E210 - White American Liberals, Pt 2 w/ Kevin Schultz

Kevin Schultz, Chair of the Department of History at the University of Illinois-Chicago, returns to the program to continue the discussion of his new book⁠ ⁠Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History⁠. In this second part of the discussion, Danny, Derek, and Kevin get into the origins and power of the "radical chic" and "limousine liberal" criticisms, the concept of "positive polarization" as championed by figures like Spiro Agnew, the perceived abandonment of the white working class by the Democratic Party, the role of Nixon in this political shift, the influence of Phyllis Schlafly and George Wallace, George McGovern and the "acid, amnesty, and abortion" label, Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s attempt to redefine liberalism, the transition of some Cold War liberals to neoconservatism, the Democratic Party's embrace of neoliberalism and the rise of "Atari Democrats," the cultural phenomenon of "owning the libs," the association of the professional managerial class with contemporary liberalism, and potential new political vocabularies beyond the "liberal" label, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny introduces The World with Marco Werman. If you want fresh global perspectives on the news, check out The World podcast and we hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Danny and Derek invite Vincent Bevins, author of The Jakarta Method and If We Burn, back to the podcast to talk about the early days of the Trump Administration; how the rest of the world views Trump; what Vincent thinks is going on; and his recent article in The Nation on Brazil's Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (Landless Workers' Movement, or MST). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Though Jake is absent for the week, Danny and Derek remain steadfast in their dedication to bring you news. They discuss the U.S.-Houthi ceasefire (2:04); the Israeli government's plans for Gaza (6:49); Trump’s push for a Gaza ceasefire and Saudi deal on his upcoming Middle East trip (12:54); new clashes between India and Pakistan as well as more details from Wednesday morning's strikes (16:41); the possibility of U.S.-China trade talks (20:28); the reality of a U.S.-U.K. trade deal (22:30); drone strikes on Port Sudan (25:41); peace talks in the DRC (27:49); Vladimir Putin's V-E Day ceasefire (30:41); Friedrich Merz’s chaotic chancellor election (32:48) and the AfD’s potential classification as an extremist group (34:33); the European Union’s effort to poach U.S. academics (36:36); and finally, the Trump administration’s push for countries to adopt Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service (39:13). Then, after the show, Danny and Derek speak with Trevor Beaulieu and Josh Olson about their new podcast, "White Canon." ⁠Check out White Canon here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Danny and Derek talk about India’s attack on Pakistan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content! Kevin Schultz, Chair of the Department of History at the University of Illinois Chicago, joins the program to talk about his new book Why Everyone Hates White Liberals (Including White Liberals): A History. In this first part of the discussion, they get into liberalism’s consistent spirit yet inconsistent character, the transition from progressivism to liberalism in America in the early 20th century, FDR’s use of the word “liberal” as a sort of marketing tool, the height of the “white liberal,” William F. Buckley and the modern American conservative movement, the New Left’s opposition to “the liberal order,” the perception of white liberals in the civil rights movement, and more.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe now for the full episode and much more content! Peter Slezkine, Senior Fellow and Director of the Russia Program at the Stimson Center and host of The Trialogue Podcast, joins the program for a conversation about his recent visit to Russia and his impressions of the political discourse there. They talk about the atmosphere in light of the Ukraine war, the major political factions in the government, people’s sense of the Western reaction to the invasion, their impression of Trump, how the war has emboldened NATO, why a ceasefire might not be in Russia’s interest in the immediate term, how the era of the end of ideology looks in Russia, BRICS and the multipolar world, and more.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May Day is no more, but the world, sadly, does not revolve around the left. This week: a new report on 2024 global military spending shockingly shows it has increased (2:05); the UN’s World Food Programme is out of food in Gaza (4:05), the IDF herds people into Rafah (5:55), and the PLO creates a vice presidency in anticipation of a successor to Mahmoud Abbas (8:32); in Syria, violence between security forces and Druze militias kills over 70 people (12:18); the US bombs a migrant center in Yemen (16:14) as Houthi/Ansar Allah forces continue to shoot down drones (17:58); the Iran-US nuclear talks have been postponed (19:35); there are rumblings of imminent armed conflict between India and Pakistan (21:48); Trump claims to have spoken with President Xi Jinping of China as both economies take a hit from the former’s tariffs (24:31); a court ruling may upend South Korea’s election (28:00); Nigeria sees an increase in jihadist violence (30:00); Congolese and Rwandan foreign ministers set a deadline for a peace deal (32:10); in Russia-Ukraine, Russia’s Kursk operation appears to be at its end (34:03), Trump and Zelensky meet at Pope Francis’ funeral (35:33), and the US and Ukraine finally sign a mineral deal (37:26); the Trump administration designates gangs in Haiti as terrorist groups (39:54); the Liberal Party wins Canada’s election (41:19); Donald Trump relieves Mike Waltz of duty as national security advisor, but appoints him as UN ambassador (44:03); and the US is negotiating with Rwanda so that the latter may take migrants on the former’s behalf (48:50).  Grab a copy of Spencer Ackerman’s current run of Iron Man! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe now for the full episode! Danny and Derek welcome back to the program Carolyn Eisenberg, professor of history at Hofstra University, to talk about the fall of Saigon on its 50th anniversary. Be sure to check out Carolyn’s award-winning book ⁠Fire and Rain: Nixon, Kissinger, and the Wars in Southeast Asia.⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Subscribe now for an ad-free experience and much more content⁠. Please listen to ⁠our Sino-Soviet primer episode⁠ and part one of this discussion for some background! Danny and Derek welcome back Jeremy Friedman, assistant professor in the Business, Government, and International Economy at Harvard, to talk about the Sino-Soviet Split. The conversation picks up in the 1960s with the Soviets’ push for peaceful coexistence vs the PRC and developing world’s push for anti-imperialist armed struggle, how the Cultural Revolution affects the calculation, Mao’s growing distrust of the USSR, the split itself, ideological vanguardism vs elitism, imperialism without capitalism, whether a split was inevitable, and more.   Grab a copy of Jeremy’s book⁠ ⁠⁠Shadow Cold War: The Sino-Soviet Competition for the Third World⁠! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices