Stateside with Kai and Carter

Epizodai

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  Why the real AI apocalypse is already here 15.09.2026 17min

  A former Anthropic researcher’s apocalyptic declaration about artificial intelligence has led to a global panic that the technology might be the end of us all. At an event in Washington today to warn about the dangers of AI, US senator Bernie Sanders said that Congress has been ‘asleep at the wheel'. Oddly, Steve Bannon appeared at the same event. But is this response a distraction from the more immediate problems AI is already causing? Kai Wright and Carter Sherman are joined by Guardian tech reporter Johana Bhuyian to put this moment in context, and she explains why we should be cynical about industry calls for regulation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Taylor Lorenz on the global effort to ban kids from social media 15.09.2026 37min

  What are we going to do about kids and social media? Lawsuit after lawsuit has accused the biggest social media platforms in the US of designing their products to be addictive and of endangering children. Meta recently settled one of those lawsuits, agreeing to pay up to $17.1bn in penalties and to limit how kids use its platforms, like Instagram and Facebook. (They did not admit to any wrongdoing.) The rest of the world is embracing a different solution that tech journalist Taylor Lorenz tells Carter Sherman would forever change the way we use the internet: social media bans. Last year, Australia became the first country to ban people under 16 from social media, and this week, the European Union is expected to propose a similar ban. If it goes into effect, the EU ban would be, by far, the world’s biggest effort to block kids from social media. But, as Lorenz points out, these laws raise all kinds of questions about civil liberties, data privacy, and the future of free speech on the internet. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Charlie Kirk became a martyr. Then the conspiracy theories started 10.09.2026 42min

  Charlie Kirk's death created a vacuum of power that still consumes the Maga right a year later. Immediately after Kirk was shot and killed, his ultraconservative activist organization Turning Point USA announced that his widow, Erika Kirk, would replace her late husband as CEO. But as Guardian reporter J Oliver Conroy tells Kai Wright, conspiracy theories pushed by Kirk's former allies and proteges have dogged both the organization and Erika Kirk herself. Real questions remain about whether Erika Kirk can maintain the enormous power and influence Turning Point holds on the right and what she is planning to do with the organization. Conroy spent months reporting on Charlie Kirk’s legacy talking to dozens of people within Turning Point USA and the larger Maga movement who view Charlie Kirk as a martyr. Conroy says martyrdom is a powerful force that can’t be controlled.J Oliver Conroy's Guardian story on Charlie Kirk and Turning Point USA:  Grief, fury, conspiracy: inside Turning Point USA after Charlie Kirk’s killing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  25 years after 9/11, is Islamophobia in the US at an all-time high? 08.09.2026 39min

  In the hours after the 9/11 attacks, the journalist Rozina Ali remembers her parents telling her that as Muslims, they would now be under suspicion. It took years for Ali to understand what they meant. She talks to Carter Sherman about this journey and how it led her to write about the history of Islamophobia in the US. Ali explores how attacks on Muslims by successive administrations since 9/11 cemented Islamophobia in all areas of American life, and she explains why she believes these prejudices are more pervasive now than ever.Seasons of Fury: Four Families, and the Rise of Islamophobia in America by Rozina Ali is out now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Summer break! 24.08.2026 1min

  Stateside with Kai and Carter is taking a short end of summer break.We'll be back with new episodes after Labor Day.Make sure to catch previous episodes on YouTube, Apple, or Spotify. See you soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Lindsay Clancy killed her children. Here's why so many women still support her. 21.08.2026 33min

  The trial of Lindsay Clancy, a former nurse accused of murdering her three children, is wrapping up its fifth week. On Friday morning, the defense rested, and the public attention to the case is at a fever-pitch — especially on social media. Clancy, 36, does not deny that she strangled her children, but has pleaded not guilty due to lack of criminal responsibility, also known as an insanity defense. She argues that she was in the throes of postpartum psychosis, a rare and devastating condition that can go unrecognized and untreated. Host Carter Sherman speaks with Jenna Amatulli, deputy head of news for Guardian US, about how the case has renewed attention on the fundamental shortcomings in America's maternal healthcare system, and about why Clancy's story has captivated—and polarized—so many people.Correction added September 1st 2026: This episode referenced a study that appeared to overstate the prevalence of postpartum depression in the US as more than 80%. In 2020, the Centers for Disease Control found that about 1 in 8 women in the U.S. report experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression up to 6 months after giving birth. This was based on data the CDC analyzed from the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Seeing Gaza through the eyes of a trauma surgeon 19.08.2026 39min

