Rephonic
Artwork for Start Making Sense

Start Making Sense with Jon Wiener

The Nation Magazine
Joe Biden
Democratic Party
Donald Trump
Kamala Harris
Voting Rights
Supreme Court
2024 Presidential Election
Gaza
AIPAC
Harriet Tubman
American Prospect
Israel
Abortion Pills
Jamaal Bowman
Abortion Rights
New York 16th Congressional District
Racial Justice
Political Strategy
Black History
Social Justice

Political talk without the boring parts, featuring the writers, activists and artists who shape the week in news. Hosted by Jon Wiener and presented by The Nation Magazine.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes149Founded3 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
News CommentaryPoliticsNews

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Start Making Sense

Latest Episodes

The landscape of resistance in Minneapolis, John Nichols reports, includes surprisingly powerful and effective faith groups, plus unions, neighborhood mutual aid and community safety networks, ICE observer teams, and direct action groups, plus the AC... more

As Trump’s support collapses, he has lashed out in two directions--sending an unprecendented number of ICE agents to Minneapolis, where one of them murdered Renee Good, and sending the military to Venezuela, where he says he has seized control of the... more

Trump’s attack on Venezuela is likely to weaken his political support even further, because it does nothing about affordability or health care. And it’s not at all clear the big oil companies want to spend billions restoring Venezuelan production. Jo... more

The year in politics: Harold Meyerson of The American Prospect comments on Trump’s collapsing support in 2025, and the rise of the resistance—in both the unprecendented national mobilizations culminating in the second No Kings Day, and the Democratic... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Nation Podcasts
The Nation PodcastsThe Nation Magazine
The Ezra Klein Show
The Ezra Klein ShowNew York Times Opinion
The New Yorker Radio Hour
The New Yorker Radio HourWNYC Studios and The New Yorker
The Book Review
The Book ReviewThe New York Times

Recent Guests

Amy Littlefield
The Nation's abortion access correspondent and journalist focusing on reproductive rights, health care, and religion
The Nation
Episode: Trump Voters for Abortion; and Learning from John Lewis
David Greenberg
History teacher and author of John Lewis, A Life
Rutgers University
Episode: Trump Voters for Abortion; and Learning from John Lewis
Rebecca Solnit
A columnist for The Guardian and author of 'Hope in the Dark'
The Guardian
Episode: Rebecca Solnit on Hope in the Dark; plus the Trump-Musk Bromance
David Nasaw
A historian and author known for writing biographies of influential figures.
CUNY Grad Center
Episode: Rebecca Solnit on Hope in the Dark; plus the Trump-Musk Bromance
Bhaskar Sunkara
President of The Nation Magazine, founding editor of Jacobin, author of The Socialist Manifesto
The Nation Magazine
Episode: Kamala's Closing Message, plus Election Protection
Sophia Lin Lakin
Director of the ACLU Voting Rights Project
ACLU
Episode: Kamala's Closing Message, plus Election Protection
Eyal Press
A contributing editor at The Nation and author of Dirty Work
The Nation
Episode: Understanding the Undecideds, plus Working Class Voters Now
Rick Perlstein
Political historian and author
Episode: The Polls--and Us; plus How A Dem Wins in a Red District
Marc Cooper
Journalist and author
Episode: The Polls--and Us; plus How A Dem Wins in a Red District

Host

Jon Wiener
Host of the show, providing a steady and calm presence with a focus on political discourse.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 22 ratings
  • 8.5.25

    Robert Reich blames the 60’s gen of movements for not having a wotking class movement. Robert Reich is forgetting that the Black Panthers actually did try to bring and work with poor whites to join them in the struggle between the have & have nots.

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    midwestBlue
    United States6 months ago
  • 4.7.25

    Excellent podcast! informational and entertaining, interesting, etc. Behind the scenes information. Just discovered this podcast and I am glad that I did! thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    midwestBlue
    United States10 months ago
  • Great guests, great interviews!

    Glad that Start Making Sense once again has its own podcast stream. Jon Wiener is a great host with an enjoyable, steady, calm and deliberate broadcast presence. The Nation Magazine, founded in 1865, (the year slavery was abolished in the United States) has a slew of great writers and pundits that guest on the show - always two guests, and two separate topics relevant to the current scene. I never miss an episode.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    blink-meister
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Many praise the quality of guests and the insightful interviews that explore current events from diverse perspectives.
Listeners appreciate the engaging format that combines information and entertainment, making complex political topics accessible.

Top Politics Podcasts

Pod Save America
Pod Save AmericaCrooked Media
Candace
CandaceCandace Owens
The MeidasTouch Podcast
The MeidasTouch PodcastMeidasTouch Network
Letters from an American
Letters from an AmericanHeather Cox Richardson
Bulwark Takes
Bulwark TakesThe Bulwark
Ruthless Podcast
Ruthless PodcastJosh Holmes, Comfortably Smug, Michael Duncan and John Ashbrook

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Mob Attack on UCLA’s Gaza Encampment, plus Israel, Hamas, and Rape
Q: What appears from these reports, regarding the treatment of Palestinian women in detention?
Reports suggest a systematic aspect of sexualized abuse and torture experienced by Palestinian women in detention.
The Mob Attack on UCLA’s Gaza Encampment, plus Israel, Hamas, and Rape
Q: So when we speak of defending Jewish students, I think it's important to acknowledge that there's a wide spectrum of perspectives amongst the Jewish student population at UCLA.
Correct, there is a broad spectrum of perspectives among Jewish students, as some participated in solidarity actions at the encampment.
The Mob Attack on UCLA’s Gaza Encampment, plus Israel, Hamas, and Rape
Q: What was the encampment like?
It was overwhelmingly peaceful, with positive spirit and energy, and there were chants in support of Palestinian freedom.
White Voters and Joe Biden; plus Harriet Tubman and History
Q: What should the Democrats do about white voters?
Phillips believes efforts should focus on mobilization rather than persuasion, targeting progressive non-voters who historically have not participated in elections.
White Voters and Joe Biden; plus Harriet Tubman and History
Q: What did your research find about that?
Phillips' research suggests that non-voters are often more progressive than actual voters, indicating a potential for Democrats to win them over.

Audience Metrics

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions About Start Making Sense

What is Start Making Sense about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast features engaging discussions focused on a variety of political and social issues, often with a particular emphasis on current events and their implications. Listeners can expect insightful commentary from a mix of prominent guests, including writers, activists, and academics who contribute to the narrative surrounding politics, voting rights, and social justice. The format is likely to involve deep dives into timely topics while maintaining an accessible and entertaining approach, aiming to inform listeners without becoming overly esoteric or dry. Unique aspects of the content include a focus on grassroots movements, electoral strategies, and the intersections of culture and politics, appealing to those interested in a lively ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Start Making Sense?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Start Making Sense. 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 Start Making Sense and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Start Making Sense get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Start Making Sense, 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 Start Making Sense?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Start Making Sense, 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 Start Making Sense have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Start Making Sense 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 Start Making Sense?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Start Making Sense:

1. The Nation Podcasts
2. Autocracy in America
3. The Ezra Klein Show
4. The New Yorker Radio Hour
5. The Book Review

How many episodes of Start Making Sense are there?

Start Making Sense launched 3 years ago and published 149 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 Start Making Sense?

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 Start Making Sense?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Start Making Sense 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 Start Making Sense?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Start Making Sense. 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 Start Making Sense?

Recent guests on Start Making Sense include:

1. Amy Littlefield
2. David Greenberg
3. Rebecca Solnit
4. David Nasaw
5. Bhaskar Sunkara
6. Sophia Lin Lakin
7. Eyal Press
8. Rick Perlstein

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