Podcast · 147 episodes
The Opinions, page 6
by The New York Times Opinion · English
You've heard the news, here's what to make of it.
All episodes, page 6
The ‘Fork in the Road’ After Charlie Kirk’s DeathThe podcast discusses the shooting and killing of influential conservative youth figure Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University and uses it to examine rising U.S.13 Sep 2025 · 31 min · 10 chapters
When Authoritarianism Looms, Old Friends ReuniteThe episode is a moderated discussion (Robert Siegel) with New York Times columnist David Brooks and E.J. Dionne (NYT contributing opinion writer) about whether the U.S.11 Sep 2025 · 28 min · 16 chapters
What Germany Did That America Still Hasn’tBryan Stevenson argues that the Trump era threatens civil rights and the rule of law, and that America must “tell the truth” about slavery, lynching, and segregation through narrative institutions…10 Sep 2025 · 27 min · 12 chapters
Three Opinion Writers on Whether Congress Can Rein in TrumpWhether Congress can rein in Trump, focusing on (1) the imminent federal funding fight and risk of a shutdown, (2) Trump’s “pocket rescissions” clawing back Congress-approved money, and (3) pressure…6 Sep 2025 · 39 min · 17 chapters
Tom Friedman’s A.I. Nightmare and What the U.S. Can Do to Avoid ItTom Friedman argues the U.S. shouldn’t treat AI as a zero-sum “race” to beat China.3 Sep 2025 · 25 min · 14 chapters
Replay: This Jail in Rural Maine Is a Model for Treating Opioid AddictionA rural Maine jail opioid-treatment pilot using monthly injectable buprenorphine (Sublocade) to reduce withdrawal, overdose risk, and deaths after release, arguing jails are an underused treatment…27 Aug 2025 · 14 min · 5 chapters
Replay: Kristi Noem and the MAGA Beauty AestheticThe episode analyzes “MAGA beauty,” a conservative female aesthetic that signals politics through hair, makeup, clothing, and accessories, and how it can amplify virality and power.20 Aug 2025 · 19 min · 11 chapters
Trump’s Political Theater Won’t Save D.C.President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C. and his move to take control of the D.C.16 Aug 2025 · 34 min · 21 chapters
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s Impact So Far: ‘The Worst Possible Case’Emily Oster and David Wallace-Wells discuss RFK Jr.’s impact at HHS, focusing on vaccine policy (including cutting $500M for mRNA research) and food policy, arguing the result is “the worst possible…13 Aug 2025 · 27 min · 9 chapters
A.I. Is Fueling a ‘Poverty of Imagination.’ Here’s How We Can Fix It.AI in higher education, arguing it’s overhyped (“mid-tech”) and can hollow out learning, critical thinking, privacy, and trust; professors should redesign courses around community, transparency, and…12 Aug 2025 · 30 min · 14 chapters
Trump Is a Totem For Wealth. What Happens If the Economy Crashes?The episode argues that Trump’s “assault on institutions” is both capricious and intentional—aimed at undermining public trust in economic data and election rules.9 Aug 2025 · 35 min · 12 chapters
This Pastor Thought Being Gay Was a Sin. Then His 15-Year-Old Came Out.An evangelical pastor and his son recount how the father believed homosexuality was a sin, then watched his 15-year-old son come out as gay, forcing both to rethink theology and church life.6 Aug 2025 · 19 min · 9 chapters
Is There a Smart Way to Cede Power to Donald Trump?Whether there’s a “smart” or legitimate way for elite universities to cede power to the Trump administration via settlements after Gaza-era campus protests, and what those deals mean for academic…5 Aug 2025 · 27 min · 11 chapters
Why Starvation in Gaza Has Reached a Tipping PointGaza starvation reaching a “tipping point,” with UN-affiliated warnings that the worst-case famine scenario has been reached after aid freezes; growing U.S.2 Aug 2025 · 36 min · 18 chapters
Thin, White and Right: The Ideal Christian WomanHow conservative/Christian wellness influencers promote an “ideal Christian woman” defined by extreme thinness, traditional femininity, and moralized eating—framing dieting as self-control, purity,…30 Jul 2025 · 21 min · 11 chapters
‘African American’ Is Awkward. It’s Time to Use ‘Black.’The episode of The Opinions (NYT Opinion) is about how Americans should label racial and ethnic groups, arguing that language choices should follow group preferences, context, and public opinion.29 Jul 2025 · 25 min · 7 chapters
What the Democratic Party Still Doesn’t Get About DeportationsDemocrats’ failure to counter Trump’s mass-deportation agenda; discussion of how ICE enforcement is escalating in U.S. cities and how Democrats could reshape the immigration narrative.26 Jul 2025 · 34 min · 12 chapters
I’m a Genocide Scholar. I Know It When I See It.Historian Omer Bartov argues that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide, explaining how his view evolved from a November 2023 warning about possible genocide to a May 2024 conclusion that Gaza…23 Jul 2025 · 27 min · 10 chapters
There Is Hope for Democrats. Look to Kansas.Democrats’ future should be guided by successful state governors, using Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly as a model for winning in a deeply Republican state.22 Jul 2025 · 24 min · 13 chapters
Trump, Epstein and a Stinging SCOTUS DissentThe episode of The Opinions (NYT Opinion) argues that two major developments expose fractures in MAGA and raise concerns about expanding presidential power.19 Jul 2025 · 35 min · 11 chapters
‘Jeopardy!’ Is a Reminder that Facts Are Fun — and EssentialKen Jennings argues that “trivia” is actually essential cultural literacy and a social glue, especially amid disinformation; he says quiz shows model apolitical, verifiable facts with clear…16 Jul 2025 · 9 min · 2 chapters
Are the Courts Checking Trump — or Enabling Him?The episode argues that federal courts are largely acting as a check on President Trump, even if the Supreme Court sometimes sides with him.15 Jul 2025 · 20 min · 10 chapters
Elon Musk’s Revenge CampaignThe viability of Elon Musk launching a new U.S. political party (“America Party”) and whether third parties can succeed in a polarized, state-ballot system; broader discussion of why third-party…12 Jul 2025 · 27 min · 11 chapters
The World’s Best and Brightest Are Moving, but Not to AmericaGlobal migration is shifting from a West-only story to a competition for scarce workers, with more “participation” (temporary, conditional belonging) than permanent citizenship.9 Jul 2025 · 32 min · 11 chapters