Gary Trauner ran for Congress in Wyoming twice, and for Senate once. In 2006, he lost the closest race in the nation to incumbent Barbara Cubin. Gary talks about his history as a candidate, what it takes to run as a Democrat in a red state, and what it was like to interact with the national Democratic infrastructure. He’s dealt with both the DCCC and DSCC, as well as the consultants they wanted him to hire. He also gives us a rundown on the sad state of Democrats in the redd...

In this episode, John Cole interviews Dr. Genevieve Guenther. Dr Guenther is a former Renaissance scholar who turned to climate research and activism after having a child and becoming increasingly alarmed about the world her son could inherit after she died. She is now an expert in climate communication. Using her training in rhetoric and cultural politics, as well as social-science research, she works to revamp the ways that we talk about the urgent need to phase out coal, oil, and met...

Steve M of No More Mister Nice Blog has been blogging since 2002. Steve’s posts are always smart and often prescient. On this episode of Personality Crisis, NYT Pitchbot a.k.a. Doug J interviews Steve to discuss topics including why Steve got the anti-vaxx trend right years before everyone else, and how Steve views the history of the Democratic Party. John Cole couldn’t make the taping of this pod, but don’t worry, he’ll be back for the next one. Also, Pitchbot had a little ...

Oliver Willis is an OG blogger, and in this episode of Personality Crisis, another OG blogger, John Cole of Balloon-Juice talks with Oliver about the past, future and timidity of the Democratic Party. Oliver and John are joined by Kal El, Oliver’s dog. Oliver is one of the first political bloggers in the world, launching his site in 2000. Oliver spent 13 years working for Media Matters, reporting on conservative misinformation. Today, he’s a senior writer for the Ameri...

In the second episode featuring Brooke Harrington, Professor of Economic Sociology at Dartmouth, John Cole and Harrington discuss her harrowing experiences with the Danish immigration authorities. She was arrested for testifying before the Danish parliament about her academic work. The episode delves into the reasons and tactics for the Danes’ limiting immigration and prosecuting immigrants. Harrington is the author of many articles and books on the concentration of money and powe...

In the first episode of two, John Cole interviews Brooke Harrington, Professor of Economic Sociology at Dartmouth. The discussion begins Harrington’s experiences as a young woman working in Silicon Valley and transitions into a discussion about the mentality and obsessions of the broligarchs who come from that place, and ends with her insights into what can be done about these guys. Harrington is the author of many articles and books on the concentration of money and power in the ...

Important note: This episode includes a frank discussion of suicide. In this episode, Nick Carmody and John Cole have a wide-ranging discussion about the psychology of politics. He and John discuss dopamine hits and conspiracy theories and cult-like behavior, narcissistic personality traits in Trump and others, and how Nick’s personal history brought him to his realizations about the role of narcissism in today’s politics. Nick Carmody, M.S., J.D., is a psychotherapis...