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23 April 2026

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Conor Friedersdorf (The AtlanticMeeting Triumph and Disaster) and James Poulos (Forbes, Free Radicals, The Daily Beast)

Conor and James kick things off by discussing the Republican primary, and hoping their home state of California will matter for the first time in memory. Weighing in on the Rush Limbaugh controversy, Conor posits that the radio host is losing advertisers because he attacked a class of people that is larger than his usual targets. Conor suggests an alternative argument that the right might marshal against birth control subsidies. James argues that Americans need to educate children in a more holistic way that affords them the ability to cultivate and appreciate down time. Shifting gears, he explains how Napoleon’s legacy is relevant to the future of Europe. And they close by pondering a modern techno-dilemma: If waiters are replaced by iPads, have we lost an important part of our culture?

 

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Recorded:Mar 5    Posted:Mar 6, 2012
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Friedersdorf | Mar 6, 2012 | Conor Friedersdorf & James Poulos

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Can Trump and Iran Make a Deal?

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Robert Malley—a lead negotiator for Obama’s 2015 nuclear deal with Iran—and Robert Wright discuss what kind of deal between Trump and Iran is conceivable and what kinds of leverage both sides have.

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Iran and the Demise of US Hegemony

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Robert Wright and American Prestige hosts Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner discuss the latest Middle East developments—including whether Trump and Iran can reach a peace deal, who’s winning the Hormuz blockade duel, and what it all means for America’s global standing. Plus: Is Anthropic’s Mythos really scary?

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Can AI Stop Wars?

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Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov discuss whether AI could help resolve international conflicts as the world edges toward catastrophe. Plus: Trump’s “act of war” in the Strait of Hormuz, a case for an Iranian tollgate, the AI model so dangerous Anthropic delayed its release, and more.

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Sizing up the AI Titans

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The Iran War: A Debate

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Robert Wright and The Free Press reporter Eli Lake debate the Iran war in light of the history that brought us here—from the 1953 coup and its aftermath to the origins of Hamas and Hezbollah to Obama’s nuclear deal, to the Gaza war, etc.

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The Conservative Case Against the Iran War

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Curt Mills and Andrew Day of The American Conservative join Robert Wright to discuss the state of the war, hopes for ending it, Trump’s psychology, the Israel lobby’s role, the future of MAGA, and more.

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Averting a Superintelligence Takeover

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Robert Wright and ControlAI founder and CEO Andrea Miotti discuss the dynamics propelling us toward artificial superintelligence and how we can keep control of our future.

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The Iran War and the Singularity

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Robert Wright and Nikita Petrov connect the Iran war to the AI crisis: If tribal psychology keeps launching stupid wars, how will we coordinate globally on superintelligence? Plus: Trump’s hypnotic confidence, $20k drones vs. million-dollar missiles, Russia’s sovereign internet, Spanish cannabis clubs, and more.

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Israel, America, and the Iran War

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Robert Wright and journalist Ron Kampeas discuss the (il)logic of the Iran war, Joe Kent’s resignation, the MAGA rift over the Iran war, whether anti-antisemitism efforts are backfiring, and more.

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The Allure and Danger of Agentic AI

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Robert Wright and AI pause advocate (and Doom Debates host) Liron Shapira discuss Claude Code, OpenClaw and other AI developments—and whether they’ve brought us closer to doom. Plus: A civil(-ish) debate on Israel-Palestine.