Rephonic
Artwork for The Cross Section

The Cross Section

Paul Waldman
Donald Trump
Kamala Harris
Hollywood
Election Polls
Israel-Palestine Conflict
Joe Biden
Sexual Choking
Writers Guild Of America
Poll Volatility
Media Bias
Christian Nationalism
Trump Administration
Amazon
Climate Change
Teen Sexual Health
Pornography
Political Discourse
Mo Husseini
Human Suffering
Christian Right

Slicing politics open to peer inside its disturbing innards and determine how it all works

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes25Founded2 years ago
Categories
News CommentaryNewsPolitics

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Cross Section

Latest Episodes

The IRS recently decided that it's perfectly fine for churches and other houses of worship to endorse candidates, upending 70 years of established law. It's just one of the ways the Christian right and the Republican Party have successfully demolishe... more

In the next 25 years, the world will have to produce 50% more food -- and most of our habitable land is already devoted to the production of food. In order to feed ourselves, we risk doing even more damage to the climate as more land is given over to... more

Passover is a holiday about oppression, liberation, immigration, and the nature of the diaspora. How should we think about it in 2025? Paul talks with Rabbi Yael Ridberg to wrestle with the religious, sociological, and political implications of the h... more

Joe Biden made more policy progress on climate change than any president in history, so it might not have been crazy to think what he accomplished would be difficult to unwind - or that Donald Trump might not put too much effort into it. But if that'... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
The Daily
The DailyThe New York Times
Main Justice
Main JusticeMS NOW, Andrew Weissmann, Mary McCord

Recent Guests

Rabbi Yael Ridberg
Rabbi of Congregation Dor Chadash in La Jolla, California and past president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.
Congregation Dor Chadash
Episode: Wrestling With Passover
Jillian Goodman
Deputy Editor of Heatmap
Heatmap
Episode: It's even worse than you think
Henry Farrell
Professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: How did Silicon Valley break bad?
Jesse Rothstein
Economics professor and former chief economist for the Department of Labor under the Obama administration
University of California, Berkeley
Episode: Is the next Trump recession about to begin?
Sam Bagenstos
Professor of law and public policy at the University of Michigan, former general counsel for the Department of Health and Human Services
University of Michigan
Episode: Wait, can they do that?
Talia Lavin
Writer and author of Wild Faith, How the Christian Right Is Taking Over America
Episode: This will hurt me more than it hurts you (actually, it's really going to hurt you)
Mo Husseini
Palestinian-American filmmaker and thought leader on Palestinian-Israeli issues
Episode: A path forward in Israel-Palestine?
Hamilton Nolan
A journalist who covers the labor movement and author of The Hammer, Power, Inequality, and the Struggle for the Soul of American Labor
In These Times, The Guardian
Episode: You can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union
Michael Podhorzer
Former political director of the Afl-CIO, senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, and writer of the Weekend Reading Substack
Center for American Progress
Episode: How to really understand election polls

Hosts

Paul Waldman
Host and commentator, with a focus on political analysis and the intersection of politics and culture.
Ayelet Waldman
Co-host and novelist, known for her insights on social justice, feminism, and contemporary American issues.

Reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars from 14 ratings
  • Every single time.

    This show is the embodiment of the culture of critique. The hosts alternate between disparaging and pitying white Americans, which they themselves appear to be, but are not.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    jerk patrol
    United States2 years ago
  • The usual suspect.

    This guy is why 10/27/18 is probably my favorite day in America. Ever.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Kirky Silverspoon
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

The podcast is recognized for its depth and engagement with serious political issues, though some reviews suggest a bias that can alienate certain audiences.
Listeners appreciate the insightful discussions but are divided on the overall tone, with some finding it overly critical of certain demographics.

Chart Rankings

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

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Wait, can they do that?
Q: How is the wholesale reorganization of agencies, like USAID, legal?
Bagenstos explains that the president cannot unilaterally disregard agencies created by Congress and discusses the legal frameworks that are being challenged.
Wait, can they do that?
Q: How worried should we be about everything that Elon Musk is doing in the government?
Bagenstos expresses that the situation is very concerning due to conflict of interest issues and violations of ethics surrounding Musk's activities.
Wait, can they do that?
Q: Can you explain how things are going to work when they try to do things that they can't do?
Sam Bagenstos discusses the refusal of the current administration to follow legal frameworks and the implications, stating that it's the job of legal counsel to define legal authority and ensure actions taken are within those laws.
This will hurt me more than it hurts you (actually, it's really going to hurt you)
Q: Talia, before you start talking, let me just say I was on a plane flying from the East Coast to the West Coast in the middle seat and reading your book cover to cover through the whole flight. And I am so fucking scared. Is this book your version of standing outside and screaming?
It's a very long, polite scream. Yeah.
How to really understand election polls
Q: What does actually work in influencing voters?
What really engages voters is whether they feel like they have something significant to lose in the election.

Audience Metrics

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

Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Cross Section

What is The Cross Section about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast features in-depth explorations of contemporary political issues, often interlinking them with societal and historical contexts. Topics frequently discussed include the impact of government policies on daily life, the role of various political ideologies, and the intersection of technology with politics. Notable themes such as climate change, labor movements, and the implications of rising political tensions are central to the conversations. The hosts engage a variety of expert guests, diving into specific issues with an analytical lens that encourages listeners to reflect on their implications in broader societal frameworks. The diverse perspectives provided help listeners navigate the complexities of current affairs, often add... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Cross Section?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Cross Section. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Cross Section and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Cross Section get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Cross Section, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Cross Section?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Cross Section, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Cross Section have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Cross Section has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Cross Section?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Cross Section:

1. The Bulwark Podcast
2. The Ezra Klein Show
3. The Daily
4. Honestly with Bari Weiss
5. Main Justice

How many episodes of The Cross Section are there?

The Cross Section launched 2 years ago and published 25 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 The Cross Section?

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 The Cross Section?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Cross Section from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Cross Section?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Cross Section. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Cross Section?

Recent guests on The Cross Section include:

1. Rabbi Yael Ridberg
2. Jillian Goodman
3. Henry Farrell
4. Jesse Rothstein
5. Sam Bagenstos
6. Talia Lavin
7. Mo Husseini
8. Hamilton Nolan

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.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days