The Branch

Lost Debate

News EN ↓ 444 episodes

Lost Debate is a weekly podcast from The Branch that brings you news, ideas, and arguments from around the political spectrum. We engage in the good-faith discussions that too much of our society and media miss. It's hosted by Ravi Gupta, a former Obama staffer turned school principal.

Author

The Branch

Category

News

Podcast website

thebranchmedia.org

Latest episode

Jul 8, 2026

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Episodes

Advice for Harris/Trump, Sal Khan on AI and Reimagining Learning 01.08.2024

Why has the Trump campaign struggled to adapt to the new realities of the presidential race? Ravi breaks down how Biden’s departure has impacted the way the election is framed, why voters may be more likely to view Vice President Harris as the change candidate, and what both campaigns need to prioritize to appeal to moderate voters. Then, Sal Khan, founder and CEO of Khan Academy, joins the show t...

Kamala-mentum and Vance's Last Dance 30.07.2024

Ravi runs through the state of the presidential race, from Kamala Harris' ascendancy as the presumptive Democratic nominee and the candidates who could join her on the presidential ticket to why JD Vance has quickly become a liability for the Trump campaign. Time Stamps: [2:10] Kamala-mentum [12:04] Vance's Last Dance [34:38] Trump Assassination Attempt What do you want to know about the election?...

Overlooked Education Trends 12.07.2024

Ravi kicks off the show by giving his immediate take on President Biden’s highly anticipated press conference at the NATO Summit. Then Ravi is joined by Matt Barnum, The Wall Street Journal’s K-12 Education Reporter, to discuss the current trends in education. Ravi and Matt discuss cell phone policies in schools, the potential impact of ESAs on traditional school districts, and the state of the ch...

Biden’s Standoff, Kamala’s Rise, Homeschooling Revolution 09.07.2024

Ravi kicks off the show by taking stock of the continued fallout from President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. He then welcomes Laura Meckler, national education reporter for The Washington Post, to discuss the evolution of homeschooling and the discourse surrounding it, from funding to regulation and accountability. [0:01] Biden’s Standoff [26:29] Homeschooling Revolution Leave us a voice...

The Coming Democratic Civil War 03.07.2024

Ravi shares his latest thoughts on President Biden’s disastrous debate performance. He explains how months of obfuscation from Biden, his team, and the insiders closest to the administration could impact the 2024 election, advocates for more truth-telling, and responds to those who say it’s too late to replace the president on the ticket. Ravi then welcomes Jamie Hodari, co-founder and CEO of Indu...

Biden's Time Is Up 28.06.2024

Ravi reacts to President Biden’s performance during the presidential debate, makes the case for Biden to step aside ahead of the Democratic National Convention, and calls for more accountability and honesty from left-wing media and the leadership within the Democratic Party. Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show: 321-200-0570 Subscribe to Lost Debate on Substack: https://thelostdebat...

Biden’s Brain Trust 27.06.2024

In this special episode, Ravi is joined by Michael D. Shear, White House correspondent at The New York Times, to discuss what to expect from the upcoming presidential debate. They then turn to President Joe Biden’s closest advisers; who they are, why they’re largely unknown, and how they wield their power within the administration. Finally, Ravi and Michael explore the political reasoning behind a...

Biden Rising, Trump Confidence, Education Revolution 25.06.2024

President Biden and former President Trump will face off in the first 2024 presidential debate later this week. Ravi takes stock of where both candidates stand heading into the debate, from their status in the polls and different approaches to fundraising to why TikTok videos about Trump receive more positive engagement than videos that mention Biden. Then, Ravi welcomes Derrell Bradford, presiden...

India's Dangerous Path 23.06.2024

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term in office earlier this month, but voters denied him an outright parliamentary majority after an election cycle dominated by concerns over the economy, environmental degradation, and corruption. In this special episode, Ravi speaks with Kapil Komireddi, author of the recent New Yorker piece, 'My Father’s Fate and India’s,' about the repercus...

Debate Expectations, Fraudulent News, Costly Daycare, State Elections 20.06.2024

The first presidential debate is around the corner. Ravi takes stock of the ways the Biden and Trump teams have approached debate preparation, explains how both camps have worked to shape the narrative leading up to the debate, and whether the candidates’ performance could impact the state of the election. He then turns to external forces in the election and explores a new piece from Julia Ioffe i...

Double Haters, Peak Solar, Forced Treatment 18.06.2024

President Biden and former President Trump have the highest share of “double haters” in at least three decades, with new data from Pew showing that a quarter of Americans hold unfavorable views of both men. Ravi discusses this after diving into the politics behind Biden’s latest executive action, which will offer new legal projections for undocumented immigrants who are married to or stepchildren...

An Israeli and a Gazan 11.06.2024

Hunter Biden was convicted on all three counts in his federal gun trial this week. Ravi takes stock of the verdict and President Biden’s response before diving into the secret recordings of Supreme Court Justices Alito and Roberts, the new partnership between OpenAI and Apple, why to pay attention to foreign political interference in Canada, and what’s behind Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s increa...

