With Friends Like These

This week Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) sat down with Disability Rights Activist Alice Wong (@SFdirewolf) to talk about what ableism looks like today and responses from the disabled activist community. They began with a discussion on language and how being disabled is perceived. They moved onto how the modern political landscape affects people who are disabled, and what Trump and Kavanaugh mean for healthcare decisions. Wong ended with a call to action and hope. Interested in Alice Wong’s work? Preorder her new book on Amazon. Thanks to our sponsors: Listening to audiobooks inspires us, motivates us, even brings us closer. And there’s no better place to listen, than Audible. Audible has the largest selection of audiobooks on the planet. And now, Audible members get more than ever before: each month they get 3 titles of their choice; 1 audiobook, 2 Audible Originals, and fitness programs that they can’t get anywhere else. Try it for free by visiting audible.com/friends or text friends to 500500 to start your

This week Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) sat down with author and Council of Foreign Relations fellow Max Boot (@MaxBoot). Max Boot described his reasons for leaving the Republican party. He mentioned the issues of Trump, as well as the deeper problems within the Conservative movement itself. Next, they talked about how identity plays into politics, and why as a Jew and an immigrant Boot could no longer be a part of his former party due to their treatment of minorities. They ended with a discussion on what was next for the Republican party, and what needs to happen in order for American politics to no longer move towards extremism. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or email the show at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! Go to ubiome.com/friends to order a quick and easy at-home test that screens for microbes associated with IBS, IBD, pre-diabetes, and many other chronic conditions. Brooklinen gives you luxury sheets without that luxury markup. Visit brooklinen.com fo

TW: Sexual Assault If you’re not in a place where it’s ok to think about sexual assault, come back when you are! And if you have ever experienced sexual violence, you are not alone. If you’re ready to talk to someone about it, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE or contact the Rape Abuse Incest National Network at online.rainn.org. This week Ana Marie Cox (@anamariecox) sat down with Republican writer Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson). They delved into the recent testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and the reactions from people across the country. The conversation shifted to the relationship between Democrats and Republicans and mistrust and miscommunication between the parties. They also discussed the women who have come forward with their own personal stories and the culture of sexual assault within this country. They ended by predicting the results of the confirmation and the future of the GOP’s message and direction. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or email the sh

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) sat down with Travon Free (@Travon), the star of the new HBO show Him or Her. They started things off by delving into the show’s premise: it’s largely based on Travon’s dating experiences as a black, bisexual male in America. That transitioned to a conversation about the importance of representation, something personal to Travon specifically because he hasn’t ever seen himself represented in popular movies or tv shows. Ana then shifted the conversation, asking Travon about his journey to realizing and accepting his sexuality. Growing up in a conservative Christian church made things more difficult, and eventually led him to stop attending and eventually led him to stop attending before adopting a new approach. Toward the close of the show, Travon continued on, and explained the ways he’s found acceptance of his sexuality later in life. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or email the show at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! Check out CBS

Princeton University professor Robert Wuthnow (@RobertWuthnow), author of the book The Left Behind: Decline and Rage in Rural America, joined Ana (@anamariecox) this week to talk about his research. He and Ana began by exploring common misconceptions of rural America, and how rural Americans often conceive of themselves. Although he often found a perceived sense of “we-ness” within rural communities, that dynamic broke down when people shared their true opinions about things like marriage equality or a woman’s right to choose. Although many people held similar beliefs, the group was much less homogenous than they may have thought. Ana asked Robert about how the group dynamic can change, and he explained that the boundaries of the groups get complicated, because the divide between us and them is never as obvious as people may think it is. Ana also asked whether Robert had foreseen the rise of Donald Trump (spoiler alert: he hadn’t). Yet, he wasn’t surprised that people in rural America supported a Republican,

Ana (@anamariecox) sat down with Michael Arceneaux (@youngsinick), author of the New York Times bestseller I Can’t Date Jesus. Their conversation kicked off with an exploration of Michael’s experience as a queer black man, how it is inherently political, and what that means in his daily life. They then talked about his work as a writer, and why he chose to write the book he wanted to rather than one craved by editors, that would have catered to a white audience. That turned the conversation towards representation, and what it takes for a black person to succeed in traditional media, namely an ability to speak to white people. Ana and Michael also dove into how he discovered his sexuality, and the ways that lack of representation not just of gay men, but black, Latino, and Asian men made that more difficult. They finished things off by talking about Michael’s family, and the influence they have not just on who he is, but on the book itself. His mother, a devout Catholic, still has issues with his sexuality, an

On this week’s pod, Ana (@anamariecox) checked back in with Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) to do something different: answer questions from listeners. Their wide-ranging conversation kicked off with Ana asking Rick to put on his strategist hat, and analyze the governor’s races in Florida and Georgia, and the Senate races in Tennessee, Florida, and Texas. Ana then asked Rick how he will vote in the Florida gubernatorial election, before going deeper on how/when Never Trumpers will vote for Democrats. They then changed course, and talked about Rick’s future career prospects as well as what a Never Trumper needs to do for liberals and progressives to trust them. Rick and Ana closed things out by talking about their memories of John McCain, from the perspective of someone who worked for a pro-McCain super PAC and a journalist who covered him, and what they like about each other. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or email us at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com Thank you to our sponsors! Visit stamps

