Lost Debate

Ravi welcomes back Populace CEO Todd Rose to discuss his latest study, the Social Pressure Index: Private Opinion in America. Together, they unpack the disconnect between public opinion and private beliefs on critical issues shaping American society and politics. From education reform to immigration policy, Todd and Ravi examine how the study's revelations challenge conventional wisdom about the n...

Ravi sits down with Doug Lemov to discuss the stark differences between the education systems in the United States and the United Kingdom. Doug shares insights from his recent work with schools in England, highlighting how embracing cognitive science and implementing evidence-based teaching practices has led to rapid improvements and the ways centralized decision-making in the U.K. has supported t...

New York City Mayor Eric Adams was indicted Wednesday evening on five federal charges, including wire fraud, bribery, and solicitation of contributions from a foreign national. Ravi unpacks the 57-page indictment, which details allegations that Adams solicited and directed staffers to accept campaign donations from foreign officials and businesspeople over nearly a decade while receiving gifts, in...

Should JD Vance and Tim Walz debate next week? Ravi explains why both campaigns should consider canceling the event if Trump and Harris cannot agree to a second presidential debate. He also addresses Trump's shifting position on early voting, the Democrats' difficulties in reaching urban, non-college-educated voters, and new data that suggests the electoral college bias may not be as significant a...

Ravi recaps the latest twists in the presidential race, from why the Harris campaign has unexpectedly proposed another debate to the Trump campaign’s reasons for dodging a rematch. He then hops on the polling rollercoaster to explain what the numbers reveal and why results from some states defy traditional expectations. Finally, he turns to the FBI’s newly released crime data, the partisan battle...

Ravi welcomes Bradley Tusk back to the pod to discuss the latest developments in Springfield, Ohio, whether Trump's immigration messaging will help or hurt his campaign, and the Harris camp's decision to deploy a "Rose Garden" strategy. Next, they dive into Bradley's new book, Vote With Your Phone, and explore why mobile voting may be the solution to low voter turnout and how voter apathy impacts...

Journalist and political commentator Ross Barkan joins Ravi to dissect the state of New York City politics under Mayor Eric Adams. They explore the multiple federal probes into Adams’ administration, the unprecedented turnover in key leadership positions, and how the current turmoil could impact the upcoming mayoral race. Ravi and Ross then delve into the challenges of governing in America, from h...

Ravi sits down with Dylan Matthews, senior correspondent and lead writer at Vox, to unpack the complexities of the national debt and deficit in the United States. They explore the historical context of the country's debt, the mechanisms of government borrowing, and the evolving political landscape around fiscal responsibility. Ravi and Dylan discuss how Americans experience the deficit on a day-to...

Ravi takes a closer look at the impact of misinformation and false narratives on communities like Springfield, Ohio, where fraudulent claims from former President Donald Trump, JD Vance, and others have led to real-world consequences. He then takes a step back and comments more broadly on the escalating tensions surrounding the 2024 election, including the politics of hate, the recent assassinatio...

Ravi sits down with The New Yorker’s Emma Green to dive into her latest piece, The Chaos at Columbia Continues. They explore the real-world consequences of ongoing campus protests and focus on the often-overlooked experiences of Columbia’s workers, from security guards to custodians, who continue to navigate the growing tension between the school’s administration and protesting students. Ravi and...

Ravi welcomes Gabriel Debenedetti, New York Magazine’s National Correspondent, to break down Tuesday’s presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. They discuss each candidate’s strategy and their effectiveness, the behind-the-scenes dynamics in the spin room, and the potential impact the debate might have on the election. Next, Ravi is joined by Tara Palmeri, Senior Political Corre...

Who won Tuesday night's presidential debate? Ravi breaks down Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump's performances, voter reactions, and Taylor Swift's post-debate endorsement of Harris. -- Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570 Subscribe to Ravi’s YouTube channel: https://tinyurl.com/RadioRavi Follow The Branch on Twitter: https://twitter.com/th...

