The Contrarian: The Pod

Brian Tyler Cohen On His New Book, The Day After

The Contrarian — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 22:00:59 GMT

On Coffee with Contrarians earlier this week, our publisher Norm Eisen chatted with Brian Tyler Cohen. He’s the host of the No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen YouTube show and podcast, where he’s chatted with guests like Presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama, Zohran Mamdani, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and so many more.

He’s out with his second book, The Day After, How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World, which looks at the GOP’s effective way of abusing power and the Democrats’ opportunity to actually step up and fight back to protect democracy. Norm and Brian also react to Blanche and Clayton’s tense congressional hearings on Wednesday, and they push back against Trump’s latest false election interference claims.

Renewed Strikes on Iran, June Jobs Report, and AI's Impact on the Workforce

The Contrarian — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:50:16 GMT

On this week’s Let’s Do Lunch, Jared Bernstein chatted with Aya Ibrahim, Senior Fellow for Economic and National Security at the AI Now Institute and Visiting Senior Fellow at the Century Foundation.

After renewed strikes on Iran this week, Jared and Aya discussed the strikes’ potential impacts on the U.S. domestic economy. They later delved into the June jobs report, looking into how AI is affecting the job market for young people and the administrative workforce.

You can get your own questions answered about the economy every other Tuesday at noon ET by following us on Bluesky and Substack.

What's Next for Dems in Maine's Senate Race?

The Contrarian — Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:01:05 GMT

After Graham Platner’s exit from the Senate race in Maine, Democrats are scrambling to figure out who will face off against Republican incumbent Susan Collins.

The upcoming state Convention provides a second chance for Maine voters to make their voices heard — something many Mainers felt they didn’t get the first time around with Platner.

Former Clinton press secretary Joe Lockhart, who now votes in Maine, spoke with us about how the Washington consultant class shaped the Platner fiasco, and how Maine can still capitalize on the progressive enthusiasm stirred up by Platner’s campaign.

Todd Blanche’s Upcoming Senate Hearings and ICE Kills a Man on His Way to Work

The Contrarian — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 22:00:34 GMT

It’s been a week, and we had a lot to talk through. That’s why we’re bringing you all a special episode today. It’s a double feature!

On Thursday’s Coffee with Contrarians, April Ryan spoke with Maya Wiley. She is the President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. After that, she sat down with Rep. Al Green (D-TX) on The Tea.

This week, assaults on justice proved to be a recurring theme.

Between Todd Blanche’s upcoming Senate hearings and ICE killing a man on his way to work, it becomes clearer every day that Americans cannot put their trust in the Department of Justice.

DOGE has Destroyed Fair Housing Grants

The Contrarian — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 22:05:15 GMT

On Tuesday’s episode of The Tea with April Ryan, April spoke with Lisa Rice, President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance.

While discussing the worsening housing affordability crisis, Lisa revealed that DOGE has all but destroyed fair housing grants, jeopardizing the lives of already vulnerable people, all in the name of being “anti-DEI.”

The Tea with April Ryan is live every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30pm ET at ContrarianNews.org.

Trump Heads to NATO Summit, White Nationalists March on D.C., and World Cup Fever

The Contrarian — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 21:45:18 GMT

On Monday’s Coffee with Contrarians, our publisher Norm Eisen chatted with independent journalist and contributor Katie Phang, on everything from the chaotic July 4th celebrations in DC to what happened with Team USA. During their chat, the two previewed Trump’s trip to the NATO summit, analyzed the white nationalist march in Washington, D.C., and discussed the latest in World Cup drama.

Coffee with Contrarians is live every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 9:15am ET at ContrarianNews.org.

America's Legacy: Beacon of Freedom or White Republic?

The Contrarian — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 21:30:36 GMT

Ahead of this weekend’s Independence Day celebrations, April Ryan discussed the dichotomy of America with Professor Eddie Glaude, who teaches African American studies and religion at Princeton.

The two examined the contradictions between America’s “hope and freedom!” self-proclamations, ‘pull yourself up by the bootstraps’ mentality, and the country’s legacy of racism.

Professor Glaude asks, will the US be a beacon of freedom or a white republic? It cannot be both.

The Tea with April Ryan is live every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30pm ET at ContrarianNews.org.

Why SCOTUS Needs Ethics Reform

The Contrarian — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 22:05:31 GMT

Yesterday was jam packed with SCOTUS’ final case decisions of the season: trans athletes in sports, campaign finance, and birthright citizenship. To make sense of what exactly these decisions were and their likely implications, April spoke to Janai Nelson, President and Director-Counsel of the Legal Defense Fund, on The Tea. The Legal Defense Fund is one of the strongest legal organizations in the country fighting for racial justice.

The pair broke down the highly anticipated birthright citizenship case that ended in both a 6-3 and 5-4 decision. They also reviewed the court’s decision to uphold state-wide bans on transgender athletes participating in sports, voting rights, and the need for SCOTUS reform.

The Tea with April Ryan is live every Tuesday and Thursday at 5:30pm ET at ContrarianNews.org.

How MAGA Weaponizes History and a Historic SCOTUS Win

The Contrarian — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:16:55 GMT

Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump’s executive order that sought to restrict birthright citizenship is unconstitutional.

This means that the court has upheld the 14th amendment and reaffirmed that Trump can’t just take a pen and change the Constitution. Contrarian Publisher Norm Eisen led this litigation alongside the ACLU and was on the steps of SCOTUS when the decision came down.

While we protected birthright citizenship today, the fight is far from over. In fact, America has encountered many attempts to overturn rights in an age of progress.

To kickstart a week of commemorating America 250, Contrarian Senior Editor Tim Dickinson sat down with Kevin Kruse [06:55], Professor of History at Princeton University, to analyze MAGA’s desire to erase history in order to control the future.

Professor Kruse dives into historical examples of this, from the retaliatory rise of the Klu Klux Klan to the ‘70s social upheaval. And yet, the “nostalgia” these right wingers chase doesn’t actually correspond to a real point in time.

SCOTUS' Anti-Immigrant Rulings, Why Trump Derailed Affordable Housing, and Unbiased AI

The Contrarian — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 21:42:22 GMT

On the Tea with April Ryan, April sat down with Esosa Osa, the Founder and CEO of Onyx Impact.

They looked at the recent SCOTUS ruling allowing Trump to strip Temporary Protected Status from millions of legal immigrants and how Trump derailed a bipartisan bill in Congress that hoped to make housing affordable.

Plus, Esosa unveiled the backstory of Onyx Impact’s new digital assistant, Aisha.AI, supported by clean energy and designed to remove bias against the Black community.

You can join The Tea with April Ryan, live twice a week, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30pm eastern at ContrarianNews.org

Trump's Troubling Health & Mamdani the Kingmaker?

The Contrarian — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 21:30:42 GMT

On Coffee with Contrarians, contributor and independent journalist Katie Phang sat down with political pollster, analyst and organizer extraordinaire Simon Rosenberg.

They looked at what last night’s primary results in New York could mean for the Midterms, the Senate’s vote on a War Powers Resolution, and Trump’s allegedly deteriorating health.

Coffee with Contrarians is live every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 9:15 AM ET.

MAGA's Latest Scheme to Disrupt the Midterms

The Contrarian — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 22:05:32 GMT

Earlier this week, Contrarian Publisher Norm Eisen sat down with former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance on Coffee with Contrarians. They talked about Trump’s reflecting pool disaster, the almost $1.8 billion slush fund, and MAGA’s current plan to disrupt the midterms.

Coffee with Contrarians is live every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 9:15 AM ET.

How a Controversial Spying Tool and Trump's Pick for DNI Create a National Security Risk

The Contrarian — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 20:32:02 GMT

Earlier this week, Contrarian publisher Norm Eisen sat down with Senator Mark Warner from Virginia. They talked about how Trump’s pivot to a sycophantic, unqualified nominee for Director of National Intelligence puts American national security at risk.

'We’re Worse Off Than Before Trump Started the War'

The Contrarian — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:30:12 GMT

Yesterday, Trump and Vance virtually signed an agreement to end the blockade of Iranian ports, reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and start 60 days of nuclear negotiations.

Contrarian Publisher Norm Eisen sat down with the Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) to talk about the so-called “framework” of a peace deal and Todd Blanche’s nomination as Attorney General.

Inflation Numbers, Oil Prices, Social Security, and the World's First Trillionaire

The Contrarian — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 22:08:55 GMT

On this week’s Let’s Do Lunch, economist and Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress Jared Bernstein chatted with Jason Furman, economist and former chair at the Council of Economic Advisers under the Obama administration.

Jared and Jason answered all of your burning questions on the economy and went over inflation numbers, oil prices, social security, and the debut of the world’s first trillionaire.

You can get your own questions answered about the economy every other Tuesday at 12pm ET by following us on Bluesky and Substack.

ICE's Secret, Inhumane Web of Charter Flights

The Contrarian — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 21:56:47 GMT

Contrarian senior editor spoke with journalist Gillian Brockell about her reporting on “ICE Air,” a web of charter airlines that transport detained migrants inside the US, and deportees out of the country, often in deplorable, inhumane conditions, that’s “designed to wear [migrants] down so that they’ll give up on their cases.”

To keep up with Brockell’s…

Where Does Sen. Tommy Tuberville Actually Live?

The Contrarian — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 21:46:58 GMT

On Coffee with Contrarians this week, Norm Eisen and April Ryan chatted with former Alabama Senator Doug Jones.

He’s now running for Governor in the same state against Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville, who, despite representing Alabama in the Senate, has been facing questions over what state he actually lives in.

Join the fight now and get 25% off an a…

'Bari Weiss Is Trying to Fix Something That Isn't Broken'

The Contrarian — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 22:00:08 GMT

Something a little different today, a roundtable with Contrarian editors Tim Dickinson, Meghan Houser, and culture columnist Meredith Blake.

The trio talked about the implosion at 60 Minutes, the trouble with billionaire control of CBS, and even a bit about the Knicks — and how Trump’s visit killed the vibes.

Join the fight now and get 25% off an annual s…

Jim Acosta on CBS's Turmoil and Isaiah Martin Explains How Dems Can Fight Fire with Fire

The Contrarian — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 21:30:46 GMT

On the Tea with April Ryan, independent journalist Jim Acosta looked at Trump’s continued attacks on journalism and how Bari Weiss’ takeover of CBS News has led to irreparable damage to the once storied newsroom.

Plus, Isaiah Martin [20:33], former Democratic candidate in Texas turned content creator, came on to talk about the election landscape in his …

Takeaways from California's Big Primary Night and Scott Pelley's Firing from CBS

The Contrarian — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 21:55:36 GMT

On Coffee with Contrarians, publisher Norm Eisen, contributor Katie Phang, and political strategist Maria Cardona dicussed Scott Pelley’s firing from 60 Minutes and what the returns from California’s big primary night could foreshadow in the Midterms.

Coffee with Contrarians is live every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 9:15am eastern every week at Co…