Midterm Machinations | Shane Smith Has Questions

For nonpartisan data on the 2026 midterm election, check out USAFacts election hub:  https://usafacts.org/elections/ Subscribe to Shane Smith Has Questions for candid conversations about politics, media, misinformation and the forces reshaping the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Historian and bestselling author Timothy Snyder joins Shane Smith for a wide-ranging conversation about what he calls America’s “superpower suicide” and what it could mean for the future of the United States and the world. Snyder explains why he believes the U.S. is voluntarily giving up many of the advantages that made it powerful, while Russia has followed its own path of self-destruction through the war in Ukraine. They discuss how drones are changing modern warfare, the threat of nuclear proliferation, Russia’s influence on the American right, and why Snyder sees the war in Ukraine as part of a much larger global struggle between democracy, oligarchy and authoritarianism. The conversation also turns to the upcoming midterm elections, foreign interference and propaganda, the relationship between corruption and affordability, the power of billionaires, and Snyder’s concerns about artificial intelligence making people less capable rather than more capable. Finally, Snyder shares what worries him most about the years ahead, along with the political movements and democracies that still give him hope. Subscribe to Shane Smith Has Questions for candid conversations about politics, media, misinformation and the forces reshaping the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Renée DiResta has spent the past decade investigating how propaganda, foreign influence and conspiracy theories spread online. Now, as the midterms approach and AI makes manipulation faster and cheaper, she warns that America may be returning to where it was before the 2016 election—with fewer safeguards and no one clearly in charge. DiResta joins Shane Smith to discuss Russia’s election operations, Chinese and Iranian influence campaigns, the Stanford Internet Observatory, the Election Integrity Partnership and the controversy over censorship. They also examine Cambridge Analytica, political influencers, “ampliganda,” AI-generated scams and the algorithms deciding what millions of people see. Who creates the lie? Who gives it reach? And how can we protect elections without policing legitimate political speech? Renée DiResta is an associate research professor at Georgetown University and the author of Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies into Reality. Thanks to our sponsors: -Try QUO for free and get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.quo.com/shane Subscribe to Shane Smith Has Questions for candid conversations about politics, media, misinformation and the forces reshaping the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nevada Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar just won a major Supreme Court fight against the Trump administration over its attempt to impose new federal restrictions on mail-in voting ahead of the midterms. Aguilar joins Shane Smith to explain what Trump was trying to do, why Nevada fought it, and why he believes the battle over who controls American elections is far from over. They get into mail-in ballots and voter fraud, voter ID, the DOJ’s demands for private voter data, seven federal subpoenas concerning Nevada voters, cybersecurity and foreign interference, and why Aguilar believes the fight over the 2026 midterms is really about control of the 2028 presidential election. Aguilar also explains why he thinks Trump’s ultimate goal is “choosing the voters rather than the voters choosing the electeds” — and why, after multiple court battles with the federal government, he says he’s not backing down. Subscribe to Shane Smith Has Questions for candid conversations about politics, media, misinformation and the forces reshaping the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At 23, Adam Mockler has become one of the most prominent young voices in liberal political media, building an audience of millions through rapid-response videos, debates and viral clips. Adam joins Shane Smith to explain why Republicans dominated the online attention economy—and why Democrats are still struggling to catch up. They discuss the failures of the 2024 Democratic campaign, Kamala Harris’s risk-averse media strategy, the growing appeal of anti-establishment candidates and what the party must do differently before the midterms. Adam also takes Shane behind the scenes of his viral confrontation with Scott Jennings, explains why he believes the Iran war has failed to achieve its stated objectives and examines the role independent media plays in challenging wartime narratives. The conversation moves from young men’s isolation and political radicalization to housing, AI, money in politics and a generation that no longer feels the economic system is working for them. Adam also explains his plans to build a new, youth-driven media organization combining debates, political commentary and gonzo-style reporting. Topics include: Why “clipping is the new canvassing” How Republicans captured the online attention economy Why Democrats have become too scripted and risk-averse Young men, social isolation and online radicalization Adam’s viral clash with Scott Jennings The Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz Biden, Harris and the Democrats’ loss of public trust Housing, cost of living and young people’s lack of capital Political corruption, lobbying and campaign money AI, disappearing jobs and the case for universal basic income The future of Mockler Media Subscribe to Shane Smith Has Questions for candid conversations about politics, media, misinformation and the forces reshaping the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Most people know Ben McKenzie from The O.C. Over the past several years, however, he has made an unlikely transformation into a serious crypto investigator—and, as Shane puts it, a hell of a journalist and filmmaker. McKenzie joins Shane to discuss his documentary, Everyone Is Lying to You for Money, and the journey that took him from casual crypto skeptic to interviewing major industry figures, anticipating the collapse of companies like Celsius and FTX, and testifying before the Senate Banking Committee. Together, they examine the machinery behind the crypto boom: celebrity endorsements, insider control, market manipulation, Trump’s crypto ventures and the absence of meaningful enforcement. They also