The Re-Education with Eli Lake

In this episode Eli examines the sheer evil of the man who ruled Iraq before the 2003 war. His guest is David Wurmser, a former George W. Bush administration analyst who knows the story of the lead up to the Iraq war from the inside. Time Stamps: 00:34 Monologue  32:53 Interview with David Wurmser Questions? Comments? Email is at eli@nebulouspodcasts.com

In this episode, it's just a conversation between Eli and Ari Lamm, the chief Rabbi of the Re-Education Podcast. They discuss the Book of Esther and the holiday of Purim. It's a rich discussion, enjoy. Eli will be back next week with a monologue and interview.  Questions? Comments? Email us at Eli@Nebulouspodcasts.com

In this very special episode, Eli looks at the moment when John Lennon stopped giving peace a chance and started hanging out with the black panthers. The guest is the editor at large for Reason Magazine, Nick Gillespie. To learn more about the Beatles in 1967, this is Andrew Hickey's podcast episode mentioned in the show.  https://500songs.com/podcast/episode-150-all-you-need-is-love-by-the-beatle...

In this episode, the Re-education talks to Jeff Gerth, a pulitzer prize winning investigative reporter about his recent series for Columbia Journalism Review on the media's coverage of Donald Trump and Russia. Read his series here.  https://www.cjr.org/special_report/trumped-up-press-versus-president-part-4.php Time Stamps: 00:54 Monologue 23:29 Interview with Jeff Gerth Questions? Comments? Email...

In this episode Eli examines why the government purports to protect so many secrets and how overclassification erodes democratic accountability. His guest is Elizabeth Goitein, senior director of the Brennan Center's Liberty & National Security Program Time Stamps:  00:21 Monologue  17:10 Interview with Elizabeth Goitein Questions? Comments? Email us at  eli@nebulouspodasts.com

In this episode, I examine how unrest in Iran, the Russian army and Chinese cities exposes the fragility of regimes that appear so imposing and unyielding from the outside. My guest is Mariam Memarsadeghi, the founder and director of the Cyrus Forum. We discuss the revolution in Iran and our hope for a free Iran in 2023. Time Stamps: 00:48 Monologue 13:10 Interview with Mariam Memarsadeghi Questio...

In this monologue only episode I examine Christopher Hitchens' observation that America becomes a one party state every December. I argue that it's ok for non-Christians to tap their feet and hum along with the holiday music all around them. A lot of it is pretty good.  Time Stamps: 00:22 Monologue  Questions, Comments? Email us at Eli@Nebulouspodcasts.com

In this episode Eli discusses the tension between populism and conservatism in the American right with Matthew Continetti, the author of a new intellectual history of the American right. Get Matt's book here .  Time Stamps: 00:32 Monologue  19:17 Interview with Matt Continetti  Questions, Comments? Email us at Eli@Nebulouspodcasts.com

Happy Hanukkah. On today's show I tackle the story of a Jewish revolt against the Seleucid empire and how that revolt pitted assimilation against tradition and identity. My guest is Ari Lamm, the founder of SoulShop studios and the chief Rabbi of the Re-Education podcast. Questions? Comments? Email eli@nebulouspodcasts.com Timestamps:  00:38 Monologue 21:30 Interview with Ari Lamm

Today’s show delves into the history of movements that seek to blur the line between speech and violence, and why this conceit endangers the very democracy these voices claim to be protecting. The conflation of speech and violence is a big part of the context to the war over content moderation at Twitter 2.0. My guest is the very talented Damon Linker, the founder of the Eyes on the Right substack...

In this episode Eli examines the legacy of J Edgar Hoover, the man who waged a political and psychological war against Martin Luther King and created the modern FBI. His guest is Yale Historian Beverly Gage, whose majestic new biography of Hoover paints a scathing and complex portrait of the first G man.  Time Stamps: 00:50 Monologue  38:21 Interview with Beverly Gage Questions? Comments? Email el...

In this episode, Eli examines the difference between what Israel's leaders must do to survive and what Ukraine needs from the civilized world. He also talks with Harvard University emeritus professor of Yiddish literature, Ruth Wisse about her extraordinary essay in Commentary from May 2022 about the rise of Ukraine's Jewish president.  https://www.commentary.org/articles/ruth-wisse/zelensky-jewis...