On this week’s pod, Ana (@anamariecox) sat down with Robin DiAngelo, author of the book White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. To kick things off, Robin explained what white fragility is, and the impact that it has not just on white people, but white progressives in particular. Ana and Robin then talked about the need for people who recognize racism’s ills not to get complacent or arrogant, but rather be actively anti-racist, and continue educating themselves. They then switched gears, and explored why white women often fail to be allies for people of color before probing the ways de facto segregation and tokenizing minorities are so deeply problematic. Ana and Robin also put forth a series of suggestions for what well-meaning white people should do when they put their foot in their mouths and say something racist.  You can find Robin’s book here: https://www.amazon.com/White-Fragility-People-About-Racism/dp/0807047414 Robin referenced an article she wrote, which you can f

Whitney Phillips (@wphillips49) joined Ana (@anamariecox) to talk about her recent work, The Oxygen of Amplification, which chronicles the battle journalists face to report on extremism without amplifying it. Early in their conversation, Ana and Whitney dove into the central paradox of that battle: that it’s almost impossible to report on extremism without normalizing and spreading it. Another part of that paradox is that for an uninitiated journalist, it is all too easy to get duped into spreading misinformation. They also explored one of the central problems of this reporting and reporting in general: newsrooms are overwhelmingly white, male, Christian, cis, and able-bodied. Because those people are the ones least at risk from white supremacists, they’re (*shocker*) who white supremacists will talk to, and the most likely to downplay threats from those same white supremacists. Lastly, after touching on Unite The Right 2.0, Ana played assignment editor and suggested different directions to take a Nazi Next D

This week, the one and only Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) stopped by to talk with Ana (@anamariecox) about his new book, Everything Trump Touches Dies. Ana kicked things off by asking Rick about things he regrets from his past as a political consultant. That led to a conversation about the reaction he’s received from past colleagues and clients to the book, and why he decided to move from working in the political shadows to the light. After Ana called Rick out for the way he uses mental illness and drug addiction in the book to mock Trump supporters, they discussed the people that have disappointed Rick in the Trump era. At the top of the list: Rudy Giuliani. Afterwards, friend of the pod Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) joined Ana to answer a listener question from Alex, a Spanish teacher at a conservative, largely homogenous school who wants to reach her students and help them learn that discrimination isn’t ok. You can find Rick’s book here. Get in touch with us on Twitter @crooked_friends or email us at withfr

Arjun Singh Sethi (@arjunsethi81), author of American Hate: Survivors Speak Out, joined Ana (@anamariecox) on this week’s pod. Over the course of their conversation, Arjun explained why he wrote the book: to center the perspectives of hate survivors, who live with the everyday hate not just of Trump’s America, but that -- shocker -- has always been present in American life. He and Ana talked about the general erasure of hate survivors in no less a setting that prosecution of hate crimes, and why hate crime legislation, restorative justice, and listening to survivors is so important in the first place. Their conversation also touched on the role social media does, and should, play in tackling hate. Lastly, they talked about how Arjun’s two German Shepherds help him continue to do this work, and the most important thing he learned through this project. You can find Arjun’s book here. A clip from Taylor Dumpson’s TED Talk is included in the show’s intro. If you’re interested in the full version, you can find

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) talked with Sarah Jones (@onesarahjones), a staff writer for The New Republic who covers social inequality and religion. Their conversation began with Sarah’s religious upbringing, and her journey from Christian fundamentalist to secular activist. Ana asked about what influence -- if any -- her parents’ teaching still has on her, as well as what the dearth of religious news outlets means for coverage of religion moving forward. Finally, at the end of the show, Sarah explained what she wishes people understood about white evangelicals. At the end of the show, Ana answered a listener question about reckoning with depression as a person of privilege. Sarah mentioned this New York Times piece. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends, or email the show at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! Visit stitchfix.com/friends and get 25% off when you keep all five items in your box. Head to squarespace.com/friends and use the offer code FRIENDS when you

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) talked with Teresa P Mateus (@teresapmateus), trauma specialist, professor, and founder of The Mystic Soul Project. They began their conversation talking about Teresa’s journey to become a trauma specialist, and explored what her work looks like in practice. Ana also asked her to explain how well meaning white people can fit into the people of color centered approach Teresa espoused. They then closed out the show talking about how this moment is similar and different to what came before, and why we can be hopeful things will get better. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or email us at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! Go to thirdlove.com/friends to find your perfect fitting bra and get 15% off your first order. Check out Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant. Go to stamps.com, click on the radio microphone at the top of the page and enter FRIENDS for up to $55 in postage, a four-week trial and a free digital scale. Get free shippin

