Shows / To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
You are not the crazy ones.
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Episodes
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Federal Judges are Sounding the Alarm. Will We Listen?
Retired federal judge Jeremy Fogel of the Article III Coalition joins Charlie to discuss threats against judges, DOJ’s challenge in Alaska, the “creeping”…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Is MAGA's Cruelty and Corruption Finally Backfiring?
As Trump and the Republicans make their closing arguments, New York Times columnist David French joins Charlie to discuss the backlash to the Ramaswamy ad…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Could Vivek's Disgusting Ad be an Election Turning Point?
Ten days before the midterms, journalist Tara Palmeri (The Red Letter, The Tara Palmeri Show) joins me to unpack the backlash over the Ramaswamy ad targeting…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump's October Gimmicks: Lousy Politics, Worse Economics
Less than two weeks before the midterms, economist Justin Wolfers (University of Michigan, Platypus Economics) joins Charlie to explain why consumer sentiment…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump vs. Everyone. MAGA Begins to Eat Its Own
Two weeks before the midterms, the host of the Fast Politics podcast, Molly Jong-Fast joins Charlie to unpack Trump’s Putin pivot, Elon Musk’s election…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump's Ukraine Betrayal: Is MAGA Finally Falling Apart?
Charlie Sykes sits down with political scientist and writer from The Atlantic, Tom Nichols, as they discuss midterms and possible battleground states to look…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Oligarchs, Intimidation, and a Silent GOP: Kinzinger Sounds the Alarm
Three weeks before the 2026 midterms, Charlie Sykes talks with former Congressman Adam Kinzinger about where the race really stands, how the political spending…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
The Unbearable Lightness of Marco Rubio
Three weeks before the 2026 midterms, Charlie and Daniel Drezner dig into Trump’s Russia dealings, Marco Rubio’s rebrand, and what’s really driving the race…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
David Frum: America is Playing Russian Roulette
On today’s episode, Charlie sits down with journalist, David Frum to discuss the US’s status in the world economy, how the Trump administration compares to…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
After the Midterms, What is Trump Capable Of?
On today’s episode, Charlie flies solo to dive into Thom Thillis’ recent debate gone wrong with Stephanie Ruhle, Trump’s publicly funded PSA video, the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
How Russia Won
On today’s episode, Charlie sits down with journalist and author, David Corn about the long-standing influence of Russia on American politics, Putin’s…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Pete Hegseth: The Music Man Meets Mussolini
On today's episode, Charlie Sykes sits down with author and journalist, Jonathan Rauch to discuss a potpourri of topics, from Pete Hegseth’s recent War…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
How Tyranny Rises. And Falls.
On today’s episode, Charlie is joined by author and historian, Timothy Snyder. Charlie and Timothy discuss the relevance of Timothy’s book, “On Tyranny,” what…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Weisberg: Profiles in Cowardice. The Story of Eight Trump-era Quislings
Why do powerful people fold when it matters most? Charlie Sykes sits down with journalist and author Jacob Weisberg to discuss his explosive new book, Profiles…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
How China Humiliated Trump
Susan Glasser, author of "Letter from Trump's Washington" in The New Yorker joins Charlie to discuss Trump breaking the law again, the GOP's midterm panic, the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tech Overlords and Wannabe Dictators
Paulina Borsook predicted Silicon Valley's authoritarian turn back in the 1990s — we revisit her book "Cyberselfish" and how eerily right she was. Then I break…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Can Doug Jones Turn Alabama Blue (Again)?
Is there a secret formula for Democratic victories in deep red states? Former Alabama Senator and current candidate for Governor, Doug Jones joins me to…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
10 Years of the Trump Nightmare
Charlie flies solo this episode to break down the biggest headlines in current events, dig into where the midterms actually stand right now, and get personal…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump Lost His Popularity Before He Consolidated His Power
Founder of Protect Democracy and winner of the MacArthur genius grant, Ian Bassin joins Charlie for a wide-ranging discussion about important reads, how…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Swisher: AI Could Kill Us. So, Why Give the Tech Oligarchs a Pass?
