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Jul 28, 2013 — Robert Wright & Shinzen Young

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Jul 27, 2013 — Alyssa Rosenberg & Emily Nussbaum

Critic Proof

On Critic Proof, Alyssa and Emily talk about why Sex and the City deserves to be considered part of the golden age of television. Is Carrie Bradshaw an antihero like Tony Soprano? Was the show glamorizing the wealthy Manhattan lifestyle, or satirizing it? Why has mocking SATC fans become a trope on HBO’s The Newsroom and Girls? Did the show have to end with true love prevailing? Alyssa argues that the show is more generous to its male characters than many prestige dramas are to their female characters. Emily talks about how the show grew on her and encourages skeptics to give it a chance.

Jul 26, 2013 — Bill Scher & Matt K. Lewis

The DMZ

On The DMZ: Could a Tea Party challenger knock out Mitch McConnell? Is the GOP going to throw away easy 2014 Senate wins? Matt views the recent failed House vote to defund the NSA as a watershed moment for conservatives. Turning to Anthony Weiner’s latest scandal, Matt objects to the idea that Weiner was abusing power to attract women. Bill sighs with relief that Obama is a good family man. Plus: Will the public react differently to Weiner’s sexting antics than to a run-of-the-mill sex scandal?

Jul 25, 2013 — Michael Brendan Dougherty & Travis Waldron

The Score

On The Score, Michael and Travis begin by discussing MLB’s suspension of Ryan Braun for the rest of the season. Do fans actually care if athletes use performance-enhancing drugs? Travis thinks economic incentives will cause steroids use to continue. So should professional sports just legalize steroids? They next discuss Travis’s new beat covering sports from a progressive perspective. They discuss how sports can be both an agent of political change and a lens for viewing larger issues, but Michael sticks up for the escapism and joy that come from athletics.

Jul 24, 2013 — Glenn Loury & Harold Pollack

The Glenn Show

On The Glenn Show, Glenn and Harold react to the Zimmerman trial. Harold describes attending a Justice For Trayvon rally. As an example of the unequal application of criminal justice, Glenn recounts his arrest for stealing a car when he was sixteen. Harold argues against racial profiling, but defends aggressive policing against gun violence. Harold praises President Obama’s remarks on the verdict and finds conservative objections to them churlish. Glenn and Harold close by weighing the radical left critique of Obama offered by figures like Cornel West.

Jul 23, 2013 — Robert Wright & Alexey Sidorenko

Worldwise

Jul 22, 2013 — Sarah Posner & Betsy Woodruff

The Posner Show

On The Posner Show, Sarah and Betsy talk abortion politics. Does Texas’s passage of a twenty-week abortion ban spell a resurgence for pro-choice politics in the Lone Star State? Is the law a ploy to burnish Rick Perry’s presidential ambitions? Moving on to another Texan, Betsy makes the case that Ted Cruz is not on the fringe of the Republican Party. They discuss Cruz’s and Rand Paul’s recent visit to Iowa to speak to evangelical pastors. Can Paul keep his libertarian base while pandering to the religious right?

Jul 21, 2013 — Matthew Duss & Ben Birnbaum

Foreign Entanglements

On Foreign Entanglements, Ben describes his creepy and fascinating trip to North Korea. Matt and Ben then move to the Middle East: Is this the last chance for a two-state solution? What would each side be willing to offer if talks restart? Matt and Ben consider the perennial question of whether Israel will soon launch a strike against Iran’s nuclear program. Does Rouhani’s electoral victory make a difference? Plus: Why Ben is conflicted about Egypt.

Jul 20, 2013 — Laurie Santos & Carey Morewedge