Americano
452 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 11 hours ago - ★★★★ - 182 ratingsThe next chapter in American politics has begun, but is it going to be any less crazy? The Spectator's Americano podcast delivers in-depth discussions with the best American pundits to keep you in the loop. Presented by Freddy Gray.
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Episodes
Does America run Britain?
April 25, 2024 17:05 - 44 minutes - 40.9 MBFreddy speaks to Angus Hanton, entrepreneur and author of Vassal State: How America Runs Britain, and William Clouston, leader of the Social Democratic Party. They discuss the ‘Special Relationship’ between the US and the UK, and ask whether it might be detrimental to British business.
What Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial tells us about the American legal system
April 20, 2024 12:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBFreddy Gray is joined Alan Dershowitz, American lawyer and author of Get Trump: the threat to civil liberties, due process, and our constitutional rule of law. They discuss Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial, what it means for the election and what it tells us about the flaws in the American legal system.
Americano: what Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial tells us about the American legal system
April 20, 2024 12:00 - 21 minutes - 19.6 MBFreddy Gray is joined Alan Dershowitz, American lawyer and author of Get Trump: the threat to civil liberties, due process, and our constitutional rule of law. They discuss Trump’s ‘hush money’ trial, what it means for the election and what it tells us about the flaws in the American legal system.
Is the criticism of Biden's Middle East policy fair?
April 18, 2024 17:00 - 28 minutes - 26.4 MBFreddy speaks to the diplomat and author Dennis B Ross, who worked under presidents George H W Bush and Bill Clinton. He was a special advisor on the Persian Gulf. They discuss the escalation of tensions in the Middle East and the flak that Joe Biden has come under for his response. Can the US still claim to be able to shape events in the Middle East? And what comes next?
Will abortion decide the 2024 election?
April 12, 2024 16:22 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBThis week, the Arizona Supreme Court reinstated a law from 1864 that bans nearly all abortions in the state. But where do Trump and Biden stand on abortion, and will it be a deciding factor in the 2024 election? Freddy's joined by Inez Stepman, Fellow at the Claremont Institute, and Daniel McCarthy, Editor of Modern Age Journal. Produced by Megan McElroy.
Why did Mike Johnson snub David Cameron?
April 10, 2024 16:00 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBToday Freddy is joined by Sarah Elliott, senior advisor for the US-UK special relationship unit at the Legatum Institute. They discuss Lord Cameron's visit to America this week and the news that speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson snubbed a meeting with the foreign secretary. Is the special relationship still special?
What's Biden's strategy in the Middle East?
April 06, 2024 07:00 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBSuspected Israeli air strikes were launched on targets in Syria this week and Israel's war in Gaza has entered its seventh month. Americano regular Jacob Heilbrunn joins Freddy to discuss what an escalating situation in the Middle East could mean for Joe Biden. What's the Democrats' strategy? And how could this impact the 2024 election? Produced by Natasha Feroze and Patrick Gibbons.
Have pollsters been overstating Trump's lead?
April 02, 2024 18:26 - 16 minutes - 15.3 MBFreddy speaks to pollster Cliff Young about Biden's recent gains. Is Florida becoming more of a swing state again? Does Robert F. Kennedy Jr. take more votes away from Biden or Trump? And how much pressure do pollsters feel to get things right?
What's happening in the Darien Gap?
March 29, 2024 14:00 - 39 minutes - 35.8 MBFreddy is joined by evolutionary biologist and host of The DarkHorse Podcast Bret Weinstein. They discuss the Darien Gap, an area of Panama which has become a focal point for America's migrant crisis. Bret has spent some time investigating the area, what's going on?
Why do Trump’s enemies always overreach?
March 25, 2024 16:38 - 36 minutes - 33.7 MBFreddy Gray speaks to editor-at-large of the Wall Street Journal Gerry Baker about why the media's wrong reporting of Trump's 'bloodshed' comments have played to his advantage; why America has lost trust in its institutions; and whether voters think the economy was better off under Trump.
Is America in decline?
March 23, 2024 10:51 - 27 minutes - 25.7 MBFreddy Gray speaks to political science researcher Richard Hanania about his (relative) optimism regarding the future of America, and how exactly Sydney Sweeney might have 'ended wokeness'.
Trump vs luxury beliefs
March 22, 2024 17:30 - 28 minutes - 26.5 MBFreddy speaks to Rob Henderson, author of Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class, in which he coins the term 'luxury beliefs'. These are certain beliefs held by a section of the elite which confirm and elevate the status of those who hold them. As a consequence, they can cause harm to those lower down the social strata. Is Donald Trump the antidote to America’s ‘luxury beliefs’ complex?
Are we suffering from 'Trump outrage fatigue'?
March 19, 2024 16:52 - 32 minutes - 30.2 MBFreddy Gray talks to political science lecturer Damon Linker about the latest developments in the Biden and Trump campaigns. Why did Biden’s fiery State of the Union Address provide him no uptick in the polls? In what ways does Trump fatigue affect each candidate’s chances? And does Trump’s greater popularity with non-white low propensity voters skew the polls in his favour?
Will America ban TikTok?
March 17, 2024 12:57 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBFreddy Gray speaks to Matt McDonald, Spectator World's managing editor about the the vote to force a sale of TikTok to a US company, and foreign lobbying for and against the move in Washington.
Power, politics and the grid
March 13, 2024 13:15 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBFreddy Gray speaks to author Robert Bryce whose recent docuseries Power Politics & The Grid explores the growing vulnerabilities of America's electric grid. On the podcast they talk about Trump vs Biden energy policy; why Europe needs America's energy and what environmentalism could look like in 2024.
How will RFK Junior change the 2024 election?
March 08, 2024 21:00 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBFreddy Gray is joined by John Rick MacArthur, president and publisher of Harper's Magazine to discuss Robert F. Kennedy junior and his candidacy in the presidential election.
Will Trump's election be 'too big to rig'?
March 06, 2024 18:00 - 33 minutes - 30.9 MBFor this Super Tuesday discussion, Sarah Elliot – head of the Special Relationship Unit at the Legatum Institute joins Freddy Gray to chat about the predicted Trump-Biden victory; what Nikki Haley will do next and who could be Donald Trump's vice president.
Will Tech decide the election?
March 03, 2024 08:00 - 24 minutes - 22.9 MBFreddy talks to political technologist Eric Wilson about the role technology and media will play in the 2024 US election. They cover the differences in strategy between the Democrats and the Republicans, why television is still the best medium for reaching voters, and the role of social media influencers. Produced by Natasha Feroze.
A Donald Trump debate
February 28, 2024 08:00 - 27 minutes - 25.5 MBIn this special episode of Americano, The Spectator's editor Fraser Nelson explores Trump's candidacy with political commentator Deroy Murdock, and The Spectator's economics editor Kate Andrews. They debate the influence of his rhetoric on American politics. How important is language? Will his achievements as President be enough to secure his re-election? Does personality Trump policy? Produced by Natasha Feroze and Patrick Gibbons
Are pollsters underestimating Joe Biden?
February 26, 2024 18:05 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBFreddy Gray speaks to James Kanagasooriam who is the chief research officer at Focal Data about the state of the polls. They discuss why vaccines have become a polarising topic for this election; why bookmakers might be underestimating Joe Biden and the importance of the cost of living.
Human rights vs democracy
February 23, 2024 13:22 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBFreddy speaks to journalist and author of The Age of Entitlement: America Since the Sixties, Chris Caldwell, about the human rights movement. Can America’s influence be considered imperial? Is how we think of human rights outdated? And, what does the Black Lives Matter movement and the 2011 intervention in Libya tell us about the state of human rights today? Produced by Natasha Feroze and Patrick Gibbons
Should Julian Assange be extradited to America?
February 21, 2024 13:00 - 27 minutes - 25.1 MBFreddy speaks to philosopher Slavoj Zizek ahead of what we understand will be Julian Assange's final court appeal against extradition back to the US. The WikiLeaks founder has been wanted by the US authorities after he leaked tens of thousands of highly sensitive documents. On the podcast they discuss the parallels between Assange and Navalny, whether the West is beginning to behave more like the Soviet Union than we ever have, and if WikiLeaks was behind the election of Donald Trump.
What do Republicans think of Lord Cameron?
February 16, 2024 20:00 - 25 minutes - 23.1 MBFreddy Gray speaks to Americano regular Jacob Heilbrunn about Lord Cameron's recent visit to DC, where he persuaded Congress to pass a bill sending aid to Ukraine. Jacob and Freddy also discuss why Jacob thinks Biden's mental capacity is over exaggerated, and what Nato could look like under Trump.
What happened to the Democratic Party?
February 15, 2024 17:18 - 37 minutes - 34.9 MBFreddy Gray speaks to author Joshua Green who wrote The Rebels: Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and the Struggle for a New American Politics. On the podcast they discuss the three rebels in the book; how they influenced Joe Biden in office; and whether the Democratic Party has given up ‘finance-centered’ liberalism.