Ravi sits down with Andrew Clark, president of yes. every. kid., to discuss the future of education in America. They explore the state of education reform, changing demographics within alternative school models, and why calls for individualized learning have never been louder. Ravi and Andrew then turn to the political dynamics of Education Savings Accounts, the ongoing debate between public and p...

As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump prepare for their September 10 presidential debate, Ravi takes a closer look at the history of presidential debates. He starts with the TV era, from JFK and Nixon to Kerry and Bush, and explores how the format, impact, and strategy of debates have shifted over time. This episode is part one. Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Q-EMB1CUm...

Ravi sits down with Ann Bauer to discuss her piece, "America’s Families Are Not Okay" and the growing crisis of family estrangement. Ravi and Ann first explore why over one in four millennials and Gen Zers say they are estranged from at least one family member before turning to the role that TV, film, and social media may play in familial expectations and interactions. Finally, they look to the fu...

A priest said he was threatened. The community said they felt ignored.  In part two of the series, Ravi visits Rosebank, a neighborhood on Staten Island’s northeastern shore, to investigate another chapter in the migrant shelter controversy. Through conversations with neighbors and the people at the center of the issue, he searches for common ground and a path forward.  Leave us a voicemail with y...

In the summer of 2023, Staten Island erupted in protests over the opening of an emergency migrant shelter at a former Catholic school. As New York City grappled with an immigration crisis, some islanders insisted it wasn’t their problem.  In part one of this two-part series, Staten Island native Ravi Gupta explores the forgotten borough’s complex history that led to this moment, revealing larger t...

Ravi kicks off the show by reflecting on the final day of the DNC convention, how the past four days could impact Democrats’ chances against Trump in November, and the implications of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s pending withdrawal from the race. Ravi then welcomes New York Times housing reporter Conor Dougherty to the show to discuss the current state of the housing crisis, how political dynamics infl...

Ravi kicks off the show by taking a closer look at Tim Walz's claims that his family benefited from IVF treatments, new comments from Andy Beshear about JD Vance's stance on abortion, and increased speculation that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will exit the presidential race later this week. He then turns to the Democratic National Convention and breaks down the key moments from nights one and two. Final...

Ravi welcomes Todd Rose, co-founder and CEO of Populace, back to the podcast to discuss the current political climate, from the topics most Americans care about that no presidential campaign has addressed to the state of the Israel-Hamas war and its influence on the 2024 election. Ravi and Todd then react to Columbia President Minouche Shafik’s decision to resign and the need for universities to r...

Ravi welcomes Tyler Austin Harper, contributing writer at The Atlantic and assistant professor at Bates College, to the podcast to discuss the 2024 presidential race. They cover everything from the continuing series of identity-based fundraisers like White Dudes for Harris and the need for the Harris-Walz campaign to define their policy positions to whether there’s truth in JD Vance’s claims that...

Ravi welcomes Bob Spitz, music journalist and the foremost rock biographer, to discuss his recent biography on Led Zeppelin. They explore the rise of Zeppelin and their impact on the music scene of the 1970s. They also dive into Bob’s experience managing Bruce Springsteen in the early '70s and writing about iconic bands such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones. Leave us a voicemai...

Ravi kicks off the show by tackling Trump’s Mar-A-Lago press conference and Joe Rogan's endorsement of RFK Jr. Next, Ravi welcomes Isaac Saul from Tangle and Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a senior fellow at The Atlantic and a U.S. citizen from Gaza, to discuss the current state of the presidential race. They debate Kamala Harris's choice of Tim Walz as her running mate, examine the pro-Palestinian movemen...

Vice President Kamala Harris has chosen Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. A veteran, former teacher, and seasoned lawmaker, Walz spent a decade in Congress before becoming governor. He gained national attention on “Morning Joe” after he called Donald Trump and JD Vance “weird.” Ravi dives into everything you need to know about Tim Walz, from his childhood in Nebraska to his political re...

Ravi welcomes New York Times Op-Ed columnist Pamela Paul to the show to discuss her skepticism about Vice President Kamala Harris as a candidate and the way in which Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee. Ravi and Pamela explore what Harris needs to do to start making her case to voters, from the importance of a new vision for K-12 education to how voters crave authenticity in today's p...