explore the human cost of an economy that increasingly encourages ordinary people to gamble their way toward financial security. The conversation eventually moves beyond crypto to prediction markets, legalized gambling, artificial intelligence and the opportunists who migrate from one technological gold rush to the next. It’s a sharp, funny and deeply human conversation about money, power—and who is left holding the bag when the hype collapses. For a limited time only, join audiences around the world for a special global streaming event celebrating Everyone Is Lying to You for Money followed by a live Q&A with director Ben McKenzie, actress Morena Baccarin, and special celebrity guests. Only available August 22nd through September 6th, 2026 -Get 20% off your first order at ⁠⁠https://www.mood.com⁠⁠ with promo code SHANESMITH -Save 20% on your first online Lucy order at ⁠⁠https://www.lucy.co/ QUESTIONS⁠⁠ with promo code QUESTIONS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can one lawsuit change the future of American elections? Why almost everyone misunderstands Citizens United The legal mistake Lessig says created Super PACs Elon Musk's reported $270 million in political donations—and why it matters to this case  Whether billionaires are effectively buying political influence Why this case is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court if the current ruling stands  What American elections could look like if Super PACs were fundamentally changed Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig believes it can.Most Americans blame Citizens United for the rise of Super PACs—but Lessig argues that's not actually what happened. Now, after years of litigation, a new court case could finally give the Supreme Court a chance to decide whether unlimited donations to Super PACs are constitutional at all. If the courts rule in his favor, the decision could dramatically reshape campaign finance before the 2028 presidential election by allowing limits on massive contributions to Super PACs once again. In this conversation, Shane Smith and Lawrence Lessig discuss:Whether you agree or disagree with the current campaign finance system, this is one of the most consequential legal challenges to election law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When did politics stop being about solving problems and start becoming a team sport? Former Republican strategist and The Bulwark host Tim Miller joins Shane Smith for a conversation about the forces that reshaped American politics—from the collapse of the Republican establishment to Donald Trump's takeover, the rise of partisan media, and why our information ecosystem rewards outrage over understanding. Rather than asking who is winning, Shane and Tim explore why politics increasingly feels like entertainment, why Washington failed to understand its own voters, and whether America's institutions can still solve modern problems. Topics include: Why the Republican establishment misread Trump The rise of partisan media and algorithm-driven news Why politics now feels like sports Can America ever become less polarized? Is the political center disappearing? What's actually broken in Washington? Could another political outsider change everything? If you enjoy long-form conversations about politics, media, culture and the future of democracy, subscribe for new episodes every week. Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months at ⁠https://www.quo.com/shane⁠  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sean Penn has spent much of his life going places most people only experience through headlines — wartime Kyiv with Zelenskyy, Chávez's Venezuela, Castro's Cuba, Iran before the Green Movement, and deep inside cartel country in Mexico with El Chapo. In this conversation with Shane Smith, Penn reflects on meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy in wartime Kyiv, traveling through Iran before the Ahmadinejad era, spending time with Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro, and the infamous journey that led to his meeting with El Chapo while the cartel leader was still on the run. Along the way, they talk about propaganda, journalism, war, political mythmaking, and why the story almost always changes when you go there yourself. Penn explains why he skipped the Oscars after winning his third Academy Award, what Americans misunderstand about Ukraine, why he was drawn to Chávez and Cuba, and what decades spent around power and conflict have taught him about human nature. This isn't a conversation about politics as much as it is about proximity — to history, to power, and to the people we are told to fear. -Get 20% off your first order at ⁠https://www.mood.com⁠ with promo code SHANESMITH -Save 20% on your first online Lucy order at ⁠https://www.lucy.co/ QUESTIONS⁠ with promo code QUESTIONS! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For more than a decade, Gelareh Kiazand reported from some of the world's most complicated and misunderstood places. From covering life under the Taliban in Afghanistan to documenting everyday life inside Iran, her work focused on telling stories from the ground — often in places where politics, war, and international headlines rarely capture the full picture. In this conversation, Shane Smith sits down with Gelareh to reflect on years of reporting across Iran and Afghanistan, the realities of covering conflict, and what journalists can learn by spending time with the people who actually live through these events. Featuring archival VICE reporting and footage from recent reporting in Tehran, they discuss war, sanctions, media narratives, daily life, and the challenge of understanding countries that are often reduced to headlines and geopolitics. After decades covering the region, one thing remains true:Showing up still matters. In this episode: • Reporting from Afghanistan during the war • Life under the Taliban and what changed after the withdrawal • What everyday life in Iran looks like beyond the headlines • The challenges of reporting from conflict zones • Journalism, propaganda, and competing narratives • Sanctions, politics, and ordinary people • How VICE reported from places few Western outlets could access • Why being there still matters Subscribe to Shane Smith Has Questions for new conversations with the people shaping politics, culture, technology, and the world around us. -Get 20% off your first order at https://www.mood.com with promo code SHANESMITH -Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.quo.com/shane  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices