
The episode discusses the Iran war, the challenges of engaging news avoidant voters, and the politics behind crossword puzzles.
Tom Stevenson analyzes the latest news and long-term prospects of Trump's Iran war, for both Iran and the US. Tom is a contributing editor for the London Review of Books, where he writes about, among other things, politics in the Mideast. Also: what news are people getting these days, and where are they getting it? Especially the people we call “news avoidant” & “low information” voters – the ones we want to vote for Democrats in November: what are the big stories for them? Tara McGowan explains – she’s founder and CEO of Courier Newsroom, a digital media company that operates a network of local news outlets. Plus: the hidden politics of the New York Times crossword puzzle: Natan Last explains; his new book is Across the Universe: the Past, Present, and Future of the Crossword Puzzle. (Originally published 12-17-2025)
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