America at a Crossroads

Former U.S. Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul joins leading democracy scholar Larry Diamond for a critical discussion on the intensifying global struggle between authoritarianism and democracy. Drawing on decades of experience in diplomacy, national security, and democracy studies, they examine how autocratic regimes are reshaping the international order—and what democratic societies must do to...

What happens when the guardrails of the Constitution start to shake? In this America at a Crossroads program, renowned constitutional scholar Erwin Chemerinsky joins veteran journalist Warren Olney to examine “The Constitution in Crisis: What’s at Stake for American Democracy.” They break down threats to the rule of law, the future of the Supreme Court, voting rights, presidential power, and how o...

Israel, the U.S., and the wider Middle East are at a critical inflection point. In this special America at a Crossroads program, veteran Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller joins host Madeleine Brand to unpack “Israel Update: Trump’s Plan — Breakthrough or Breakdown.” They’ll explore what the plan actually proposes, how it’s being received in Israel and among Palestinians, and what it means for...

America at a Crossroads presents: “Courts in the Crosshairs: What’s Next for Justice in America” Mark Joseph Stern with Larry Mantle 📅 Wednesday, November 19, 2025 🕔 5:00 PM Pacific / 8:00 PM Eastern For upcoming programs and future replays in your inbox, join the America at a Crossroads list by visiting jewsunitedfordemocracy.org Legal journalist Mark Joseph Stern joins veteran broadcaster Larr...

National security expert Steven A. Cash joins journalist Larry Mantle for a critical conversation about the growing threat of authoritarianism in the United States. Drawing on decades of experience across intelligence, homeland security, diplomacy, and defense, Cash offers a rare insider’s view of how democratic institutions are being tested—and what former national security professionals believe...

Election law expert Rick Hasen joins veteran journalist Larry Mantle for an essential conversation on the future of American democracy as the nation heads toward the 2026 midterm elections. Together, they explore the threats facing voting rights, the integrity of election systems, and how legal and political reforms could determine the strength—or fragility—of democratic institutions in the years...

Former U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance joins journalist Patt Morrison for an insightful and timely discussion on the state of the American justice system—its resilience, vulnerabilities, and the tests it continues to face in today’s polarized political climate. Together, they explore the balance between accountability and power, the role of the courts, and what justice means in a democracy under s...

Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist Linda Greenhouse, one of the nation’s preeminent voices on the U.S. Supreme Court, joins renowned journalist Patt Morrison for a powerful conversation about the Court’s influence on American democracy. Greenhouse will discuss the evolving role of the judiciary, landmark decisions, political pressures on the Court, and insights from her decades covering its inner w...

Pulitzer Prize–winning historian Anne Applebaum joins journalist Madeleine Brand for a timely and urgent conversation about Applebaum’s latest book, Autocracy, Inc.: The Dictators Who Want to Run the World. Together, they explore the growing network of authoritarian regimes, the methods they use to consolidate power, and the global threats they pose to democratic institutions. Anne Applebaum is a...

An important discussion with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and former Palestinian National Authority Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Kidwa. They will analyze why Oslo failed and discuss what can be done today to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The conversation will be moderated by Professor Kenneth A. Bamberger (UC Berkeley) and Professor Steven E. Zipperstein (UCLA). Organiz...

Can America's Universities Survive the Current Assault? A Conversation with UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk

Mary Ziegler is a Professor of Law at the University of California, Davis School of Law and a leading legal historian specializing the struggle over reproductive health policy in the United States from 1945 to present. A 2023 Guggenheim Fellow, she is recognized as one of the foremost authorities on the history of the U.S. abortion debate. She is the author of seven books on reproductive rights an...

Recorded live on August 27, 2025: Former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen joins Warren Olney for War, Peace and the American Future, a wide-ranging conversation on U.S. leadership, global security, and the challenges ahead.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alexander Vindman joins journalist Madeleine Brand for an America at a Crossroads conversation on U.S. foreign policy, democracy, and global security. Subscribe for more conversations.

Recorded live on August 6, 2025, veteran journalist Jonathan Weisman joins Madeleine Brand for a powerful conversation on rising antisemitism in America, Jewish identity, and the political climate in the age of Trump. Part of the America at a Crossroads series. 🎥 Subscribe for weekly conversations: youtube.com/channel/UCL_7hJyHHmrRruxix3V1mCA 📩 Learn more at: jewsunitedfordemocracy.org/

In this compelling conversation, foreign policy expert and author Max Boot joins veteran journalist Warren Olney to examine the state of American democracy, global threats, and what’s at stake in the months ahead. This episode of America at a Crossroads offers thoughtful analysis, historical perspective, and urgent questions about the direction of the U.S. and the world. 🔔 Subscribe for more week...

Karen Bass is the 43rd Mayor of Los Angeles and the first woman and second African American to be elected as the city’s chief executive.  Bass previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2022 and in the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010, serving as speaker during her final Assembly term. Patt Morrison has a share of two Pulitzer Prizes as a longtime Los Angeles Ti...