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To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes

Charlie Sykes
Donald Trump
Republican Party
Trump Administration
Elon Musk
Ukraine
Democratic Party
Iran
Vladimir Putin
Russia
ICE
NATO
China
Venezuela
United States
Epstein Files
Tariffs
Supreme Court
Jeff Bezos
American Democracy
Authoritarianism

You are not the crazy ones.

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PublishesDailyEpisodes200Foundeda year ago
Number of ListenersCategories
NewsPoliticsNews Commentary

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Artwork for To The Contrary

Latest Episodes

On today’s episode of “To the Contrary,” Charlie sits down with journalist and author of “The Red Letter” Substack, Tara Palmeri. The two of them discuss Main’s messy Senate race, Trump’s behavior with female reporters in the Oval Office and CBS’ con... more

Jonathan Rauch is a Brookings Institution Senior Fellow and a contributing writer at The Atlantic. In this episode, he joins Charlie to talk about Trump's-now-killed slush fund, U.S.-Israel relations, and the war with Iran.

Hosted on Acast. See acas... more

John Avlon is chair of Citizens Union, former editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and former chief speechwriter for Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In this episode, he joins Charlie to discuss Trump's UFC cage, Rudy Giuliani's fall from grace, and John Cornyn's ... more

Miles Taylor is a former DHS official during Trump's first term and the founder of Defiance.org. He joins Charlie to discuss how the administration's changes to the green card process reveal that Trump's immigration stance was never about those who e... more

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Recent Guests

Phillips O'Brien
The Atlantic contributor, American historian and professor of strategic studies at the University of St Andrews in Scotland
The Atlantic, University of St Andrews
Episode: It’s the Corruption, Stupid
Gal Beckerman
Author of How to Be a Dissident, staff writer at The Atlantic
The Atlantic
Episode: How to Be a Dissident
Greg Lukianoff
President of FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)
Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression
Episode: From Comey to Kimmel: Trump’s War on Free Speech
Richard Stengel
Former Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy; author of Information Wars
Former Obama administration; Time Magazine
Episode: How Trump Took a Hatchet to America’s “Shining City”
Harry Litman
Legal scholar, host of Talking Feds
Talking Feds
Episode: Trump‘s DOJ: From Bad to Worse
Ian Bassin
Co-founder and executive director of Protect Democracy
Protect Democracy
Episode: The Coalition We Need to Beat Trump: Lessons From Hungary
Sarah McLaughlin
Staff at FIRE (Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression)
Foundation for Individual Rights in Expression
Episode: The Strangest Week (Plus the Attack on Free Speech)
Scott MacFarlane
Senior journalist and former CBS News correspondent
MeidasTouch / Substack
Episode: “January 6th Reshaped My View of Legacy Media”
Sarah Fitzpatrick
Staff writer at The Atlantic, national security and DOJ expert
The Atlantic
Episode: Yes, the Epstein Files Are Going to Rock the Midterms

Host

Charlie Sykes
Host with long-running experience in political commentary and media analysis.

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 stars from 1.1k ratings
  • Trump Plan

    Hitler, Stalin, Kim Un Jong Same playbook different Dictator.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    CapeGirlx
    United States2 months ago
  • David Frum

    I genuinely enjoy Charlie’s show and usually find both the conversations and the guests insightful.

    David Frum is the exception.

    I stopped listening to Frum’s own podcast—one I initially liked—after repeated comments that minimized the genocide in Gaza. People can hold different views, but repeatedly glossing over mass civilian suffering crossed a line for me & I chose to walk away.

    Frum appears on several podcasts I otherwise enjoy, and while I already find his smug, know-it-all tone grating... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Nav Saint
    United States4 months ago
  • Being anti trump…

    doesn’t mean you’re not still a lame republican who wishes a Bush was still president.

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Just Some Dude 420
    United States4 months ago
  • Riverside

    Also, if only it would correct the grammar.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    NDRRRRRNND
    United States4 months ago
  • Katherine Stewart

    A great discussion. Thank you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sktspring
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

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

Some reviews note production and audio level issues.
Listeners praise the depth and rigor of conversations.
Fans value diverse, expert guests and candid, thoughtful analysis.
Critiques include strong partisan takes and occasional guest quality variance.

Chart Rankings

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

Apple Podcasts
#26
United States/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#200
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#29
Canada/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#88
United Kingdom/News/News Commentary
Apple Podcasts
#224
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#41
Australia/News/News Commentary

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Anne Applebaum: Trump’s Authoritarian Aesthetics
Q: How does Orbán's defeat inform our understanding of authoritarianism in the current era?
Applebaum describes Orbán's campaign as a long, strenuous grassroots effort that used state capture tactics; his defeat demonstrates that organized opposition and institutional checks can, under the right conditions, unwind illiberal governance, though the transition is fragile and requires constant vigilance.
Anne Applebaum: Trump’s Authoritarian Aesthetics
Q: Your thoughts on the White House Correspondents Dinner fallout and the immediate pivot to the ballroom?
Applebaum explains that Trump's pivot to the ballroom reflects a broader authoritarian tactic: turning attention to grand symbols and personal branding to deflect from difficult policy questions, while amplifying post-truth dynamics that erode trust in media.
The Strangest Week (Plus the Attack on Free Speech)
Q: What are the biggest threats to free speech domestically right now?
A mix of regulatory overreach, from aggressive age-gating and identity verification to redefining ordinary or critical speech as terrorism, plus legal tools like SLAPs that coercively silence critics and export misuses of copyright or defamation law as tools of censorship.
Trump‘s DOJ: From Bad to Worse
Q: Why are the January 6 seditious conspiracy convictions being revisited, and what does that imply for accountability?
Litman notes that revisiting those convictions could undermine the historical record and the accountability framework for those actions, suggesting a coordinated effort to minimize the severity of the insurrection and its consequences.
Trump‘s DOJ: From Bad to Worse
Q: What is the significance of the Presidential Records Act in the current DOJ discussions?
Litman explains that the Act protects presidential documents from being destroyed at the president's whim, and that attempts to override or ignore it conflict with long-standing constitutional principles, creating a dangerous precedent if not challenged.

Audience Metrics

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

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Frequently Asked Questions About To The Contrary

What is To The Contrary about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show features sharp political analysis, with frequent dives into how media, politics, and policy intersect in modern America. Across recent episodes, discussions cover Trump-era dynamics, national security, foreign policy, and the evolving media landscape, often weighing civil institutions against partisan developments. Guests range from senior journalists to academics and former policymakers, offering rigorous context on governance, accountability, and the impact of leadership on democracy. A notable strength is the host's willingness to challenge prevailing narratives and to probe the ethical and strategic implications of high-stakes decisions, making it a strong fit for listeners who want serious, informed commentary on contemporary ... more

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2. The Illegal News with Sarah Longwell
3. The Bulwark Podcast
4. The Mona Charen Show
5. The Focus Group Podcast

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To The Contrary launched a year ago and published 200 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 To The Contrary?

Recent guests on To The Contrary include:

1. Phillips O'Brien
2. Gal Beckerman
3. Greg Lukianoff
4. Richard Stengel
5. Harry Litman
6. Ian Bassin
7. Sarah McLaughlin
8. Scott MacFarlane

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