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Artwork for Blue City Blues
Homelessness
Trump Administration
Public Safety
Blue Cities
Seattle
New York City
San Francisco
Los Angeles
New York City Public Schools
Education Reform
Media Credibility
Democratic Party
Objectivity In Journalism
Teachers Unions
Transit
Addiction
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Charter Schools
Involuntary Commitment
Donald Trump

Blue City Blues is a podcast that's about what's broken, what's working and what comes next in America's blue cities. Hosts David Hyde and Sandeep Kaushik bring on a smart guest each episode to dig into urban politics, governance and culture. Clear-eyed conversation for people who care about blue cities and are skeptical of easy orthodoxies. Blue cities, we argue, represent an urban archipelago, w... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes62Founded2 years ago
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Artwork for Blue City Blues

Latest Episodes

In 2020, at the height of peak woke, then-New York Times sports columnist Michael Powell decided to make a career zag, abandoning sports to begin covering what he calls the “third rail beat” of the rising tide of progressive left illiberalism: contro... more

All of a sudden, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) seem to be a potent force within American politics, winning high profile mayoral and congressional races in blue cities across the country. In so doing they have grown from a fringe but scra... more

In 1990, at the dawn of the internet age, reporter Jonathan Weber was tapped as the LA Times’ first Silicon Valley correspondent. Taking up a perch in San Francisco, where he went on to become one of the city’s leading journalists, Jonathan over the ... more

Jamie Paul, a former managing editor of Queer Majority and a contributing editor at Bi.org, is the founding editor of the American Dreaming on Substack, where (among his other writings) he has set out to provide a comprehensive catalog of the authori... more

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Recent Guests

Maia Szalavitz
Writer and neuroscience journalist focusing on addiction, drug policy, and public health
New York Times (contributor)
Episode: Maia Szalavitz Makes the Case for Harm Reduction Policies in Blue Cities
Mike Madrid
Political consultant and author, expert on California politics and Latino voting trends
Author of The Latino Century; anti-Trump Republican; Lincoln Project co-founder
Episode: Mike Madrid on the Establishment vs. Populist Throwdown in the LA Mayor’s Race
Nancy Rommelmann
Author and reporter for Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Reason, Atlantic; hosts Smoke Them If You Got Them
Independent journalist and author
Episode: Nancy Rommelmann on How Portland Traumatized Itself
Adam Penenberg
Prominent Blue City journalism professor at NYU, writer, editor, columnist, and film producer
New York University
Episode: The Death of the Gatekeeper: Adam Penenberg on Traditional Journalism's Identity Crisis
John Roderick
Former Seattle City Council candidate; indie rock musician; host of Omnibus and Roderick on the Line
The Long Winters; Omnibus; Roderick on the Line
Episode: John Roderick on the Decline – and Comeback? – of Urban Cool
David Rieff
Writer, war correspondent, cultural critic
Author of Desire and Fate
Episode: Preview: Why Is David Rieff a Cultural Pessimist about Blue America?
Richard Pildes
Law professor at NYU; expert on election law and constitutional government
New York University
Episode: Democracy Dies in Ineffectiveness with Richard Pildes
Halina Bennett
Reporter for Slow Boring, author of The Case for the Solid Bee City
Slow Boring
Episode: In Praise of “Solid B" Cities with Halina Bennet
Keith Humphreys
Professor of psychiatry at Stanford; former senior drug policy adviser in the Obama administration
Stanford University
Episode: Three Blue City Mayors Innovating on Drug Policy with Keith Humphreys

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 149 ratings
  • Excellent and thoughtful show with deep insights

    I really enjoy David Hyde and Sandeep Kaushik’s brand of podcasting with original thoughtful and intelligent analysis and great guests. I have learned a lot from unusual interviews and interesting commentary.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Danochkaa-in-Almaty
    United Statesa month ago
  • Great show!

