The DSR Network

Anna Fifield, Beijing Bureau Chief of the Washington Post, has written an extraordinary new book providing never before available insights into North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un. Deep State Radio regular's Kori Schake of IISS and David Sanger of the New York Times, join Anna for a discussion of the book, of Kim, of the current fragile state of U.S.-N.K. relations (and why a deal may yet happen befo...

Impeachment has become a charged word in our national political debate. But the framers of our Constitution saw it as an essential tool in protecting the integrity of our government and the interests of the American people. Professor Lawrence Tribe, of Harvard Law School, is one of the country's leading constitutional scholars and he has recently written of a path forward the House of Representati...

The disinformation war of the President, AG Barr and their associates is unlike any we have ever seen in US history...and this is a country that knows a thing or two about bullshit. But not only is the Team Trump effort more sweeping, but thanks to Barr, the administration is now trying to translate their alternative reality into an institutional outcome, blunting the efforts of the Congress to do...

With his new book, "China's New Red Guard: The Return of Radicalism and the Rebirth of Mao Zedong" author Jude Blanchette describes vividly a shift in the politics of China that has profound implications for that country and the world. In this episode, he discusses the book and with Rosa Brooks and Evelyn Farkas discusses China's changing role in the world, it's new assertiveness, and where we are...

Much as the barrage balloons that used to float above London during the blitz were ominous reminders of dire impending threats, so too does the large inflatable Baby Trump that floats over London when the American president visits convey a foreboding message. Trump's trip, despite the pomp offered up by the Royal Family, has come with protests and much the same is expected when he arrives in Irela...

Nada Bakos was a CIA targeter during the height of the War on Terror. She has just completed a compelling new book on her experiences on the ground in the Middle East, at the Agency and coping with the White House and other political leaders in Washington. It is not only a great read but it offers valuable insights that are relevant today re: Iran, terrorism, and how we view intelligence in the wa...

From the potential for abuse associated with indictments like those handed down in the case of Julian Assange to the potential for abuse in not handing down such indictments, from the president's continued bullying of his adversaries and those who might testify against him to the ever-growing list of court cases involving Donald Trump and his team, our system is being tested as never before. But t...

Deep Staters love to...drink box wine. But sometimes, when they are sober, they also love to read. Sometimes they read when they're drunk, too. But what do they read? And does it help? On this, our annual and much beloved summer reading episode we answer the questions about what you should be reading and who you should be avoiding at all costs. It'll make your summer worthwhile and it'll make you...

Nigel Farage, who got one, certainly does? But who else does? Who might deserve a pumpkin pie? And, while we're at it, do you think that will stop the spread of right wing nuts like Farage? The news suggests no. So what's to be done? And...what about the other horrifying things that are going on around the world--wars, near-wars, unending-wars, trade wars? We discuss it all with a classic Deep Sta...

Trump talks tough. But like most bullies, he shies away from any real fight. The problem is talking tough increases tensions and that raises the risk of accidental war (made more possible by the fact our National Security Advisor is a pyromaniac with a box of matches). But scary as all that is, more dangerous is what is happening at home--both in terms of the GOP war on our democracy, on women, on...

As one of our guests on this week's episode, Max Bergmann of the Center for American Progress pointed out, the Trump Administration presents the so-called "Zebra Problem." Zebra's stripes might not appear great camouflage against green or ground plains, but they are a very effective aid in helping individual zebras blend in against the backdrop of the herd, providing good protection against lions....

The Speaker of the House and Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee have declared we are in a Constitutional Crisis. The White House has adopted a policy of "total stonewalling" denying any documents to any House committee to enable mandated oversight. The GOP is playing hardball knowing that whether they delay outcomes or prevent them outright they win. It's a war of attrition and if it gets t...

Where do we start? Trump renews his video bromance with Vladimir Putin and Putin smiles. Then they collude to agree they didn't collude. 800 prosecutors say Trump should be charged with multiple felony counts for obstruction and while they're at it, seem to suggest that Attorney General Bill Barr is a partisan hack. Trump is above the law and there may not be anything we can do about it. Crisis? Y...