  Ten months into a ceasefire in Gaza, Israel and Hamas seem like they are no closer to a real end to the war. Israel reportedly says they will carry on with their military operation until Hamas fully disarms. Hamas has said they will not begin disarming until Israel begins withdrawing. At the center of it all are Gazans living without the basic infrastructure of electricity, water sanitation and hygiene. Kai Wright speaks with two surgeons – Dr Mark Perlmutter and Dr Feroze Sidhwa – who worked under those conditions. The doctors are at the center of the new documentary, American Doctor, which chronicles what they witnessed first-hand while volunteering on the frontline in a Gaza hospital. The film follows the doctors and a third, Dr Thaer Ahmad, in their work on the ground and their subsequent return to the US to tell the media and congress what they saw. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Why Nolan Wells’ death made Black parents say the quiet part out loud 17.08.2026 41min

  When 18-year-old Nolan Wells went missing, his story immediately touched a nerve in Black families. He was last seen while hanging out with a group of white friends, at a popular beach near Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Nolan never came home from the trip, and he was found dead days later. Many questions about how he died remain unanswered publicly. And the mystery surrounding his death has revived an old conversation within Black communities: are we ever truly safe in white-dominated spaces? Who will feel responsible for our children’s safety when we send them out into a world where Black life is not valued? Host Kai Wright talks with historian Stacey Patton and writer Ashley Stoney about why Nolan Wells’ story has captured so much attention – and sparked so much anxiety – among Black parents, in particular. What does our collective reaction to Nolan Wells’ disappearance and death reveal about the limits of interracial society today? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Why does everything feel meh? We're in the era of joyless decadence 14.08.2026 36min

  We should, in theory, be happy. Thanks to our phones, we can do practically anything – listen to our favorite bands' entire discographies, have extravagant meals delivered to our door, travel the world through an endless scroll. So why do so many of these experiences feel so joyless? Why do so many of us feel so empty all the time? Hosts Kai Wright and Carter Sherman wrestle with these questions with academics Michèle Mendelssohn and Charlie Tyson, who argue that we are living in an era of decadence without pleasure. While decadence always arises in times of extreme inequality, they say that tools like AI and GLP-1s reveal how we've lost our ability to truly enjoy things – and, ironically, reclaiming decadence may help us finally have fun.Michèle Mendelssohn and Charlie Tyson’s Guardian essay: Why does everything feel joyless? Welcome to the age of decadence without pleasure Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The doctor who helps put prisoners to death 12.08.2026 43min

  On 13 August, three states are set to carry out executions by lethal injection. It’s the first time since 2010 that three people will be put to death on the same day in the US. In Tennessee, the execution of Darrell Hines is in the spotlight, because the last lethal injection in the state was botched. Ed Pilkington speaks to Kai Wright about the doctor at the center of that botched execution, whose identity was revealed inadvertently last year. Ed explains how his reporting has lifted the lid on a role that is usually hidden away from public view, and what it tells us about the American death penalty today Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Rebecca Solnit on Andrew Tate and Trump’s misogyny 10.08.2026 42min

  Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan may soon be extradited back to the UK – but the manosphere influencers' case will have lasting consequences in the US, where the Tates reportedly maintained multiple ties to the Trump administration. (The Tates have been charged with rape, trafficking and numerous other crimes, but deny all criminal wrongdoing.) Host Carter Sherman talks with author and Guardian columnist Rebecca Solnit about what the Andrew Tate saga reveals about Republicans' approach toward sexual violence and Donald Trump's connections to the manosphere. They ask: do people secretly like it when the US president hates women? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Who are the Trump allies running Latin America? 07.08.2026 40min

  An outspoken conservative endorsed by Donald Trump was sworn into office as Colombia’s new president on Friday. Abelardo de la Espriella is the seventh rightwing politician to take office in Latin America since the start of Trump’s second term. Kai Wright speaks to former US ambassador to Panama John Feeley about why the region is moving rightwards, and how it is boosting Trump’s foreign policy objectives, from immigration to containing China. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Inside the vigilante movement destroying Flock cameras 05.08.2026 38min

  There are more than 120,000 Flock surveillance cameras in 6,000 communities across the US. These ALPRs (automatic license plate readers) are largely used by law enforcement, and have come under criticism from privacy campaigners, who say they are being used to surveil private citizens and target immigrants. Flock says their cameras are integral to public safety, but critics fear that the company is creating a mass surveillance network. Cities across the US are cancelling Flock contracts, but some concerned citizens feel the fightback isn’t happening quickly enough. Carter Sherman speaks to Sanya Mansoor about the underground vigilante movement taking matters into their own hands, and speaks to a self declared Flock vigilante known as Nomark, who is on a mission to destroy every Flock camera across the country Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Mamdani won New York. But can a progressive win the Michigan primary? 03.08.2026 34min

  Democrats are pissed off – and they're taking their anger straight to the ballot box. In the wake of Donald Trump's return to the White House, progressives (including members of DSA – Democratic Socialists of America) have defeated established moderates in elections in liberal cities like New York, Washington DC and Seattle. Now, they're trying to win a series of major primaries in the deep-purple midwest. Host Carter Sherman speaks with Guardian midwest political correspondent Rachel Leingang, who has traveled all over the region covering several key races – including this week's Democratic Senate primary in Michigan, where progressive Abdul Al-Sayed is squaring off against the establishment candidate, Haley Stevens. Can leftist politics win outside of blue bubbles? And what do these races reveal about the fight for the midterms and the White House? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Will the US midterm elections be free and fair? 31.07.2026 40min

  With Republicans' chances in the midterms looking shaky, Donald Trump is increasingly trying to rewrite the rules that govern US elections. Voting rights groups say he's really laying the groundwork to suppress voters. Trump has already moved to change mail-in voting, but he now wants Congress to pass the Save America Act, which includes strict voter ID restrictions. He's also accused China of interfering in the 2020 election. (Trump didn't back up that claim with evidence.) Host Kai Wright speaks with Garrett Epps, legal affairs editor at Washington Monthly, about the threat to US elections and what voters can do to protect them.Read Garrett Epps' story in Washington Monthly Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Is Iran a ‘forever war’? 29.07.2026 32min

  After a lull in fighting, airstrikes between the US and Iran resumed Wednesday, killing at least 20 members of Iraq’s popular mobilization force. The conflict between the US and Iran has now entered its fifth month, with no obvious conclusion in sight. Analysts have warned that the latest escalations are pushing the Middle East region into "unchartered territory". Carter Sherman is joined by the Guardian’s senior international correspondent Julian Borger and Deepa Parent, an independent journalist who reports on Iran, to answer the question: is this a forever war?  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How Trump made it harder to fight the cyclospora parasite outbreak 27.07.2026 33min

  A parasite called cyclospora has sickened thousands of people across at least 41 states and prompted waves of headlines about weeks-long "explosive diarrhea". But as Guardian health contributor and reporter Melody Schreiber tells host Carter Sherman, Donald Trump's cuts to the CDC and FDA have kneecapped the agencies' ability to contain the dangerous outbreak – which is now growing rapidly. Melody and Carter trace one food supplier's role in the outbreak, discuss the future of public health and reveal tips for safe eating and cooking.Read Melody Schreiber's reporting in the Guardian about cyclospora:Confusing product recall adds to US cyclospora outbreak uncertaintyCDC cuts leave US less prepared for disease outbreaks, former officials warn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  She spent years trying to be thin. What happened when she bulked instead? 24.07.2026 37min

  After years of trying to be skinny, Guardian reporter Madeleine Aggeler did a 180 and decided to 'bulk'. Bulking, or gaining weight on purpose to get stronger, challenged everything she had been taught about her body, and transformed her relationship to food. Madeleine speaks to Carter Sherman about her owns body image struggles, and they discuss why strength training and weightlifting has become so popular for women. Is this actually healthy, or just an extension of toxic diet culture? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Gaza. Mitch McConnell. Is Congress finally being forced to change? 22.07.2026 42min

  Earlier this year, Congress reached a depressing milestone: 86% of Americans, a record high, disapproved of its job performance. But this summer, there have been some signs that shifts are underway. On the left, House Democrats have just voted in unprecedented numbers to withhold military aid from Israel, and across the country, progressive candidates are running competitive primary campaigns that are energizing a base fed up with the status quo. On the right, Republicans are reeling from the sudden death of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham, one of President Trump's staunchest supporters, and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell remains sequestered following a health scare in June, raising questions of if a changing of the guard might be underway there too. Kai Wright and Carter Sherman are joined by Guardian Washington bureau chief David Smith and Midwest political correspondent Rachel Leingang to discuss gerontocracy, transparency, the rise of the Democratic Socialists of America, and just how much of an inflection point this summer might be for both parties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Mary Beard on The Odyssey, Trump's America and how empires fall 20.07.2026 48min

  Christopher Nolan’s new adaption of The Odyssey is an absolute monster of a hit, grossing $264m in its opening weekend. But celebrated classicist Mary Beard tells host Carter Sherman that while Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem comes with plenty of action-packed battle scenes, the film is missing the original's "elusive sexiness" – and its approach to women left her disappointed. Carter and Beard also explore why rightwing politicians – and people like Elon Musk – are so obsessed with co-opting the ancient world. They ask: who gets to own the classics?Commentary and criticism about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey from the Guardian:The Odyssey’s reviewChristopher Nolan interviewWill women also love The Odyssey? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.