What Really Matters with Walter Russell Mead
Tablet MagazineWalter Russell Mead, a historian, pundit, and popular author, is encyclopedic about politics, culture, and history. On What Really Matters, Mead and Tablet deputy editor Jeremy Stern help you understand the news, decide what news matters and what doesn’t, and enjoy following the story of America and the world more than you do now. Check out Walter Russell Mead’s Tablet column at www.tablet... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 132 | Founded | 3 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsSociety & CulturePolitics | |||
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This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the mounting crisis in Lebanon, Russia's setback in Armenia's elections, the sources of North Korea's strength, and why Cuba is unlikely to be an easy victory for Trump.
This week, Walter gives a lecture and Q&A at the London School of Economics on American foreign policy in the Trump era. The recording is from February 19 and is republished here with the permission of the LSE.
This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss the Pope's AI encyclical, the UAE's role in the Iran war, new concerns about the divide between labor and capital, and why America and Iran's minimum requirements for a peace agreement are unlikely to be met.
This week, Walter and Jeremy discuss Iran's stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, Trump's creation of a $1.8 billion slush fund, the noose tightening around Cuba, and what Walter saw and heard on a recent trip to Ukraine.
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- A National Treasure
Mead is the best podcaster on current events in the business today. The episode on June 6, a broadcast of his presentation at LSE, showed why. He discussed Trump’s approach to foreign policy by analyzing Trump’s behavior, without making any assumptions about whether Trump is “good” or “bad.” Those are assumptions that most other commentators do make. And if you start out with those assumptions, you don’t clearly see or understand what’s actually happening. Mead always provides clarity.
Apple Podcasts5Rhineland Girl
United States6 days ago - The Best !
So insightful and refreshing …. Brilliant ! Thanks WRM☘️
Apple Podcasts5dzignpatch
Canada9 days ago - Thank you
My weekly 30 minutes of great education 🙏
Apple Podcasts5AtulatHK
Hong Kong24 days ago - Runs hot or cold
Mead can show truly insightful high-level informed perspective on global international relations. But he can also drift into drivel, as his overview of his generation’s course since the late 60s today shows: truly superficial, missing so many important elements, and just comfortably settling into homilies about goodwill and such. I urge him to be more careful in avoiding softball generalities, that is not why we listen to him! Appreciate the show, nevertheless.
Apple Podcasts3SlewpJBUnited Statesa month ago - Crucial Listening
This is without question the most important podcast of our current time. It fosters the kind of level-headed critical thinking that can guide our country through its current challenges and beyond.
Apple Podcasts5HowtothinknotwhatUnited Statesa month ago
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Apple Podcasts | #187 | United States/News/Politics |
Apple Podcasts | #198 | Canada/News/Politics |
Apple Podcasts | #170 |  Australia/News/Politics |
Apple Podcasts | #242 |  Italy/News/Politics |
Apple Podcasts | #23 |  Chile/News/Politics |
Apple Podcasts | #64 |  Israel/News/Politics |
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Frequently Asked Questions About What Really Matters
What is What Really Matters about and what kind of topics does it cover?
Two seasoned geopolitical heavyweights provide long-range, centrist analysis of current events, international politics, and culture. Episodes commonly weave deep historical context with on-the-ground observations and thoughtful warnings about overreaction, offering a steady, non-sensational take on Ukraine, the Middle East, US politics, and global power shifts. Notable strengths include a clear emphasis on long-term trends, a focus on underlying structural factors, and a conversational dynamic that helps translate complex topics for decision-makers. A unique feature is the blend of scholarly rigor with accessible storytelling, making it useful for listeners who want a well-reasoned perspective beyond daily headlines.
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Which podcasts are similar to What Really Matters?
These podcasts share a similar audience with What Really Matters:
1. Call Me Back - with Dan Senor
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3. Breaking History
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5. Israel Update
How many episodes of What Really Matters are there?
What Really Matters launched 3 years ago and published 132 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 What Really Matters?
Recent guests on What Really Matters include:
1. Walter Russell Mead
2. Volodymyr Zelensky
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