    Smart dialogue.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    djextracrispy
    United States2 months ago
  • Thoughtful, unique

    I recently found Blue City Blues and really enjoy it. Good for anyone living in an urban environment who cares about cities and their future. Particularly since the pandemic city living has been a mixed of vibrancy with so many challenges. They dig in and have great guests.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    grilledcheesecake
    United States3 months ago
  • Refreshing and inspiring

    As someone living in a deep blue city, who tends towards the middle of the political spectrum, I find this podcast refreshing and even inspiring. Sandeep and David are very fair to the cities they criticize, and solutions oriented in their analysis. I think they do it out of love and a genuine desire to see things improve. They even manage to balance the more minute analysis with the sort of fun-conversation-to-listen-in-on aspect that so many of us appreciate about podcasts.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MatthewArthurJohns
    United States3 months ago
  • Granular governance experience = insight but...

    At first, I loved this podcast for its guests with hands-on experience of urban, county, and state-level governance in blue-dominated or blue-leaning contexts. Yet some recent guests have lacked informative urban experience, instead harping on national culture wars. If this show's gonna mirror the new WaPo editorial page, count me out, Patreon!

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    newbelletrist
    United States3 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Many appreciate a balanced, outcomes-focused approach to urban policy and reform.
Some critiques note occasional drift toward national culture wars, but overall quality remains high.
Listeners praise thoughtful, nuanced policy analysis and strong guest lineups.
Acknowledgement of real-world city governance challenges resonates with professionals in civic sectors.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

John Roderick on the Decline – and Comeback? – of Urban Cool
Q: Can density help solve the housing and cultural questions in Seattle?
Density is essential to sustaining affordable housing and a vibrant arts ecosystem; without it, office zones remain empty or become playgrounds for the wealthy, while artists struggle to find live-work spaces.
John Roderick on the Decline – and Comeback? – of Urban Cool
Q: What makes a city feel like a great music town?
A city needs affordable spaces, a mix of venues and storefronts, and a policy environment that values artists as an economic and cultural driver, not just as a nuisance to be managed. Without affordable spaces and real support, great scenes wither even in affluent cities.
Democracy Dies in Ineffectiveness with Richard Pildes
Q: How do national electoral reforms influence local governance and urban policy delivery?
National reforms, such as unified primaries and ranked-choice voting, can produce more centrist representatives who can broker bipartisan deals, which in turn improves the ability of local governments to implement policy.
Democracy Dies in Ineffectiveness with Richard Pildes
Q: What practical reforms could blue city leaders adopt to improve governance at the local level?
Be upfront about obstacles like excessive participatory venues and veto points, then confront the interests behind them and push for changes that allow decisive action while retaining essential governance values.
In Praise of “Solid B" Cities with Halina Bennet
Q: What about nostalgia or cultural imagination—do smaller or mid-sized cities really offer the urban culture people want?
The discussion suggests that a thriving city culture can emerge in Solid B cities through accessible creative scenes and lower barriers to entry, arguing that people can find vibrant communities outside expensive superstar metros, sometimes with more opportunity for experimentation.

Audience Metrics

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

Listeners per Episode
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Frequently Asked Questions About Blue City Blues

What is Blue City Blues about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on the challenges and opportunities facing American blue cities, with a focus on governance, policy innovation, and urban culture. Episodes often balance hands-on city-level reform (drug policy, housing, policing, unions, transit) with thoughtful discussions of how politics, media, and public opinion shape outcomes. A standout seems to be its practical, outcomes-oriented approach—featuring guests who blend policy expertise with real-world experience in urban settings—and a willingness to interrogate orthodoxies while offering constructive, reform-minded analysis for city leaders, practitioners, and engaged residents.

Where can I find podcast stats for Blue City Blues?

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How many listeners does Blue City Blues get?

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What are the audience demographics for Blue City Blues?

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How many subscribers and views does Blue City Blues have?

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Which podcasts are similar to Blue City Blues?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Blue City Blues:

1. Seattle Nice
2. Week In Review
3. Booming
4. The Argument
5. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

How many episodes of Blue City Blues are there?

Blue City Blues launched 2 years ago and published 62 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Blue City Blues?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Blue City Blues?

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What guests have appeared on Blue City Blues?

Recent guests on Blue City Blues include:

1. Maia Szalavitz
2. Mike Madrid
3. Nancy Rommelmann
4. Adam Penenberg
5. John Roderick
6. David Rieff
7. Richard Pildes
8. Halina Bennett

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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