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) sat down for her regular check in with WFLT’s favorite Never Trumper Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson). They talked about what Rick expects from President Trump’s upcoming summit with Vladimir Putin, and why the international order upheld by NATO is so important. Rick then offered his verdict on Brett Kavanaugh, Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, and what could push him to work for a Democratic Presidential candidate in 2020. Rick’s book, Everything Trump Touches Dies, comes out next month! You can find it here. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or email us at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! Go to sunbasket.com/friends and get $35 off your first order. Check out Chameleon Cold Brew, purveyors of delicious, organic cold-brew iced coffee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) sat down with Amy Chozick (@amychozick), New York Times writer at large and the author of the new book Chasing Hillary. Over the course of a wide-ranging conversation, they dove into some of the threads within Amy’s book that the national political press has overlooked. In addition to examining the Hillary that Amy felt voters often didn’t see, they discussed the lessons learned by Amy and the press corps writ large from the 2016 election, and how that press corps can win people’s trust back. You can find Amy’s book here. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or email us at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! Give Oatly, a milk alternative made from oats, a shot at oatly.com. Get your first refill pack free with a Quip electric toothbrush at getquip.com/friends. Visit framebridge.com and enter the code FRIENDS for 15% off your first order. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) welcomed Lilliana Mason (@LilyMasonPhD), an assistant professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland and the author of Uncivil Agreement: How Politics Became Our Identity, to the show. They talked about Lilliana’s research into the power of partisan identity, and how it affects people’s daily behavior as well as the difference in manifestation between Democrats and Republicans. After probing the issue itself, they dove into the problems that it poses, as well as potential solutions. You can find Lilliana’s book here. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends, or email us at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com. Thank you to our sponsors! Try a 7-day free trial at texture.com/friends. Go to stamps.com, click the radio microphone at the top and enter FRIENDS for up to $55 in free postage, a digital scale and a 4-week trial. Get free shipping on your first order when you go to everlane.com/friends. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) sat down with The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer (@AdamSerwer) to talk about the Trump Administration’s inhumane policy of separating children from their parents detained at America’s southern border. Adam wrote a story in The Atlantic about how this policy is the realization of Trumpism, and laid out the argument he makes in the piece: that this policy is the natural byproduct of Trump’s political appeal, and builds off an American tradition of doing horrible things to black and brown children. He and Ana proceeded to examine the central importance of cruelty to this policy, and to much of what else Trump does. Ana covered Trump’s rally in Duluth on Wednesday for Rolling Stone, and shared some of her reflections on it at the end of the show. You can find Ana’s story from Duluth in full here. Ana referenced another piece of Adam’s in The Atlantic, “The Nationalist’s Delusion,” which you can find here. Adam cited this Atlantic piece from his colleague, and friend of the pod, Vann New

This week, Ana (@anamariecox) sat down with Charlotte Clymer (@cmclymer), the Press Secretary for Rapid Response at the Human Rights Campaign. They started their conversation by talking about the Trump Administration’s decision to ban transgender people from serving in the military, which Charlotte, as a transgender woman and a veteran, is uniquely able to analyze. Charlotte then shared the story of her own transition, and talked about what it means to see transgender people actually be represented. She and Ana then talked about one of the most important aspects to being an ally with a platform: lifting up other voices. Charlotte talked about one of her favorite activists, Ruby Corado, a transgender woman who is the founder and executive director of Casa Ruby (@CasaRubyDC), a bilingual, multicultural community and resource center for LGBTQ+ people and immigrants in Washington, DC. Finally, to close out the show, Ana and Charlotte answered a listener question from a white, cis, heterosexual woman who wants h

This week, Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) stopped by for his monthly check-in with Ana (@anamariecox). They began their conversation by talking about how to cope with the constant distraction posed by Donald Trump’s Twitter account and stay focused on the real issues. Afterwards, they dove into Rick’s own political evolution, and the issues he’s willing to compromise on to gain allies against Trump leading into the midterms. Ana also asked Rick for an insight into what Republican lawmakers and staffers on Capitol Hill are thinking as they head towards November. Get in touch with us on Twitter at @crooked_friends or at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com Thank you to our sponsors! Get your body moving in your workspace at fully.com/friends. Start your 7-day free trial at texture.com/friends. Go to stamps.com, click on the radio microphone at the top and enter FRIENDS for up to $55 in free postage, a digital scale, and a 4-week trial. Receive free shipping on your first order when you visit everlane.com/friends.

This week, comedian and host of CNN’s United Shades of America W. Kamau Bell (@wkamaubell) joined Ana (@anamariecox) to talk about the racial bias training Starbucks workers across the country had this past week. They spoke about the hypocrisy in trying to take on racism while relying on euphemisms like “racial profiling” and “color brave” without being able to say the word “racist,” as well as how many anti-racism trainings only encompass racism against black people, and leave out other people of color. They also discussed the ways racism actively harms people of color in their daily lives, and Kamau shared one of the ways he physically alters himself when entering white spaces: crouching, so his height appears less intimidating. Get in touch with us at withfriendslikepod@gmail.com or on Twitter at @crooked_friends. Thank you to our sponsors! Go to sunbasket.com/friends to get $35 off your first order. Get $20 off your purchase at theblacktux.com/friends. Visit getquip.com/friends for your first refill