and cofounder of the Quincy Institute, has been warning that both the United States and Israel are planning for another round, with their European allies providing the groundwork. I spoke to Parsi about the likelihood …

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The Great Canadian Betrayal w/ Luke Savage 43:29

2M ago43:29

43:29

In April, the Liberal Party of Canada, under the leadership of Mark Carney, won an election that heartened opponents of the right-wing. Carney had run on the promise of fighting Donald Trump’s threats to annex Canada and also to bolster the Canadian state to deal with issues like affordable housing. But in office, Carney has been delivering somethi…

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Working in the New Scam Economy w/ Alex Sammon 42:10

2M ago42:10

42:10

Almost everyone who is on line or even has a cell phone has encountered a familiar and perplexing nuisance: an email or text with a job offer to make lots of money while working from home. These messages seem like obvious scams but how do they work? Alexander Sammon, a feature writer for Slate, conducted a personal experiment to find out by taking …

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Zohran Mamdani’s Social Media Triumph w/ Greg Sargent 37:23

2M ago37:23

37:23

Writing in The New Republic, Greg Sargent called attention to Zohran Mamdani’s highly effective media strategy which has allowed him to reach many voters that have been drifting away from the Democratic Party, especially young people and immigrants. In punchy, short videos, Mamdani has offered an optimistic message that celebrates big city life and…

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Donald Trump’s Foreign Policy Betrayal w/ Stephen Wertheim 42:37

2M ago42:37

42:37

Since 2015, Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized the American foreign policy establishment for being too belligerent and unwilling to negotiate with adversaries. But in office, Trump has carried out a foreign policy that has all the vices he has criticized and been even more inclined to risk war or get into new wars. In a recent essay in The New …

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How the Tech Billionaires Bought Radical Journalists w/ Eoin Higgins 46:28

3M ago46:28

46:28

Tech lords such as Peter Thiel and Elon Musk are among the richest humans who have ever lived and have an enormous sway over the American political system but even that isn’t enough for them. They also want a compliant media, one that echoes their ideas, doesn’t investigate their business practices, and goes after their enemy. This is the subject o…

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The Roots of Trump’s Foreign Policy Instability w/ Justin Logan 41:36

3M ago41:36

41:36

Donald Trump’s foreign policy has been as unstable as the man himself, shifting quickly from pushes for restraint to escalating wars in the Middle East. This volatility is a function not just of Trump’s personality but the contradictions and competing factions that are gathered under the term America First, as well as the continued power of the for…

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How Jeff Bezos Betrayed the Legacy of The Washington Post w/ Pamela Alma Weymouth 37:29

3M ago37:29

37:29

Writing in The Nation, Pamela Alma Weymouth drew a contrast between Kay Graham, her late grandmother who was publisher of The Washington Post when it fought Richard Nixon’s administration on The Pentagon Papers and Watergate, with the current owner of the newspaper, Jeff Bezos. Unlike Graham, Bezos has been all too willing to bend the knee to a cor…

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The Never Trump Crowd Still Loves Mid-East Wars 53:47

3M ago53:47

53:47

Over the last decade, centrist Democrats have diligent courted Never Trump Republicans, hoping that this cohort could help create a new consensus politics to oppose the MAGA coalition. From the start, this strategy seemed flawed: after all, this faction is very small and also carries a lot of baggage. In particular, neo-conservatives such as Willia…

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A Book Imprint from The Nation Magazine Launches with Bhaskar Sunkara and Colin Robinson 38:01

4M ago38:01

38:01

The Nation Magazine, known for its long and storied history as a publisher of in-depth political and cultural analysis, has launched a new book imprint with OR Books. The Nation’s president, Bhaskar Sunkara, and OR Books publisher, Colin Robinson, joined editor Caleb Zakarin to discuss the project and the upcoming slate of books set for publication…

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Elon Musk and Silicon Valley Drug Culture 42:42

4M ago42:42

42:42

Both The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal have reported that Elon Musk, currently trying to mend a feud with his quondam political ally Donald Trump, is a heavy user of mind alternating substances ranging from Ketamine to LSD to mushrooms to cocaine. While this story has been treated as one about the foibles of one increasingly erratic po…

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Michael Ledeen and Trumpian Fascism 45:44

4M ago45:44

45:44

Michael Ledeen, who died on May 17 at age 83, was a prominent figure on the American right since the 1970s. He is most famous, or notorious, as one of the instigators of the Iran/Contra scandal, helping to connect the Reagan administration with an Iranian arms dealer. Beyond that, he was active not just as a writer but also as an activists who ofte…

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Taking David Horowitz Seriously 52:22

5M ago52:22

52:22

The late David Horowitz, who died in April at age 86, was often dismissed as a fringe figure not just by liberals and leftists but even many on the right. Horowitz would often complain that his books — crude polemics with titles such as BLITZ: Trump Will Smash the Left and Win (2020) and The Enemy Within: How a Totalitarian Movement Is Destroying A…

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The Perils and Promise of Trump’s Middle East Gamble 42:54

5M ago42:54

42:54

On his latest trip to the Middle East, Donald Trump is making big news. He’s indicating a receptiveness to making a deal with Iran trading normalization for nuclear non-proliferation. He ended the bombing campaign against Yemen and is also pushing for normalization with Syria. Further, the White House has sidestepped Israel in order to have direct …

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How Crypto Corruption Took Over Washington 48:24

5M ago48:24

48:24

On this episode of The Time of Monsters, Jacob Silverman on why it’s hard to regulate the high tech ponzi economics. Over the last few years, crypto-currency has emerged as a political powerhouse, thanks to tens of billions in campaign donations. As Jacob Silverman reports in a recent feature in The Nation, “crypto, despite being a relative flop co…

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RIVERS OF NIHIL (Andy Thomas)| EP 186 1:29:49

5M ago1:29:49

1:29:49

Andy Thomas, guitarist for Rivers of Nihil, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:12:10 The Sound of Period Instruments and Fixed Bridge Guitars 00:17:50 The Debate on Coated Guitar Strings 00:23:13 Vibrato Techniques for an EverTune 00:33:57 Mastering Complex Guitar Techniques for Live Performances 00:39:36 Managing Stage Presenc…

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The Secret Clubhouse for Reactionary Plutocrat 41:57

5M ago41:57

41:57

Silicon Valley has moved to the right in the last few years, with Elon Musk being the public face of a larger trend of tech lords aligning themselves with Trumpism. We now have a window into just how reactionary Silicon Valley has become thanks to reporting about private group chats where the tech elite gather to complain about wokeness and celebra…

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EPICA (Isaac Delahaye) | EP 185 1:06:41

5M ago1:06:41

1:06:41

Isaac Delahaye, guitarist for Epica, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:04:20 Crafting the Perfect Song: Finding the Groove 00:12:28 Navigating Constructive Criticism in Bands 00:21:29 The Importance of Simplicity in Music Production 00:29:47 Challenges in Mixing Orchestral Metal Music 00:46:19 Top Metal Mixers: Ranking the Bes…

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Trump’s Trade War is Also a Class War w/ Marshall Steinbaum 43:44

6M ago43:44

43:44

Donald Trump’s tariff war is usually framed in terms of how it would impact consumers and America’s relationship with other countries, but it is also part of a larger project to remake taxation policy. Trump is very explicit that he wants tariffs to replace personal and corporate taxes with tariffs as the main source of revenue. As such, tariffs ar…

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Trump Upturns Canadian Politics w/ Luke Savage 50:36

6M ago50:36

50:36

Even as he imposes authoritarianism on the United States, Donald Trump has given a new lease on life to the center left in many other countries. Canada is holding an election at the end of April under the shadow of the American presidents threat to turn it into the 51st state. Until Trump’s inauguration, the Conservative Party of Canada had a comma…

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CRADLE OF FILTH (Donny Burbage) | EP 184 1:26:21

6M ago1:26:21

1:26:21

Donny Burbage, guitarist for Cradle of Filth, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:05:03 The Swedish Influence on Melodic Metal 00:22:20 Frustrations with College Education System 00:33:32 The Art of Genre Switching in Music 00:39:01 Crafting "Redneck Vikings from Hell" 00:49:42 Preparing for the Gig: Three Weeks to Learn the Set…

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PALEFACE SWISS (Yannick Lehmann) | EP 183 55:21

6M ago55:21

55:21

Yannick Lehmann, guitarist of Paleface Swiss, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:03:11 The Importance of Enjoyable Exercise 00:06:50 Preparing Mentally for a Stage Performance 00:10:07 Guitar Picking Techniques for More Power 00:23:28 Crafting a Raw and Authentic Album 00:27:03 Songwriting Process with Reaper 00:34:40 Exploring…

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The Making of Chuck Schumer w/ David Klion 56:15

6M ago56:15

56:15

By helping the Republicans pass a spending bill that made no compromises with the Democrats and extend Donald Trump’s power over the government, Chuck Schumer has made himself widely unpopular in his own party. Anger at Schumer is so intense that he had to cancel parts of his tour to promote his new book Antisemitism in America: A Warning. David Kl…

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The Real Scandal is Bombing Yemen, Not the Group Chat w/ Matt Duss 30:52

6M ago30:52

30:52

This week Washington was abuzz with a security scandal over a group chat planning the bombing of Yemen accidentally included magazine editor Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic. Lost amid the finger pointing about operational security was the fact that the bombing of Yemen is illegal, immoral, and ineffective. To take up the actual scandal of the war,…

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Trump’s New Middle Eastern Wars w/ Yousef Munayyer 44:46