It has long been a foundational belief of political smarties everywhere that the average American does not give a hoot about foreign policy. But that, according to a new study from the Center for American Progress, is just not true. Maybe 20 percent don't give a hoot. And about 30 percent are nutty nationalists. But 50 percent are more in the internationalist vein which could have big implications...

You've seen him in Scandal, Private Practice & Grey's Anatomy..so basically ever single Shonda Rhimes show that you're obsessed with Paul Adelstein has been in. Paul and Emily bonded over their Midwest roots talking theater, politics and everything in between. Paul and Emily hypothetically cast the Trump White House movie and you'll never guess what roles they each would like to play. Support this...

David Sanger of the New York Times joins Rosa Brooks of Georgetown Law and Kori Schake of IISS to discuss why the president's top advisors don't want their staffs raising the issue of protecting the US from further Russian attacks on our democracy and what it might mean. Is he a traitor? Is he a moron? Is our government falling apart? Are these mutually exclusive? Tune in to the latest Deep State...

On this episode, our experts Edward Luce of the Financial Times, Rosa Brooks of Georgetown University Law Center and Kori Schake of IISS reveal the secret and disturbingly advanced plans of Donald Trump to blow the international system that America helped create after World War II. It's farther along than you might think...and scary as can be. Which leads back to the one dominant question that ari...

It has been a busy week in foreign affairs even if you have been too glued to the Mueller Report, the White House Easter Egg roll and Game of Thrones to pay any attention. Ukraine elected a comedian with no government experience as president and while that was a triumph for democracy, well, now comes the hard part. The US ratcheted up tensions with Iran and we all know where that's going. North Ko...

No, the Mueller report was not about exoneration. No, it was not about politics. But one thing it was about at its inception was that the US had been attacked by a foreign enemy and we wanted to find out why. Presumably with the intent of stopping it. So...how come we're not doing that? And how come we're not more outraged that our government seems to think saving their own skin is more important...

Sick of the Mueller Report tsunami of news and commentary? Zoning out on tepid hot takes from the usual suspects? Want to know what the Mueller Report really means, what's next, what went wrong, why this isn't the end but the beginning and why Don, Jr.'s trolls are both the dumbest and most dangerous on the Net? Then tune in for this special Deep State Radio Muellerpalooza with an all star line up...

We'll get some of the Mueller Report later this week. Or the Barr version of the Mueller Report. And it is certain to prove the president innocent...or guilty. Hot takes will fly. But as our guests Rosa Brooks of Georgetown Law School and Ed Luce of the Financial Times point out, we won't know for days what this version of the report means or what it's missing. So take a nap. Have a walk. Play wit...

This week on “Washington for Beautiful People,” Emily’s special guest is a chef, entrepreneur, father, teacher, author, television host and the guy who eats all the strange shit….Andrew Zimmern. Andrew and Emily talk politics but dive into a discussion about social activism and surviving major life struggles. They also talk about St. Louis cuisine (yes, it’s good…ignore Bagelgate) and Emily gets s...

The US has designated Iran's Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization, the first time it has done so with a foreign military. Some see this as the ratcheting up of tensions and a prelude to war. Some see it as another gift to the re-election campaign of Bibi Netanyahu. And some, including our experts, see it primarily as more posturing from a blustering bully who doesn't want any real wars...

According to the president, we have a crisis on our southern border. And we have national security threats from N. Korea to Venezuela to Iran. And yet, we don't have a Secretary of Defense, of the Air Force, a WH Chief of Staff, a UN Ambassador and well, anybody of consequence in any top job at the Department of Homeland Security. Which leaves everything to our president his slathering loyal assis...

“Washington for Beautiful People” hit the road for a very special episode taped from the campus of Yale University. CNN’s two favorite political minds Asha Rangappa & Sam Vinograd joined Emily for a wide (very wide) ranging discussion about Trump, favorite musicals (there was judgment) 2020 hot picks and who was on each other’s list (yup, that list). You’ll laugh, you’ll be surprised and you’ll ge...