Which way will the swing states go?
February 13, 2024 16:51 - 11 minutes - 11 MBFreddy Gray speaks to JL Partners Director Scarlett Maguire about America's swing states which could decide the general election.
How bad is the border crisis?
February 10, 2024 11:00 - 32 minutes - 29.9 MBFreddy is joined by Todd Bensman, fellow at the Centre for Immigration Studies and author of Overrun: how Joe Biden unleashed the greatest border crisis in US history. They discuss how to solve what is perhaps the issue of our time, why meaningful reform doesn't seem to happen on immigration, and the extent of Biden's physical and mental frailty after a week of public gaffes.
Is 2024 a ‘flip election’?
February 06, 2024 10:43 - 30 minutes - 28.4 MBFreddy Gray is joined by pollster and writer Patrick Ruffini. They talk about why the strengthening economy isn’t improving Biden’s numbers, and the other factors that will influence the 2024 election.
Can Trump ever get a fair trial?
February 04, 2024 09:00 - 15 minutes - 14 MBLast week Donald Trump was ordered to pay more than seventy million dollars to E. Jean Carroll, the writer who accused him of sexual assault. Freddy speaks to Spectator columnist Lionel Shriver about some of the oddities of this case against the former president.
Does the Biden administration know what it’s doing with Iran?
February 03, 2024 09:00 - 46 minutes - 42.8 MBFreddy Gray is joined in the office by Mike Baker a former CIA operations officer, CEO of the global intelligence and security firm Portman Square Group and host of the popular news podcast the President’s Daily Brief.
Could Taylor Swift swing the election?
January 31, 2024 16:36 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBFreddy Gray sits down with host and producer of the 538 Politics podcast Galen Druke to discuss whether a Taylor Swift endorsement could sway the general election.
Will Jon Stewart still be funny?
January 27, 2024 10:00 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBFreddy Gray speaks to Jonathan Askonas, assistant professor of politics at the Catholic University of America about Jon Stewart's return to TV, and what role, albeit inadvertent, he played in Tucker Carlson’s success.
What went wrong with Ron?
January 23, 2024 11:30 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MBFreddy Gray is joined in New Hampshire by Ben Domenech, editor at large of Spectator World. On the podcast they discuss the pro-Trump establishment of the Republican party; how the Republican cohort have changed since the Obama election and what issues Trump can identify that appeal to voters.
Is New Hampshire a Potemkin primary?
January 20, 2024 17:19 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBFor this special Americano podcast, Freddy Gray is in New Hampshire with the Spectator US team, Matt McDonald and Zach Christenson covering the chilly primaries. Are both Ron De Santis and Nikki Haley's defeat a foregone conclusion?
Is the Republican race over?
January 16, 2024 17:08 - 31 minutes - 29 MBFreddy Gray speaks to Republican strategist Luke Thompson about Trump's landslide Iowa win; how much Trump's legal proceedings will interfere with his campaign and who could be his deputy. The Spectator is hiring! We are looking for a new producer to join our broadcast team working across our suite of podcasts – including this one – as well as our YouTube channel Spectator TV. Follow the link to read the full job listing: https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/wanted-a-broadcast-producer-for-t...
Is 2024 the ‘regime referendum’?
January 11, 2024 10:35 - 36 minutes - 33 MBFreddy Gray speaks to Daniel McCarthy, editor of the conservative review Modern Age, about all things Donald Trump. Do his ongoing trials help or hinder his campaign? Do the Democrats want him to be the Republican candidate or not? And is there a bureaucratic 'permanent power' that Trump would overthrow if he succeeds? The Spectator is hiring! We are looking for a new producer to join our broadcast team working across our suite of podcasts – including this one – as well as our YouTube chann...
Do Trump's Republican rivals have any hope?
January 09, 2024 10:10 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBFreddy Gray is joined by pollster James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners. They speak about the upcoming Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary, and whether Trump's opponents have any chance of beating him. They also discuss the impact of Trump's trials, and JL Partners' viral word cloud which both Biden and Trump have been attempting to use to their advantage. The Spectator is hiring! We are looking for a new producer to join our broadcast team working across our suite of podcasts – inc...
Has Claudine Gay wrecked Harvard?