Verdict Backlash, Biden Border Plan, India and Mexico Elections 06.06.2024

Ravi dives into the news of the day, from the aftermath of the Trump verdict and Biden’s asylum ban at the US-Mexico border to what Mexico’s recent elections say about the rise of authoritarianism in the country. He then gives an update on Amanda Knox’s latest legal challenge and explains why more people should care about the lack of air conditioning in U.S. prisons. Finally, Prime Minister Narend...

My MAGA Dad 02.06.2024

Ravi recently joined Tell Me About Your Father to discuss how his relationship with his parents has influenced everything from his career to how he approaches people with different opinions. To hear more, follow Tell Me About Your Father wherever you listen to podcasts. On this episode of Tell Me About Your Father, Matt Phillp talks with former Obama staffer and school principal and current co-hos...

Trump Guilty. What Now? 30.05.2024

Donald Trump has been found guilty on 34 felony counts in his New York hush money criminal trial. Ravi discusses what we know about the breaking news and what could happen next. Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 321-200-0570 Follow The Branch on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thebranchmedia/ Follow The Branch on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thebranchmedia Follow The Bra...

After the Verdict, How to Be Happy, Liberalism in Peril 30.05.2024

Ravi kicks off the show with breaking news, including updates on Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial, ex-OpenAI board member Helen Toner’s tell-all interview about Sam Altman’s short-lived firing, why the Texas elections have seen a wave of pro-school voucher candidates, and the latest drama in New York City’s casino permit fight. Ravi then welcomes Adam Gopnik, legendary staff writer at The...

Amanda Knox Changes Her Mind 29.05.2024

Amanda Knox joins Ravi to discuss her riveting piece in The Atlantic, “What If He Actually Did It?” In the article, she writes about her support of Jens Söring, a man who spent 33 years in prison for a double homicide he insists he didn’t commit, and how she began to reexamine her advocacy for his innocence. Ravi and Amanda explore her emotional journey as she reflects on the friendship she develo...

Netanyahu Warrant, City of Yes, More Alito Drama 23.05.2024

Ravi breaks down what you need to know about the second controversial flag spotted outside one of Justice Alito's properties, the leaked OpenAI documents, and why a majority of Americans wrongly believe the U.S. is in a recession. Mayor Eric Adams wants to make New York City the “City of Yes.” Thesis Driven’s Brad Hargreaves joins Ravi to discuss the mayor’s rezoning proposal, which would roll bac...

Altman, Alito In The Hot Seat, Food Inc. 21.05.2024

Ravi kicks off the episode with a round-up of breaking news: from the latest in Donald Trump’s New York hush money trial to OpenAI's new model of GPT and the controversy surrounding Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito and his wife. Then, Eric Schlosser, author of "Fast Food Nation," joins the show to discuss his new documentary, "Food, Inc. 2." They dive into everything from the consolidation and c...

Introducing 'Killing Justice' 20.05.2024

When a judge in India dies of a heart attack, his passing barely makes the news. But when his niece approaches a journalist two years later, she shares a different story: that the circumstances around Judge Brijgopal Loya’s death have made his family doubt the official story. From Crooked Media and The Branch, Killing Justice investigates how one man’s death has become a lodestone for increasingly...

Marriage, Polyamory, and Kids 16.05.2024

Ravi welcomes Tyler Austin Harper and Brad Wilcox to the pod for a special episode on relationships. Ravi first talks with Tyler about polyamory, its portrayal in the media, and why a poly lifestyle has grown in popularity among affluent progressives. They also explore the decline of social institutions, generational attitudes toward relationships, and the impact of activism and progressivism in u...

The Lawyers: Past, Present, and Future 14.05.2024

Ravi is joined by due process expert and lawyer Dan Schorr to discuss the history and evolution of Title IX and the potential repercussions of the Biden administration's recent proposed changes to its regulation of the federal civil rights law. They explore how the updates could impact due process rights and what this means for students and educational institutions across the country. Then, Ray Br...

Ceasefire Talks, Lessons From the Protests, Title IX 08.05.2024

Ravi welcomes Tangle's Isaac Saul back to the show to update listeners on the current state of the war in Gaza, including Israel's escalating attacks in Rafah and the proposed ceasefire deal. Ravi and Isaac then turn to college campuses in the U.S. to explore the complexities and potential unintended consequences of the ongoing campus protests. They also examine why so many protests throughout his...

Trump's Hope Hicks Problem, Gun Scapegoats 07.05.2024

Kim Wehle joins the show to talk with Ravi about the latest in the Trump case in New York, including why Hope Hicks is such an integral part of the prosecution’s case and how her recent testimony could inform the eventual verdict. They then discuss the presidential pardon power, whether self-pardons are constitutional, and how Trump may attempt to pardon himself regardless of the outcome of the 20...

The Perils of the Trump Cases 03.05.2024

Ravi welcomes Amy Davidson Sorkin from The New Yorker to the show to explore the legal challenges of the various cases against Donald Trump, including the immunity case before the Supreme Court, and the potential consequences of a conviction before the election. They then turn to Joseph Fischer v. United States and discuss how the Supreme Court might rule on whether prosecutors can use federal obs...

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