7M ago44:46

44:46

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas turned out to be short lived: Israel has now decisively broken the ceasefire and launched an even more intense onslaught into Gaza. Coupled with this renewed attack, Israel (sometimes in conjunction with the united States) is also carrying on military campaigns against Yemen, Lebanon and Syria, with rumors flo…

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Noam Chomsky and the Fight Against Empire w/ Daniel Bessner 42:20

7M ago42:20

42:20

For nearly seven decades, Noam Chomsky has been the most important critic of American foreign policy. Daniel Besser, co-host of the Nation podcast, American Prestige, recently reviewed for the magazine a new book authored by Chomsky and Nathan J. Robinson, The Myth of American Idealism. In his review, Daniel both extolled Chomsky’s monumental achie…

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Trump Upturns American Foreign Policy w/ Stephen Wertheim 29:16

7M ago29:16

29:16

During his first term in office, Donald Trump often talked about his radical America First agenda but in practice his foreign policy was that of a conventional Republican hawk. Just five weeks into his second term, there has been a marked shift. As Stephen Wertheim, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, recently noted i…

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WHITECHAPEL (Zach Householder) | EP 182 1:30:40

7M ago1:30:40

1:30:40

Zach Householder, guitarist of Whitechapel, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:05:53 Copyright and Musical Originality 00:12:12 European Tour Recap 00:17:46 Crafting Impactful Riffs 00:23:43 The Importance of a Second Set of Ears in Songwriting 00:35:29 Optimizing Guitar Speaker and Mic Setup 00:52:32 The Intersection of Talent…

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KILLSWITCH ENGAGE (Joel Stroetzel) | EP 181 59:05

8M ago59:05

59:05

Joel Stroetzel, guitarist of Killswitch Engage, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:04:30 Practice Techniques 00:11:40 Mastering Picking Patterns 00:15:15 Studio Recording Techniques 00:18:34 The Challenge of New Song Releases in Metal Bands 00:21:31 Customizing Your In-Ear Monitor Mix 00:28:50 Transition to Kemper Amps 00:32:23…

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IMPELLITTERI (Chris Impellitteri) | EP 180 1:02:33

8M ago1:02:33

1:02:33

Chris Impellitteri joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:03:53 Visual Learning and Guitar Sight Reading Challenges 00:11:35 Influences of Gary Moore and Blues Roots 00:23:13 Hybrid Picking Techniques 00:27:11 Advanced Guitar Techniques: String Sequences and Patterns 00:31:28 Eddie Van Halen's Influence on Guitar Technique 00:43:05…

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SILENOZ (Dimmu Borgir) | EP 179 1:07:13

8M ago1:07:13

1:07:13

Silenoz, guitarist of Dimmu Borgir, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:04:25 Integrating Keyboards in Metal Music 00:12:26 The Importance of Fresh Perspectives in Music Production 00:16:42 The Rehearsal Process: Rediscovering Songs 00:24:55 Evolution of Practice in Metal Music 00:29:14 Advancements in Amp Sim Technology 00:37:0…

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Project 2025 For Real w/ Chris Lehmann 36:43

8M ago36:43

36:43

Running for president last year, Donald Trump disowned Project 2025, the laundry list of radical demands gathered together by right-wing think tanks. Trump claimed Project 2025 had no influence on him and was only being raised by Democrats as a political attack. But now Trump is in power, he’s enacting an agenda of dismantling the welfare state tha…

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MARCO COTI ZELATI (Lacuna Coil) | EP 178 1:05:53

9M ago1:05:53

1:05:53

Marco Coti Zelati, guitarist of Lacuna Coil, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. SUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/RIFFHARDPODCAST LISTEN ON SPOTIFY AND APPLE: https://spoti.fi/3orTur3 https://apple.co/3BROI9t FOLLOW EYAL & RIFFHARD: https://www.instagram.com/eyalleviurmaudio/ https://www.instagram.com/weriffhard/…

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The Paranoid Style of David Samuels 45:30

9M ago45:30

45:30

On this episode of The Time of Monsters, David Klion and Matt Duss on a popular right-wing fabulist. Has former president Barack Obama secretly been running the American elite — including the media and wide parts of the government — for nearly 20 years? Has he been doing so on behalf of a subversive agenda to empower Iran and undermine American exc…

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BRODY UTTLEY (Rivers Of Nihil) | EP 177 54:33

9M ago54:33

54:33

Brody Uttley, guitarist in Rivers Of Nihil, joins Eyal on the Riffhard podcast. In This Episode: 00:03:19 Unearthed EP: A Time Travel Music Surprise 00:06:21 Evolution Of Songwriting Techniques 00:09:38 Beginners Guide To Recording Metal 00:13:10 The Evolution Of Song Arrangements In Metal And Prog 00:23:52 Strategies For Refreshing Creativity 00:3…