In this episode, Eli examines the legacy of the trial and lynching of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager false accused of murdering a 13 year old girl. The trial helped launch the anti-defamation league, and the lynching was conducted by the haters who would relaunch the Ku Klux Klan. Eli's guest to discuss anti-Semitism and the ADL is the brilliance journalist and editor at Talbet, Liel Leibovit...

The mid-terms delivered a clear signal to both Democrats and Republicans. The only problem is that Donald Trump and Joe Biden failed to get the message and are threatening a rematch in 2024. In this monologue only episode, Eli urges Trump and Biden to follow the example of Nancy Pelosi and step aside. Questions, Comments? Email us at Eli@Nebulouspodcasts.com

In this episode, Eli previews the mid-term elections in America and makes the case for Republicans winning control of Congress. His guest is Washington based reporter Ben Jacobs. Time Stamps: 00:17 Monologue 20:16 Interview with Ben Jacobs Questions? Comments? Email us at Eli@Nebulouspodcasts.com

This week's elections in Israel brought back Benjamin Netanyahu to power. He will form a coalition with a political party that seeks to deport disloyal Arab citizens of Israel. Jerusalem Post contributing editor, Lahav Harkov joins Eli to discuss what the next government means for the Jewish state.  Time Stamps: 00:27 Monologue  26:02 Interview with Lehav Harkov

In this episode Eli talks with Andrew McCarthy about Special Counsel John Durham losing his second trial in his Russiagate investigation. It's strange that he brought two cases against bit players and hasn't charged senior FBI officials, despite presenting compelling evidence that the FBI investigation was riddled with errors and deceptions.  Time Stamps:  00:22 Monologue 16:02 Interview with Andr...

In this episode, Eli examines the parallels between the 20th century literary genius, Ezra Pound and the 21st century musical genius, Kanye West. Both men were brilliant artists and both were haunted by mental demons. Then Eli discusses Kanye's recent anti-semitic outbursts with Ross Anderson, whose recent piece in Tablet can be read here .  Time Stamps:  00:28 Monologue  23:39 Interview with Ross...

Since Vladimir Putin launched his war of conquest against Ukraine, his regime has hinted that it may have to use nuclear weapons. So far, he has bluffed. But the threats in the last two weeks have gotten louder as his own army loses ground. Tim Morrison, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and expert on nuclear policy, joins Eli to talk about how to deter a wounded bear. Time Stamps: 00:40 Mon...

If you create a super pac devoted to waging one side of the political cultural war, are you really saving democracy? Eli and Jamie Kirchick discuss the Lincoln Project. Time Stamps: 00:26 Monologue 15:33 Interview with Jamie Kirchick Questions? Comments? Ideas? Contact us at Eli@nebulouspodcasts.com

Ever since former FBI Associate Director Mark Felt outed himself as the source for the Washington Post's Watergate reporting, he has been praised as a kind of dissident hero. Over time, we've forgotten that Mark Felt's role in authorizing warrantless surveillance of American citizens. Eli's guest is historian Tim Naftali. Time Stamps: 00:16 Monologue 17:30 Interview with Tim Naftali Questions? Com...

As Iranians once again pour into the streets to wish death to their ailing tyrant, the west has an opportunity to begin to plan for a transition in Iran. As tempting as nuclear negotiations may be for the west, it is a delusion. The Iranian regime has revealed its character for years. It's time to support their most potent enemies, the Iranian people. Eli discusses the state of Iran's freedom move...

In this special edition of Re-education, we are running the latest episode of Aaron MacLean's School of War podcast. Eli was the guest and the two discussed the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how President George W. Bush approached the Middle East after 9-11.  Questions? Comments? Ideas? Contact us at Eli@nebulouspodcasts.com

Americans have a love-hate relationship with the CIA. On the one hand, we revere and glamorize the agents who fight for our country in the shadows. On the other hand, we are shocked when we learn the CIA plays dirty. In this episode, Eli and veteran intelligence journalist Mark Hosenball discuss how the CIA looked the other way as the Contras they supported in Nicaragua trafficked cocaine to fund...

Great people can't always be great spouses or parents. In this episode, Eli looks at the bad marriage of one of Israel's great leaders, Golda Meir, and the sacrifice her only husband made so his wife could fulfill her destiny and rise to lead the Jewish state. This show is only a monologue. Questions? Comments? Ideas? Contact us at Eli@nebulouspodcasts.com