The Bulwark Podcast - Bill Kristol: The MAGA Elites Are Such Frauds

JD originally made a name for himself as an economic populist but now spends all his time lying and ignoring the woes of the white working class. Stephen Miller is far more interested in authoritarianism than the American worker. And the biggest MAGA warrior of all, Steve Bannon, was downright smitten with Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is busy trying to hide the identities of other co-conspirators in the Epstein documents. Plus, the CBP has no business being deployed on the streets of American cities, Tulsi wants foreign election interference, the good news in a Texas special election result, Trump is flailing at another business—the Kennedy Center—and Bad Bunny previews his message for the Super Bowl Halftime show.

Bill Kristol joins Tim Miller.

show notes


The Journal. - How Kraft Lost Its Mac and Cheese Crown

Kraft macaroni and cheese has been a household staple for decades. But owing to shifting consumer tastes towards healthier options and a tumultuous corporate shakeup, Kraft’s status as the big cheese is slipping. WSJ’s Jesse Newman reports on how Kraft lost its dominance in the mac and cheese aisle, and what the company plans on doing about it. Jessica Mendoza hosts.

Further Listening:
- Kraft Heinz’s Big Breakup
- ‘It Came out of Nowhere’: The Rise of Dr Pepper

Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the Loop with Sasha-Ann Simons - Amazon Superstore Coming To Chicago Suburbs

Online retail behemoth Amazon is closing all of its branded grocery stores — but already has the greenlight to experiment with a new retail idea: a “first-of-its-kind Amazon superstore” that is coming to south suburban Orland Park. Is this the future of retail, and what does it mean for local businesses and residents? In The Loop finds out more about the approved plan and if it could be a potential blueprint for more “superstores.” We hear from Jim Dodge, mayor of Orland Park, and Steve Caine, partner and retail expert with Bain & Company. For a full archive of In the Loop interviews, head over to wbez.org/intheloop.

1A - ‘If You Can Keep It’: The Future Of The Free Press

The biggest news stories, the ones that shape our democracy, don’t just play out in Washington. They unfold in neighborhoods, on street corners, and around the country.

In many cases, the first images and explanations of what’s happening don’t come from national news outlets, but the people who are there with cellphones and cameras in hand. That includes local journalists who are out in their communities. Journalists are trained to confirm and contextualize, but what does that look like in today’s shifting media landscape?

Local reporters on the ground are crucial. But nearly 40 percent of local newspapers in the U.S. have disappeared since the early 2000s. Even the largest newspapers — providing national coverage out of major cities — are on shaky ground. Layoffs are expected at The Washington Post in the coming weeks.

What does it all mean for how news gets made and who gets heard? What’s at stake for our democracy? And who is trying to chart a new path forward?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR Privacy Policy

Big Technology Podcast - The Moltbook Uprising, NVIDIA’s OpenAI Pullback, Apple’s Conundrum

M.G. Siegler of Spyglass is back for our monthly tech news discussion. M.G. joins us to discuss Moltbook, the new Reddit-style social network where 150,000 AI agents are chatting, upvoting, and even proposing their own private language to keep humans out. Tune in to hear whether this is a preview of the singularity or just elaborate role-play—and why the security vulnerabilities are genuinely concerning. We also cover NVIDIA quietly backing away from its $100 billion OpenAI deal, Apple's record quarter that Wall Street shrugged off, and OpenAI's race to IPO before Anthropic (with Elon potentially beating them both). Hit play for a conversation about where AI is heading and what it means when the bots start talking to each other.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

World Book Club - Linwood Barclay – Take Your Breath Away

Harriett Gilbert welcomes master of suspense, the Canadian author Linwood Barclay in the World Book Club Studio, to answer your questions about his thriller 'Take Your Breath Away'.

The story centres on Andrew Mason, whose wife Brie vanished six years ago, making him the prime suspect. But just as he’s beginning to rebuild his life, a mysterious woman resembling Brie suddenly appears, forcing him to uncover the truth about what happened to his wife, uncovering secrets and lies at every turn.

Linwood will be answering your questions, about how to craft a mystery that keeps readers hooked till the last page, how playing with different points of view can mask or reveal the truth, and why vivid settings can be just as important as characters to telling a compelling story.

The Commentary Magazine Podcast - Bad Republican Political Ploys

The shocking result of a special election in Texas marks yet another political bungle by the GOP and the Trump White House. Can they stop self-owning and get themselves back on track? Also, landmark events relating to transgenderism, Epstein files horrors, and the wondrous career of Catherine O'Hara. Give a listen.


Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WSJ Minute Briefing - Disney’s Streaming Division Grows While Overall Profit Drops in Latest Quarter

Plus: Oracle plans to raise up to $50 billion this year to build out its AI infrastructure. And Vanguard reduces fees on a quarter of its funds. Alex Ossola hosts.


Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter.


An artificial-intelligence tool assisted in the making of this episode by creating summaries that were based on Wall Street Journal reporting and reviewed and adapted by an editor.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices