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The Bottom Line

Al Jazeera
Gaza
Israel
Donald Trump
United States
Iran
Middle East
Hamas
China
Russia
Saudi Arabia
Two-State Solution
Palestine
Democratic Party
Palestinian Statehood
Ukraine
NATO
Trump Administration
Palestinians
US Policy
Israel-Palestine Negotiations

A weekly take on US politics and policies and how they affect the world.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
News

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Artwork for The Bottom Line

Latest Episodes

President Donald Trump was able to purge his most vocal critics within the Republican Party, as Americans voted for the congressional candidates who will run in November’s midterm elections. One of the most prominent politicians to be unseated was Re... more

When United States President Donald Trump measures success by counting how many Iranian leaders the US and Israel have killed or how many Iranian boats or missile launchers have been destroyed, he’s looking at the “wrong metric”, argues a former US s... more

When the United States threatens to take over countries and destroy civilisations, “these are the wild gesticulations of a sinking enterprise”, argues Richard Wolff, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Massachusetts. Wolff tells host... more

Israel is in a race against time to “lock in its domination” across the Middle East, argues former Israeli negotiator Daniel Levy. Levy, president of the US/Middle East Project, tells host Steve Clemons that Israel’s strategy of “permanent war” allow... more

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Recent Guests

Rob Malley
Former U.S. Special Envoy for Iran
U.S. government (former)
Episode: Former US negotiator with Iran: Trump falling into Vietnam trap
Richard Wolff
Professor Emeritus of economics at the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
Episode: Is the US empire in the middle of a long decline?
Vali Nasr
Professor of international affairs at Johns Hopkins University; author of Iran's Grand Strategy
Johns Hopkins University
Episode: Has Iran exposed the limits of what US can achieve by force? | The Bottom Line
Elisa Ewers
Former director for the Middle East and North Africa on the White House National Security Council; senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations
Council on Foreign Relations
Episode: What would it take for the Iran-US talks to succeed? | The Bottom Line
Mohsen Milani
Executive director of the Center for Strategic and Diplomatic Studies at the University of South Florida; author on Iran's Rise and Rivalry with the US in the Middle East
Center for Strategic and Diplomatic Studies, University of South Florida
Episode: What would it take for the Iran-US talks to succeed? | The Bottom Line
John Bolton
Former US National Security Advisor; author of The Room Where It Happened
Former US government roles
Episode: How shaky is the Iran-US ceasefire? | The Bottom Line
Nader Hashemi
Director of the Al Waleed Center for Muslim Christian Understanding, Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Episode: How shaky is the Iran-US ceasefire? | The Bottom Line
James Carafano
Senior fellow and senior counselor to the president of the Heritage Foundation and US Army veteran (Lieutenant Colonel)
Heritage Foundation
Episode: Why does Trump say the US ‘already won’ the Iran war? | The Bottom Line
Gerard Araud
Former French ambassador to the United States, the United Nations and Israel
France (former ambassador)
Episode: Why is Trump asking for Europe’s help in war on Iran? | The Bottom Line

Host

Steve Clemons
Host of The Bottom Line; frequent moderator of high-stakes foreign policy discussions.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 86 ratings
  • Toothless

    That Carafano interview was a joke. I didn’t know Bottom Line was in the business of being a mouth piece for this nonsense. Has the interview ever heard of pushing back on a question? I expected more from an Al Jazeera outlet. Booo.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Isaac.mann
    United States2 months ago
  • Great show on high level foreign policy

    Love the questions Steven asks, always seem to be the right questions that nobody else is bothering to ask

    Question for the show: Why weren’t new episodes uploaded here for most of last year? Did the show get temporarily blocked?

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Slythfox
    United Statesa year ago
  • Axel K Strom

    I have really missed this podcast since it was discontinued in April last year. Thank you for posting it again! 🤓

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Axel KS
    Norwaya year ago
  • Unbiased

    I'm an American, and I'm very tired of hearing the American power elite's propoganda. This podcast (usually) offers sane, reasoned perspectives. And its coverage of the Israel-Palestine colonial conflict is very good.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SimbaWilliam
    United States2 years ago
  • Stop saying Umm

    I could barely get through the most recent episode about about Tech’s role in the Israel/ Palestine conflict. The female guest said “Umm” every other word. I wish hosts would ask guests to consider this. It’s very distracting and does not make for intelligent sounding commentary.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Jln7
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Shows strong policy analysis and thoughtful questioning.
Mixed feedback on interview pacing and guest dynamics.
Some listeners feel the discussions could push back more on certain viewpoints.
Positive notes about depth and breadth of topics, with praise for the host's questioning.
Guests often provide deep expertise; discussions can be very wonky but informative.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Is the US empire in the middle of a long decline?
Q: What do you see as the dominant trend in global power dynamics today?
The dominant trend is a historic shift away from U.S. unilateral dominance toward a multipolar world where BRICS and other economies gain influence, the dollar faces structural challenges, and military overreach becomes increasingly costly.
Has Iran exposed the limits of what US can achieve by force? | The Bottom Line
Q: Do you expect the hangover of this economic impact to last longer than publicly acknowledged?
The economic spillover from the Iran conflict and related supply disruptions is persistent and will take a long time to normalize; the real consequences will unfold gradually rather than immediately, affecting global inflation and energy markets for years.
Mearsheimer: No signs of quick end to US-Israel war on Iran | The Bottom Line
Q: Why might the global order shift as a result of this conflict?
He contends that the conflict exposes the fragility of US-led institutions and the limits of unilateral action, suggesting that major powers like China and Russia may seize the opportunity to redefine the balance of power as Washington's position weakens.
Mearsheimer: No signs of quick end to US-Israel war on Iran | The Bottom Line
Q: What does finishing the job in Iran look like, and why might it be problematic?
Mearsheimer argues that the United States lacks the decisive leverage needed for a clean, conclusive victory and that pursuit of a quick win could inflict long-term damage on international institutions, alliances, and the global economy, while not substantially altering the balance of power.
How shaky is the Iran-US ceasefire? | The Bottom Line
Q: Let me ask you about the orchestration around peace talks or whatever, your equilibrium talks or ceasefire talks. First time, we were in the middle of talks with Iran about its nuclear aspirations.
Hashemi explains that there is deep skepticism from Iran about negotiating in good faith after prior U.S. military actions, and he suggests the likelihood of renewed conflict during talks remains a real risk but is probably lower than some expect.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About The Bottom Line

What is The Bottom Line about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This program offers high-level discussion on US foreign and domestic policy, often featuring prominent politicians, policymakers, and geopolitical analysts. Episodes frequently examine cross-border implications of American actions, with deep dives into topics like U.S.-Iran relations, Middle East strategy, energy security, and global economic dynamics. The host conducts sharp, policy-focused interviews that surface realignments, strategic choices, and accountability considerations, often challenging official narratives while weaving in expert geopolitical context. Noteworthy traits include a blend of seasoned policymakers and respected analysts, a steady emphasis on international law, markets, and power dynamics, and a willingness to critiq... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Bottom Line?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Bottom Line:

1. The Inside Story Podcast
2. Al Jazeera News Updates
3. The Take
4. Al Jazeera
5. The Listening Post

How many episodes of The Bottom Line are there?

The Bottom Line launched 6 years ago and published 100 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 The Bottom Line?

Recent guests on The Bottom Line include:

1. Rob Malley
2. Richard Wolff
3. Vali Nasr
4. Elisa Ewers
5. Mohsen Milani
6. John Bolton
7. Nader Hashemi
8. James Carafano

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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