January 05, 2024 17:44 - 39 minutes - 36.5 MBFor the first Americano episode of 2024, Freddy Gray is joined by Peter Wood, President of the National Association of Scholars to discuss Claudine Gay's resignation from Harvard University. On the podcast Freddy and Peter discuss Gay's accusations of plagiarism; how the row has became wrapped up in racism, and what this means for the future of affirmative action in America. The Spectator is hiring! We are looking for a new producer to join our broadcast team working across our suite of po...
Is America heading towards Civil War?
December 20, 2023 14:48 - 52 minutes - 48 MBFreddy Gray speaks to classicist, military historian and author Victor Davis Hanson. In an end of year review, they talk about antisemitism in the US today, the battle between right and left since 2016, and a potential future Trump presidency.
Is an impeachment inquiry good for Biden?
December 15, 2023 10:32 - 25 minutes - 23.4 MBThe House of Representatives has voted to open an impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden, after three Republican-led committees alleged bribery and corruption during his time as vice-president. Could it actually be good news for Biden? Freddy speaks to Jacob Heilbrunn.
Does the legacy of Prohibition still haunt America?
December 08, 2023 11:21 - 21 minutes - 19.4 MBFreddy Gray speaks to journalist and author Niko Vorobyov who wrote Dopeworld: Undercover in the secret war on drugs. 90 years after Prohibition ended, what are some of the biggest misperception about that era? And what has been the legacy of repealing the 18th amendment?
Is Cop a busted flush?
December 02, 2023 14:01 - 24 minutes - 22.7 MBWorld leaders are in Dubai this weekend to discuss climate change, but are these Cop summits pointless? Joe Biden isn’t attending this year’s get together, allegedly because he’s focusing on the war between Israel and Hamas. Meanwhile, there have been reports that the Emiratis are using the convening power of the summit to sign new oil contracts. Freddy Gray speaks to author and journalist Robert Bryce about whether Cop is a busted flush.
Have we seen the last of Mitt Romney?
November 21, 2023 20:00 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBFreddy Gray talks to McKay Coppins, author of the New York Times bestselling book 'Romney: A Reckoning'. Romney has announced he will not seek reelection in 2024. What next for the 'never-Trumper', could he support the creation of a new centrist party? And how does he feel about the significant losses in his career?
Is it time to take Nikki Haley seriously?
November 18, 2023 11:58 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBFreddy Gray is joined by Patrick Ruffini, pollster and author of Party of the People: Inside the Multiracial Populist Coalition Remaking the GOP to discuss who could be a serious competitor to Trump.
Biden's Middle East approach – and is he in trouble at home?
November 06, 2023 20:01 - 24 minutes - 22.3 MBFreddy Gray is reunited with Charles Lipson and Jacob Heilbrunn to debate the impact of Biden's Middle East policy, and his shaky reputation at home. Is he a Cold War liberal, out of touch with the modern Democratic Party?
Is net zero leading to economic ruination?
November 03, 2023 18:00 - 36 minutes - 33 MBFreddy Gray speaks to Robert Bryce who is an author and expert on energy, power and politics. On the podcast, Robert talks about the economic implications of Europe's net zero targets; why we should push for nuclear energy; and shares the human stories behind electricity.
Who is the new House Speaker?
October 26, 2023 16:56 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBAmber Athey and Daniel McCarthy editor of Modern Age Journal and columnist at The Spectator join the Americano podcast to breakdown the long House speaker battle which has finally culminated in Trumpist Mike Johnson getting selected.
How is Joe Biden handling the Israel-Palestine crisis?
October 20, 2023 09:00 - 26 minutes - 24.3 MBThis week Freddy speaks to Dennis Ross, former Middle East coordinator under President Clinton and current Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University. They discuss Biden's visit to Israel this week, how his policy towards the Middle East borrows from Trump and Obama, and how we can discern between the public posturing and private desires of Middle Eastern states.
How are Democrats reacting to the war in Israel?
October 12, 2023 11:30 - 30 minutes - 28 MBThis week Freddy speaks to Andrew Cockburn, Washington editor of Harper's Magazine, about America's response to the developments in the Middle East. On the podcast they discuss the 'squad' (a section of Democrats who have been making pro-Palestinian noises), how America and Israel's surveillance system allowed the attack to happen, and the importance of the conflict ahead of next year's presidential election.
What's going on in the Republican party?
October 06, 2023 14:30 - 22 minutes - 21 MBFreddy speaks to Roger Kimball, editor of the New Criterion and columnist for The Spectator's US edition. After Kevin McCarthy was ousted as speaker of the House this week, they discuss why the Republican party is such a mess.