World renowned tech journalist Kara Swisher joins Charlie to explore the complex issues surrounding AI development, the role of regulation, and the global…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
How the Democrats Can Win a Super Majority
Author of Kill Switch and Supermajority, Adam Jentleson joins Charlie for a deep dive into what it will take for Democrats to win and keep power, the weird…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Avlon: I Was There...Trump Wasn't
John Avlon — journalist, author, and political commentator — joins Charlie to reflect on the lessons of 9/11 as its 25th anniversary approaches, break down the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
O’Brien: Trump is Making America Weak Again
Professor of Strategic Studies and host of The Phillips's Newsletter Podcast, Phillips O'Brien joins Charlie to talk about Trump's strange love for Russia, the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
An Independent Miracle in Montana?
Former University of Montana President and Green Beret Seth Bodnar is running for Senate as an Independent. He joins Charlie to talk about Hegseth's military…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Wolfers: Stupid Trade Wars and Gangster Government
Economist Justin Wolfers joins Charlie to break down Trump's trade war with Canada, the controversial oil deal with Venezuela, and concerns over politicizing…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Auchincloss: Impeach Hegseth First
Congressman Jake Auchincloss joins Charlie to discuss a wide array of topics, including the future of the Democratic Party, how they can become the party of…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
The AI Backlash is Real...and Trump Isn't Happy About It
Author of Doomsday Scenario blog and former editor of Politico Magazine, Garrett Graff joins Charlie to talk about the emerging battle against AI data centers…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Generalissimo Trump’s New Endless War
Charlie talks about yet another war Trump has started that no Americans wanted and author, historian and elections expert, Brian Rosenwald joins him to break…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tom Nichols: The Trump Tribe Thinks This Will Go On Forever
The Atlantic's Tom Nichols joins Charlie to talk about the frightening delusions of the Trump team, his human binky Natalie Harp, and Congress shirking its…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Don't Normalize This
Charlie goes solo today to discuss Trump cozying up to another despot, pumping the brakes on data centers and who the hell is Natalie Harp. Hosted on Acast…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Blanche Proves He Is Trump's Toady. As If There Was Any Doubt.
Harry Litman, host of the Talking Feds podcast, joins Charlie to talk about Trump's continued warping of reality, Blanche showing the era of DOJ impartiality…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Ed Luce: We Are at Peak Denial
Ed Luce from the Financial Times joins Charlie to talk about today's political climate, the undeniable reality of global warming and the existential threat of…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
It's Electability Stupid
The co-founder of Third Way, Matt Bennett joins Charlie to talk about the DSA's stunning defeat in Wisconsin, their agenda to destroy the Democratic Party and…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Peter Wehner: Trump Prefers Infamy to Irrelevance
The Atlantic's Peter Wehner joins Charlie to talk about Trump's desperate attempts to remain relevant, his miscalculations about Iran, and MAGA's obsession…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Anne Applebaum: “I Can’t Think of Anything More Corrupt”
The Atlantic's Anne Applebaum joins Charlie to discuss Trump's sale of early access to Truth Social posts, his doubling down on the reflecting pool vandalism…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump's Banana Republic
New York Times Opinion writer David French joins Charlie to discuss Trump's unprecedented corruption, the Todd Blanche Attorney General nomination now in…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump Attacks a Female Journalist. The Press Looks Away.
Tara Palmeri, host of The Tara Palmeri Show and author of the newsletter "The Red Letter," joins Charlie to unpack Trump's attack on Kaitlan Collins at the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Does Trump Think AI Slop Makes Him Look Tough?
Nicholas Grossman, editor of Arc Digital and professor of international relations at the University of Illinois, joins Charlie to discuss Trump's frenzied…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump Tried to Rewire Society. Trump Failed.
