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Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy

BestOfTheLeft.com
Donald Trump
Christian Nationalism
Far-Right Extremism
Accelerationism
Supreme Court
Capitalism
Extreme Right Ideology
Neo-Fascism
Clarence Thomas
Latin America
U.S. Immigration Policy
Democracy
Covid-19
Social Collapse
Technocracy
Counter-Terrorism
Infrastructure Attacks
Political Violence
Italy
Zionism

Expertly-curated progressive politics, news, and culture produced by leftist humans, not algorithms or AI. This is an award-winning podcast that dives deeply into a wide range of national and international issues facing society and governments. We draw from hundreds of sources of progressive news and commentary. Est. 2006. Save time by listening to a range of perspectives on a focused topic in eac... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes1622Founded20 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
PoliticsNews CommentaryNews

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Artwork for Best of the Left

Latest Episodes

Air Date 9/23/2025

All that is happening in the wake of the Charlie Kirk assassination was quite predictable because we've actually seen this game plan play out before. The only thing we didn't know was what would be the catalyst to really put the ... more

Air Date: 9–20-25

Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:

• Ch. 1 - The right-wing’s continued attempts at satire

• Ch. 2 - Manufactured outrage about male cheerleaders and sorority dances

• Ch. 3 - How political outsiders always adopt ne... more

Air Date 9/20/2025

The escalations are happening so fast now that even though this episode is about Russia increasing tensions by violating NATO airspace in Poland with drones and Israel intensifying their belligerence by bombing inside Qatar, thos... more

Air Date 9/16/2025

Between recent Labor Day rallies and Republican Town Hall meetings, we're seeing that resistance to Trump's deeply unpopular policies is alive and well. Plus we're going to look at some historical legacies of resistance movements... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Zoran Mamdani
Progressive activist and candidate for Mayor of New York City
Episode: #1736 Not the Opposition Party the Country Need Right Now
Dr. Ashish Jha
Dean of the Brown University School of Public Health and former White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator
Brown University
Episode: #1733 The Impossible Promise of Make American Healthy Again: MAHA vs MAGA
Dr. Fiona Havers
Infectious disease doctor and former senior advisor on vaccine policy for the CDC
Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center
Episode: #1733 The Impossible Promise of Make American Healthy Again: MAHA vs MAGA
Steve Maviglio
Long-time Democratic strategist based in Sacramento, California
Episode: #1731 Raw Power, the Presidency, the Courts, and Democracy in the Balance
Kathy Hochul
Democratic Governor of New York
State of New York
Episode: #1731 Raw Power, the Presidency, the Courts, and Democracy in the Balance
Tad Stoermer
Political commentator and analyst.
Episode: #1730 The Axis of the Dark Personality Triad: Unfit Leaders and the Suffering They Cause
James O'Brien
Radio host and journalist known for political discussions.
Episode: #1730 The Axis of the Dark Personality Triad: Unfit Leaders and the Suffering They Cause
Aaron Reichlin Melnick
Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council
American Immigration Council
Episode: #1729 Monthly-ish Mix: Layers of Authoritarian Control and the Rising Resistance
Bill McKibben
Environmentalist, author, and journalist
Third Act
Episode: #1573 Confronting Climate Chaos with Action and Adaptation (Throwback)

Host

Jay
Host of the podcast; leads discussions and curations on progressive topics, providing specialized insight into a variety of social and political issues.

Reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars from 3.8k ratings
  • 9.14.25

    I love this this podcast of a compilation of great clips of good info/analysis as well as introducing us to what may be new outlets we didn’t know about and can add them to our listening/reading resources. Thank you! love it!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    midwestBlue
    United States10 days ago
  • 7.14.25

    Excellent guests, very informative. you dive deeper into subject matter than others bringing up new info and I appreciate that. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    midwestBlue
    United States2 months ago
  • Excellently Curated Program. I love getting all the different perspectives from all over the liberal and progressive media sphere.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Bauld G. Kobra
    3 months ago
  • Must have

    I have listened to this podcast for years. I always felt it gave me a fuller understanding of the issues. But these days I find Best of the Left an essential listen just to make sense of the times we are in

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    gfcsp
    United States6 months ago
  • Okay I guess.

    They talk about conservatives not being able to grasp different variations or groups and that not everyone has to be processed in good or bad. Then proceed to classify all conservatives as bad which is hypocritical. I listen to podcasts on both sides because I honestly believe that truth is something that doesn’t exist within the political spectrum anymore so you need to be very open to intelligence gathering. I have noticed in all of my listening though and I find this to be quite intriguing is... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Roan7107
    United States7 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Criticism occasionally arises regarding a perceived one-sidedness on certain topics, particularly concerning political figures.
The diversity of voices presented is frequently praised, enhancing understanding of complex issues.
Listeners appreciate the expert curation that condenses a wide range of progressive perspectives into insightful discussions.
Many enjoy the thorough exploration of societal issues, finding the content informative and essential for understanding the current political climate.
Several listeners note technical issues related to audio quality, which can detract from the overall experience.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#179
United States/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#195
Canada/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#213
Australia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#41
Colombia/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#77
Belgium/News/Politics
Apple Podcasts
#98
South Africa/News/Politics

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

#1733 The Impossible Promise of Make American Healthy Again: MAHA vs MAGA
Q: Can you remind me again what the difference is between an mRNA vaccine and a traditional vaccine, like for polio, for example?
Most vaccines take a part of a virus, while mRNA technology uses a small segment of the mRNA that stimulates the immune response in cells.
#1725 A Flood of Disinformation: A World of Climate Change and Conspiracies
Q: What are the ongoing search and rescue efforts like after the Texas floods?
Ongoing search and rescue efforts are notable, as there are still many missing persons and agencies have been working tirelessly to locate them despite the challenges presented by high water levels.
#1724 How to Socialism: Einstein liked socialism, you think you know better?
Q: How do you plan to address the fears surrounding socialism?
By emphasizing the fundamental rights to dignity and public services that everyone deserves.
#1597 The rise of fascism around the world driven by economic insecurity (Throwback)
Q: What do you think contributed to the incumbent Peronist coalition losing this election in Argentina?
The loss was primarily due to high inflation and economic hardships linked to international loans.
#1597 The rise of fascism around the world driven by economic insecurity (Throwback)
Q: Do you feel that discontent is just inherently anti-democratic?
There are some individuals who believe that democracy doesn't work, but a lot of discontent is tied to dissatisfaction with how democracy functions.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
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Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Best of the Left

What is Best of the Left about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast provides expertly curatd discussions on progressive politics, news, culture, and economics. It aims to highlight various perspectives on pressing national and international issues by drawing from numerous progressive sources. Episodes typically feature in-depth explorations of topics like gerrymandering, immigration, public health policies, and the effects of neoliberalism, all examined through a lens that critiques current leadership and promotes systemic change. As an established platform since 2006, it distinguishes itself by not relying on algorithms, thereby ensuring a human touch and a plethora of viewpoints that listeners might not encounter elsewhere, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to better understand ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Best of the Left?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Best of the Left:

1. Unf*cking The Republic
2. The Majority Report with Sam Seder
3. The Hartmann Report
4. The Nation Podcasts
5. The Damage Report with John Iadarola

How many episodes of Best of the Left are there?

Best of the Left launched 20 years ago and published 1622 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Best of the Left?

Recent guests on Best of the Left include:

1. Zoran Mamdani
2. Dr. Ashish Jha
3. Dr. Fiona Havers
4. Steve Maviglio
5. Kathy Hochul
6. Tad Stoermer
7. James O'Brien
8. Aaron Reichlin Melnick

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