Jonathan Rauch is a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. In this episode, he joins Charlie to explain how the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
An Administration Without Grown-Ups
In this special solo episode, Charlie answers your questions about the latest crisis in US-Canada relations, Jay Clayton's confirmation hearing, and the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Do Democrats Have a Plan?
Ben Wikler served as the chair of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin for six years. In this episode he joins Charlie to talk about his new book This Is the…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Killing Baby Hitler
Michael Tomasky is the editor of The New Republic and author of a new book titled Killing Baby Hitler. It's part sci-fi thriller, part satire and even though…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Is Trump Creating the Pretext for Another Coup?
On today’s episode, Charlie welcomes back friend of the show and former US Representative, Adam Kinzinger. The two discuss Graham’s passing and his legacy in…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
"Our Democracy Cannot Survive a Presidency for Sale"
Justin Wolfers is a professor of economics at the University of Michigan and author of the Platypus Economics Substack. In this episode, he joins Charlie to…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
The Bill for Trump’s Vanity Presidency
Atlantic writer Tom Nichols joins Charlie to discuss the Maine Senate election fiasco, Trump's antics at the NATO summit, and the Administration looking for a…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Are We at War With Iran Again?
Retired Lieutenant General Mark Hertling served as commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe during the Obama administration. He's also the author of “If I…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Is America Capable of Renewal?
Legal analyst and Talking Feds host Harry Litman joins Charlie to talk about the state of American democracy 250 years after independence, recent Supreme Court…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Rerun: How to Be a Dissident
For the 4th July we're re-running Charlie's conversation with Gal Beckerman, a staff writer at The Atlantic and author of the book, “How to Be a Dissident.”…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Corruption. Immigration, Abortion and The Broken Brains of MAGA
On today’s episode of “To the Contrary,” Charlie welcomes back journalist and author of “The Red Letter,” Tara Palmeri. They discuss Trump’s obsession with…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
“Trump Is Entering a Dark Season”
Peter Wehner, a contributing writer at The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Trinity Forum, joins Charlie to talk about Trump's recent Supreme Court wins and…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump Is Sabotaging the American Idea
Jamil Smith is a columnist at The Guardian and a lecturer at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss what…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
"Trump's Key Policies Are Fundamentally Anti-Libertarian"
Peter Suderman is the features editor for Reason, a free market libertarian magazine. In this episode he joins Charlie to discuss the decline of libertarian…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Donald Trump's Megalomania
Sofia Kinzinger was a WH staffer under Trump during his first term. In this episode, she talks to Charlie about what it was like, and about her journey and…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump’s Deal Is an Abject Surrender
Ed Luce from the Financial Times joins Charlie to discuss the deal with Iran, the Netanyahu-Trump fallout, and Elon Musk's obsession with Britain. Hosted on…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
America Gave Up on Its Own History
Yoni Appelbaum, historian and deputy executive editor at The Atlantic, joins Charlie to go over what we know — and don't know — about the deal with Iran and…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Trump’s ‘Sitzkrieg’ in Iran
Atlantic writer Tom Nichols joins Charlie to catch up on Trump's zigzagging on Iran, discuss Elon Musk's new status as a trillionaire, and unpack the absurdity…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
The Alternative Universe of Grief
In this special To the Contrary episode, Charlie sits down with Danielle Crittenden, whose daughter Miranda died suddenly two years ago. Crittenden recently…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
The Ferrets Running Around in Trump’s Brain
Legal analyst and Talking Feds host, Harry Litman, joins Charlie to dissect Trump's brief interview with Meet the Press, his legal battles over the slush fund…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
Tara Palmeri: Men Behaving Badly
On today’s episode of “To the Contrary,” Charlie sits down with journalist and author of “The Red Letter” Substack, Tara Palmeri. The two of them discuss…
- To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes
"Trump Is Losing Power and It’s Making Him More Malicious"
Jonathan Rauch is a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. In this episode, he joins Charlie to talk about…